history of male nude photography 176

Fredrick Kovert, a.k.a. Fred Kovert, Frederick Ko Vert, Frederick de Kovert, Fred de Kovert and Kovert of Hollywood, was a minor silent screen actor known for his drag roles. His first role was in the 1920 movie An Adventuress, starring Julian Eltinge, the most famous drag artist of his day, and featured Rudolph Valentino in a minor role. Kovert had small parts in several features and shorts, for silent Wizard of Oz (1925) he also designed the costumes, by 1931 he made his last movie.
In 1944 he started a new career as a photographer for which he is more know. His studio, Kovert of Hollywood, was in a storefront on Melrose Ave. in what is now West Hollywood; his men, mostly bodybuilders, were completely, full-frontally naked. Which caused problems for Kovert, whose studio was raided by the police. It’s not clear that Kovert took the photos himself – Konstantine who ran another “physique” photo studio, Spartan of Hollywood, was supposedly one of his photographers.
In 1947, Kovert killed himself. 
 





A book of his photos "Hollywood Nudes: The Physique Photos of Fred Kovert" is available on Amazon. (Thanks to Queercult.)