Super Studs of the Seventies.

Can anyone tell me what movie this guy is from?

This is one of the many hair transplant ads found in the 70's Newsday TV Books I collect. Flipping through these books, one would think that Long Island was in the grip of a male pattern baldness epidemic. It's much more likely that thousands of schlubby Island fellas like this one just felt left out of the groovy free-love-n'-mucho-drugs loop, and figured a cheesy "hair system" was their ticket in.

I just can't shake the feeling that I've seen this guy in some low-budget flick of the era, something along the lines of Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things (but not that). And no, I'm not confusing him with Richard S. Castellano.

I wish I could have found the pic of Castellano that was run with his obituary in 1988. It was a close-up of his meaty mug, mouth agape mid-bellow, showcasing the furious gap in his teeth. I swear he was able to flare that gap like others do their nostrils. It almost seemed disrespectful to use the picture alongside his death notice, eliciting involuntary giggles as it did. The shot above, promoting his 1972 series The Super, was taken shortly after he became known through his role as Clemenza in The Godfather. My God, his funnel-shaped pants are a thing to behold--though they barely be holdin' his mighty grotch.

I was astounded to learn that Castellano was about 37 when he filmed that movie, younger than I am now. While it is strange to measure oneself against some guy who died twenty years ago, I must admit that, looking at this picture, I feel somewhat better about myself. And looking back at that first pic, the gruesome bald guy in the appalling shirt, well jeez, I'm Jack Lord compared to him!