Obituary Archives - Jock Spank

IN MEMORY OF GIL CONNELLY

1944 – 2023

The Male-Spanking Community has lost yet another pioneer with the passing of Gil Connelly. For over 30-years Mr. Connelly was the owner of Man’s Hand Films, producing, directing, publishing and innovating in the world of male corporal punishment.

Gil Connelly was born on September 23, 1944 in rural Pennsylvania. He graduated from Penn State, before accepting an ROTC Appointment in the U.S. Army, where he rose to the rank of Major. Over his career, he was based in Korea, Germany and finally in San Francsisco, where he opted to stay upon his discharge. While attending a meeting of the 15 Association, he met St. John Leslie-Stuart (aka: David Stuart) who had filmed a number of spanking videos with Bob Mizer, the founder of the Athletic Model Guild. Stuart invited Gil to assist him shooting new videos for his company, Man’s Hand Films. Teaching him the tricks of the trade, in 1991, Gil directed his first video (“The Nephew”) just months before Stuart died of emphysema, leaving the company to Connelly.

Over the next 30-years, Gil produced more than 125 spanking videos, in addition to publishing Red Tails Magazine. Starting in June of 1992 as “A Spanking and Corporal Punishment Newsletter,” Red Tails would become the longest-running male-spanking magazine, with over 110 issues that featured stories, advice columns, classified ads and original art by many of the most popular spanking artists. In addition to the quarterly magazine, Gil also published a series of Spanking Anthologies, a calendar, several books and t-shirts, all celebrating male CP.

In reaction to the AIDS crisis, in 1993, the staff of Man’s Hand Films staged a “spanking booth” at the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco. Modeled after the traditional “kissing booth” at county fairs, at this unique venue fair-goers could give or get a swat with a paddle for one-dollar. All of the money raised at the booth was donated to the AIDS Emergency Fund of San Francisco, and over the following 14-years, more than $66,000 was raised for the charity.

In 1995, Gil Connelly staged an experimental “spanking camp” known as Camp Red Tails in Northern California. The annual camp expanded from a 3-day weekend into a 6-day event that draws participants from around the world. In 2019, Camp Red Tails celebrated its 25th anniversary, and Gil announced that he would no longer be able to host the event. Three regular campers stepped up and agreed to take-over the operation, so Gil’s vision of a Spanking Camp will continue to be held every July long into the future.

Having long-battled early stages of dementia, the following January, Gil announced that he was retiring and ending the Man’s Hand Films run. In operation for 36-years, it was longest-lasting male-spanking video company in history. Gil’s imagination and vision made unsurpassed contributions to our community that inspired other companies and will be enjoyed by our community for many years into the future.

Luckily, upon hearing of Gil’s retirement, one friend offered to purchased the publication rights to Red Tails Magazine. Scanning more than 5,500 pages, every issue of the magazine is now available for free at www.gayspankart.com. And while the videos are no longer being sold by the company, a selection of them are available on the SpankThis site, and the Man’s Hand studio on Clips4Sale remains open for the time being.

Gil peacefully passed away in his sleep on August 7th, and while he was 78 years of age, his legacy will go on far longer.

Marco – In Memoriam

It is with great sadness that we have to release the news that the popular sting actor and spanking community icon Marco has died. He passed away after a sudden and very much unexpected serious illness.

Sting Pictures are of course shocked and mourning the loss of a great friend and colleague. He was only 37 years old.

We at JockSpank extend our deepest sympathy to Sting and To Marco’s friends and family

Cliff’s Final Blog Post

Since last week’s posting, announcing the passing of Cliff Meador, the owner and creator of Spanking Central, a number of JockSpank readers have written to us with comments and memories of Cliff, and the impact he has had on many people’s lives.

One of these, Jack, has sent me a copy of Cliff’s final blog posting, posted on January 2^nd, just six days before his death on the 8^th. After some consideration, I have decided to repost this. I am doing so for various reasons, firstly, it shows that his death was sudden and unexpected, but it also shows that Cliff was at a point where he was happy and comfortable with his life and with his achievements. That is a place where I believe his fans would wish him to be.

Note: Cliff also posted a photograph, which, after serious consideration, I have chosen to include, as he appears comfortable with the way he is depicted, and also shows him in a comfortable and peaceful point in his life.

Please click on the Continue Reading Tab below to read Cliff’s final blog post

(Hat Tip Jack)

Continue reading → Post ID 56123

Remembering Margusta

Following the sad news at the weekend, we have to report another sad loss to the Male Spanking Community. We have been notified that the iconic spanker Margusta passed away last Spring, following a lengthy illness, compounded at the end by COVID.

Margusta was a prolific figure within the male spanking movies of the early 2000s, appearing first in many British Boys Fetish Club productions, and later in a number of Sting videos, such as “Banged Up – My Borstal Days”, and “TS Morsus Before the Mast”.

Margusta had ambitions to set up his own Spanking studio in his homeland of Estonia, but this was thwarted by legal issues and later by failing health.

Margusta was a larger than life character, with many fans among those who appreciate male spanking films. He will be missed

In Memoriam : Cliff Meador

CLIFFTON G. MEADOR

January 20, 1957 – January 8, 2023

Thanks for Copper for the following Memorial

The world of male-spanking suffered a loss recently, with the passing of Cliff Meador, the owner of Spanking Central video productions. Starting in 1993 in Palm Springs, Cliff (or “Cliffboy” as he was known at the time) began a mail-order company that specialized in designing and building spanking equipment that he called “The House of Correction.” Included in his product line were a selection of paddles, leather straps and a variety of bondage devices. After relocating to Fresno California, in 2003 he opened a video production company where he planned to feature both male and female spanking scenarios. When Spanking Central first opened, he offered a catalog of ten videos that were available on DVD, or by membership for $12 a month. He set a goal of offering one new video every week,abandoning the idea of using female models and specializing in exclusively male content.

In addition to directing the videos, Cliff appeared in almost all of them as the sole top. Artistically shot and edited, in an interview, he once described his productions as “a dramatization of a spanking” and “theatrics,” rather than real discipline. In 2008, he stopped offering DVD’s for sale, making his films available only by membership. In addition to the featured videos, Cliff also maintained a regular video blog, updating the members on his current activities, his models, and occasional rants about video piracy or other political issues In February of 2019, Cliff announced that he was ceasing production of new films, although he would allow the website to stay open as long as it paid for itself. By that time, he had produced an impressive catalog of 745 spanking videos. Cliff unexpectedly passed away on Sunday, January 8th at the age of 65. The website, www.spankingcentral.com is still available, although it is unknown just how long it will remain active.

In Memorium – William Higgins

In Memorium – William Higgins

19/12/1942 – 21/12/2019

The legendary gay porn director William Higgins has died suddenly. During his career he has participated in the production of thousands of films, many of which were made in the Czech Republic.

Widely considered a major influence on modern industry filmmakers, Higgins enjoyed remarkable longevity in adult entertainment. In 2018 he celebrated 40 years in the industry; his indelible legacy includes a body of work consisting of more than 3000 movies since the mid-1970s.

Higgins’s resume of iconic films included such classics as The Boys of Venice,The Class of ’84, These Bases Are Loaded,The Best Little Warehouse in L.A., Sailor in the Wild, Cousins, The Pizza Boy,Big Guns and more.

Higgins left America in the late 1990’s and , after a brief period in Australia, relocated to the Chech Republic where he first set up WilliamHiggins.com and Later CzechBoysNextDoor.com which became Str8hell.com. Over the years many images from Str8hell.com have appeared on JockSpank.

William Higgins was an icon in the Gay Adult film industry, who has given us many hours of pleasure. He was also a kind and delightful man to know. We will miss him.