Paul Bunyan, Gay Icon - obituary (1985) - 1. Paul Bunyan Obituary

April 5, 1985

OBITUARIES

Paul Bunyan, American Legend and Gay Icon

Paul Bunyan, inspiration for folklore, tall tales, books, films, advertising, and gay male erotica, died Monday night at his West Hollywood home. He was 103 years old.

He began working as a logger in his teens, in forests across the breadth of the United States and Canada, from Maine to Alaska. Soon tales of his great size and enormous appetite spread. “Those exaggerations are so embarrassing,” he said in an interview with Edward R. Murrow. “I’m only seven foot one. And my meals are very simple – a couple of steaks, maybe six eggs, a platter of biscuits, and couple pots of coffee get me through breakfast. I do drink a lot of coffee. IHOP hates me.”

Bunyan’s reluctance to embrace new technology, combined with the rise of large corporations such as Weyerhaeuser and the inevitable decline of an extractive industry, sidelined his career. Growing ecological awareness further doomed his “a clear cut is the best cut” style of lumber harvesting.

After his logging years, he eventually shifted his stance. In an interview with Merv Griffin, he said, “In the early years, we didn’t have any awareness of finite resources. We thought there would always be more forests to cut down. But technology has made it possible to do far more damage than I ever did with an axe. We have to manage our timberlands with more thought for the future. The lumber from second and third growth we’re seeing now is much less dense than wood from old growth. Wood these days just isn't as hard or solid as it used to be."

"That is so true. It's a big problem everywhere," Mr. Griffin replied. "I mean, for the lumber and construction industries, of course."

Bunyan said much the same in a later interview with Barbara Walters. "People today never see good quality lumber unless they tear an old house apart. You won't get it from a tree.” When Walters asked him what kind of tree he would like to be, he replied, “Hell, I wouldn’t want to be a tree. Dogs piss on trees. Not to mention the hazard to life and limb from guys like me.”

As with the career of Judy Garland, gay men provided much support in later years when he had gone out of fashion with the general public. “The community has been great. Even before Blue and I came out, they were there for me, at charity events of all kinds,” he said in an interview in The Advocate. “They pushed me very gently to be honest about myself. And when I was finally ready, they were more supportive than I can say. There was no recrimination for how long it took. And they were there to provide financial backing when Tom of Finland and I worked together on a big project.”

Imagining that such a big man must have a booming bass voice, many were surprised that Bunyan actually sounded more like Wally Cox. In the Disney animated film “Paul Bunyan,” Thurl Ravenscroft, who voiced Tony the Tiger and sang “You’re a Mean One, Mister Grinch,” supplied Paul’s voice, and this furthered the misconception. “I used to have a deeper voice. It scared Blue,” Bunyan explained in the Advocate interview. “He doesn’t like loud or low noises. So I cultivated my upper range and softened my tone for his sake.”

Bunyan’s main source of income in later years had been as a model for roadside attractions. More recently, he applied for the position of model for Brawny ® Paper Towels, but lost out to Eric Solie, the son of the artist designing the ad campaign. “They said I was too old at that point,” Bunyan told a friend. “But Eric was too young, and his image had to be aged. They could have used a younger version of me.”

His once legendary strength lasted remarkably long. It was only at the very end that he became frail, requiring at-home nursing care.

The cause of death was listed as cardiomegaly - an enlarged heart.

He is survived by his life partner, noted animal-rights activist Blue Ox, who declined to comment. Mr. Ox achieved fame on his own as an early centerfold for Blueboy Magazine. His book “A Bullshitter’s Guide to Species Equality” is scheduled for publication early next year.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sierra Club or to the Foundation for the Availability of Large Shoes.