David Cassidy to Richard Armitage, My ever changing taste in men!

A Tiger Beat from 1972 which is probably where I got my poster of David Cassidy

After seeing way too much of Justin Beiber lately, I got thinking about my first love, David Cassidy.  I had a poster of him on my bedroom wall in about 1972 which I had to take down because I was too shy to undress in front of it. True story. I used to hide behind my bed and wiggle out of my clothes, convinced that his eyes were following me. I still watched a lot of The Partridge Family after this but that was the end of my David Cassidy phase, the only remnant of which is my old Partridge Family Album (LP of course).

Pa Ingalls (Michael Landon) was another early crush

Michael Landon was probably my next minor crush, as I watched Little House on the Prairie every week. I loved the books and I adored the television show. I still have my "autographed" photo of the Little House cast as I sent a fan letter to California in the 1970s and they sent me the photo in return. I think I liked Pa Ingalls more as a father figure, but he was rather cute. I wished I was Half-Pint for a good chunk of the 1970s.

As you wish, Westley (Cary Elwes)

The 1980s were a rather quiet time for my crushes as I was in University for most of the decade and too busy for such nonsense. (OK, not true, but not much money for movies, no cable, and VCRs were something you rented from the video store in a big silver case).
However, 1987 brought me not only my future husband, but also Westley (aka Cary Elwes) who are forever united in my mind as The Princess Bride was our first date movie. Ah, Westley. Sigh! As you wish...

Oh, Mr. Darcy! Colin Firth was my 1990s crush

1995 brought me my Mr. Darcy.  Pride and Prejudice came onto Canadian television the winter I was at home on maternity leave with my second son. I was smart enough to tape the entire five episodes on my VCR as I had seen a photo of Colin Firth in a cravat and Jennifer Ehle in a bonnet on the cover of our TV Times that first week and I was hooked. I knew nothing of the actors and I knew nothing of Jane Austen. I know! Gasp in horror if you will, but I had studied science for six years of University with not one literature course on my transcript. I had just started reading the Bronte sisters' works and gleefully started reading all six Austen novels that year. Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility came out later that year as did the film adaptation of Persuasion. Then in 1996, Gwyneth Paltrow's Emma hit the theatres. Wow, the 1990s were really good to me. Lots of lovely leading men in these films too. Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Ciaran Hinds and Jeremy Northam.

Hugh Grant as Edward Ferrars

Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon

Ciaran Hinds as Captain Wentworth

Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightley

Yes, the 90s were a very good decade. But this new millennium has brought lots of cuties as well. I have to say the big one for me has been Mr. Thornton, otherwise known as Richard Armitage in the 2004 adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's North & South. For any of you not lucky enough to have seen this one, I am not talking about the 80s Civil War miniseries, I am talking about the BBC miniseries about a man from the industrial North of England and a woman from the bucolic South of England and their story. You know how it goes. Boy sees girl. Boy likes girl. Girl dislikes boy. Boy pursues her anyway and is rebuffed. Girl realizes she is a fool and that she has greatly misjudged this sexy guy. There is a misunderstanding. They are separated. They are reunited. They kiss at a train station. Sigh!

 

Richard Armitage as Mr. Thornton.

Even my husband aka The Squire, admits that Richard Armitage is a handsome man. He never understood what I saw in Colin Firth however. I can't explain it to him. He has Michelle Pfeiffer, so it's all good!

Of course, I am rather fickle with my "crushes". I have had a few sighs over Jonny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley in the new 2009 version of Emma.

Jonny Lee Miller. Angelina Jolie has good taste in men (except for Billy Bob!)

And I have a few blogging buddies who rather fancy Hugh Bonneville as the Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey. I can see his appeal although my sister disagrees as she can only picture him as the doltish Mr. Rushworth in Mansfield Park 1999. Personally, I began to find him attractive in Daniel Deronda, even though he played a baddie, he was a sexy baddie. Actually, that film also has the lovely Hugh Dancy in the titular role. And it has Romola Garai wearing some of the most gorgeous Victorian dresses I've ever seen.

Daniel Deronda- two Hughs and some fabulous dresses

Sorry Richard, it looks like I may have to watch either Daniel Deronda this week, or finish watching my DVD of Downton Abbey for the second time. So many leading men, so little time.