Manhunt (2004 TV series)

Manhunt
GenreReality television
Presented byCarmen Electra
Judges
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
  • Stuart Krasnow
  • Denise Cramsey
  • Robert Horowitz
  • Amy Introcaso-Davis
  • Ian Levy
Production locationsLos Angeles, California
Running time60 minutes
Production companyTWI
Original release
NetworkBravo
ReleaseOctober 12 (2004-10-12) –
November 30, 2004 (2004-11-30)

Manhunt: The Search For America's Most Gorgeous Male Model is an American reality television series broadcast by Bravo. The series premiered on October 11, 2004, while its eighth and final episode aired on November 30, 2004. Filmed in Los Angeles, California, the series depicted a competition among thirty men were required to travel around the United States and compete against one another in a variety of challenges. American model Carmen Electra hosted the series.

Guest judges including former male supermodel Bruce Hulse, model Marisa Miller,[1] former model now Photographer Director Kimberly Metz,[2] STUFF Magazine editor Courtney Kendall. Jon Jonsson was the winner of this competition, receiving a four-year contract with IMG Models worth $100,000.[3]

Season summary

Season Premiere date Winner Runner-up Other contestants in order of elimination Number of contestants International Destination(s)
1 12 October 2004 Jon Jonsson Rob Williams Brian Bernie & Casey Ward & Micah LaCerte & Sean Russell, Blake Peyrot & Brett Dupue & Casey Weeks & John Stallings, Ron Brown & Seth Whalen, Jason Pruitt & Kevin Osborn & Matt Lanter & Paulo Rodriguez, Tate Arnett, Hunter Daniel, Maurice Townsell, Kevin Peake (quit) 20 San Juan

Models

(ages stated are at start of contest)

Semi-finalists

Contestant Age Height Hometown Occupation Outcome Place
Dominic 26 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Nashville, Tennessee Cook Episode 1 30-21
Fox 24 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Orange County, California Youth Pastor/Student
Jacob 19 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) Newborn, Georgia Construction
Jeff 24 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Redwood Falls, Minnesota Day Trader
J.R. 21 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Norman, Oklahoma Student
Rocky 24 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Decatur, Georgia Marine Corps Sergeant/Server
Stefan 20 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) Buffalo, New York Abercrombie Brand Rep
Steven 22 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Joplin, Missouri Band Manager/Waiter
Yaacov 25 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Israel Aspiring Model/Actor
Zach 19 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Omaha, Nebraska Hardware Store/Construction

Finalists

Contestant Age Height Hometown Occupation Outcome Place
Brian Bernie 25 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Moorpark, California Waiter Episode 1 20-17
Casey Ward 20 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Prescott, Arkansas Personal Trainer
Micah LaCerte 25 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Olathe, Kansas Personal Trainer
Sean Russell 21 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Madison, Connecticut Marketing Student
Blake Peyrot 21 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Los Angeles, California Student Episode 2 16-13
Brett Dupue 31 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Las Vegas, Nevada Real Estate Agent
Casey Weeks 26 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Huffman, Texas Steakhouse Host
John Stallings 24 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Sandy, Utah Retail Sales Clerk
Ron Brown 19 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Florence, South Carolina Retail Sales Episode 3 12-11
Seth Whalen 23 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Baltimore, Maryland Aspiring Clothing Designer
Jason Pruitt 24 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Vidalia, Georgia Marketing Research Episode 4 10-7
Kevin Osborn 25 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Long Island, New York Construction Worker
Matt Lanter 21 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta Braves Batboy
Paulo Rodriguez 23 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Cape Town, South Africa Student
Tate Arnett 21 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Dodge City, Kansas Fitness Consultant Episode 5 6
Hunter Daniel 20 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) De Queen, Arkansas Student/Lifeguard/Retail Sales Episode 6 5
Maurice Townsell 23 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Reno, Nevada Air Filtration Systems Salesman Episode 7 4
Kevin Peake 22 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Fort Lauderdale, Florida Club Promoter/Embedded Model Episode 8 3 (quit)
Rob Williams 25 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Arlington, Texas Law Student 2
Jon Jonsson 22 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) Carmel, California Astrophysics Student 1

John Stallings

John Stallings is an openly gay American model.[4] He has appeared on The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, having been selected as a model by Janice Dickinson for her eponymous agency.

Paulo Rodriguez

Paulo Rodriguez was eliminated because the judges saw him more as an acting character than a high fashion model.

Kevin Peake

Actor and model. As 2003 Mr. USA, Kevin Peake represented the US in the International Male Modeling Competition, which he placed 2nd runner-up over all. At 18 yrs old, he was one of the finalists on ABC's Are You Hot?.

Now an actor and model. Later, he appeared in the American television series 90210 as Liam Court, originally a recurring character but now a lead role. Starred in the TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, along with its film of the same name. Also starring in NBC's Timeless.

Jon Jonsson

Jon Jonsson
Born
Jon Grimkell Helgasson

1982 (1982)
Died2025 (aged 42–43)
Modeling information
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Hair colorBrown
Eye colorBrown

Jon Jonsson (born Jon Grimkell Helgasson) was born in Reykjavík, Iceland to an Icelandic father and a Thai mother.[5]

After winning Manhunt in 2004, he modeled and signed with IMG Models and several major agencies in Singapore, Australia, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.[6]

He also modeled in campaigns for companies such as Abercrombie and Fitch, Ed Hardy, OCBC Bank,... landed covers for several major magazines such as V, Men's Health, Urban, Female, Catalogue Singapore,[6]... and headlined various runways shows and hosted the Singapore Fashion Festival for MediaCorp.[6] Most notably, Jonsson was a temporary video jockey for MTV Southeast Asia

Known for shying away from the media and his disillusionment of the fashion industry, he quit modeling completely in 2007 to focus on his education. However, he returned in 2011, signing with Click Boston, Look Model Agency in San Francisco, and resigning with Nous Models in Los Angeles. In 2012, he was mainly represented by Ave Management in Singapore, but decided to focus on his legal career, having passed the California bar exam.[7]

In 2009, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Astrophysics from the University of California, Santa Cruz.[8] He wrote a thesis relating to the magnetic field signatures of Jupiter's moons.[9]

In May 2012, Jonsson graduated from the University of New Hampshire School of Law (formerly Franklin Pierce Law Center),[10][11]

He is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and in 2013, became a registered patent attorney in the State of California.[12]

On Sunday, February 23, 2025, Jon Jonsson died while hiking with friends in Carmel Valley, California. Jon felt unwell and sat to take a rest on the hike, passed out, and then died. Specific cause is unknown at this time.

Photo shoot guide

  • Episode 1 photo shoot: Topless in jeans; Group shot with Carmen Electra (casting)
  • Episode 2 photo shoot: Late night rooftop with Marisa Miller
  • Episode 3 photo shoot: Gender bender
  • Episode 4 photo shoot: Advertising shoot with random products
  • Episode 5 photo shoots: Secret paparazzi; B&W emotion in suit
  • Episode 6 photo shoots: Swimsuit calendar; Runway on the pool
  • Episode 7 photo shoot: Rainforest editorial
  • Episode 8 photo shoots: B&W Nude

References

  1. ^ Heffernan, Virginia (October 19, 2004). "Straightness is the Main Issue in a Male Model Contest". The New York Times.
  2. ^ Metz, Kimberly. "Website". Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  3. ^ "The bare facts / Jon Jonsson, surfer and 'Manhunt' hunk, is poised for a modeling career". January 9, 2005.
  4. ^ Keys, Jere (November 15, 2004). "The Hunted John Stallings". QSaltLake. Archived from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved October 9, 2007.
  5. ^ Zinko, Carolyne (January 9, 2005). "The bare facts/ Jon Jonsson, surfer and Manhunt hunk is poised for a modeling career". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  6. ^ a b c "Jon Jonsson, top model". Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  7. ^ "Nous Model Management: Jon Jonsson". Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  8. ^ "Physical Sciences at U.S. Universities". Retrieved July 31, 2006.
  9. ^ "The Galilean Moons and the Nature of their Magnetic Fields" (PDF). Retrieved March 12, 2011.
  10. ^ "Jon Grimkell Jonsson Enters Franklin Pierce Law". Retrieved March 12, 2011.
  11. ^ "Intellectual Property Law; Best Law Schools". Retrieved March 15, 2011.
  12. ^ "Patent Attorney/Agent Search". Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2011.