The Handsomest Man in the World

by C.D. Payne

Can a man be too handsome? In the summer of 1959 “outlandishly handsome” San Francisco resident Ray Corber makes his living moving pianos—all by himself. Put off by women's “ulterior motives,” this 25-year-old Adonis is inclined to avoid emotional entanglements. Then he's recruited to star in a new “The Handsomest Man in the World.” Suddenly Ray finds himself the center of attention by the press, his clamoring fans, and even more enraptured females. Can Ray cope with his new celebrity and the complications of an actor's life? Take a wild ride with this “blue-eyed dreamboat” on his bumpy road to love and fame.

253 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 26, 2025

About the author

Author and showman C.D. Payne was born in Akron, Ohio in 1949 (making him a contemporary of Richard Gere and Meryl Streep). He spent his early years in West Virginia and southern Ohio, moving back to Akron while still a mere tot.

He went to public schools in Akron, and then graduated from Harvard College, where he majored in history and participated in the annual spring riot. In 1971 he moved to California. During the next 25 years, he held over 50 jobs including newspaper editor, book publisher's assistant, proofreader, trailer park handyman, and catalog writer.

Since 2004 he has been the proprietor of the Eyelusion Museum, a mobile discovery museum in a restored and polished 1964 Airstream trailer. His latest mobile sideshow is a 1950s miniature town (shown below) called Zippy Town. It can been seen at the Santa Rosa Handcar Regatta and other events.

He is married and lives in Sonoma County.