FEMALE IMPERSONATION & DRAG - History in Oregon Part 1
There is a long history of female impersonators in Oregon as well as mentions in the local press about female impersonators in general.
Sunday, June 9, 1895, The Sunday Oregonian – Society Page University Mandolin Club: “Mr. Charles Field, Stanford, ’95, who has a wonderful soprano voice.” The Stockton Independent of June 4 says of him, “Charles Field, the female impersonator whose stage name is Miss Calliope Cardinale, produced a storm of applause by his specialty. He is one of the best female impersonators ever seen here, and his act is entirely refined. He has great makeup and a great voice.”
Sun, February 23, 1896, The Sunday Oregonian – The Drama and Stage section: “Mr. Charles Fostelle, one of the best male impersonators in the business, captured the audience with his Ysabel, both in makeup and his perfection actions of a woman. His broad humor, and his rough voice, added much to the contract and amusement of his performance. He is a graceful dancer, and his tiptoeing was heartily applauded.”
April 25, 1898, The Morning Oregonian (Portland OR) OPENING OF THE MISTRELS: Corday is “Undoubtedly one of the most successful colored female impersonators is the Great Gauze, whose impersonations of the female are astonishing. He sings in a mezzo-soprano tone, that is almost deceiving.”
Tuesday, Aug 11, 1903, The Morning Astorian (Astoria, OR) Ad for Herman Wise clothing store: “There are a couple of very clever Female Impersonators at the Unique this week…”
2003 Chuck Palahniuk mentioned The Harbor Club in his book Fugitives and Refugees on page 36, Quests: Adventures to Hunt Down: “Since the early 1900s, the Harbor Club at SW First Avenue and Yamhill Street had offered drag shows.”
1900 (precise date not known) Below photo These men were having a gay old time at a party in the early 1900s / LGBTQ Nation
December 24, 1904, Morning Oregonian (Portland OR) Christmas at the Star: “Today and tomorrow are the last two opportunities of seeing a great Christmas bill at the Star Theatre…Weaver and Jones, amusing female impersonators.”
April 9, 1905, The Morning Astorian (Astoria, OR) Coming Attractions/Star Theatre: “Bert Newhall the famous female impersonator, is recognized as the finest vaudeville stage.”
Sunday, April 17, 1905, The Oregon Daily Journal cites under Plays and Players Arcadia Theatre: “Lil Mills, the great female impersonator and lighting change artists, is another feature on the bill…”
1904, December 24 Morning Oregonian: “Today and tomorrow are the last opportunities of seeing the great Christmas bill at the Star Theatre. The features of the great bill are…amusing female impersonators.”
May 19, 1905, The Morning Oregonian (Portland, OR): The Grand Theatre “Female Impersonators as a rule are not attractive. They certainly are no longer a feature of vaudeville unless they are clever. The Great Richards stands in a class all his own and he is so remarkable a performer that one cannot discover the deception until Richard himself lets go the secret.”
Friday, Sept 18, 1908, Weekly Rogue River Courier (Grants Pass, OR) The Gorman Opera Co., “…seven vaudeville acts…McPhail the Great. Peer of all female impersonators, known as the male Lillian Russell. Not only as an impersonator, but as a soprano singer with a wonderful voice that seems hard to believe the owner is not a Woman, and as a dancer. McPhail is a past master in the art with his graceful movements and gestures Wednesday evening, September 23, for one night only and at a popular prices @5 cents, 35 cents, 50. Tickets on sale at Russel’s Confectionery.”
Sunday, Nov 8, 1908, The Oregon Daily Journal: “Dorothy Davis at The Lyric…This afternoon and tonight will be the last of the present bill, which is headed by Lind, the greatest female impersonator in the world. Lind’s costumes and dances are alike magnificently beautiful.”
September 5, 1909, The Oregon Journal (Portland OR) At The Grand: “Seven acts will comprise the new vaudeville program…the bill will be filled with features but the principal one will be Bothwell Browne and the company in ‘Cleopatra’ and the ‘Live Snake Dance’. Mr. Browne is considered one of the very best of the female impersonators and during the course of his travesty on Cleopatra he will introduce a monster python, many feet long. The other members of the company are Ernest Young, Paul Stanhope and Myrtle Guild.”
September 6, 1910, The Morning Oregonian (Portland OR) The Oaks: “‘Rivers’ proved to be a revelation to the audience as a female impersonator. He kept them in the dark as to his sex until the time in his last turn when he removed his wig. His act places him in the front rank of these impersonators, according to old-time theatergoers. Many in the audience scarcely could believe their eyes when after doing toe dances and other ‘female’ stunts he revealed himself. He is known on the bill as “the Girl Behind the Mask.”
April 22, 1912, The Morning Oregonian (Portland OR) FEMALE IMPERSONATORS TO BE IN COMING SOCIETY PLAY – This appears to be the first-time photos of female impersonators are printed in any Oregon newspaper.
April 22, 1912, The Morning Oregonian (Portland OR) MEN SHOW TALENT IN FEMALE ROLES: “Acting of Smith and Hodson in ‘Campus Mouser’ rehearsal is ‘Stunning’.
November 16, 1912, reported in the Portland Evening Telegram: “resort of veritable brotherhood of denigrates” and the Multnomah County grand jury said, “a drag party of men and male person, go in an evening, or maybe an afternoon, and half of these men or probably all of them, dress in women’s clothes.”
DOES THIS PHOTO DEAL WITH THE NOVEMBER 16, 1912 incident? See 1905
1913? Dell Meagher’s Millinery Store, 600 block of S.W. Broadway (address numbers changed since; somewhere between 600 and 618), 1912 to 1913. Meagher was arrested in the 1912 Vice Clique Scandal and, at the time, was the “roommate” of attorney Edward McAllister, also arrested. Meagher lent clothing from his store for use in local drag parties [how do we know that?] http://www.glapn.org/6045walkingtour.html
January 3, 1913, Oregon Journal, Man Dressed as Woman: “A man dressed as a woman …asking for work…as the man left the house, Mrs. Lindsay noted it was not a woman that she was assisting, but a man. The police were notified but could find no trace of him.”
February 13, 1913, Oregon Journal, Man in Woman’s Clothing: “J. Schmauder, proprietor of a grocery at 1001 Lombard Street reported…last night that a man dressed in woman’s attire came in the store Friday, inquiring for Mrs. Jones…. the grocer says he is positive the visitor was a man.”
May 21, 1913, Morning Oregonian, “Imposter Dupes Portland Women”: Posing as woman, J. A. Baker in Hospital “...came into Portland in men’s clothing, posed as a woman, was wooed by a man, and left a few minutes ahead of an investigating body three months ago.” Later in the article, “…went to Mrs. Philander Arnold, wife of the superintendent and “confessed” that he was a woman...he said it was necessary to wear men’s clothes, but that he had decided that it was best to resume women’s clothing….they bought him a so-called ‘transformation’ wig…had long black hair, somewhat like an Indian’s which he explained by saying that he was half-breed. Lamenting his gradual changing to masculine gait, and appearance by continual traveling as a man, he said that he had filled with putty or paraffin the bridge of his nose, in order to give the masculine look, and had grafted upon his upper lift, hair skin, which in time produced a light mustache.” Later “she” said that “she” had dressed as a man for 12 years. Confession that “she” had married twice, once to a man and once to a woman, this person’s unusual dual nature did not deter a love adventure in Portland.
July 6, 1913, An article about a man who disguised himself as a woman – Oregon Journal, page 2: “Dr. Walter M. Berry of Newport, dressed as a woman, was rescued under these difficult conditions.” The drill was a part of the Fourth of July entertainment.
September 30, 1913, Morning Oregonian, BOY ESCAPES GLAD AS GIRL: “Lawrence Black, aged 12 years, who disappeared from the Fraser Home more than a week ago. When he left the home, he was clad in girls’ clothes…the first time he got away from the Fraser Home, he was found and dressed in girl’s clothes, the officials thinking that he would not leave in that attire.”
December 19, 1913, Oregon Journal, BOUND FOR PORTLAND DRESSED UP AS A MAN: “Ella Lllewelyn, aged 18, giving her home as Stockton (CA) was arrested as she left a train here today, clothed in male attire.”
December 23, 1913, Morning Oregonian MEN DISGUISED AS WOMEN: “Two men dressed in women’s clothes are selling imitation lace in the vicinity of East Broadway.”
December 24, 1913, Oregon Journal: “Two men, dressed as women, are reported to be selling lace of an inferior quality from house to house on the east side.”
June 22, 1919, The Oregonian (Portland OR) IMPERSONATOR OF WOMEN HAS HIS PREDECESSORS IN HISTORY – Second photo of a female impersonator, this of Julian Eltinge.
“…coming to the Hellig theatre, refers to eras gone by who reflected the lust of their genius on the stage…. He also refers to the fact that the cast of them, as Eltinge himself hopes someday to be permitted to do, pass …the furbelows of femineity to female impersonators than as players of sturdier roles…”
Notice below Left: May 4, 1920, The Morning Oregonian (Portland OR); Ad below Right in the July 8, 1920, The Morning Oregonian (Portland OR) Want Ads.
Doing research, the Cotillion Hall was also known as Cotillion Dramatic Agency. 14th off Washington – the Cotillion Hall had various ads throughout a couple of years most was “Ringer’s Dancing Academy – Montrose Ringler Director Manager - Portland’s leading and most progressive school.” In 1930 there was a change to the building which states, “Tire Concern moves to space in Cotillion Hall as result of street widening” Oct 12, 1930 – Sunday Oregonian Portland OR.
NOTE: The Cotilion Hall is now the Crystal Ball Room per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Ballroom_(Portland,_Oregon) Crystal Ballroom, originally built as Cotillion Hall, is a historic building on Burnside Street in Portland, Oregon, United States. Cotillion Hall was built in 1914 as a ballroom, and dance revivals were held there through the Great Depression.
December 13, 1920, The Oregon Daily Journal (Portland OR) Stage, Screen; Women’s Realm “Blunderland” Wins Praise at Orpheum: “Herbert Clifton, female impersonator, does nothing better than Tosti’s “Goodbye’ in soprano and gorgeous garb. His gowns are marvelous.”
October 26, 1924, The Sunday Oregonian (Portland OR) “Julian Eltinge to appear at Liberty Theatre Soon”, Julian already was in The Oregonian in 1920, here is the third known photo of a female impersonator in a paper in Oregon and twice for Julian.
A side note, during this time Venus Castina is published (1926) “Famous female impesonators celestial and human”.
October 28, 1928, The Sunday Oregonian (Portland OR), page 14: “Jean Barrios, one of the most famous of vaudeville’s female impersonators, arrives with a full array of glittering gowns from Paris and series of impersonations.”
From 1928 to 1936 it seems that there are no references to female impersonators. However, around the US, there are two substantial things happening with regard to female impersonation. A nightclub opens in San Francisco and a touring company begins in Ohio. First, Finocchio's. It was a nightclub and bar in San Francisco. The club started as a speakeasy called the 201 Club in 1929, located at 406 Stockton Street. In 1933, with the repeal of prohibition, the club moved upstairs and started to offer female impersonation acts. After police raids in 1936, the club relocated to the larger 506 Broadway location. Finocchio's nightclub opened June 15, 1936, and was located in San Francisco, California, above Enrico's Cafe at 506 Broadway Street in North Beach. The term "Finocchio" is Italian for fennel but is often a negative term for homosexual. Finocchio's Club - Wikipedia and second the Jewel Box Revue. In 1932 Danny Brown was the Co-Creator and Co-Director along with Doc Brenner of The Jewel Box Revue which began in 1932 in Youngstown, Ohio.
February 19, 1933, The Oregonian, page 60 an article entitled Our “Beauty Boys” - Long May They Wave: “Now the time has come for all men, not otherwise engaged to get a permanent, a facial or a plucking…I scoured around and found that there are more than 400 places in Portland where men and women can get made over and dolled up like Festival queens...(an) operator told me that it puzzled her to know why some young men wanted their hair done mannish style and why some of the young ‘sissy boys’, ham-fat actors, Broadway sheiks, and even intelligent business men wanted their hair trained to look feminine as possible. I was told that some of the young sheiks, when they get out of the chair, would only need a change of clothes to make first-class female impersonators, and that if you put pants on some of the girls that get the mannish bobs you would wonder whose boyfriend was running around loose.” Below is a cartoon from the article.
What appears to be the first paid advertisement for female impersonators appears in The Oregon Daily Journal November 29, 1937. In the December 2, 1937 issue of The Oregon Journal, the headline reads: Variety Hall has Impersonating Trio: “When it comes to female impersonators, Portland’s Variety Hall is establishing something of a record, with three of the species of entertainment on the program.”
The above article is from the December 4, 1937, The Oregon Daily Journal. Further ads appear in the December 10, 1937, page 6 citing: “The Variety Hall presents a Playboy Revue with Three Female Impersonators” then again in the December 24, 1937 issue of The Oregon Daily Journal then another in the January 21, 1938 issue of The Oregon Daily Journal.
In 2003 Chuck Palahniuk mentioned The Music Hall in his book Fugitives and Refugees on page 37 Quests: Adventures to Hunt Down: “In the 1930s drag shows moved to the Music Hall [see Harbor Club for earlier ones] at 413 SW Tenth Avenue, which became Club Rumba in the 1940s].” * Harbor Club appears to be later.
Notice The Variety Hall HAD female impersonators where the Music Hall didn’t – yet. Per GLPAN website: “Opened by Paul Schneiderman in 1937, the nightclub took its name from the tradition of the old English musical hall. Its first mention in the Oregonian is in an article stating it was denied a liquor license, Mar. 13, 1937, p. 12.”
January 28, 1938, Oregon Daily Journal, Portland OR [see ad below left]. Notice the Music Hall NOW has Female Impersonators on the bill – Francis Blair was a Seattle-born entertainer who worked for years at Seattle’s The Garden of Allah, which is believed to be the first gay-owned bar in the US. It ran from 1946-1956.
*Book entitled TA Gay Cabaret in Seattle by Don Paulson with Roger Simpson about The Garden of Allah states, “it seems that the Variety Hall and Music Hall were vying for the same audience.” Garden of Allah (cabaret) - Wikipedia
By July 16, 1938, The Oregon Daily Journal reported problems at the Music Hall, see article below right.
August 31, 1942, Oregon Daily Journal: “Victory Center to have another club performance: Another midnight club show with all its coloring and costuming will be staged at Victory center by Paul Schneiderman’s Music Hall.” This appears to be THE LAST time the Victory Hall/Center is mentioned. – NO MENTION OF FEMALE IMPERSONATORS.
March 20, 1943, Oregon Daily Journal, BOARD SLAPS 2 NIGHT SPOTS “Violations of Law Cost License”. The article states: “Paul…was charged with sale and service to intoxicated persons, sale after the military midnight curfew.”
June 22, 1944, Oregon Daily Journal, WOMEN PROVE TO BE MEN: “…the identity of Negro women reported to have committed numerous muggings and robberies along Portland’s easy spending ‘skidrow’…arrest 12 Negro men, four of whom were dressed as women…the four female impersonators each received $50 fines and 90 days in jail.”
1946, Oregon Daily Journal: “Sophie Tucker, looking forward to a return engagement at Paul Schneiderman’s Music Hall Super Club”.
It appears that from 1942 – 1948 The Music Hall did NOT have drag performances Possibly because of World War II or ? and the Variety Hall closed.
1947 – an article in The Oregon Daily Journal, actor James Cagney and his association with female impersonation.
September 23, 1948, The Oregonian, cites that the Star Theatre 6th/Burnside has “Billie Devoe, New Orleans Bombshell, Female Impersonator”. Another ad in same Oregonian (side by side), The Music Hall now stating in ad, “Boys will be girls.”
November 28, 1948, Gita Gilmore gets a great review in The Oregon Journal: “Jewel Box impersonator Gita Gilmore was well renowned for her Mae West imitation. Gilmore, though immaculately dressed, was rather heavyset and ostentatious in a way that would render an accurate impersonation impossible.” [per below left]. And in the December 31, 1948 issue of The Oregon Journal: “The Zebra Room and Music Hall join forces…bands and entertainers swapping spots… will trek upstairs for the event and the female impersonators…” Zebra Room was downstairs from the Music Hall. [per below right]
May 1, 1949, Oregon Journal one page spread “Well, it’s a living” [see below left]. Then the 1950s dawned and America began cracking down on the LGBT community. Arrests for cross-dressing became common again, to the point that men had to be wearing at least three items of “male clothing” in order to avoid jail time. https://storystudio.sfgate.com/2017/06/06/the-history-of-drag-in-san-francisco/ As it so happened, in Portland per an article dated January 8, 1950, The Oregon Daily Journal, Mills Brothers play at Music Hall along with female impersonators with “Del LeRoy, a talented dancer, here after a tour of Australia.” Things were rosy, then by March 17, 1950, The Oregon Daily Journal placed this article on the front page [see below right].
END OF PART ONE