SANFORD “SANDY” or “Sandra Dee” DIRECTOR

RETURN TO PIONEER MAIN PAGE

Sanford, Sandy or Sandra Dee – these were all names identified with Sandford Director. He was born December  15, 1937, in Portland to Frank and  ______ Director. He was the youngest of two boys, the other being Alan. He graduated from Cleveland High School in 1955, attended the University of Oregon and graduated from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

His family owned Directors Furniture, where he became the office manager for more than 30 years.  Here is a Daily Oregonian advertisement from  January 9, 1963, featuring Sanford.

He was next mentioned on March 22, 1971, when Sanford held a “Wild Party” in his backyard. Now, he was known for various antics, but this one was quite unusual. You see, as stated in the Oregonian, “Chained at random in Director’s backyard brick patio were two cougars, a leopard, and an assortment of margays (small tropical American tiger cats). These exotic felines had accompanied their owners, members of the Cascade and Pacific Northwest Branch of the Long Island Ocelot Club, from such waypoints as Seattle, Bothell, Wash. And Eugene. The main order of business… centered  on efforts of the Oregon and Washington game commission to control all wild animals. Sanford is kneeling beside one of the animals.

In ’73 his name appeared once again in the Oregonian, this time dealing with April Fools. The article read, “And Portlanders who glanced toward the heavens Sunday afternoon between 12:30 and 2 p.m. were somewhat diverted by a light plane circling overhead from which an aerial message was strung: “April Fool-Sandford D ’73”.

In 1974 Sanford had to have a second open-heart surgery. A call went out to the gay community for blood. The Portland Forum under the leadership of the Presidency of Darcelle XV and co-chaired by David Hamilton “Mame”, a fundraiser aka contest began known as Mr. Hunky.  [See Mr. Hunky and Foxy Lady section]. The Mr. Hunky and Foxy Lady competitions were Sanford’s signature pieces, along with Turnabout, where performers hilariously donned the opposite of the drag that they usually preferred. Those events poured tens of thousands of dollars into Portland’s gay-friendly charities when the need was greatest.  Those who won the coveted title of Mr. Hunky or Foxy Lady received a ‘director’s chair with the logo on it.

During his recovery, his Aunt Estelle taught him how to needlepoint. If you go to the Synagogue Temple Beth Israel you sill see his handiwork on the benches.

The mainstream press didn’t always give Sanford great press. For instance, in 1976, Sanford’s name popped up when he was caught doing something on the other side of the law - see below:

This did not damage Sanford’s reputation out in the community. However, if social media would have been prevalent back then, this might have changed.  He was known to throw many parties that were more like sex parties with, as one person said, if it had the word “cocktail” you knew that it really meant “cock.” His side by side refrigerator displayed numerous photos of nude men that had been taken throughout the house. He was known also to keep many photograph albums filled with such photos, as well. When he passed, those albums all but disappeared. At this writing, they have not resurfaced.

Also, the Mr. Hunky contests continued for at least ten years, and Foxy Lady Contest was added, too.

Sanford was quite active in politics and fundraising.  This was acknowledged when The Imperial Sovereign Rose Court accorded Sanford the permanent title of Portland’s Gay Mayor,  in honor of his service to the community,  by Empress XXIV, Chester Esther Hoffman Howard. Below RIGHT - from Out and About Booklet 1983 “Welcome”.

Using his connections and influence he created a Mayor’s Commission which met the last week of every month to discuss current activities, as well as ongoing projects that were deemed appropriate for the betterment of the gay community. He said in the Cascade Voice newspaper, on November 4, 1983; “Every city should have a unified working body or structure comprised of the multi-facets that helps the gay community work. My greatest fear is that my commission will become political.”  Interesting that during the first years of being The Gay Mayor of Portland, he worked alongside a very conservative Democrat Mayor, Frank Ivancie. [Photo/article from Cascade Voice May 1, 1984]

The commission consisted of Empress XXIV, Chester Esther Hoffman Howard; Portland Commissioner Margaret Strachan, and also members of the Metropolitan Community Church, Counseling Center for Sexual Minorities, Gay Men’s Resource Center, Right to Privacy PAC, the Levin Community, Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, Cascade Guild, bar owners and other dedicated members of the community at large. They tackled many projects.

Below left photo: Mayor Vera Katz, Sanford, unknown, unknown, (back) Lenny Borer, John Lopez. Photo Right: Governor Barbara and Frank Roberts.

An article from The Downtowner newspaper, June 1974

Sandy Director has always been ahead of his time. At his parties people were stripping before strippers, streaking before streakers, topless before topless. For six years his pets were four margays, a breed of leopard, who roamed his eclectic house. As a party giver, he could out Truman Capote any day. After all, Truman is still living off that ONE big party he gave a number of years ago, whereas Sandy is known for his April Fool events which have been going on since 1960.

This year he sent out a sedate Biblical greeting quoting a non-existent psalm and at 12:01 a little prop plane flew  across the early morning Portland sky with a banner trailing person behind it which read April Fool Sanford D.

Despite the fact that Sandy has been pulling off these April Fool stunts for so long, it is interesting that his friends still take them seriously. They turn up for events billed as a showing of objects d’art, rare antiques and original paintings, and find out they’re at an ordinary rummage sale instead and they become irate when they receive notice that an alleged Freeway Planning Committee is informing them their homes must be removed to make way for a new highway. Sandy really works at his invitations. They are classy.

But who could resist someone with such Joie de vivre or chutzpah. Such an appetite for life is bound to attract people and it is no wonder that he says he has never been a lonely person. Even now, with two open heart surgeries and a possible third-having come to the edge of death twice before the age of 36-Sandy is an optimist. During Rose Festival he was a cheerful host for officers aboard the USS Higbee, he works to get people to donate blood the Red Cross and puts in five days a week at work in the family furniture store. He explains his energy by saying “the whole family has a great appetite for life. It’s in o genes. We have a great desire to really live.”

Since his first operation in March of 1971 Sandy has 1 80 pounds and exercises and watches his diet. He avoids any foods with high cholesterol.

Facing death occurred without warning or previous he in trouble. Sandy began having severe chest pains and at Vincent’s Emergency was told his EKG was normal, to go home and rest for two weeks and take medication. But the pains persisted and five days later, in a coma, filled with morphine, he was given tests which showed the vein leading to his heart was severed. So the team of Dr Chapman and Wood performed a vein by-pass and he recovered rapidly.

The balance of 1971 and 1972 were great. Sandv rețurned to a life that burned the candle at both ends, eating and then, while attending the Furniture Mart in San Francisco the pains returned. Again the EKG was normal. In July of 1973 another vein by-pass operation formed. After a nightmare of intensive care and recovered he felt fine but last October more chest pains occurred. His doctors now recommend a third operation he was going to visit a specialist at Stanford University before he makes a decision. He would like to avoid it. “No one should be afraid of the first operation. It is lifesaving operation. But after you know what is going to happen it is a nightmare. I have to decide how serious it is. I’d rather live short but good and strong life than a long sedate life,” he said.

Sandy has had to tone down the tempo of his life considerably but so far he hasn’t given up all his pleasures. “I’m 99 percent pure now.” He jokes. “I’m a very soft person but I cannot do everything I like. I wanted to go to Liza Minelli opening in Las Vegas but didn’t. I can’t go to the mountains because I’m supposed to avoid extremes. I like Lake Tahoe and Mexico City but in Tahoe the height caused me to pass out. But I’m lucky. I don’t feel sick or handicapped. When I see an amputee or a person terminally ill I know I can control my destiny and I am fortunate. I have always believed in God. But I don’t do as many kooky things, my friends are not kooky, I don’t go to or hold as many parties.  But I’ve never been depressed or discouraged.” He used to go to the Monterey Jazz Festival, but cannot. He has to think twice about the Pendleton Roundup and Molalla Buckaroo-crowds are to be avoided.

But, he says, “The future is glorious. Everything is ahead of me: I’ve learned to treasure life and make the  most of it.” He has taken to needlepoint and is making pillows for the Temple Beth Israel benches. When you ask him how hard it is to give up the things he once enjoyed he understandably maintains both a sense of humor combined with a touch of regret. “Eating the things I enjoy was the hardest. There isn’t even a second choice that comes close. I can name you right now the 24 bestselling flavors at Baskin Robbins.” MAGGI WHITE

The City Open Press had Columns and one of them was FROM OUR GAY MAYOR -by Sanford Director in the first issue, dated October 25-November 21, 1985 Vol 1 Issue 1 – Sanford started his column. He also had an article in The Eagle newspaper, below.

Above article: The Oregonian June 1, 1987

Above, both articles are from Alternative Connection newspaper, May 1, 1992. For Portland’s gay community, the 1970s began with optimism and ended with rumors of a “gay plague,” which wasn’t identified and named – AIDS – until the early 1980s. As the AIDS crisis deepened, Sanford – and his drag alter-ego, Sandra Dee – coordinated innumerable fundraisers with Darcelle XV and the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court.

Sanford served the community in countless ways in those decades. He was well-connected in Portland, able to wield influence behind the scenes, and he was known for his ability to find face-saving resolutions to conflicts. He served on the boards of Esther's Pantry and the Right to Privacy Political Action Committee and was involved in the beginnings of Equity Foundation and the Cascade AIDS Project.  He also was involved in the Red Cross, Equity Foundation and the Cascade AIDS Project.

He retired in 1987 because of ill health. On March 19, 1992, he died in his Southwest Portland home of congestive heart failure. He was 54.

A private funeral was held with many dignitaries attending and a graveside burial. A public memorial service was held on May 3 at 2 p.m. in the Intermediate Theatre of the Performing Arts Center[now The Newmark].  He was survived by his father, Frank, and his brother, Alan * [Oregonian March 21, 1992 Edition: FOURTHSection: OBITUARIES Page: B05].

Photo is of the night he received the title “Gay Mayor of Portland”

He has not been forgotten. A perpetual award named in honor of Sanford “Sandy” Director is bestowed annually at the Harmony of the Rose Awards Dinner. Awarded to any member of the ISRC who has shown outstanding entertainment skills. The Award is also announced from the stage at the Coronation, and generally, the Entertainer of the Year is offered the opportunity to perform at Coronation. Photo below Darcelle XV.

When asked what he thought about being The Gay Mayor of Portland he chuckled, “A year ago, I got some queen to make me the Gay Mayor. In five years or so I’m gonna con some queen into making me Gay Governor.”

He believed in the position though. One of his duties was to pass out “keys to the city”. Which he proudly did to such luminaries as Midge Costanza [social and political activist]. Under Jimmy Carter’s administration, Costanza was named Assistant to the President for Public Liaison, moving into the office next door to the Oval Office. Costanza was nicknamed "the President's window to the nation", consulting with a wide array of groups. Costanza caused controversy when she invited fourteen National Gay Task Force leaders and gay rights activists to the White House at the height of Anita Bryant's homophobic "Save Our Children" campaign] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midge_Costanza], Sharon Redd [American singer and one of Bette Midler’s “Harlettes”], Diana Ross [solo artist and ex-member of The Supremes], Carol Channing [actress, comedian, author, Broadway and movie star], and Bette Midler [singer, actress, film producer].

Sanford loved to travel and did so around the world. At various times he would be found with his dear friend Walter Cole/Darcelle,  be it to Egypt, England, or on a Caribbean Cruise.

Sanford was part of a greeting card company – Exposed Cards which began around 1981 and included James N. Kamel, William “Billy” Bernardo, JR. and Jeannie Breall, his cousin. Models included himself, Darcelle XV, and Divine. With the loss of each of these people, except Jeannie, the card company has been transferred to Don Horn of triangle productions!

He was also part owner of Forward Gear a clothing store, in Downtown Portland situated across from the downtown Multnomah Library Building.