Category Archives: #gays and lesbians

Lugosi to Appear as Weird Scientist

        Feb. 17, 1953: This is how I got here. I started researching the Lionel Atwill sex scandal of 1941 and discovered that before his career was derailed, Atwill planned to produce a film of the novel … Continue reading

Posted in #gays and lesbians, 1953, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Matt Weinstock, Feb. 23, 1961

    Feb. 23, 1961: Mildred and Gordon Gordon celebrate the sale of their suspense novel "Operation Terror" with … ice cream bars. In their early days, they had to give up ice cream bars because they were too expensive … Continue reading

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Matt Weinstock, Feb. 13, 1961

       Feb. 13, 1961: An employee at a missile component company was studying Russian and while on a trip to New York decided to buy a Soviet newspaper to test his skill. Then he took the newspaper to … Continue reading

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The Loud Family, Seven Years After TV Series

        Jan. 6, 1980: Years before there was MTV’s “The Real World” (or MTV, for that matter), there was Craig Gilbert’s “An American Family,” the story of the Loud family of Santa Barbara, which aired on PBS … Continue reading

Posted in #gays and lesbians, broadcasting, Film, Hollywood, Television | Leave a comment

Death in Miami

One magazine, October 1954 In August 1954, a couple parking at a North Miami “lovers lane” found the body of a 27-year-old man in a pool of blood.  About 500 yards away, police located a 1950 convertible with blood spatters … Continue reading

Posted in #courts, #gays and lesbians, 1954, Crime and Courts, Homicide | 6 Comments

Pages of History

  "I was seeing Pershing Square, Los Angeles, now for the first time…the nervous fugitives from Times Square, Market Street SF, the French Quarter — masculine hustlers looking for lonely fruits to score from, anything from the legendary $20 to … Continue reading

Posted in #gays and lesbians, art and artists, books, Downtown, Parks and Recreation | 2 Comments

Paul V. Coates, Confidential File, July 5, 1960

  July 5, 1960: I have to hand it to Paul Coates. For this column, he tries to beat an 80-year-old con woman at her own game. Here’s his Jan. 28, 1960, piece about her. Notice the Page 1 story … Continue reading

Posted in #courts, #gays and lesbians, Columnists, Front Pages, Homicide | 1 Comment

LAPD Captain Accused of Corruption

  June 10, 1910: An AMA convention in St. Louis finds out what a Nautsch dancer is. On the jump, the complicated case of Police Capt. Charles E. Dixon and Hampshire Hotel operator William D. Gage. Dixon, the head of … Continue reading

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Death Reveals Woman Posed as Man

May 25, 1910: Louis Rogers drank and cursed with other workmen and held her own at hard labor. Only in death was it revealed that Rogers was a woman. It would be interesting to know more about her, but I … Continue reading

Posted in #gays and lesbians | 1 Comment

Found on EBay – One Magazine

A lot of 34 issues of One Magazine from 1953-55, including the first issue, has been listed on EBay. One, a historic magazine that dealt with gay issues, was published in Los Angeles and figured in a landmark 1st Amendment … Continue reading

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Paul V. Coates – Confidential File, April 20, 1960

  Census Takers' Woes Myriad in a Big Way      Census takers take, among other things, oaths.     Before beginning their tours of duty, they solemnly swear that they are not Communists, fascists, blabbermouths or mixed up in payola.  … Continue reading

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Found on EBay – Julian Eltinge

This postcard of female impersonator Julian Eltinge advertising his appearance at Los Angeles’ Mason Opera House in October 1913 has been listed on EBay. The photo shows him in “The Fascinating Widow,” one of his most famous roles. Bidding on … Continue reading

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Luring Gay Bachelors Into the Seas of Matrimony

  “Oh, Man!” by Clare Briggs.   Feb. 17, 1920: Here we have another story about the Bachelors Ball. The Times’ account gives the entire guest list and describes many of the elaborate costumes. One of the highlights of the … Continue reading

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Charles Champlin on ‘Cruising’

      Feb. 10, 1980: Charles Champlin writes, “The principal complaint, artistically, about 'Cruising' is that it is not very clear at the rudimentary level of exposition of character and event. The problem, as with [William] Friedkin's 'Sorcerer,' which … Continue reading

Posted in #gays and lesbians, Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Police Arrest Men in Girls’ Garb

  “Somebody Is Always Taking the Joy Out of Life,” by Clare Briggs. Feb. 1, 1920: The purity squad raids a party at the home of former Mayor Arthur Harper.   Feb. 2, 1920: If you were a reader of … Continue reading

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Singer Pleads Not Guilty to Soliciting

Akron has remote-control dachshunds — “a zany plaything.” Johnnie Ray says he just invited a friendly undercover officer up to his room for a nightcap. Nothing indecent about that. Mr. Flynn, would you like gold plating on that nude statue … Continue reading

Posted in #courts, #gays and lesbians, books, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Music, Rock 'n' Roll, Sports, Transportation | 1 Comment

Matt Weinstock, Nov. 21, 1959

      Car Troubles     Two years ago, Bob Joseph bought a two-cylinder French Panhard, which has positively no area in front for a license plate.  He has been driving it with only the rear plate.     On consecutive days … Continue reading

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Wife Divorces ‘Girlish’ Army Officer

“When a Feller Needs a Friend,” by Clare Briggs Nov. 21, 1919: Lucille Howell seeks a divorce from her husband, an Army captain who likes to wear a girdle. "You know I always wanted a form like yours. You just … Continue reading

Posted in #courts, #gays and lesbians | 3 Comments

Finds ‘Husband’ Is Woman

  Dr. Alice Bush of Oakland sues for divorce, charging that her husband, R.K. Morgan, failed to disclose something rather important. Nov. 15, 1909: The lynchings in Cairo, Ill., are endorsed from the pulpit and in the press.  Saying that … Continue reading

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Paul V. Coates – Confidential File, Nov. 13, 1959

Hucksters of Horror Tell How to Succeed     I listened in on a trilogy of success stories this week.     They were about three local-boys-who-made-good.  Their ages averaged 25.  Each was married, with two to four children.  None had any … Continue reading

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