From Drags to Riches

The Untold Story of Charles Pierce
1. Auflage 2002
ISBN: 978-1-56023-386-2
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 262 Seiten, Format (B × H): 148 mm x 210 mm, Gewicht: 361 g

Learn how Charles Pierce achieved stardom and became one of the most famous female impersonators of all time!Charles Pierce (1926--1999) was an internationally known and highly successful female impersonator, known for his vivid portrayals of Bette Davis, Katherine Hepburn, and Mae West. This book offers a candid look at a career that spanned over fifty years--from his humble start at the Pasadena Playhouse, to his sold-out shows in San Francisco.From Drags to Riches provides a rich and colorful history of Charles Pierce. In this insightful and moving volume, Pierce’s friend John Wallraff offers valuable insights about the little-known man behind the makeup and captures the essence of what drag stardom is really like. This informative, imaginative, and sexually provocative book contains: - stories of how famous Hollywood icons shaped Charles Pierce’s life and his act - Pierce’s history, from his humble beginnings at the Pasadena Playhouse to his sold-out shows in San Francisco and beyond - a look at Pierce’s private life - an examination of the price of fame--how successes and failures shape any performerUsing the words of Charles Pierce himself, adding a dash of humor, mixing in fascinating insights, and sprinkling in juicy stories of love, lust, and sex, this book is a melting pot of information about a well-loved but sometimes misunderstood man.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Wallraff, John

Fachgebiete

• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft | Kulturwissenschaften Populärkultur
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Mediensoziologie
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Freizeitsoziologie, Konsumsoziologie, Alltagssoziologie, Populärkultur
• Sozialwissenschaften Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaften Medienwissenschaften
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Soziale Gruppen/Soziale Themen Gender Studies: Homosexualität, LGBTQ+

Inhaltsverzeichnis

- Acknowledgments - Prologue - 1. “A Wonderful Idea” - 2. A Movie Star on Wheels - 3. Pasadena Playhouse—At Last! - 4. Extracurricular Lessons in Sex - 5. “Make Me a Star!” - 6. Stars in My Eyes - 7. Summer Stock and Shangri-La for Awhile - 8. The Rent Party - 9. Charles Pierce, the Persistent Houseguest - 10. A Mahvelous Pahty - 11. A Naked Moon Dance and the Little Retreat Where Alcoholics Meet - 12. The Big Break and Sex on the Rocks - 13. “Everybody Came to the Gilded Cage” - 14. “Through These Portals.:” - 15. Rio Dante, the Man Who Would Be Dracula - 16. “The Beverly Hill Nellies” and How They Grew - 17. In Love with a “Living Doll” - 18. In Bed with “Bette Davis” - 19. Chicken-in-the-Nude, Cock Tales, and Other Assorted Orgies - 20. Chez Sabu and La Ballet de Marijuana - 21. “Mother Didn’t Tell Me There’d Be Nights Like These!” - 22. Death in the Dressing Room - 23. Gold Street and Touched by an Angel—Of Death! - 24. “No, I’m Not the Girl in the Fishbowl at Bimbo’s” - 25. The City Cabaret and Disco—The Times They Were A-Changin’ - 26. The Backlot—And the Real Miss Bette Davis - 27. An Evening at “Dottie’s Place” - 28. Charles Pierce Takes New York—And New York Loves It! - 29. “The Tush Room at the Hotel Yuck” - 30. The Venetian Room—“Top o’ the World, Ma!” - 31. Wild at The Ballroom—Farewell to New York City - 32. Is There Life After Drag? - 33. Charles Pierce: Male Actress - 34. Letters from the End of the Rainbow - 35. Farewell, Old Friend: The Last Charles Pierce Show - Epilogue - Notes - Index

Über Autor(innen)

John Wallraff