E.M. Forster (1879-1970) English novelist revered for Howards End, A Room With a View, A Passage to India, and Maurice, but don't forget his excellent, posthumous collection of stories, The Life to Come, filled with gay men less anguished than those in the superb novels.
J. Edgar Hoover (1895-1972) American FBI director and closet case of unsurpassed twistedness.
William Haines (1900-1973) Hollywood hero, one of the top five grossing movie stars annually from 1928 - 32 for charming films like The Smart Set, The Duke Steps Out, and Just a Gigolo. In 1933 he was busted for picking up a sailor and taking him to a YMCA, prompting his studio to demand a sham marriage to a woman. Haines refused to betray his partner of seven years Jimmie Shields that way, and quit films for a very successful career as an interior designer. Read William J. Mann's extraordinary biography, Wisecracker.
Maurice Béjart (1927-2007) French-Swiss choreographer who directed maverick ballets and all-male homoerotic dances long before Matthew Bourne. Watch this at least until 2:20.
James Hormel (1933 -) Grandson of SPAM, American philanthropist, ambassador, and gay rights activist. Hormel turns 77 today. His partner Michael P. Nguyen graduated from Swarthmore in 2008.
Joe Orton (1933-1967) randy British playwright of explicitly gay hits like Entertaining Mr. Sloane and What the Butler Saw, murdered by his unstable lover. Subject of Stephen Frears' fine biopic Prick Up Your Ears starring Gary Oldman and Vanessa Redgrave.
Eloy de la Iglesia (1944-2006) Spanish writer - director of the gay festival favorite Bulgarian Lovers
Junior Vasquez (1946 -) Legendary DJ and diva.
Joey Stefano (1968-1994) Porn superstar. After you've satisfied yourself with his film acting, read Wonder Bread & Ecstasy: The Life and Death of Joey Stefano.
Alexis Arquette (1969 -) American actress, musician, singer, and trans, perhaps best known for his roles in Last Exit to Brooklyn and The Wedding Singer.
Saffron Burrows (1972 -) English actress, former model and former girlfriend of director Mike Figgis, Burrows has for many years been romantically linked with splendid Fiona Shaw. The pair played lovers in a stage adaptation of Jeanette Winterson's The PowerBook yet have never confirmed or denied their relationship. Burrows starred in 2008's surprisingly fun The Bank Job and the NBC sitcom My Own Worst Enemy.
Lovely links and some great books to chase up - thank you, and Happy New Year!
Posted by: Erastes | January 01, 2010 at 11:56 AM