01 December 2006

Bruz

a while ago I wrote abt Wayland Flowers. yesterday on the way to the gym I wonderd if Flowers ever knew of Bruz Fletcher who cd've been an auntie to Madame. I can hear the great old broad singing Fletcher's double-entendre classic "My Doctor."

Fletcher was an important gay entertainer of the 1930s who committd suicide in 1941. altho he appeard in NY   he was probably best known for being the house star of Club Bali on the Sunset Strip. one of the legendary gay bars in Hollywood history   it attractd a mixd clientele (including some of the biggest movie stars of the day). Fletcher wrote novels & plays & songs. he was the mastermind behind the vaudeville acts of former silent screen stars Esther Ralston & Leatrice Joy. altho not all the facts of his life are known   it appears that his partner was set decorator Casey Roberts   a triple Oscar nominee. of particular fascination to me is that my old friend James Broughton seems to have had a fling with Roberts. James was a buddy of Jack Sowden   the last person to see Fletcher alive.

my recent interest in Fletcher was spurrd by Tyler Alpern   a multi-talentd man who deserves an entry of his own. Tyler continues to investigate the life & career of Fletcher. he's put together a website which gathers much of what we know abt this neglectd performer. & if you scroll all the way to the bottom you'll see my poem which is part of my Hollywood book.

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