Search Islandora Content

Patron's at Compton's Cafeteria.

Mink stole belonging to Eve Finocchio, the owner of Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Mink stole owned by Eve Finocchio, the owner of Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Hat worn by Finocchio's doormen. This item is undated.

Hat worn by Finocchio's doormen. This item is undated.

Green lace gown worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Large format photograph of performer that was displayed at Finocchio's. This item is undated.

Large format photograph of performer that was displayed at Finocchio's (rear). This item is undated.

Painted portrait of a performer that was displayed at Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Painted portrait of a performer that was displayed at Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Red lace gown worn by performers at Finocchio's. This garment was designed by Pat Campano and is undated.

Red lace gown worn by performers at Finocchio's. This garment was designed by Pat Campano and is undated.

Pink feathered hat worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Pink feathered hat worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Red folding fan used by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Red folding fan used by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

A group of attendees at a Halloween drag event.

The James Dewsnap collection contains two full-length nude portraits of Scott O'Hara by San Francisco artist David Ross; transcripts of 16 interviews from 1994 that Dewsnap conducted with Jackie Phillips, the lead "comedienne" at Finocchio's from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s; and an unpublished book-length typescript on Phillips’ life, called "Oh, what a drag! The life and career of Wacky Jackie Phllips, Finocchio's riotous redhead, as told to Jim Dewsnap."

An oral history of longtime Finocchio's comedy queen Jackie Phillips, taken by James Dewsnap and later incorporated into Phillips' autobiography ghostwritten by Dewsnap.

The autobiography of longtime Finocchio's comedy queen Jackie Phillips, as told to and ghostwritten by James Dewsnap.

Drag queen in a light blue leotard and large feathered headpiece standing on the street.

Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Roz Joseph (1926–2019) was a San Francisco-based photographer who in the mid-1970s photographed the pageantry and activism of the city’s diverse drag cultures at Gay Freedom Day parades, Halloween celebrations, Imperial Court coronations and drag and costume balls. The collection consists of matted color photographic prints, notebooks of slides, interviews and manuscript materials, and various ephemera.

"Ambi Sextrous." Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

"Ricky". Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Jean-Baptiste Carhaix (1946-2023) was a French photographer. The collection includes photographs of early members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and images of events, including AIDS fundraisers and marches.

Program for Crusade, a softball benefit for the 1982 Gay Olympics, presented by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

This collection contains materials relating to Finocchio’s, one of the oldest and best-known female impersonation clubs in the world. The term, "female impersonators" is a historic term that comes from a straight-coded Victorian theatrical form and continued until the mid-20th century before merging into what we now call drag. Finocchio's performers included what we now know as drag queens, trans people, and cis men in drag.

A list of jokes performed by Finocchio's emcees during shows. This item is undated.

A list of jokes performed by Finocchio's emcees during shows. This item is undated.

Business card for Young's Wigs, located in Oakland, California. This item is undated.

Sign with hours of operation of Finocchio's. This item is undated.

Red lace gown worn by performers at Finocchio's. This garment was designed by Pat Campano and is undated.

Green dirndl dress worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Hat worn by Finocchio's doormen. This item is undated.

Mink stole owned by Eve Finocchio, the owner of Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Decorative textile from Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Multicolor top and skirt worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

A run of show listing the schedule of performers and their acts at Finocchio's nightclub.

A run of show listing the schedule of performers and their acts at Finocchio's nightclub.

Promotional postcard advertising Finocchio's nightclub. This postcard uses the term "female impersonators" to describe performers, which is a historic term that comes from a straight-coded Victorian theatrical form and continued until the mid-20th century before merging into what we now call drag.

Red folding fan used by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Illustrated menu for the restaurant, Enrico's, which was directly below Finocchio's. The illustration depicts the facade of both Enrico's and Finocchio's and was created by Wendy Wheeler.

Painted portrait of a performer that was displayed at Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Large format photograph of performer that was displayed at Finocchio's. This item is undated.

Silver necklace worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Pearl necklace worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Pink feathered hat worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Black velvet dress worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Janet “Janny” MacHarg was a political songwriter, cabaret performer, writer, and feminist activist, known as the “Tallulah Bankhead of San Francisco.” Contents include photographs, sheet music, writings, publications, correspondence, drawings, notes, and other ephemera.

Poem written by Janet MacHarg titled, ICU.

Photograph of Janet "Janny" MacHarg playing piano and singing in a solo cabaret show.

Song board for the song "Baby Boom" by Janet MacHarg. Song boards were used by MacHarg during her performances and are made out of card stock.

Flyer for a performance by Janet MacHarg at the Montefiore Senior Center at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, circa 1990.

To pieces written by Janet MacHarg, Gay Parade and Ancient Lesbian Tea Dance, published in Workshop Words. This issue of Workshop Words featured selections from the Gay and Lesbian Outreach to Elders (GLOE) senior writers workshop.

Janet MacHarg's Options for Women Over Forty membership card.

A flyer for Gray Cabaret, hosted by the Senior Action Network, with the poem "To Bella Abzug," written by Janet MacHarg.

Photograph of Janet MacHarg and a companion performing. The companion in this photograph is presumed to be MacHarg's lifelong partner Evie.

Promotional postcard for a Kinsey Sicks show, New York or Bust, containing material from their off-broadway production.

Promotional postcard for the Kinsey Sicks show, Homecoming Queens.

Promotional postcard for the Kinsey Sicks. Members pictured include: Ben Schatz (Rachel), Irwin Keller (Winnie), and Jeff Manabat (Trixie).

Flyer for the Kinsey Sicks production, Balled Sopranos.

Flyer for an event at Artemis Cafe featuring Janet MacHarg, Marion Wade, and Faith Petric. This event was a fundraiser for the Freedom Song Network.

Poem called Separation written by Janet MacHarg to her lifelong partner, Evie.

Poem written by Janet MacHarg called Waving the American Flag. Also includes a doodle of President George Bush Sr. drawn by MacHarg.

A short story called Self Healing, written by Janet MacHarg and published in Broomstick magazine.

Photograph of Janet MacHarg sitting at her piano waving a cigarette.

Photograph of Kinsey Sicks posing before or after a show. Members pictured include: Kevin Kirkwood (Trixie), Ben Schatz (Rachel), Chris Dilley (Trampolina), and Irwin Keller (Winnie).

Photograph of the Kinsey Sicks posing in front of a skyscraper in San Francisco, CA. Members pictured include: Jerry Friedman (Vaselina), Ben Schatz (Rachel), Irwin Keller (Winnie), and Maurice Kelly (Trixie).

Poster for a Kinsey Sicks show at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco, CA. Members pictured include: Ben Schatz (Rachel), Kevin Kirkwood (Trixie), Chris Dilley (Trampolina), and Irwin Keller (Winnie).

Jose Sarria as the Widow Norton seated wearing a white dress with a sash and pearls, a white wig, and a crown.