The Hidden Homosexual Lives of Performers

A look back! The cinematic industry in Hollywood has invariably featured a substantial number of gay and lesbian individuals in its workforce, drawn to the theatrical sphere as a realm of inventiveness, broad-mindedness, and exploration. Nevertheless, the profound hypocrisy lies in the fact that despite Hollywood's considerable (and continuing) homosexual presence, actors have been compelled to maintain a facade of heterosexuality.

Hollywood's history is marked by its acceptance and cultivation of the gay and lesbian way of life away from public view, yet it has frequently gone to considerable lengths to keep its queer proclivities a secret from the mainstream, heterosexual audiences.

This phenomenon commenced during the nascent stages of filmmaking. Amidst the 1920s sexual revolution, a degree of uncertainty surrounded gender identities, a sentiment that found its way into popular films, featuring prominent figures like Valentino and Marlene Dietrich. However, the media eventually began to satirize these gender-defying personalities.

The remarkably attractive Valentino (depicted below) participated in numerous public boxing matches to assert his virility after the press had dubbed him the 'pink powder puff'. Tragically, injuries sustained in one of these bouts were the ultimate cause of his demise at a mere 31 years of age. At the time of his passing, he was romantically involved with a woman.

(Regarded as one of the most esteemed performers from the silent film era, the Italian actor, Rudolph Valentino, swiftly attained sex symbol status with his dark, handsome features.)

The leading man, Billy Haines, was apprehended by law enforcement while engaged in illicit activities with a sailor at a downtown YMCA. Consequently, his agent dismissed him, effectively concluding his acting career. This incident, alongside a series of other sexual indiscretions, was sensationalized by the media, marking the embryonic stage of the now pervasive celebrity gossip columns. Unsurprisingly, this fostered a public perception of immorality within Hollywood, leading to significant public disapproval.

(The closeted homosexual Hollywood luminary, Rock Hudson, passed away in 1985, becoming the first prominent celebrity to succumb to an AIDS-related illness.)

In the 1950s, societal moral standards grew even more stringent, forcing gay actors and actresses to live under a pervasive cloud of apprehension. Rock Hudson, a towering star of that period, had his homosexuality carefully hidden through a meticulously arranged marriage to his personal secretary.

While this marital union was brief, Hudson's true sexual orientation and his enduring partnership with fellow performer Marc Christian remained undisclosed until his public revelation of contracting AIDS in the mid-1980s.

Other celebrated figures of that era, rumored to be homosexual or bisexual, include: Cary Grant — who cohabited with fellow actor Randolph Scott for a dozen years yet consistently denied their romantic involvement, despite numerous photographs of Scott and Grant in their shared domestic and leisure spaces appearing to unequivocally suggest otherwise; James Dean — who was reportedly involved with several gentlemen; and Joan Crawford — who harbored affections for women and allegedly experienced a single encounter with Marilyn Monroe.

(Photograph: Cary Grant and Randolph Scott, presumed clandestine gay partners in Hollywood)

Associations of women and religious organizations issued stern warnings to Hollywood, urging a rectification of its practices, which subsequently led to the implementation of the initial cinematic classification guidelines in 1933. These self-imposed rules and prohibitions were particularly severe concerning matters of sexuality, with a notable emphasis on homosexuality.

The 1930s represented the zenith of Hollywood's golden age and the emergence of the "STAR"... yet the admirers were not privy to the complete narrative. Studio contracts signified substantial financial investments in an actor's public image, necessitating meticulous damage control strategies by agents who wielded virtually absolute authority over the celebrities' lives. The stars were bound by exceptionally rigorous moral clauses dictating their sartorial choices, behavioral conduct, and, crucially, their romantic associations. Transgressions could result in monetary penalties, suspensions, or, in the most severe instances, termination of their contracts.

The effeminate performers of yesteryear were supplanted by hyper-masculine male actors and delicate, feminine female leads. However, this aesthetic transformation bore no correlation to their actual sexual inclinations. Consequently, to bolster their public heterosexual image, studios orchestrated elaborate, pre-arranged 'lavender' marriages for their gay talent — a prime illustration being the union of Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Wagner, whose fabricated partnership proved mutually advantageous for obscuring both actors' true sexual identities.

Remarkably, the sexual liberalization that swept through the 1960s and 1970s had minimal impact on Hollywood's ingrained secrecy. Although films like "Midnight Cowboy" began to challenge sexual conventions and themes of homosexuality started appearing in cinema, it remained a significant taboo for any actor to openly identify as gay.

(Photograph: Cary Grant and Randolph Scott, purported homosexual life partners, shared accommodations for over twelve years.)

And the situation has seen little transformation in contemporary times. Despite the proliferation of films with gay themes, popular homosexual characters, and even a few openly gay actors, Hollywood largely maintains its traditional approach, with many performers whose sexuality is questioned often featured in tabloids as if their orientation were a detrimental characteristic. Sadly, this often appears to negatively influence their professional trajectories.

When Pee-wee Herman's Paul Reubens was apprehended by police engaging in solitary activity within a gay adult cinema, his career was effectively ended. Conversely, when the prominent British heartthrob, Hugh Grant, was discovered in an infidelity with a low-cost street escort named Divine Brown, it not only failed to diminish his popularity but also effectively dispelled any whispered homosexual rumors, thereby reinforcing his image as a heterosexual lady's man. The implicit message conveyed is unequivocal: from a career standpoint, enduring a heterosexual infidelity scandal is significantly more advantageous than facing a homosexual one.

It seems the predominantly heterosexual viewing public requires a degree of relatability with their male and female stars, needing to believe, on some level, in the possibility of a romantic connection with them — even though the likelihood of such an occurrence is practically negligible, irrespective of their actual sexual orientation.

The inherent irony is that contemporary films feature numerous gay characters. Yet, curiously, whereas three decades prior, a heterosexual actor risked their career by portraying a homosexual role, it is now recognized as a testament to their acting prowess and frequently leads to an Academy Award nomination.

(Photograph: Rumors circulated that Barbara Stanwyck was lesbian.)

However, for openly gay performers such as Rupert Everett and Ellen DeGeneres, their career opportunities are regrettably restricted. It is deemed acceptable for a heterosexual male to embody a gay character, but conversely, it is considered unacceptable for a homosexual male to portray a heterosexual role. Tom Hanks's performance in "Philadelphia" contributed to the audience's comfort with the subject matter — but consider Anne Heche in a romantic capacity with Harrison Ford in "Six Days Seven Nights"? That scenario was deemed unfeasible! The prevailing theory persists that if actors are openly gay, they risk alienating their audience, thereby halving box office receipts.

This situation bears resemblance to the past practice of applying makeup to white actors to impersonate characters of color, a convention now considered socially unacceptable. Will we, in the future, regard heterosexual actors portraying gay characters as politically incorrect? And will the heterosexual public ever achieve sufficient enlightenment to accept homosexual actors in heterosexual roles?

Until such a fundamental shift in societal perception occurs, the majority of gay and lesbian performers will likely continue to conceal their true identities. While private lives may unfold without public scrutiny, the Hollywood establishment will employ every available measure to ensure that the authentic realities of the industry do not become so widely publicized as to adversely impact its commercial interests.