Charles Pierce (travesty artist)

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Charles Pierce ( July 14, 1926 in Watertown , New York - May 31, 1999 in Toluca Lake , California ) was an American actor and drag artist . His most famous portrayal was, among many others, that of actress Bette Davis . He also played supporting roles in television and cinema, primarily in sitcoms .

Life and artistic career

Charles Pierce spent his youth in Watertown and attended high school there . In 1944, while he was still attending school, he found employment with the local radio station WWNY-TV, where he played the Hammond organ and took on minor roles in several productions. He developed his comedic talent here and often performed in a tuxedo . In addition, he thrilled with amazingly convincing imitations of American Hollywood actresses. He also played in gay bars across the country, so he was increasingly known to a larger audience.

He moved to San Francisco , where his portrayals soon became known in nearby Hollywood . He attended the acting school of the Pasadena Playhouse from 1952 , where he later also worked as an actor. In order not to conflict with the local moral laws or to overwhelm his audience at the time, his female disguises were initially kept simple, with a few props ( e.g. feather boa ), but later he used more elaborately designed costumes, wigs and make-up .

In his self-observation, however, he avoided the terms female impersonator or drag queen ( common in the USA) . He despised these assignments: I have no ambitions to give the Liberace to the drag scene . Why am I always described as 'Charles Pierce, female impersonator'? Why not just 'Charles Pierce, actor'? . However, he then referred to himself as a "male actress" (an idea by journalist Herb Caen of the San Francisco Chronicle ). Another self-designation was "Master and Mistress of Surprise or Disguise ( master and master of surprise or disguise )".

His imitations, especially those of Bette Davis, Mae West , Tallulah Bankhead , Gloria Swanson , Carol Channing , Katharine Hepburn , and Joan Crawford were also picked up by other travesty artists and thus soon became part of the repertoire of the American travesty scene. His portrayal was more focused on puny puns than on an identical copy of what was being portrayed, but it was often said that he B. Joan Collins is more like Joan Collins than himself. Carol Channing was the only Hollywood star he parodied to attend his portrayal. She went backstage after the show (in 'Gold Street', San Francisco, 1972) and said: Cheee-yarles, you do me better than I do! | you embody me better than I embody myself .

He played u. a. as a guest on the television series Wonder Woman and a villain ( disguised as a woman ) in an episode of the sitcom Laverne & Shirley. In an early episode of the sitcom Designing Women , he imitated Joan Collins as a stewardess and Bette Davis as an entertainer, playing on a cruise ship. As Davis he speaks: What that Joan Collins hustling the tables? One bitch on this boat is enough! | Was that Joan Collins pushing the trays in front of her? One beast on this boat is enough!

Last years

In the mid-1990s, with a few special exceptions, such as B. the Town Hall Drag Summit Show , his stage career and retired, especially since many of his companions and employees had previously died of the immunodeficiency disease AIDS . He began his farewell performance at the Pasadena Playhouse Theater with the words: “Now I've come to a point where the circle has come full circle and it's time to hang up my clothes, take off my wigs and just be myself for a while. I'm not just retiring, thank you. "

Shortly before his death, he bequeathed all of his recordings, recordings and images to an organization of the LBGT movement, the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archive . He died at his home in Toluca Lake at the age of 72 and was cremated. The funeral followed strict instructions that Charles Pierce planned before his death. His urn is in the Columbarium of Providence in Forest Lawn in Hollywood Hills .

In her award-winning show Just Between Friends played Bea Arthur , who also sang funeral Pierce ( I'll See You Again ), Pierce's favorite Sketch A Mother's Ingenuity (The ingenuity of a mother) . He can also be heard on his last CD release.

Filmography

year title Episode / involvement role annotation
1972 The two by the department ( The Partners ) "Headlines for Higgenbottom" Pretty Boy Clyde Sitcom
1973 Love, American style "Love and the Baby Derby" Johnnie Television series
1977 Chico and the Man "The Dress" Brad Rushton Sitcom
Starsky & Hutch "Nobody knew" as travesty star "Sugar" Crime series
1978 Yes, am I lying? (Rabbit Test) as Queen of England Film, written and directed by Joan Rivers , with Billy Crystal
Wonder Woman "Death in Disguise" Finley / Stronger Television series
1980 Laverne & Shirley "Murder on the Moose Jaw Express", parts 1 and 2 MacGuffin Sitcom
1982 Legends of the Silver Screen HBO Special; live at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Madame's Place "A Visit from Cousin Charlie" Charley and as Bette Davis Television series
1983 Fame - the way to fame "Hail to the Chief" (not broadcast in D) a bag lady Television series
1987 Designing Women "Cruising" Claude Sitcom
1988 Gay Voices, Gay Legends than himself documentation
1988 The Cuckoo's Egg ( Torch Song Trilogy ) Bertha Venation Gay drama (movie based on a play)
1989 DuckTales - News from Duckburg "The Crown Jewels" Voice in the original version cartoon
1989 Spies and Lovers Granny Greenberg Film comedy
1990 Nerds of a Feather Granny Greenberg Film comedy
1991 The man of your dreams Beau Film comedy
1997 Dragtime than himself Documentation ( HBO )
2006 Stardust: The Bette Davis Story as Bette Davis Television documentary from archive material
2009 Queer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis as Bette Davis Documentation from archive material

Discography

  • For Pierce'd Ears ( performing live in San Francisco), Wanda Records MP2101
  • Les Natali presents Charles Pierce. live at "Bimbo's", San Francisco - Blue Thumb Records - BTS-30 -1970

Web links
personal data
SURNAME Pierce, Charles
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American actor and travesty artist
DATE OF BIRTH July 14, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Watertown (City, New York) , New York
DATE OF DEATH May 31, 1999
Place of death Toluca Lake , California