Joseph Santley, director
Rookies on Parade (USA; 1941)
Publicity still
Lew Landers, director
Trouble Chasers (USA; 1945)
Publicity still
The subversion of gender roles was a popular way to get a quick laugh during Hollywood’s golden age, especially through the use of drag. When men dressed as women in Hollywood comedies, however, the humor was mined from the contrast between very masculine men (often with facial hair) and the hyper-feminine clothes they wore. Rarely were men in drag allowed to look comfortable or feminine in their attire, as these acts would have threatened Hollywood’s hegemonic heterosexuality.
GLBT Film Talent Lesbian and Gay Images Struggles with Stereotypes The Independent Scene
Transgender Images in Film Homosexual Adult Films
