Charles Pierce (female impersonator)

Charles Pierce as Baby Jane Hudson from 1987 greeting card series

Charles Pierce (July 14, 1926 – May 31, 1999) was one of the 20th century's foremost female impersonators, particularly noted for his impersonation of Bette Davis.

Life and career

Born in Watertown, New York, he began his show business career playing the organ and acting in radio dramas at station WWNY. He branched out into a comedy routine, attired in tuxedo, yet managing to evoke eerily convincing imitations of popular movie actresses. Eschewing the term drag queen, which he hated, he billed himself as a male actress.

Initially playing in small gay clubs, his fame spread. He took up residence in San Francisco, where his act became well known to Hollywood stars. As he toured, his costuming became more elaborate, initially adding small props, later full costume and makeup changes. His imitations were imitated by other female impersonators; and his roles included Bette Davis, Mae West, Tallulah Bankhead, Gloria Swanson, Carol Channing, Katharine Hepburn, and Joan Crawford, which became the drag queen canon. His act was centered on wit rather than accurate mimicry, though it was often said that he looked more like Joan Collins than did Joan Collins herself.

Carol Channing was the only Hollywood celebrity Charles "impersonated" who actually saw his act. She went backstage after a show at Gold Street in San Francisco (c. 1972) and said, "Cheee-yarles: you do me better than I do!”

He performed at many clubs in New York, including The Village Gate, Ted Hook's OnStage, The Ballroom, and Freddy's Supper Club. His numerous San Francisco venues included the Gilded Cage, Cabaret/After Dark, Gold Street, Bimbo's 365 Club, Olympus, The Plush Room, the Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel, Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, and the War Memorial Opera House.

He was a guest actor on an episode of TV's Wonder Woman and played a cross-dressing villain in an episode of Laverne & Shirley ("Murder on the Moose Jaw Express"). Pierce also appeared on an early episode of the hit 80's TV sitcom Designing Women as a steward on a cruise ship. During the episode, he imitates Joan Collins (as the ship's waitress) and Bette Davis (as the ship's lounge entertainment). As Davis he quips: "Was that Joan Collins hustling the tables? One bitch on this boat is enough!"

He died in North Hollywood, California, aged 72, and was cremated. His memorial service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park was carefully planned and scripted by Pierce before his death. Among those attending his memorial was his friend Bea Arthur, who closed with “I’ll See You Again.” His ashes were interred in the Columbarium of Providence, Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

In Bea Arthur's Tony Award-nominated one-woman show, Just Between Friends, which she played on Broadway and in London's West End, Arthur performs Pierce's favorite joke, A Mother's Ingenuity. It can be heard in the CD cast recording.

Filmography

Discography

• For Pierce'd Ears (live San Francisco performance), Wanda Records MP2101

• Les Natali presents Charles Pierce. Recorded live at Bimbo's, San Francisco- Blue Thumb Records- BTS-30 -1970

References

it was noted that carol channing was the only hollywood actor to recognize charles pierce by seeing him backstage but pierce played the old Cicro's nightclub in west hollywood in 1974(?). The show was produced by Les Natalie and had a venu of dancers, comedian(Peter Pitt) and a husband and wife team of singers(---& Renee Campos. Charles did a bit from Coco on broadway--they were lines spoken by Sir John Guilguld and one night he came to see the show and pierce introduced him to the audience.

I was a bartender at the club in the early seventies(most of the time it was "Art Laboe's Oldies but Goodies Niteclub Jack Wentzel

External links

• Charles Pierce at the Internet Movie Database
• A Charles Pierce tribute site
• Charles Pierce Papers, 1954-1998, held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
• ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, University of Southern California Digital Archives