Julian Eltinge - "Ambisextrous" Drag Queen female impersonator of the silent film era!
From the Southern California estate sale of a silent film collector! Very hard to find original silent film movie theater herald for THE CLEVER MRS. CARFAX.
"The story. By this time handsome Julian Eltinge, the renowned feminine impersonator, strolling around the Paramount Studios with a fat cigar in his mouth and wearing one of the latest Parisian bathing suits or a filmy frock with lace train, has become a familiar sight. But there was something startling, something fascinating about watching the way he fools people in his screen adventures. And the way he so completely fools the "villain" and eludes pursuit, is a never-ending source of amusement. In Clever Mrs. Carfax he plays the part of a young college man who falls desperately in love with Helen Scott, and in order to be near her, assumes the disguise of a woman, taking the name Dorothy Carfax, author of the "advice to the lovelorn" column. Follows adventures in plenty. There is a mixup on trunks which results in some very thrilling and funny situations, and there are two crooks, a man and a woman, who are plotting Helen's downfall. Temple Trask, in his disguise of "Dorothy Carfax", is always there to prevent any trouble to Helen, however, and at the last moment we see him snatching off his wig and gathering a very much surprised Helen in his arms."
Julian Eltinge (May 14, 1881 – March 7, 1941), born William Julian Dalton, was an American stage and film actor and female impersonator. After appearing in the Boston Cadets Revue at the age of ten in feminine garb, Eltinge garnered notice from other producers and made his first appearance on Broadway in 1904. As his star began to rise, he appeared in vaudeville and toured Europe and the United States, even giving a command performance before King Edward VII. Eltinge appeared in a series of musical comedies written specifically for his talents starting in 1910 with The Fascinating Widow, returning to vaudeville in 1918. His popularity soon earned him the moniker "Mr. Lillian Russell" for the popular beauty and musical comedy star.
Despite the graceful femininity he exhibited on stage, Eltinge used a supermasculine facade in public to combat the rumours of his homosexuality. This sexual duality led to Chicago Tribune drama critic Percy Hammond's using the term "ambisextrous" to describe him. Eltinge may have been a gay man, as Milton Berle and many others who worked with him believed. Actress Ruth Gordon stated in a New York Times article that he was "as virile as anybody virile." There is no existing record of a lover of either sex, though stories did abound.
The Clever Mrs. Carfax is a 1917 American comedy silent film directed by Donald Crisp and written by Gardner Hunting and Hector Turnbull. The film features female impersonator Julian Eltinge and stars Daisy Jefferson, Noah Beery, Sr., Rosita Marstini, Jennie Lee, and Fred Church. The film was released on November 5, 1917, by Paramount Pictures.
As described in a film magazine, Billy Wise (Church) dares his friend Temple Trask (Eltinge) to dress in women's garb and take luncheon with him at the club. Trask takes up the challenge and while dressed as Mrs. Carfax meets Helen Scott (Jefferson). Helen has a sickly grandmother who is afraid that her granddaughter will take all of her money, and so she puts her trust in two crooked hirelings. Trask recognizes the grandmother's secretary as a former jailbird and, realizing the situation, accompanies Helen and her grandmother home. Without letting his identity become known, Trask as himself and later as Mrs. Carfax discovers that Helen cares for him. At the grandmother's home, he can catch the secretary and maid with negotiable securities, trying to make good their escape. He then confesses his costume ruse to Helen, who would rather have him as Trask.
Julian Eltinge as Temple Trask / Mrs. Carfax
Daisy Jefferson as Helen Scott
Noah Beery, Sr. as Adrian Graw
Rosita Marstini as Rena Varsey
Jennie Lee as Mrs. Mary Keyes
Fred Church as Billy Wise
Mary Wise as Mrs. Bruce
Fred De Shon as Trask's Valet
This herald was from The Butler Theater in Tonopah, Nevada. When opened up completely it’s 7 x 8 inches. Used condition. Please examine the images closely and ask any questions before purchasing. Shipped flat, solid and secure. Inventory# silentfilmcollection.