Gay Bar: The Fabulous, True Story of a Daring Woman and Her Boys in the 1950s

by Will Fellows, Helen P. Branson, Blanche M. Baker (Introduction)

Vivacious, unconventional, candid, and straight, Helen Branson operated a gay bar in Los Angeles in the 1950s—America’s most anti-gay decade. After years of fending off drunken passes as an entertainer in cocktail bars, this divorced grandmother preferred the wit, variety, and fun she found among homosexual men. Enjoying their companionship and deploring their plight, she gave her gay friends a place to socialize. Though at the time California statutes prohibited homosexuals from gathering in bars, Helen’s place was relaxed, suave, and remarkably safe from police raids and other anti-homosexual hazards. In 1957 she published her extraordinary memoir Gay Bar , the first book by a heterosexual to depict the lives of homosexuals with admiration, respect, and love.
    In this new edition of Gay Bar , Will Fellows interweaves Branson’s chapters with historical perspective provided through his own insightful commentary and excerpts gleaned from letters and essays appearing in gay publications of the period. Also included is the original introduction to the book by maverick 1950s psychiatrist Blanche Baker. The eclectic selection of voices gives the flavor of American life in that extraordinary age of anxiety, revealing how gay men saw themselves and their circumstances, and how others perceived them. Outstanding Book, selected by the Public Library Association Best Books for High Schools, selected by the American Association of School Libraries

Genres: Nonfiction, History, LGBT, Memoir, Queer, Biography, Gay

186 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2010

About the author

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Reviews

[Helene Kathinka · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'll have to deal with a lot of sometimes vicious respectability politics but this is a deeply fascinating firsthand account of running a gay bar in the '50s + plenty of second hand accounts of gay life in general as well. Fellows provides a lot of general historical context and contemporary attitudes that really add to the book.
As always, it's both amusing and terrifying to see that we have been having the same conversations about queers and our place in society for at least 70 years.

[Blane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important artifact that loses a star for poor editing...analysis portion should have been kept as a part separate from Branson's original text.

[Morgan]

Picked this one up at the Oak Park Public Library book sale and serendipitously it was published by my Alma Mater. 🥰 Forever grateful to live in the gayborhood of Chicago and the fearless, selfless work the queer community has done on behalf of all of us to live better, freer lives.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ rounded up. Quick and easy read. Agree with others that the focus on conforming and “respectability” got a bit tiring and yet was a sign of the times. Im sure the gentlemen who frequented Ms. Branson’s bar appreciated her even if she wasn’t burning the homophobic institutions to the ground. I liked the context provided by Mr. Fellows. It didn’t really ruin the flow to me because I was not reading this like a story but instead like a time capsule, and therefore the contextual information was helpful. Would recommend this book to anyone interested in mid-century queer history.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ran across this one on the shelf at work, and it seemed like it would be interesting. This is actually a reprint of a book with additional content added. The original book was also called "Gay Bar" and was written by Helen Branson, the straight owner of a gay bar called Windup on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles in the 1950s. The book, originally published ONE (an aspect of the Mattachine Society), presents her views on homosexuality.

One of the really interesting things she highlighted was that she preferred to call gay men homophiles rather than homosexuals because she thought they were defined by more than just their sexual activities. She also believe that it was important for both the men and their families to accept that being gay was normal and should just be accepted by all, rather than trying to fix the condition, which she didn't think ever turned out well.

One of the horrifying things to me was that Helen. like many gay men of the time apparently, really didn't like gay men who were obviously effeminate. She would purposely be rue to them when they entered her bar. Apparently, this was because she thought they were a danger to her establishment. At the time, the California Supreme Court had ruled that gay bars were technically illegal. The local police, though, did not target Helen's bar because she kept her establishment clean of sex and not obviously gay. While a practical approach for the time, I find it so hurtful. The feminine nature is just as innate as the gayness she was professing was normal.

Outside of that, Helen was definitely a protective mother hen, which was on the cover of the original printing of the book, for her boys. She genuinely enjoyed spending time with gay men, thus her ownership of the bar, and she often provided an ear, some advice, and a safe space for them. It sounded like her bar effectively became a home for the regulars.

Between the original chapters, Will Fellows provides academic research to support what Helen was saying in the past. This included more information about who she was as a person as well as more information about the views of gays at the time, views of sex and sexuality of the time, and historical information about the gay movement.

The result was a really clear view of what it must have been like to be a gay man during the latter 1950s. It was not easy, but it was also not impossible to be happy. Many of the boys Helen knew "married" and lived good lives as a couple. At the same time, there was a constant fear of what would happen if the basis of their love and happiness were to become known by their bosses, the public, and their families. It was very touching.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original work by Helen Branson, the straight owner of a gay bar ("Windup") on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles in the 1950s; added commentary by Will Fellows. Purely on its merits as an important piece of non-fiction literary history it was worth the read. I would especially recommend to anyone, like me, interested in the history of gay LA.

Branson's brief, original work is a disorganized account of life with "[her] boys." Branson was surely an early ally to gay men- although an ally to a very select population of the gay male community (e.g., the upper eschalon)- which is not unusual for the time period. Despite its structure and brevity, Branson's reflections spoke volumes about the immense conformist pressures by heterosexual AND gay men toward gay men (<--this book) and women of that time period.

For readers who bristle at Branson's harsh commentary about "swishy" gay men, it is important to position these attitudes within the historical period in which they were written; this is where Fellows' modern commentaries come in handy. Any behaviors (e.g., effeminate speak and gestures, inappropriate cruising in public or restrooms...) that jeopardized the reputation of "nice, decent homosexuals" were quickly and virally admonished both by queers and allies like Helen. Interestingly, Branson, a nonconformist herself, was quite progressive for the time period, despite being just as entangled in 1950s traditional values than I suspect she would have ever identified in herself or admitted.

One thing is clear from this brief work- Helen Branson, who never claimed to be a "a writer" (a fact that shows)- took the time to publish a document "exposing" her support of gay men in a very public way. While she was certainly not the only heterosexual ally, it is clear that her love for her customers/friends was authentic.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want so hard to give this a glorious review. The original book is so short that it is practically a pamphlet and the supporting material is some interesting history liberally padded with quotes from the gay journals of the time.

[Eric Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A firsthand account of the customs, clientele, and peculiarities to running a Los Angeles gay bar pre-Stonewall. Told by a lifelong bartender, palm-reader and 'mother hen' to 'her boys', we get a feel for the life and times of gay men and perceptions of them in this era.

The book is disappointingly short, this edition fleshed out by additional expansions by Will Fellows and the inclusion of a couple of dense forewords and a handy citation list.

From the outset I'll say that if you're of the mind that all media, art, history, etc, must be examined through and therefore judged by a contemporary lens, you'll probably be taken aback by a lot in this book. It's not obscene, it's not vulgar, but it's very dated, and shows a difference in the way language and the community interacted. You'll have gay men, writing to a gay publication, talking about how gay men should behave, using the slur 'Faggot' in reference to other gay men, so as to distance and shame them from the community. This is usually framed as a means of working the 'respectability' politics angle, and reference is made to the Civil Rights struggle of Black Americans. So while this is nothing new, and is still very prevalent in the discourse today within the LGBTQ community, it may still put some people off.

Helen, our narrator and an Ally with a capital A but with a very clear asterisk next to it, runs us through how she handles her shop, and her 'boys.' New customers are treated with the cold shoulder, or rather 'warm glass' until they are properly introduced/vouched for to Helen. The bar caters to gay men, though it is made clear, time and again, that no 'swishing' or 'shrieking' gays are allowed. This is as much a survival tactic as it is a result of Helen's inherent biases, despite her progressive and open mind. The bar is constantly menaced by hustlers, by homophobes, by crooks, and by the cops, though Helen running a 'reputable' shop helps keep her and her clients at the very least left alone and afforded the basic protections of the law. An open secret maintained by the force of her character and paying her bills on time.

The intwined academic material and letters and the like from the period really rounded out everything. It was interesting hearing the perspectives and opinions of queer people from this period, especially the diversity in the character and tone of the letters. It was interesting to see that the harsh view towards the more feminine of gay men has never really gone away, and that aspirations to masculinity often come off leaving the aspirant seeming less so.

I have to circle back to the lightness of the material, though all parties involved really tried their best to beef it up. It left me wanting more, both due to Helen's voice and knowledge of the time at hand, I wanted more than anecdotes, and I wish that the book had gotten more contributions from her patrons, maybe even interviews with the beat cops and other folks she mentioned, even if they were less than flattering.

I enjoyed the book and feel it is a worthwhile, forgotten addition to queer culture and history.

[Iñaki Tofiño · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book contains three very different pieces: the original introduction by psychiatrist Blanche Baker, Helen Branson's 1957 text and Will Fellows comments. Baker's text is extremely modern for her time, even if somehow dated and full of quite curious theories about the cause of homosexuality, related to transmigration of souls according to her.
Branson's account of her opening a gay bar in Los Angeles is the core of the book. Read today it feels discriminatory and biased (only proper looking gay men were allowed in her bar, probably only white even if she does not say so) and prejudiced against gender deviant and flamboyant gay men. However, in her time it must have been seen as open-minded and quite modern.
Finally, Will Fellows's comments, mixed in Branson's text (it would have been better to include them at the end of the book), drawn from contemporary gay sources such as the Mattachine Society newsletter, gives a good context of gay men's lives in 1950s United States.
A good exercise on historical memory.

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The was a reissue of a 1956 nonfiction book called “Gay Bar” written by Helen Branson who ran an such establish in LA. This part is dated but charming. The current book is interspersed and supplemented by commentary by Will Fellowes taken mostly from gay periodicals such as One & Commentary. This part is also dated but dull and a bit depressing. Fellowes did good research into Branson’s life and even interviewed her daughter and grandson. Branson herself is more interesting than any of the additions.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting as a historical artifact! Hard to fit her lack of problems with the vice squad into context with what was generally going on for gay bars, but an interesting person. Good clips from Mattachine and One magazine letters to the editor in between, too.

[Alan Rust · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the original book sections by Helen. She shared insightful observations and stories from her bar. The sections by Fellows became too “in depth social study” of the gay community. I ended up skipping most of these sections later in the book.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book on the life of a gay bar in the 1950's.

[Matty Lapointe-Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helen Branson's book from the late 50's about the gay bar she ran in Los Angeles has some fun and thoughtful (if not particularly revelationary to anyone who's up on their gay history) stories and observations. This publication includes essays from college professor Will Fellows which are supposed to provide context and further meditations on the themes she writes about on a chapter by chapter basis.

Helen's writing is fairly simplistic; which I wouldn't consider a problem but for the fact that each chapter, while definitely themed and geared toward one specific point (why she doesn't let flaming queens into her bar, her "boy's" relationships with their mothers, etc), kind of rambles on, talking about this guy for two paragraphs and then this other guy for three more. It definitely plays as if she's talking to you like an old friend, but I missed the ability to ask her further questions about each character before she moved on to the next.

Fellows' essays are well researched and at times have some great quotes from the few gay periodicals of the time, but unfortunately quite often just read as what they are: essays on queer theory. The primary point of excitement in his writing comes from particular quotes here and there. Ironically, one quote from a reader of the gay magazine ONE where he asks for a bit more liveliness in their coverage of gay life at the times rings true to me as a reader of Fellows' essays: "...it's easier to read and remember one of Oscar Wilde's or Noel Coward's barbed witticisms than some legislator's political tirades."

The 1950's were a rough time which consisted of a lot of "more of the same" for gay American men. But the world was on the brink of the change of revolution which would start in the late 1960's and continue through till today. Helen's stories are definitely a must have (or at least must read) for any devotee of queer history. Fellow's essays are informative and extremely detailed, they just happen to have many points where they seem to do the impossible; they take a subject like a "gay bar" and make it about as compelling as a tired college lecture after you've actually been AT a gay bar the whole night before.

[Kurt Reighley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The original volume - a slim but savvy memoir by the "mother hen" owner of a Los Angeles gay bar - is charming, while the framing elements by Fellows provide helpful and informative context, drawing on hard-to-find materials by gay groups from the pre-Stonewall era. At times the contrast in narrative voices is a bit jarring, but once the reader grows accustomed to reconciling the folksy prose at the heart of the book with Fellows' academic tendencies (and the rather dense foreword from the original volume), this is an entertaining book and a valuable document of gay life in this period.

[Haven · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 1950s Helen Branson opened a gay bar, six years later she wrote a book on it. Will Fellows found the book and reprinted it with relevant social commentary. The end result is a peek into the life of homosexuality in the 1950s - their struggles, the view and the beginnings of the Gay Rights Movement. Branson's story is a cute if somewhat insubstantial story of her adventures with her 'boys.' Fellows' commentary, however, is quite substantial and gives you a clear view into the world of homosexuality. I highly recommend the book - it's truly a time capsule of that era.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Branson's views and perceptions were shaped in-part by the prevailing understanding and social norms of the 1950s, but her sympathetic view of gay life during that time makes this an interesting historical artifact. Fellows' annotation and historical context, added more than 50 years later, provide the contemporary reader with background with which to read Branson's account without dismissing it for its out-of-date ideas. It would be interesting to read this little book in another 50 years to put Fellows' analysis in context from that ear's persepctive.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book weaves Helen Branson's 1957 memoir about running a gay bar in L.A. with information and text from pre-Stonewall psychologists, "homophile" magazines, etc. Super interesting look at conformity in the 1950s and how things have/haven't changed for gay people in our country.

Helen Branson also seems like The Most Fun (from palm reading to pretending to be a crazy homeless woman in her own bar). I recommend this one!

[Lowag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting writing by a non-author with some grit. It gave me some vivid images of the boys in the bar with a very quirky mother-hen who cared a great deal in her own way. A good reminder of what the 50's were like, a step back in time.

[Erin H]

I found it interesting to read how little opinions, thoughts and the world in general have not changed in 50+ years. An interesting weave of the original book with a more sociological/psychological/ theoretical discussion

[Ivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting slice of history.