Before Stonewall
Brief Synopsis
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A portrait of the history of the homosexual experience in the United States. Using filmed recollections and a wealth of archival material from both the mass media's portrayal of homosexuality and from the gay subculture's own documentation, we trace the social, political, and cultural development of the lesbian and gay community.
Cast & Crew
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Robert Rosenberg
Director
Donna Smith
Herself
Barbara Gittings
Herself
Jose Sarria
Himself
Harry Hay
Himself
Jim Kepner
Himself
Film Details
Also Known As
Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community, The
MPAA Rating
Genre
Documentary
Release Date
1985
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 27m
Synopsis
A portrait of the history of the homosexual experience in the United States. Using filmed recollections and a wealth of archival material from both the mass media's portrayal of homosexuality and from the gay subculture's own documentation, we trace the social, political, and cultural development of the lesbian and gay community.
Cast
Donna Smith
Herself
Barbara Gittings
Herself
Jose Sarria
Himself
Harry Hay
Himself
Jim Kepner
Himself
Johnnie Phelps
Himself
Ted Rolfs
Himself
Ricky Streiker
Himself
Richard Bruce Nugent
Himself
Craig Rodwell
Himself
George Buse
Himself
Jackie Cachero
Herself
Marge Summit
Herself
Martin Duberman
Himself
Dorothy Hillaire
Herself
Carroll Davis
Himself
Barbara Grier
Herself
Harry Otis
Himself
Chuck Rowlands
Himself
Teddie Boutte
Lisa Ben
Herself
Maua Adele Ajanaku
Dr. Evelyn Hooker
Herself
Ann Bannon
Herself
Ivy Bottini
Frank Kameny
Himself
Mabel Hampton
Herself
Reverend Grant Gallup
Himself
Nancy Macculloch
Herself
Rita Mae Brown
Narrator
Paul H Clarke
Himself
Hank Vilas
Himself
Audre Lorde
Herself
Allen Ginsberg
Himself
Crew
Nan Allendorfer
Researcher
Harold Arlen
Song
Ann Bannon
Other
John Baumann
Titles
Damian Begley
Assistant Editor
Lisa Ben
Other
Irving Berlin
Song
Jan Blair
Photography
Zane Blaney
Research Assistant
George Buse
Other
Becky Butler
Camera Assistant
Jackie Cachero
Other
Amy Chen
Production Coordinator
Paul H Clarke
Other
Michelle Cliff
Consultant
Blanche W Cook
Consultant
John D'emilio
Consultant
Hilary Dann
Consultant
Bill Daughton
Editor
Carroll Davis
Other
Doris Day
Song Performer
Walter Donaldson
Song
Martin Duberman
Other
Deborah Edel
Consultant
Malvina Edwards
Song
Malvina Edwards
Song Performer
Neil Elliot
Research Assistant
Bruce Eves
Consultant
Sammy Fain
Song
Jeff Farber
Photography
Anne Marie Forte
Associate Producer
Anne Marie Forte
Sound
Peter Friedman
Sound
Peter Friedman
Assistant Editor
Reverend Grant Gallup
Other
Judy Garland
Song Performer
Allen Ginsberg
Other
Barbara Gittings
Other
Jewelle Gomez
Other
Jeff Goodman
Research Assistant
Claudia Gorbman
Researcher
Mark Gordon
Song
Erica Gottfried
Consultant
Katherine Grant-bourne
Unit Manager
Barbara Grier
Other
Janie Groff
Research Assistant
John Hammond
Consultant
Mabel Hampton
Other
E. Y. Harburg
Song
Harry Hay
Other
Lauren Helf
Animator
Dorothy Hillaire
Other
Dr. Evelyn Hooker
Other
Larry Horne
Researcher
Ike & Tina Turner
Song Performer
Bill Jacobson
Photography
Jefferson Airplane
Song Performer
Gus Kahn
Song
Frank Kameny
Other
Amy Kato
Unit Manager
Jim Kepner
Other
Jim Kepner
Consultant
Jan Kraepelin
Other
Jan Kraepelin
Cinematographer
Audre Lorde
Other
Rob Lutrell
Animator
Nancy Macculloch
Other
Toby Marotta
Consultant
Beni Matias
Sound
Patricia Mei
Unit Manager
Nancy Miller
Other
Neil Miller
Other
Joan Nestle
Consultant
Richard Bruce Nugent
Other
Carrol Oliver
Research Assistant
Judith Oney
Research Assistant
Harry Otis
Other
Julia Penelope
Consultant
Johnnie Phelps
Other
Roy Ramsing
Sound
Rosetta Reitz
Consultant
Craig Rodwell
Other
Ted Rolfs
Other
Robert Rosenberg
Producer
Chuck Rowlands
Other
Vito Russo
Consultant
Dean Sargent
Sound
Deborah Sargent
Camera Assistant
Jose Sarria
Other
John Scagliotti
Executive Producer
Greta Schiller
Producer
Tina Schiller
Unit Manager
Judith Schwartz
Consultant
Laurie Seligman
Sound
Paul Sergio
Research Assistant
Susan Shoiji
Research Assistant
Frank Sinatra
Song Performer
Sandi Sissel
Other
Sandi Sissel
Cinematographer
Donna Smith
Other
Kate Smith
Song Performer
Jan Stott
Assistant Editor
Ricky Streiker
Other
Marge Summit
Other
J T Tagaki
Sound
Jeff Tennyson
Graphics
Hank Vilas
Other
Harry Warren
Song
Tom Waugh
Consultant
Paul Webster
Song
Andrea Weiss
Researcher
Judy Whitaker
Other
Judy Whitaker
Photography
Sande Zeig
Research Assistant
Cathy Zheutlin
Other
Cathy Zheutlin
Cinematographer
Film Details
Also Known As
Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community, The
MPAA Rating
Genre
Documentary
Release Date
1985
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 27m
Articles
Before Stonewall
A portrait of the history of the homosexual experience in the United States. Using filmed recollections and a wealth of archival material from both the mass media's portrayal of homosexuality and from the gay subculture's own documentation, we trace the social, political, and cultural development of the lesbian and gay community.
Before Stonewall
A portrait of the history of the homosexual experience in the United States. Using filmed recollections and a wealth of archival material from both the mass media's portrayal of homosexuality and from the gay subculture's own documentation, we trace the social, political, and cultural development of the lesbian and gay community.
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1985
Released in United States 1994
Released in United States April 1985
Released in United States July 2009
Released in United States June 17, 1989
Released in United States June 1994
Released in United States March 1985
Released in United States November 1985
Released in United States October 1985
Released in United States on Video June 8, 1999
Released in United States September 1985
Released in United States Winter December 16, 1986
Shown at 1985 Antwerp International Festival.
Shown at 1985 Florence Women's Festival
Shown at 1985 Hemisfilm Festival.
Shown at 1985 Inout Film Festival.
Shown at 1985 United States Sundance Film Festival.
Shown at Creteil Women's Film Festival March 1985.
Shown at Houston International Film Festival April 1985.
Shown at London Film Festival November 1985.
Shown at New York International Festival of Lesbian and Gay Film June 17, 1989.
Shown at Nyon International Film Festival October 1985.
Shown at Outfest: Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (Special Events) July 9-19, 2009.
Shown at Toronto Festival of Festivals September 1985.
Broadcast over PBS on December 16, 1986.
Released in United States 1985 (Shown at 1985 Antwerp International Festival.)
Released in United States 1985 (Shown at 1985 Florence Women's Festival)
Released in United States 1985 (Shown at 1985 Hemisfilm Festival.)
Formally distributed through Cina Guild.
Released in United States 1985 (Shown at 1985 Inout Film Festival.)
Released in United States 1985 (Shown at 1985 United States Sundance Film Festival.)
Released in United States 1994 (Shown in New York City (MOMA) as part of program "Gays and Film: Get Reel" June 17 - July 12, 1994.)
Released in United States March 1985 (Shown at Creteil Women's Film Festival March 1985.)
Released in United States March 1985 (Shown at FILMEX: Los Angeles International Film Exposition (US Independent Feature Competition) March 14-31, 1985.)
Released in United States March 1985 (Shown at Los Angeles Filmex March 1985.)
Released in United States April 1985 (Shown at Houston International Film Festival April 1985.)
Released in United States June 1994 (Shown in New York City (Anthology Film Archives) as part of program "25 Years of Exposure" June 17-23, 1994.)
Released in United States on Video June 8, 1999
Released in United States June 17, 1989 (Shown at New York International Festival of Lesbian and Gay Film June 17, 1989.)
Released in United States July 2009 (Shown at Outfest: Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (Special Events) July 9-19, 2009.)
Released in United States September 1985 (Shown at Toronto Festival of Festivals September 1985.)
Released in United States October 1985 (Shown at Nyon International Film Festival October 1985.)
Released in United States November 1985 (Shown at London Film Festival November 1985.)
Released in United States Winter December 16, 1986
