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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
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Pierce "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!" The other star was Bette Davis who was snuck into the Studio One Backlot to see his show in the late 1970s. According to
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Pierce's longtime stage manager and dresser Kirk
Frederick in his 2016 authorized Pierce biography, Davis was unimpressed with Pierce's portrayal and refused to go backstage after the show to greet Charles, saying "There is only one female impersonator who does me right, and his name is
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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!"
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was carefully planned and scripted by Pierce before his death. Among those attending his memorial was his friend
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Les Natali presents
Charles Pierce. Recorded live at Bimbo's, San Francisco- Blue Thumb Records- BTS-30 -1970
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135:. His act was centered on wit rather than mimicry; however, it often was said that he looked more like
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He died in North
Hollywood, California, aged 72, and was cremated. His memorial service at
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831:"Collection Guide: Pierce (Charles) Photographs, Papers, Costumes, and Memorabilia"
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75:(July 14, 1926 – May 31, 1999) was one of the 20th century's foremost
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Write That Down! The Comedy of Male
Actress Charles Pierce, Page 82,
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http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15799coll4
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Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous
Persons
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Charles Pierce as Baby Jane Hudson from 1987 greeting card series
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other female impersonators, and his roles included Bette Davis,
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204:, Pierce also appeared on an early episode of the sitcom
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From Drags to Riches: The Untold Story of
Charles Pierce
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From Drags to Riches: The Untold Story of
Charles Pierce
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Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
664:(live San Francisco performance), Wanda Records MP2101
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40:
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161:He performed at many clubs in New York, including
403:"Murder on the Moose Jaw Express", Parts 1 and 2
853:New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
79:, particularly noted for his impersonation of
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859:"Charles Pierce: a male actress to remember"
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640:Queer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis
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941:20th-century American LGBT people
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687:Wallraff, John (August 7, 2019).
631:TV documentary; archive footage
916:People from Watertown, New York
851:, Billy Rose Theatre Division,
837:. Online Archive of California.
622:Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
363:The Queen of the United Kingdom
169:, Olympus, The Plush Room, the
911:Male actors from San Francisco
774:Internet Off-Broadway Database
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798:A Charles Pierce tribute site
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226:in Los Angeles, California.
693:. New York, NY: Routledge.
233:-nominated one-woman show,
139:than Joan Collins herself.
63:North Hollywood, California
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194:villain in an episode of
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605:Dragtime HBO Documentary
367:written and directed by
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179:War Memorial Opera House
870:Wallraff, John (2002).
501:Gay Voices, Gay Legends
173:at the Fairmont Hotel,
646:Himself as Bette Davis
628:Himself as Bette Davis
59:May 31, 1999 (aged 72)
863:The Bay Area Reporter
447:Charley / Bette Davis
398:Laverne & Shirley
197:Laverne & Shirley
936:American drag queens
876:. Psychology Press.
295:Love, American Style
235:Just Between Friends
156:Geraldine Fitzgerald
77:female impersonators
547:TV animated series
465:"Hail to the Chief"
406:MacGuffin (villain)
382:"Death in Disguise"
93:Watertown, New York
48:Watertown, New York
587:The Butcher's Wife
570:Nerds of a Feather
541:"The Good Muddahs"
517:Torch Song Trilogy
258:Episode / segment
883:978-1-56023-386-2
845:Papers, 1954-1998
700:978-1-136-57187-9
662:For Pierce'd Ears
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429:Special; live at
334:Starsky and Hutch
316:Chico and the Man
239:London's West End
125:Katharine Hepburn
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704:. Retrieved
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187:Wonder Woman
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152:Arthur Blake
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137:Joan Collins
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906:1999 deaths
901:1926 births
712:Gold Street
656:Discography
369:Joan Rivers
355:Rabbit Test
321:"The Dress"
245:Filmography
147:celebrities
81:Bette Davis
895:Categories
825:0982285388
706:22 January
674:References
492:TV series
486:"Cruising"
471:TV series
450:TV series
409:TV series
388:TV series
345:TV series
327:TV series
306:TV series
285:TV series
231:Tony Award
220:Bea Arthur
177:, and the
101:drag queen
536:DuckTales
468:Bag Lady
109:Mae West
91:Born in
819:, 2016
772:at the
758:at the
611:Himself
507:Himself
303:Johnnie
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489:Claude
264:Notes
255:Title
127:, and
97:tuxedo
65:, U.S.
50:, U.S.
261:Role
252:Year
133:canon
878:ISBN
821:ASIN
745:IMDb
708:2021
695:ISBN
636:2009
618:2006
601:1997
594:Beau
582:1991
566:1990
531:1989
497:1988
476:1987
460:Fame
455:1983
414:1982
393:1980
350:1978
311:1977
290:1973
269:1972
56:Died
41:Born
786:at
743:at
427:HBO
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
