For what it's worth (not much), Huffington Post has a poll where you can vote on which film actors and actresses pass best playing the opposite sex. You can pick the top five from 24 nominees and currently, Cillian Murphy in Breakfast on Pluto is in the lead.It is not a very good poll. Some of the nominees are there because of their notoriety and not their femulating skills. As a result, there are some major omissions, for example, Wesley Snipes and Patrick Swayze from To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar are among the nominees, but their fellow drag queen, John Leguizamo (photo above right), is not among the 24, and in my humble opinion, he passed the best of the three.
Also missing are Steven Mackintosh from Different For Girls, Robinson Stévenin from Transfixed, Michael Cavadias from Wonder Boys, Adrian Pasdar from Just Like a Woman, Helmut Berger from The Damned, etc., etc. etc.
I can come up with many more who are more deserving and I am sure you can, too.
Staci-Lana
ReplyDeleteAs much as I am a fan of Huffington, you are clearly correct - the poll is flawed. Perhaps what is required is an equivalent of Graumans Theatre Hollywood Walk of the Stars for Famous Femulators. A more comprehensive tribute to the many actors who played the ultimate role.
It might be called FrauMans Theatre if no better tweak on the theme can be found. :)
I know you are terribly busy, and so I hope that I have not tempted you into this exhaustive labor. I know only that I do not have the technical chops or the background notes to make it happen.
Any takers out there?
They also omitted my favorite, Julie Andrews in Victor-Victoria.
ReplyDeleteYou might also mention Arthur Blake, a female impersonator of the 1940s and 1950s who played a straight female role with Yul Brynner in "Port of New York." I have not seen the film, but understand that he simply plays woman. Period. No transgendered issues whatsoever.
ReplyDeletePetra --- Thank you for the idea! As soon as I finish fixing this Web site (in preparation for the death of Geocities), I will get on it.
ReplyDeleteMiss Viki --- I loved that film. It provided lots of LOL'ing.
ReplyDeleteAmy --- I spent some time researching Arthur Blake in Port of New York and found he played a "nightclub comic" named "Dolly Carney," but I cannot find one image of his portrayal in that film. For what it's worth, IMDB's plot summary refers to Blake's character as a "he." So, go figure.
ReplyDeleteJohn Leguizamo was SUPERB in that role. He actually talks about it in his book, mentioning the eyebrow waxing, callouses from heels, learning to run in heels and the strict diet enforced upon them. A cool read if you see it in the bookstore :)
ReplyDelete- Jessica
Jessica --- Thank you for the tip about Mr. Leguizamo's book. I will look for it.
ReplyDeleteI saw Port of New York & Dolly Carney despite the name, is a male character, hence IMDB refers to him as "he" and it is a straight role.
ReplyDeleteThe best tg film I've ever seen is Belle Al Bar, a little-known Italian arthouse film. Eva Robins plays the leading lady. She is gorgeous & super-convincing throughout.