Scotty Bowers: still sexy and scandalous beyond death
Welcome to Screen Gems, our weekend dive into queer and queer-adjacent titles of the past that deserve a watch or a re-watch.The news this week that a woman in Indiana tried to have the documentary Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood banned from the state library system brought two thoughts to mind: #1: thank goodness she failed, and #2: Scotty Bowers rocks.For anyone unfamiliar with his scandalous story, former Marine Scotty Bowers landed in Hollywood during the Golden Age of moviemaking.
He found work there as a bisexual escort and pimp to the stars. For years, Scotty operated out of a Hollywood gas station, helping his handsome former military friends make a buck, and offering closeted celebrities a safe space to explore their sexuality.
According to Mr. Bowers’ memoir, Cary Grant, Vincent Price, Katherine Hepburn, Laurence Olivier, Rock Hudson, Gore Vidal (who publicly corroborated Bowers’ claims), and many others, all became frequent customers.Director Matt Tyrnauer captured Bowers’ story on film with the documentary Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood.
Featuring extensive interviews with Bowers, as well as his friends, family, and even a few “fans,” the movie recounts Scotty’s bio and his philosophy of sexuality.
