Murdach, Naomi [née Clinton E[dward] Tutt] (1932–2019). Large original photograph of eight drag queens at Finocchio's Club, early 1960s, 11 x 14 in. Very good or better in original frame, annotated by Murdach on the verso.

Inscribed by four of the performers (Lucian Phelps, La Verne Cummings, Jackie Phillips, and Elton Paris) to Naomi [Murdach].

A fine large-format photograph of eight leading female impersonators on stage at Finocchio's Club, a transvestite performance venue then located at 506 Broadway in the North Beach section of San Francisco. The presence of Lestra LaMonte dates the image to before 1964.

Finocchio's Club, 1964. The club occupied the upper floors of this building, with an entrance at the far left. Enrico's restaurant was on the ground floor. Photo by Alan J. Canterbury, San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Pictured in the photograph are some of the Club's most famous performers. From left to right they are:

Lucian Phelps (1908–1973)

Kara Montez (?–?)

[Paul] LaVern Cummings (1927–2018)

Jackie Phillips [née William Del Torre, 1925–2006)

Lestra LaMonte (née Lester Roth, 1900–1964)

Larry Winters (?–?)

Elton Paris (née Felton Harris, 1922–2007)

Ray DeYoung (?–?)

Elton Paris, born Felton Harris, was a native of Louisiana who began his career during World War II as a performer for USO shows. He was probably the most famous performer of color to appear regularly at Finocchio's. Paul Lavern Cummings was noted for his vocal range from baritone to soprano. Lucian Phelps earned the sobriquet of "the male Sophie Tucker" both for his renditions of her saucy standards and his use of gowns he acquired from the Vaudeville entertainer. Born in 1900, Cincinnati native Lester "Lestra" LaMonte began his drag career at age 5 playing Little Eva in Uncle Tom's Cabin; by the 1960s he was an elder statesman of transvestite performance. 

This image was reprinted in the Imperial Court of San Francisco coronation program for 1971 (p. [39]), but we have not found other copies of the photograph in institutional collections. The photograph is from the personal collection of Naomi Murdach and is likely his work. An avid photographer, Murdach was highly active in gay theatricals and pageants in San Francisco from the 1960s to 1980s. The bulk of his archives are at the Bancroft Library.

A superb image of legendary performers from a storied venue.