Welcome to Movie Night and our featured documentary about The Other Side, Los Angeles’ last remaining gay piano bar. If you’re new here, just hit refresh on your browser to update the comments. Hit “reply” under a if you want to reply to it, and please keep comments and cross talk on topic, which tonight, along with Jane Cantillon’s great documentary The Other Side: A Queer History is LGBT history, Los Angeles history, police entrapment of gays, the changing face of gay America, how far LGBT has come and how the country still needs to go for equality. And no derogatory comments (duh)!

Thanks Jane for doing this! You have a screening coming up soon in LA don’t you?

Yes, August 8th at eighteen thirty performance space in Echo Park.

I loved seeing all the archival footage form LA and hearing the secret side of my city– how cool that bars wiht some reference to “birds” in them were the gay bars–birds of feather, maybe?

Jane, what inspired you to make The Other Side?

I live a few blocks from the bar/restaurant and I used to see a parade of older men going in and out of the bar on Sunday afternoons. I wondered if it was some sort of secret society or private club, then discovered it was a piano bar.

This looks like a wonderful movie about a piece of our hidden history — thank you so much for making it, and for taking the time to chat with us today! Who was the oldest person you found at The Other Side?

was it difficult to get them to opne up to you when you approached them about making the doc?

I love piano bars and became fascinated with both the bar and the men who refrequented the establishment.

Who was the oldest person? Probably Harry Bartron, who was 89 at the time. He has since passed away.

When my neighbor told me about it, I was like, “wow, how cool…” Then our annual heathen Xmess group planned a trip there (Xmas night we eat chinese and uh do heathen stuff)

Hi Jane, welcome to FDL and thanks for making this film. Lisa, thank you for hosting.

As a gay man I think it’s imperative that films like this be made. There’s a history that needs to be documented, many stories to be told and the lessons that these stories hold be taught to the world so that we all achieve our human right to be equal.

Took me so long to get the regulars to trust me. But once they realized that deep inside, I was really a senior gay man, they started relaxing.

I got a little crush on Duncan, he was sooo sweet and open

It’s weird to me that bars are stil being raided, like the one in Ft Worth

And that somoene could loose their shot at citizenship over just being in bar, getting entrapped, effing sucks

Thanks.I love Duncan too. He worked for Louella Parsons for years, knew where all the bodies were buried. His BF worked for the los angeles DA’s office, and he is STILL active with the ACLU.
Once Duncan was on board, people started relaxing at the bar.

The FT. Worth incident was insane.

His and Tommy’s love story was something else, all the love stories were. To quote Flora from The Women “L’amour! l’amour!”

I recgnize some of the guys from the neighborhood..I hope the place stays opne FOREVER, because like Duncan said, we need to socialize. The Other Side is such a great place for these gentlemen, and i wa shappy to see some younger guys in the crowd… and BETTY BONDUCE Danny’s mom, what a TRIP!

Love the movie. Every gay under 40 years old needs to see this movie. History was never so entertaining!

Another thing that inspired my film was the outcome of the police raids of the 60s and 70s in Los Angeles. This constant harrassment resulting in the gay community picking-up and moving it’s power base to unincorporated West Hollywood where the sheriff’s dept. did not use such harsh tactics…the rest is a wonderful history of a now powerful city.

I was so happy to see such a frank discussion of all aspects of The Life. The hidden history, as you called it Teddy, is so moving and really LA’s Black Cat riots brought this to the forefront years before Stonewall

Hey weren’t you one of the producers?

Hey Jane it’s Brian Frank. How exciting to be with you in this virtual world! Can’t wait for the latest screening. Every time I see your movie I want the world to see it too! Lessons learned that are not to be forgotten. And the songs. Bravo J.C.!

Richard, here — the “exec producer.” In addition to the people who appear in the film, I just wanted to mention a few people who were essential to getting the film made. First of all, Kevin Elliott, co-producer and editor, spent countless hours with Jane working on the film, getting it into shape. He not only edited the film, he also shot some major portions of the film and produced some of the more involved shoots. Secondly, Stuart Timmons, author and gay historian, really helped get the film off the ground and aided us in tracking down archival materials. Of course, we couldn’t have done anything without the cooperation of Paul the owner and the staff of the Other Side.

Finally, we’d like to mention Steve Downard — our guardian angel. He was a local Silverlake businessman and film producer and regular at the Other Side. When we screened an early rough cut at the club, he was initially very critical, but in the process of telling us what was wrong with the film, he started helping us produce some shoots and eventually became one of the film’s biggest champions. He passed away quite suddenly about 3 years ago and we really miss him.

West Hollywood, because it was unincorporated, not part of LA City was always a little wild…one reason so many movie agents were there was because they didnt have to pay city taxes! My cousin who is in his 80s grew up there and he said that the area below Sta Mo was called garter belt alley because there were so many women and hawking their wares from the windows!

i remember what WHo wa slike circa 1968-79–so over the top, great stores….

http://www.eighteen-thirty.com/contents.html

It is not listed yet, but rooftop screening on AUGUST 8TH at 8:30pm. Lot’s of young fans of The Other Side want a history lesson on the people and place.

Thanks Richard! Jane, what’s your background in film and in LA?

Yes! It was my thrill to be just a small part of this historical milestone. What started out as a movie about show tunes quickly became a movie about a secret world that I had no idea existed! As a gay man in his 50’s, I grew up with freedom to go the local disco in my home town of Baltimore with no fear of reciprocation from the police. What a difference a few years makes!

Been here over 30 years, always supported by the gay and punk rock community, oddly they went hand-in-hand many moons ago (anyone remember the “ONE WAY”). Worked in and around the film scene like everyone in this old factory town, then in the early 90s– as a single mom, sold my soul to the daily shows to make a living.

Hi Jane!

I love this movie! So glad that it was made and made so well. You really lead the viewer on a journey. I was so moved by it. One thing I am really glad that you did was show both the scary, awful part, but also the happy, joyful part. These men (and women) are so important – they offer a voice that really needs to be heard. ESPECIALLY in light of the current state of our state.

Not a question, but I saw that the wine bar Sheddy’s (on Fairfax near the writer’s guild – used to be the bodega) has film shows for indie filmmakers every tuesday night – no cost to the filmmaker. You might want to check it out and see if it’s something that you’d like to do. I think it would be another fun option.

Anyway – congratulations on making a beautiful beautiful film! I stand up and say “Bravo!”

But but but gayness didn’t exist until twenty years ago! The religious right told us so!

Seriously, Jane, Richard, Brian — thank you for coming and sharing this story.

Making this film was unlike anything I had done in TV, the drama unfolded in the years I began working on it, and my insane passion for the subject matter. It did start out as a doc. about older gay men in the Silver Lake area, then the horror stories–one after another–came forward.
Some of the gents have passed away, so I feel such a deep responsibility to get their stories out.

The beauty of your doc is the wide range of subjects and their experiences, as well as the great music!

Thanks so much for mentioning the music. We toiled over the many choices we had, and felt good about the outcome. Like any piano bar, that place is magical some nights, other nights–not so much.

I used to go to the Other Side every week or ttwo when I was a young guy and lived in the hood (mid-nineties). I was also very fond of Numbers, when it was on Sunset, before they moved to Santa Monica. It was always fun.

You made this before Prop 8, have you revisited the subjects and their feelings about prop 8, marriage equality…did any of the have thoughts on civil unions?

that’s for the other side: part two! :)

The old Numbers had that AMAZING mirrored staircase–and a friend told me that you would see the shoes first and they foot wear was a dead giveaway about what kind of guy was about to make an entrance…

Yes, Bob and Tom have been together over 50 years (Tom passed away last Christmas) and were quite frustrated. You must remember though, so many we completely closeted that marriage was the last thing on their minds. They lived in constant fear.

Harry used to joke ”Why in hell would anyone want to be married!!”

Jane, where have you shown the film in the US, what has been the reaction?

okay, betty bonaduce, danny’s mom–what was she like…?

is there a younger crowd at the bar now? women too?

jane did this turn out to be the film you thought it would be or did it become something different than your original vision?

Chicago International Film Festival, Reeling Films, Silver Lake Film Festival and I have had such wonderful reviews, I know that it will be distributed some day SOON! Danny’s mom plays me in the film (ha ha) she loves men madly, and loves to sing, but finds that when you are a woman of a certain age, often invisible –gay men still find you interesting.

So has a younger crowd discovered The Other Side? will it keep drawing a certain style of man?

Jane, I saw you the other day–you are 35!

BTW, I just want to mention that Jane works for Art of Elysium, a wonderful group that provides artists, poets and musicians to volunteer in kids’ cancer wards in Los Angeles, it’s GREAt organization and really helps bring joy and crativity to these children.

Younger people are going to THe Other Side, love the music (a dying art, piano bars). By special request, that is the audience–literally–for my next screening. They are the new regulars that are fascinated by the men and women of the original bar, though some of the old regulars can be very grumpy at times, the young ones are keeping the business going (THANK GOD!!).

I love you…

We are lucky in Los Feliz Silver Lake ot have both the Dresden Room and The Other side, two very dfferent vibes, but certainly great places for piano and a drink

Suzanne asked me about whether it turned out to be the film I intended to make; Yes though I had no idea how widespread entrapment went through the community. This was supposed to be such a love letter to the men I knew before the AIDS epidemic hit, so many men I never got to see age. I see their faces in the older gentlemen, they make me laugh/cry. It is a love letter, everyone in my film is so charming, no accident there.

It was clear from the conversations in the film and definitely from living in LA, that we have lost a huge generation of men, so effing tragic.

if you live in LA, please try to make the screneing on Aug 8th in Echo Park…

Thanks for making this film, Jane. I love these sorts of documentaries that tell stories which are too often forgotten and provide a warm, human context. Well done.

and if you can, drop by The Other Side and get a taste of history–Jane do they have a signature drink there?

Thank for your support, Lisa. I hope to see this film finally distributed.

We are running out of time, so hit refresh, get your last comments in and raise your glasses in honor of the gents at The Other Side and the lady who brought them to us!

Jane, thank you for stopping by and sharing your film with us.

Yeah, it’s called “Pull up a chair, do I have a story for you”–on the rocks, please!!

Thanks again, you guys are amazing!

Night all! thanks Jane and pups!

Yeah, that staircase was awesome. The whole place was dark, and almost every surface was mirrored. You could check out the entire room by looking in one spot. It was crazy. One old regular told me stories about Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote being there all the time. Tennessee was always with a different young guy, who he always introduced as being his nephew.

Wonderful!

Dang! Sorry I missed this Salon, being a piano queen from hell. Grrr!

I’d love to help promote this film if you have any Denver action going on it Jane. I’ll email you to find out if you do.

Looks great.

Straights have NO IDEA WHATSOEVER of the crap gay people had to put up with. Merely congregating with other gays was sufficient cause for arrest.