Gentlemen Callers - Tennessee Williams, Homosexuality, and Mid-Twentieth-Century Broadway Drama - A Critical Study

Sep 18, 2026

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A scholarly analysis of Tennessee Williams and the ways homosexuality is expressed within his work, especially in relation to mid-twentieth-century Broadway drama. The study traces recurring patterns of meaning and performance across major thematic sections, then supports its claims with extensive notes, bibliography, and an index. Front matter documents authorship, publication information, and acknowledgments, framing the research debt to historians and Williams scholars.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages284

Reading Time7 h 17 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Notes

Bibliography

Index

GENTLEMEN CALLERS This page intentionally left blank GENTLEMEN CALLERS Tennessee Williams, Homosexuality, and Mid-Twentieth-Century Broadway Drama Michael Paller GENTLEMEN CALLERS Copyright © Michael Paller 2005 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. First published 2005 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN™ 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 and Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England RG21 6XS. Companies and representatives throughout the world. PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave Macmillan division of St. Martin’s Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. Macmillan® is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European Union and other countries. ISBN 1-4039-6775-X hardback Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Paller, Michael. Gentlemen callers : Tennessee Williams, homosexuality, and midtwentieth-century drama / Michael Paller. [p. cm](p. cm). Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-4039-6775-D 1. Williams, Tennessee, 1911–1983—Criticism and interpretation. 2. Homosexuality and literature—United States—History—20th century. 3. Homosexuality, Male, in literature. 4. Sexual orientation in literature. 5. Gay men in literature. 6. Sex in literature. I. Title. PS3545.I5365Z799 2005 812’.54—dc22 2004054129 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Design by Letra Libre. First edition: April 2005 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in the United States of America Contents Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1. The Signs Are Interior 5 2. The Time and World That I Live In 49 3. Something Kept on Ice 85 4. A True Story of Our Time 115 5. Almost Willfully Out of Contact with the World 157 6. “Before My Clean Heart Has Grown Dirty ...” 209 Notes 237 Bibliography 257 Index 261 This page intentionally left blank In memory of Bradley Ball 1960–1995 and for Steven This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgments My ﬁrst thanks are to the historians who have been reclaiming gay and lesbian history for the last three decades. Anyone writing about gays and lesbians in the years before 1969 owes them an incalculable debt. The works of Jonathan Ned Katz are monuments of research; so, too, are the books of John D’Emilio, to which I turned constantly. Kaier Curtin’s work on gay and lesbian plays produced on Broadway contains valuable information not found elsewhere. Second is the community of Tennessee Williams scholars who have been so gracious and helpful: Allean Hale, Janet Haedicke, and Ralph Voss all read a late version of the manuscript and their encouragement and advice helped me ﬁnally get over the hump. Robert Bray, editor of The Tennessee Williams Annual Review, kindly gave permission to reprint material that now appears in different form in chapter 4. Nicholas Moschovakis shared generously his knowledge on unpublished one-acts; Colby Kullman, Jack Barbera, Barbara Harris, and Nancy Tischler also freely lent their expertise. Kenneth Holditch, who knows more about Southern literature than anyone, probably, shared his many insights into Williams gleaned not just through scholarship but personal friendship with the playwright; he also provided personal tours of some of New Orleans’ ﬁnest restaurants—no small thing for a writer from New York. At New Directions, Peggy Fox and Thomas Keith long have been invaluable

FAQs

What is the book’s main focus?

The book examines Tennessee Williams in connection with homosexuality and mid-twentieth-century Broadway drama.

How is the research supported?

It includes bibliographical references presented in the bibliography, along with extensive notes and an index.

What topics are covered in the main chapters?

The contents list chapters addressing how signs operate internally, the time and world the author lived in, and several interpretive themes across Williams’s work.

Sep 18, 2026

Upload by Violet