Newly Uncovered Photos of 1957 Gay Wedding Spark Investigation

A story on the BBC's website about an roll of photos depicting the wedding between two young men has become my latest obsession. Based on what we know, the ceremony took place in 1957 in the Philadelphia area and for whatever reason, the developed images never made their back way into the owner's hands. 

The BBC writes: 

Now, a trio of gay producers and writers are trying to identify the grooms to learn their story and to find out whether a pharmacy employee balked at providing the snaps because they objected to their subject. The writers are documenting their efforts in a reality show "The Mystery of the 1957 Gay Wedding Photos."  

The program, which doesn't yet have a platform to call home, is being produced in conjunction with Endemol Shine Group, whose shows include "Big Brother," "The Biggest Loser" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." 

"It's a passion project for us," says Michael J. Wolfe, a Los Angeles-based writer. "We are turning over every stone, interviewing dozens of people in the Philadelphia area and beyond, and consulting with investigators, historians, and experts across many different fields." 

The photos were acquired by a collector a few years ago who had bought them at an online auction. He realized their significance and donated them to ONE Archives at the USC Libraries in Los Angeles and at the Wilcox Archives in Philadelphia. 

The couple in the pictures appear to be in their 20s or 30s, so they would be in their 80s or 90s if they were alive today. The grooms and their guests are dressed up in dark suits with flowers in their lapels. 

What's so remarkable about these images is how unremarkable they are -- they look nearly identical to my parents' 1959 wedding, which also had a modest reception in a family member's home -- other than the fact that it's two men.. I can't help but dwell on how much seeing something like this as a youth would have meant to my development.

Just the other weekend I was marveling that my best friend's niece got married to her girlfriend -- with the entire family proudly looking on -- like it was the most normal thing on earth ... which it is. All I could say to myself is: What a difference a generation makes. These photos, much like Stu Maddux's "Reel in the Closet" documentary about LGBTQ home movies, help mend my heart, knowing that despite the difficulties, queer people did find ways to embrace their love.

Please check out these sleuths' website HERE and Facebook page HERE and let's get this mystery solved! (Discretion guaranteed to all tipsters.)

Page 1 Roundup (08/22)

The Daily News: Trump declares himself ‘the chosen one,’ eats up ’King of Israel’ praise by right-wing radio host in wild messianic spiel

Trump pushes plan to jail immigrant parents and children together indefinitely

KIT212: Jockstraps are for jump pages

Newsweek: Motorist flings dirty diaper out window, hits state trooper's car

Metro Weekly: Philly man dies by suicide after being harassed for dating trans woman

BBC: In 1957, a roll of film was left at a pharmacy in Philly. But the developed photos were never returned to their owners. The pictures depict a gay wedding -- and now a trio of gay writers are trying to identify the grooms to learn their story

Towleroad: Couple who ran gay conversion "camps" for "troubled boys" indicted for human trafficking



Politico: Dementia sufferer can't remember what he said day before

Liberty Counsel LGBT hate group ecstatic “Trump has fulfilled about 90% of the goals on a list”

New York Post: I love how this story completely overlooks the fact that for many people of color, calling the police puts THEIR OWN LIVES at risk

Washington Governor Jay Inslee ends long-shot bid for president

Page Six: UBS banker Scott Hapgood doesn’t think he’ll get a fair trial in Anguilla in killing of hotel worker

NYSE tried to lowball Darlene Love for Christmas performance

The Washington Post: The Amazon rainforest in Brazil is ablaze, turning day into night in the city of Sao Paulo -- truly the beginning of the end 

Hate crime reports have soared in D.C. Prosecutions have plummeted.

Associated Press: Six seniors arrested, accused of meeting for sex in public park

The New York Times: Trump tax cuts will send deficit to $1 trillion next year, yet I don't see the Tea Party saying a word

Employers added a half-million fewer jobs in 2018 and early 2019 than previously reported, the Labor Department said Wednesday

Trump again accuses Jewish Democrats of disloyalty

The Wall Street Journal: The finance ninister who is a star -- in the kitchen

You got a 'free' internet speed upgrade ... then your bill went up

In Northern Ireland, young people worry bloody history could return after Brexit

“Hey Alexa, where were you on the night of the murder?” This A.I.-assisted game might replace “Clue” in family rooms.

Meet the Gay Anna Nicole Smith

A sexy residential real-estate broker who married an older, wealthy "knickknack mogul" just 10 months before he died is at the center of a battle over a $32 million inheritance:

New York Post reports:

In the end, it wasn’t a wonderful life for a Manhattan Christmas-ceramics mogul whose family is now sparring with his much younger husband over his $54 million fortune. A frail Edward Bazinet -- who had made as much as $100 million peddling Snow Babies, Dickens Villages and other popular miniatures depicting idyllic holiday scenes -- spent his final months being shuttled across the country in a bitter tug-of-war between his sister and spouse, who accuse each other of siphoning off Bazinet’s riches for themselves. Just 10 months before his death on Nov. 20, 2017, Bazinet, 73, married real-estate broker Brett Jordan -- 43 years his junior -- in a “secret” civil ceremony, according to Manhattan Surrogate Court papers.

And it gets better. Brett says the millionaire approached him on the street in 2014 and asked for "a date." They then bonded over "art and Broadway," but Bazinet's family claims Jordan "targeted" the older man, who in 2012 was hospitalized after a "bipolar spending spree" during which he spent more than $20 million on throw pillows, furniture and wall art before checking himself into a psychiatric clinic. (Among the purchases were 100,000 units of Elizabeth W sachets, hangar covers and soaps worth $16 million!)

The Real Deal reports:

Brett became the broker for Bazinet’s $24 million, 19-room penthouse at 60 Warren Street, which had been damaged on 9/11. Jordan then collected commissions on a quick succession of high-priced real estate deals including Bazinet’s purchase of a $15 million condo at 100 Barclay Street. Bazinet initially left Jordan $500,000 in his will, but then later expanded his share to include money, art and property. The ailing mogul’s sister moved him from New York “in the middle of the night” to a hospital in Minneapolis, where on his deathbed he allegedly signed papers revoking the changes to his will. Jordan moved Bazinet back to New York just a month before his death, according to court papers. “I cared for him because he was my husband and I loved him,” Jordan asserted in court papers. 

Whatever the case, it's high time we gays started gold-digging in earnest. Obergefell v. Hodges was settled nearly three years ago -- what's been taking so long?!

This isn't the first time Brett Nicole Smith has sought fame and fortune. My friend Greg shot him eight years ago when he was an aspiring country singer with a rockin' body.

On the Rag, Vol. 503

A weekly look at what's making news in the gay mags:

Metrosource: Behind the scenes with Daniel Levy of 'Schitt's Creek'

HotSpots: Talk about a tall drink of water!

Lavender (Minnesota): Adam Hirsch and Joe Livingston share the story of their relationship and unique wedding

Gay Times (U.K.): If this Gus Kenworthy cover doesn't resuscitate print media, nothing will

And this alternate cover of Ricky Martin isn't bad, either 

Metro Weekly (D.C.): Have you ever noticed that people who say they're geeks never are?

Between the Lines (Detroit): Homosexuality, the Middle East and self-identity

DNA (Australia): The weddings issue is here, and it's a doozy ...

Dallas Voice: The Easter pooch parade returns

QX (London): 13 Questions with Karamo Brown of 'Queer Eye'

Ku Easter Weekend

Get Out!: Prepare yourself for the annual Night of a Thousand Gowns

Gloss (San Francisco): I wanna do the White Party with Dan

Attitude (U.K.): Ricky Martin talks marriage, 'American Crime Story' and facing up to his sexuality

Kylie Minogue talks anxiety battle and why 'Golden' is her most personal album yet

Adelante: Greudyn Pena looking good out front 

Passport: Maybe I need to resubscribe to this travel mag!

Page 1 Roundup (01/22)

The Daily News: Democrats and Republicans finally agree on something: the government shutdown is Donald's fault

Woman jailed for backing out of suicide pact (seriously)

Nick Nolte spills beans on love life and co-stars in upcoming memoir

New York Post: Handsome Donald supporter wins football game

Patriots receiver straddled by model girlfriend after win / He looks sexier playing cops and robbers with Julian Edelman

The New York Times: Petulant child doesn't know what he wants

Captains Daniel Hall and Vincent Franchino, both active-duty Apache helicopter pilots, were married at West Point

The Washington Post: Donald's 24-year-old drug policy appointee was fired by law firm, lied on resume

The Wall Street Journal: Outsiders are busting open the clubby world of baseball writers who cast votes for Cooperstown; ‘why are people not seeing the truth?’

Tennis Legends Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova React to Australia's Marriage-Equality Vote

Translation: FU, Margaret Court!

From HERE.

And Chrissie, too!

If you haven't seen "Battle of the Sexes" yet, please do. Jessica McNamee is sublime as the Aussie preacherwoman with a heart of stone.

Song of the Day: 'Down Under' by Men at Work

Hard to put into words how happy I am that Australia's same-sex marriage plebiscite went the right way. Although they shouuldn't have been voting on people's civil rights, it's a happy day that discrimination is no longer business as usual down under.

Australia 'Votes' Yes to Marriage Equality, Clearing Path for Legalization

Congratulations to Australia, where 61.6% said yes to marriage equality in a mail-in plebiscite. (The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that 12.7 million people responded, a whopping 79.5% of eligible voters.)

 “The Australian people have spoken, and they have voted overwhelmingly ‘yes’ for marriage equality,” said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who had called the national survey as a way to put pressure on conservative lawmakers, many from his own party. “They voted ‘yes’ for fairness, they voted ‘yes’ for commitment, they voted ‘yes’ for love.”

The vote is nonbinding, so while legalization is not a sure thing, the results make the path to marriage equality much clearer. Mr. Turnbull has already said that he would not allow a same-sex marriage bill that legalizes discrimination that was written in case the postal survey went the right way -- which thank god it did. Onward, mates!

Hear what the prime minister had to say about the historic moment HERE.