Finocchio’s was a long-running female impersonation cabaret in San Francisco, California that operated from 1936 to 1999. Known for its polished revue-style performances, the club featured performers specializing in celebrity impersonations, comedic routines, and musical numbers, often presented with elaborate costumes and staging.
Unlike earlier drag performance traditions associated with underground or subcultural spaces, Finocchio’s cultivated a mainstream audience and became a popular tourist destination, frequently included in organized city tours. Its performances balanced gender illusion with accessible entertainment, helping to sustain elements of vaudeville-style impersonation into the late twentieth century.
The club played a significant role in the visibility of female impersonation in American entertainment history, providing a professional venue for performers such as Walter Hart, Francis Renault, and others.
The collection consists of printed ephemera and photographs documenting Finocchio’s, a San Francisco, California-based female impersonation cabaret, as well as related performers and promotional materials. Materials include souvenir cards, postcards, and a printed program published circa 1951, along with black-and-white and color photographs of individual performers and performer groups.
Photographic materials include studio portraits and publicity images, some signed in the negative by the photographer Romaine or bearing studio stamps. Several items include inscriptions or annotations identifying performers or conveying personal messages. Depicted individuals include Lawrence Stenning, Walter Hart, Terry Bartlett and Colin Ross, Vic Ford and Chris Sheen, as well as unidentified performers.
The materials document mid-twentieth-century drag performance, costume, and celebrity impersonation, as well as the visual and promotional culture surrounding Finocchio’s. The collection also includes a small number of magazine images of film actors, reflecting broader popular entertainment influences of the period.
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested. Advance notice is required to view any audiovisual media or born-digital records that may exist in this collection. Audiovisual media and born-digital records in this collection may not have been reformatted yet. Researchers may request access to copies by contacting the John Hay Library with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. Access to original physical audiovisual or born-digital media is restricted.
Finocchio’s Club ephemera and photographs, Ms-2026-021, Brown University Library
The collection is arranged alphabetically.
Purchased by Brown University, 2024
Folded card printed in purple on ivory cardstock, featuring promotional text and a photograph of performers.
Folded card printed in purple on ivory cardstock, featuring promotional text and a photograph of performers.
Color promotional postcard featuring female impersonators associated with Finocchio’s.
Color promotional postcard featuring female impersonators associated with Finocchio’s.
Printed program for Finocchio’s, a female impersonation cabaret, published in Los Angeles by Zevin-Present, circa 1951. Includes performer photographs by Romaine of San Francisco, California; illustrations and text by Li Kar; and images of featured performers such as Walter Hart, Francis Renault, Francis David, Harvey Lee, Niles Marsh, Bobby Bell, Jerry Vaugh, Harol Lane, Frank Doran, Francis Russel, Freddie Wheeler, Jackie Maye, Ray Francis, John Lonas, Nicki Gallucci, Nick Sturiale and his Finocchio Four, as well as group scenes including “Carnival at Fin’s.” Documents mid-20th-century drag performance and entertainment culture associated with Finocchio’s.
Black-and-white photograph of Lawrence Stenning. Verso inscription reads: "Lorraine of Lorraine and Reice [?]. Lawrence Stenning, Soldiers in Skirts, [Paris?], 1945."
Magazine photograph of Rock Hudson.
Magazine photograph of Rudolph Valentino.
Black-and-white photograph of Terry Bartlett and Colin Ross. Front inscription reads: "Good luck, Will, sincerely, Bartlett and Ross."
Glossy silver gelatin print depicting a half-length studio portrait of an unidentified performer wearing a blonde wig, full makeup, and an elaborate gown and jewelry. Signed in the negative at lower right, "Romaine." Verso stamped "Photography by Romaine" with negative number 12504.
Black-and-white photograph of Ford and Sheen. Verso inscription reads: "Ford and Sheen." Verso also stamped "Photograph by Yvonne."
Glossy silver gelatin print depicting a half-length studio portrait of Walter Hart in matron drag. Signed in the negative at lower right, "Romaine," with negative number 22850. Hart performed at Finocchio’s as "the male Sophie Tucker" from 1936 to 1950.