A Brief Timele of Disney's 17 'First Gay Characters'

Contents:

• CO: THE GROUNDBREAKG GAY CHARACTER ‘THE GOLN GIRLS’ LEFT BEHD
• ONWARD’S OPENLY GAY CHARACTER STILL LEAV DISNEY BEHD S PETORS
• 17 GAY AND LGBTQ DISNEY CHARACTERS – OM D TO NON TO TASTROPHE
• REMEMBERG CHARL LEV AND HIS GROUNDBREAKG GAY "GOLN GIRLS" CHARACTERCO THE "FANCY MAN" LEFT AN IMPORTANT, THOUGH FLEETG, MARK ON THE CLASSIC {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY LTER FABIAN BRATHWAEJULY 15, 2019/4:22 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:3000PX;WIDTH:1956PX;}HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKTHE GOLDEN GIRLS -- SEASON 1 -- PICTURED: (L-R) BETTY WHE AS ROSE NYLUND, RUE MCCLANAHAN AS BLANCHE DEVEREX, BEA ARTHUR AS DOROTHY PETRILLO ZBORNAK, ESTELLE GETTY AS SOPHIA PETRILLO, STT JABY AS MICHAEL ZBORNAK-- PHOTO BY: HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKBY LTER FABIAN BRATHWAEJULY 15, 2019 / 4:22 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"REMEMBERG CHARL LEV AND HIS GROUNDBREAKG GAY \"GOLN GIRLS\" CHARACTER","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2019-07-15T20:22:10.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2019-07-15T20:22:10.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"LTER FABIAN BRATHWAE","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CHARL LEV WAS THE KD OF CHARACTER ACTOR WHOSE FACE YOU'D SEEN A DOZEN PLAC BUT WHOSE NAME YOU NEVER KNEW. HIS CREDS RANGE OM PLAYG B PARTS ANNIE HALL AND THIS IS SPAL TAP TO GUT SPOTS ON NEARLY EVERY GREAT S OF THE '80S AND EARLY '{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TRAGILLY, THE 70-YEAR-OLD WAS REPORTED MISSG BY HIS SON ON JULY 8, AND NOW, AFTER A WEEK OF SEARCHG, LOL THORI OREGON HAVE DISVERED HUMAN REMAS THEY BELIEVE TO BE LEV'S.CBS VIA GETTY IMAGLOS ANGELES - JANUARY 1: ALICE, A CBS TELEVISN SUATN EDY, ABOUT CHARACTERS WHO WORK AND DE AT MEL'S DER. JANUARY 1, 1983. PICTURED IS CHARL LEV (AS ELLT NOVAK, POLICE OFFICER). (PHOTO BY CBS VIA GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CHARL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN ADDN TO A RECURRG ROLE AS ELLT NOVAK ON THE LONG-NNG S ALICE, LEV IS ALSO KNOWN TO FANS OF CLASSIC TV FOR TWO SMALL BUT MEMORABLE PERFORMANC: AS THE MOHEL "THE BRIS," A FIFTH-SEASON EPISO OF SEFELD, AND AS CO, THE GAY OK "THE ENGAGEMENT," THE PILOT EPISO OF THE GOLN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CO WAS, OR WOULD'VE BEEN, AMONG THE FIRST REGULAR GAY CHARACTERS TO APPEAR ON TELEVISN. SAN HARRIS, WHO CREATED THE GOLN GIRLS, HAD BROKEN GROUND WH BILLY CRYSTAL'S JODIE DALLAS ON HER PERV S, SOAP, WHICH RAN OM 1977 TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:75%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THOUGH JODIE WAS GAY THEORY, HE WAS RARELY SO PRACTICE, AND HIS IAL CHARACTERIZATN HAD RAISED THE IRE OF GAY RIGHTS GROUPS WHO WORRIED THAT HE WOULD BE A DAMAGG STEREOTYPE. BY THE TIME THE GOLN GIRLS PREMIERED 1985, JODIE WAS LONG GONE AND THE ONLY OTHER GAY CHARACTERS ON PRIMETIME WERE DYNASTY'S STEVEN CARRGTON (JACK COLEMAN, THE SEND OF THREE ACTORS TO PLAY HIM) AND HILL STREET BLU' EDDIE GREGG, WHO WAS ALSO PLAYED BY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LIKE JODIE, STEVEN'S HOMOSEXUALY WAS MORE THEORETIL, AND HE WAS LARGELY VOLVED WH WOMEN THROUGHOUT THE N OF THE SHOW. MEANWHILE, EDDIE WAS A GAY PROSTUTE WHO BEIEND DETECTIVE MICK BELKER (BCE WEZ). LEV WAS GREGG FOR FIVE EPISOS 1982 AND RETURNED ONE LAST TIME 1986 TO RM BELKER HE WAS DYG OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN ME TIME TO ST CO, BRANDON TARTIKOFF, THEN THE PRINT OF NBC, SUGGTED LEV, WHO DIDN'T SEEM TO MD BEG TYPEST AS GAY. CO WAS TEND TO OFFSET GOLN GIRLS' FEMALE-CENTRIC ST BEE A SHOW THAT ONLY STARRED WOMEN, PECIALLY WOMEN OF A CERTA AGE, WAS (AND STILL IS) A RISKY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CO WOULD'VE BEEN A PARTURE OM JODIE, STEVEN, AND EDDIE— "THE ENGAGEMENT" CO WAS A PART OF THE FAY. HE WAS WELL ADJTED AND HAPPY, AND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HE LIKED TO SH ON ROSE (BETTY WHE).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOWEVER, BY THE TIME ESTELLE GETTY'S SOPHIA SHOWED UP, BEME CLEAR THAT "THE FANCY MAN," AS SOPHIA REFERRED TO HIM, WAS THE FIFTH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE POLILLY RRECT OCTOGENARIAN WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE AN OCSNAL GUT STAR, BUT GETTY STOLE THE SHOW AND WAS MA THE FOURTH ST MEMBER, REPLACG LEV. THE CISN HEWED CLOSER TO THE SHOW'S ORIGAL PREMISE AND MISSN: TO PORTRAY THE LIV OF WOMEN THEIR LATER YEARS. EVEN THOUGH SOPHIA QUICKLY ME AROUND TO CO, THERE WAS JT NO NEED FOR A MAN, NO MATTER HOW FANCY HE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE LAST WE HEARD OF CO, HE AND SOPHIA WERE GOG TO GO TO THE TRACKS FOR A KIKI, BUT BY THE SEND EPISO HE WAS GONE, NEVER TO MAKE ENCHILADAS RANCHEROS AGA. ASI OM THAT PILOT AND A FEW SEASON 1 PRODUCTN STILLS—WHICH RRECTLY CRED HIM AS "STT JABY AS MICHAEL ZBORNAK," DOROTHY'S SON—YOU WON'T FD ANY OTHER TRAC OF CO.HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKTHE GOLDEN GIRLS -- SEASON 1 -- PICTURED: (L-R) BETTY WHE AS ROSE NYLUND, RUE MCCLANAHAN AS BLANCHE DEVEREX, BEA ARTHUR AS DOROTHY PETRILLO ZBORNAK, ESTELLE GETTY AS SOPHIA PETRILLO, STT JABY AS MICHAEL ZBORNAK-- PHOTO BY: HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKHERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKTHE GOLDEN GIRLS -- SEASON 1 -- PICTURED: (L-R) STT JABY AS MICHAEL ZBORNAK, RUE MCCLANAHAN AS BLANCHE DEVEREX, BETTY WHE AS ROSE NYLUND, BEA ARTHUR AS DOROTHY PETRILLO ZBORNAK, ESTELLE GETTY AS SOPHIA PETRILLO-- PHOTO BY: HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKHERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKTHE GOLDEN GIRLS -- SEASON 1 -- PICTURED: (L-R) BEA ARTHUR AS DOROTHY PETRILLO ZBORNAK, BETTY WHE AS ROSE NYLUND, ESTELLE GETTY AS SOPHIA PETRILLO, STT JABY AS MICHAEL ZBORNAK, RUE MCCLANAHAN AS BLANCHE DEVEREX-- PHOTO BY: HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MAYBE HIS FICTNAL JOURNEY CO MOVED OUT OF THE BUNGALOW ON RICHMOND STREET, FOUND LOVE, AND HAD A STANDG MONTHLY DATE WH SOPHIA AT THE TRACK. BUT IF HE WASN'T LONG FOR THIS WORLD, THE GOLN GIRLS END UP DOG RIGHT BY THE LGBTQ MUNY, BOTH ON- AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OVER S SEVEN-SEASON N, THE SERI FEATURED NUMERO QUEER CHARACTERS AND STORY L AND TACKLED ISSU SUCH AS GAY MARRIAGE AND AIDS. IN REAL LIFE, S FOUR LEADS—GETTY, WHE, BEA ARTHUR, AND RUE MCCLANAHAN—WERE ALL OUTSPOKEN ALLI, WH NATNAL TREASURE ARTHUR LEAVG $300,000 HER WILL TO THE ALI FORNEY CENTER, A NEW YORK–BASED CHARY HELPG HOMELS LGBTQ {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE GOLN GIRLS WAS FOUND ON THE IAS OF LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE, AND CO THE OK PLAYED AN IMPORTANT, IF FLEETG, ROLE TABLISHG THE SHOW'S LEGACY OF POSIVE QUEER REPRENTATN. HOPEFULLY, THAT WILL BE A PART OF LEV'S {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

CO: THE GROUNDBREAKG GAY CHARACTER ‘THE GOLN GIRLS’ LEFT BEHD

The 2017 live-actn “Bety and the Beast” reboot ma headl after director Bill Condon announced that the film would clu a gay character ― LeFou, the goofy sikick to villa Gaston ― for the first time the pany’s history. (Some crics, however, felt the “exclively gay moment” Condon promised was a letdown. Before T, Capta Holt, Mchell, Cam, Will, Jack, and Ellen, there was Co — the gay hoeboy that served scy one-lers and cheeke seven seasons of The Goln Girls.

Charl Lev‘s drag performer-turned-hoekeeper nonted drama and nnected wh his found fay Miami, and provid primetime dienc wh a proment and posive gay character durg the height of the AIDS crisis. The chance to wre about an unrreprented age group spoke to her, as did Ltlefield’s sistence that the show have a gay character the ma st.

At the time, gay characters were mostly relegated to appearg on very special episos where the straight leadg st had to al wh a gay gut star.

ONWARD’S OPENLY GAY CHARACTER STILL LEAV DISNEY BEHD S PETORS

Harris was on board wh the ia, as she’d already phed primetime boundari wh Soap, a show that featured one of the first recurrg gay characters Billy Crystal’s Jodie Dallas. Sensg that “Co the tty drag queen/hoeboy” probably didn’t sound as progrsive as tend, the pilot’s director Jay Sandrich advised Charl Lev to dn for the gay character whout any stereotypil affectatns.

17 GAY AND LGBTQ DISNEY CHARACTERS – OM D TO NON TO TASTROPHE

Lev bombed and the producers told him to jt play the same kd of gay character he’d prevly played a few episos of the drama Hill Street Blu.

REMEMBERG CHARL LEV AND HIS GROUNDBREAKG GAY "GOLN GIRLS" CHARACTERCO THE "FANCY MAN" LEFT AN IMPORTANT, THOUGH FLEETG, MARK ON THE CLASSIC {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY LTER FABIAN BRATHWAEJULY 15, 2019/4:22 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:3000PX;WIDTH:1956PX;}HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKTHE GOLDEN GIRLS -- SEASON 1 -- PICTURED: (L-R) BETTY WHE AS ROSE NYLUND, RUE MCCLANAHAN AS BLANCHE DEVEREX, BEA ARTHUR AS DOROTHY PETRILLO ZBORNAK, ESTELLE GETTY AS SOPHIA PETRILLO, STT JABY AS MICHAEL ZBORNAK-- PHOTO BY: HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKBY LTER FABIAN BRATHWAEJULY 15, 2019 / 4:22 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"REMEMBERG CHARL LEV AND HIS GROUNDBREAKG GAY \"GOLN GIRLS\" CHARACTER","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2019-07-15T20:22:10.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2019-07-15T20:22:10.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"LTER FABIAN BRATHWAE","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CHARL LEV WAS THE KD OF CHARACTER ACTOR WHOSE FACE YOU'D SEEN A DOZEN PLAC BUT WHOSE NAME YOU NEVER KNEW. HIS CREDS RANGE OM PLAYG B PARTS ANNIE HALL AND THIS IS SPAL TAP TO GUT SPOTS ON NEARLY EVERY GREAT S OF THE '80S AND EARLY '{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TRAGILLY, THE 70-YEAR-OLD WAS REPORTED MISSG BY HIS SON ON JULY 8, AND NOW, AFTER A WEEK OF SEARCHG, LOL THORI OREGON HAVE DISVERED HUMAN REMAS THEY BELIEVE TO BE LEV'S.CBS VIA GETTY IMAGLOS ANGELES - JANUARY 1: ALICE, A CBS TELEVISN SUATN EDY, ABOUT CHARACTERS WHO WORK AND DE AT MEL'S DER. JANUARY 1, 1983. PICTURED IS CHARL LEV (AS ELLT NOVAK, POLICE OFFICER). (PHOTO BY CBS VIA GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CHARL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN ADDN TO A RECURRG ROLE AS ELLT NOVAK ON THE LONG-NNG S ALICE, LEV IS ALSO KNOWN TO FANS OF CLASSIC TV FOR TWO SMALL BUT MEMORABLE PERFORMANC: AS THE MOHEL "THE BRIS," A FIFTH-SEASON EPISO OF SEFELD, AND AS CO, THE GAY OK "THE ENGAGEMENT," THE PILOT EPISO OF THE GOLN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CO WAS, OR WOULD'VE BEEN, AMONG THE FIRST REGULAR GAY CHARACTERS TO APPEAR ON TELEVISN. SAN HARRIS, WHO CREATED THE GOLN GIRLS, HAD BROKEN GROUND WH BILLY CRYSTAL'S JODIE DALLAS ON HER PERV S, SOAP, WHICH RAN OM 1977 TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:75%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THOUGH JODIE WAS GAY THEORY, HE WAS RARELY SO PRACTICE, AND HIS IAL CHARACTERIZATN HAD RAISED THE IRE OF GAY RIGHTS GROUPS WHO WORRIED THAT HE WOULD BE A DAMAGG STEREOTYPE. BY THE TIME THE GOLN GIRLS PREMIERED 1985, JODIE WAS LONG GONE AND THE ONLY OTHER GAY CHARACTERS ON PRIMETIME WERE DYNASTY'S STEVEN CARRGTON (JACK COLEMAN, THE SEND OF THREE ACTORS TO PLAY HIM) AND HILL STREET BLU' EDDIE GREGG, WHO WAS ALSO PLAYED BY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LIKE JODIE, STEVEN'S HOMOSEXUALY WAS MORE THEORETIL, AND HE WAS LARGELY VOLVED WH WOMEN THROUGHOUT THE N OF THE SHOW. MEANWHILE, EDDIE WAS A GAY PROSTUTE WHO BEIEND DETECTIVE MICK BELKER (BCE WEZ). LEV WAS GREGG FOR FIVE EPISOS 1982 AND RETURNED ONE LAST TIME 1986 TO RM BELKER HE WAS DYG OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN ME TIME TO ST CO, BRANDON TARTIKOFF, THEN THE PRINT OF NBC, SUGGTED LEV, WHO DIDN'T SEEM TO MD BEG TYPEST AS GAY. CO WAS TEND TO OFFSET GOLN GIRLS' FEMALE-CENTRIC ST BEE A SHOW THAT ONLY STARRED WOMEN, PECIALLY WOMEN OF A CERTA AGE, WAS (AND STILL IS) A RISKY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CO WOULD'VE BEEN A PARTURE OM JODIE, STEVEN, AND EDDIE— "THE ENGAGEMENT" CO WAS A PART OF THE FAY. HE WAS WELL ADJTED AND HAPPY, AND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HE LIKED TO SH ON ROSE (BETTY WHE).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOWEVER, BY THE TIME ESTELLE GETTY'S SOPHIA SHOWED UP, BEME CLEAR THAT "THE FANCY MAN," AS SOPHIA REFERRED TO HIM, WAS THE FIFTH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE POLILLY RRECT OCTOGENARIAN WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE AN OCSNAL GUT STAR, BUT GETTY STOLE THE SHOW AND WAS MA THE FOURTH ST MEMBER, REPLACG LEV. THE CISN HEWED CLOSER TO THE SHOW'S ORIGAL PREMISE AND MISSN: TO PORTRAY THE LIV OF WOMEN THEIR LATER YEARS. EVEN THOUGH SOPHIA QUICKLY ME AROUND TO CO, THERE WAS JT NO NEED FOR A MAN, NO MATTER HOW FANCY HE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE LAST WE HEARD OF CO, HE AND SOPHIA WERE GOG TO GO TO THE TRACKS FOR A KIKI, BUT BY THE SEND EPISO HE WAS GONE, NEVER TO MAKE ENCHILADAS RANCHEROS AGA. ASI OM THAT PILOT AND A FEW SEASON 1 PRODUCTN STILLS—WHICH RRECTLY CRED HIM AS "STT JABY AS MICHAEL ZBORNAK," DOROTHY'S SON—YOU WON'T FD ANY OTHER TRAC OF CO.HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKTHE GOLDEN GIRLS -- SEASON 1 -- PICTURED: (L-R) BETTY WHE AS ROSE NYLUND, RUE MCCLANAHAN AS BLANCHE DEVEREX, BEA ARTHUR AS DOROTHY PETRILLO ZBORNAK, ESTELLE GETTY AS SOPHIA PETRILLO, STT JABY AS MICHAEL ZBORNAK-- PHOTO BY: HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKHERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKTHE GOLDEN GIRLS -- SEASON 1 -- PICTURED: (L-R) STT JABY AS MICHAEL ZBORNAK, RUE MCCLANAHAN AS BLANCHE DEVEREX, BETTY WHE AS ROSE NYLUND, BEA ARTHUR AS DOROTHY PETRILLO ZBORNAK, ESTELLE GETTY AS SOPHIA PETRILLO-- PHOTO BY: HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKHERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO BANKTHE GOLDEN GIRLS -- SEASON 1 -- PICTURED: (L-R) BEA ARTHUR AS DOROTHY PETRILLO ZBORNAK, BETTY WHE AS ROSE NYLUND, ESTELLE GETTY AS SOPHIA PETRILLO, STT JABY AS MICHAEL ZBORNAK, RUE MCCLANAHAN AS BLANCHE DEVEREX-- PHOTO BY: HERB BALL/NBCU PHOTO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MAYBE HIS FICTNAL JOURNEY CO MOVED OUT OF THE BUNGALOW ON RICHMOND STREET, FOUND LOVE, AND HAD A STANDG MONTHLY DATE WH SOPHIA AT THE TRACK. BUT IF HE WASN'T LONG FOR THIS WORLD, THE GOLN GIRLS END UP DOG RIGHT BY THE LGBTQ MUNY, BOTH ON- AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OVER S SEVEN-SEASON N, THE SERI FEATURED NUMERO QUEER CHARACTERS AND STORY L AND TACKLED ISSU SUCH AS GAY MARRIAGE AND AIDS. IN REAL LIFE, S FOUR LEADS—GETTY, WHE, BEA ARTHUR, AND RUE MCCLANAHAN—WERE ALL OUTSPOKEN ALLI, WH NATNAL TREASURE ARTHUR LEAVG $300,000 HER WILL TO THE ALI FORNEY CENTER, A NEW YORK–BASED CHARY HELPG HOMELS LGBTQ {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE GOLN GIRLS WAS FOUND ON THE IAS OF LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE, AND CO THE OK PLAYED AN IMPORTANT, IF FLEETG, ROLE TABLISHG THE SHOW'S LEGACY OF POSIVE QUEER REPRENTATN. HOPEFULLY, THAT WILL BE A PART OF LEV'S {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

The dience was also pleasantly surprised by Lev’s Co, as an out-and-proud gay man was still a very rare sight on TV 1985.

When Rose worri about how they’ll be able to afford a hoe if Blanche do get married, she says, “What do we have for llateral, a gay ok?

It is a shame that h ss went whout a gay regular the years between Soap and Ellen, but there wasn’t room for Co Goln Girls.