Gay Hollywood documentary - William Haynes williamhaines

Описание: Meet William ‘Billy’ Haines, ‘revolutionary’ gay silent movie heartthrob who gave it all up for love.
While many leading stars in the early days of Hollywood hid their truth from the world, William “Billy” Haines was proudly and openly gay.
Haines was one of the leading men in 1920s and 1930s Hollywood and was known for his roles as handsome, romantic, heterosexual leads.
Off-screen however, Haines was openly gay and refused to compromise or hide his sexuality – even at the cost of his acting career.
Born Charles William “Billy” Haines on 2 January 1900, he grew up as part of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Staunton, Virginia.
Haines first discovered a love of acting at an early age after spending hours watching early silent films in local theatres, according to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He knew that he was gay from an early age, and he even ran away from home at the age of 14 with another young man who he referred to as his “boyfriend”.

The pair eventually got jobs working in a factory and opened a dance hall to supplement their income. The Hollywood Walk of Fame said this dance hall also potentially served as a brothel.
Haines returned home in 1917 to support his family – the the third child of a cigar maker and his wife, his two older siblings died in infancy but he had four surviving younger siblings.
But he soon left to live in New York City where he settled into the budding queer community in Greenwich Village.
He became a part-owner of an antiques store in La Brea Avenue and used his famous connections to Joan Crawford, William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies to further his career.
According to Town and Country, Haines became so well-known in Hollywood that directors incorporated his aesthetic in their films. A part of his personal art collection was hung on the walls of Tara, the fictional plantation, in Gone with the Wind.
He even decorated the home of Nancy and Ronald Reagan when the then-future-president became the governor of California.
Sadly, life was not peaceful for Haines and Shields. In 1936, they were severely beaten by a mob of white supremacists.
owever, Haines and Shields remained together until Haines’ death from lung cancer in 1973, and Crawford described them as the “happiest married couple in Hollywood”.
Tragically, Shields could not cope with the loss of his partner of almost five decades. He died by suicide just months later, leaving behind a note describing how he couldn’t go on without Haines in his life.
William J Mann, author of Wisecracker: The Life and Times of William Haines, told Entertainment Weekly described Haines as “revolutionary” as he lived his life authentically “at a time when there were no role models”“He was an example of someone living with integrity and not letting himself be defined by others,” Mann added.
Mann said that Haines put “authenticity and integrity above career and ambition” and recognised that there are “more important things than material success”.
The true story of William Haines, the gay silent movie star who chose love over fame. #williamhaines #gayhistory #hollywoodlegends
How William Haines went from being a top box-office draw to a successful interior designer, all while staying true to himself and his partner. #williamhaines #gaypride #interiordesign #williamhaines #jimmieshields #loveislove
Suicide is preventable. Readers who are affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact Samaritans on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org), or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). ​Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.