Craig Russell as Bette Davis

[2degucitas]

I remember the gay culture of the late 70's in Long Beach, CA. The dress code was: feathered hair, mustache, tight Levi 501s and a plaid shirt. They all looked like fabulous lumberjacks! They are all gone now. Dead from AIDs. RIP, boys!

[polyprinz]

@CraigRussell4Ever, do you have the full show? Please upload!!!

[spide429]

Watch Charles Pierce-the BEST Bette EVER!

Craig pales by comparison....

[talmadge1926]

Amazing. The body movement and the fantastic vocal immitation. This together with his Mae West must be one of the greatest drag numbers ever.I wish I had been lucky enough to experience him live!!

[popazz1]

Ah,Baby Jane Hudson! Fantastic parody there,of an iconic film character,

"But ya ARE,Blanche"

[billyralphweeden]

SOMETIME LIKE 15 YEARS AGO........

"Bravo" used to present movies like "Outrageous".....and I loved them. Of course times have changed, but this will always be one of my favorite films.......the spirit of it can always bring you right back to the 1970s'......R.I.P. Craig Russell........what a wonderful talent, the world was lucky to have you, even for just a short time.

BILLY RALPH WEEDEN

[mirajean]

I just finished watching the movie Outrageous where Craig does all those fabulous impressions. What an incredible genius he was. I'm a straight 60+ grand mother (still hip dontcha know) and I just adore him! What a shame he left us so soon. I feel blessed to have experienced his talent.

[universoeterno1]

Great!

[SUPERDOOPERTUBER]

Feathered hair and mustaches!!!!!!!!! Oh I wish I came 'out' back then! Nowadays Gays are such bitches.

[wlh70]

Oh the memories. This was filmed at the Manatee Club on St. Joseph St. in Toronto. (long gone I'm afraid). This was in its 'hay days' - in the 70's. Nights of MDA & LSD, drag, dancing and so much fun. Those were the days......

[johnbroad08]

I received a request about what one of my dearest and best old friends was like, well, I kew Craig as Craig Russel Eddie, we were put together by Miss Mae West who thought we be good friends and indeed were. But if you wish to ask questions, write me at my email, and I will reply to a person not a public forum

[cbgbomfugrip2006]

somebody needs to upload the entire film, perhaps i will

[blackwhimsy]

Not bad,but Jim Bailey is better at Bette Davis.. Google the guy-all other female impersonators are rubbish next to him.

[myrabradwell40]

@blackwhimsy i think Jim Bailey is better at the impressions but Craig is better at the mannerisms....

[mistressmon]

FUCKING FABULOUS ( as am I darling)

[johnbroad08]

Having known Craig since he was 14 yerars old, I must bolster myself to look at these clips, He was until 1990 my friend, He wrote in aletter on my wall, Our friendship is eternal. How true.

[myrabradwell40]

@johnbroad08 I saw this film in the early 1980s I was about 10 I believe.... It came on cable tv... I thought this film was amazing... Please tell me what was Craig like... He seems so nice... What were his last days like..

Thank you

[preopdollop]

Thanks SO much for posting these vidz of Craig....I havent seen these clips since I recorded the movie from TV in 1982..when i was sixteen!

I remember all the excitement i felt looking at men in a gay club...ahhh my youth!

this is PROPER entertainment...what a genius this guy was.

thanks again!

Ian

xxxx

[riverboysf]

Brilliant! What a beautiful and fun time this must have been!

[tonelabone]

just wonderful...such a gift and important part of our history. Thank you for posting this!

[LexiixoxRoxx]

OhMyGosh Bette Davis and Joan Crawford must be rolling in their graves!

[Bansheeeyes78]

So great! Bette is a legend that will never be replaced.

[AmourPoison]

Just like her!

[mrbla90069]

i love this man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[USSPRIDEA]

I know Fab Stringbean, I thought the same thing. Some of those poor souls had no idea what was in store for them. So Sad.

[TheFabStringbean]

I hope all these beautiful men are still alive.

[JoanCollins2009]

i hope so to mate xxxxx

[Divinesque]

This is a clip from "Outrageous". The club is the Club Manatee, located on St. Joseph Street in Toronto from the mid 70's into the mid 80's. Though used as a "location" set for this film, it was indeed, the actual club where Craig started out. The Manatee was both infamous and famous as a venue for drag shows and many of Canada's best queens got their start there.

[roccoh21]

This must be an off night. I had seen him perform so much better.

[bannon1000]

If you did'nt see him or know it was supposed to be bette davis you would never ever guess that voice was supposed to be Bette davis-you just would'nt!!!! I agree it sounds ever so like THE GREAT MISS DAVIS in tiny snippets here and there but on the whole it sounds nothing like her.

[Shanniquitie]

the voice is ok

[kalindoscopy]

it's brilliant. and you agree.

[mrericmoulton]

Acidic - I wanna drink it!

[faabfelipe]

"Why You Little SLUT!" *SMACK* lol

best joan crawford imp' iv heard XD

[Rocketjay12]

awful bette impersonation.

[bassocantante89]

I know...the voice sounds nothing like Bette.

[kuffpah1]

Look at that audience. Boy that was the clone gay look back then. Feathered hair, cheesy mustache, tight button-down shirt. Man, those were the days.

[MarilynRouth]

i cant stop watching this...

Why you little slut!

[MarilynRouth]

this is so funny, hillarious

[almoncharles]

Craig Russell was a female Impersonator.

This is his impression of th actress Bette Davis.

[mfinatti]

Does anybody know where this was recorded? Looks like a dive in the Village, but which one? Has it survived Giuliani?

[exxxcccited]

It was a Toronto gay bar called "The Manatee".

The reason I know is because I am in that movie.

I was there waiting for my freind and I was asked to participate in the crowd. What memories.

[mfinatti]

Thanks much, man. It must have been really cool to be in that movie. What a name for a bar! When I saw the video I thought of bars like NY's Barracuda, which had great drag queen perfomances every Monday. I used to go a lot when I lived there some years ago. Cheers,

[boneym22]

the full treatment

[lababoc]

Boy !watching this really made me miss the only and one Charles Pierce and all his wicked witand genius

[jojobee42]

Amazing!!

[refund699]

now this is how drag should be

[suntaspirit]

This is a GREAT and my all time favorite movie called Outrageous...maaaad dahrling...maaaad...love that movie

[54spiritedwill54]

I am so happy to see this performace :)

[curiosity2bd]

And i absolutelty adore her chain-smoking !

[sandydrifts]

classic gay culture - we must not forget the fight - just just wonderful and not a f word insight

[Augustusoctavius]

I did the "Jane, you wouldn't treat me so cruel" bit at work and my boss almost peed his pants.

[chromesijhad]

oh, my favourite - and near perfect! I love you

[burffle]

I saw Craig at a club called "SCANDALS" in Hollywood. There was a bunch of guys sitting w/n older thin obvious gay man. Craig began Bette Davis & they errupted in hillarity focusing at the old man. Craig introduced him as Charles Pierce (the best Bette Davis impressionist) We rolled w/laughter as Craig Russell & Charles Pierce chased each other on the stage trying to out-do each others Bette Davis's & flicked cigarrette ashes at each other running after each other.

[joeocho88]

She is charming and adorable and VERY passable as Bette Davis.

She has the voice down right.

OF course, when she is out of drag, I would refer to her as he and I bet he was charming. urbane, sophisticated and a terrific person!

And had an extraordinary ear to be able to imitate Davis so well!

I am sorry to hear this remarkable entertainer is no longer with us. My deepest sympathies to his family and friends!

[pompom11]

dig the facial hair and hair cuts on the gay guys! And those shirts, how I miss the 70's. And you're right most of them are dead 'cause they didn't know about the Virus and most of them caught it. We have to tell the young guys now, because they are having unsafe sex. The reason they are too young to remember the 80's. Spread the word, no glove / no love! Save a life.

[gatoperezoso]

i like the hair and moustaches too...homos with hair...who knew?

[intothegroove]

So lovely watching the clip.... Not only for the show but the whole atmosphere.I fear many of the guys in the audiance may not be with us anymore .

[CADAZAN]

Wonderful!!!!!! If we could only turn back the clock.

[joeocho88]

Absolutely incredible. That woman originally had the face of a bulldog or a pug and He makes her look presentable. He has her voice RIGHT ON!

[harlow7]

How dare you speak so horribly of Bette Davis! let me guess your a dirty heterosexual male huh? haha

[DavidGarbo]

Fabulous! Incredible! I love all female impersonations..include Charle Pierce and Jim Bailey, many more....but sadly few are passed away...very miss them! Carol Channing, Mae West, Bette Davis and many respect gay people because they love them and dress up like them as queens! Bless actresses!

[desolationro]

He was great, till this day Outrageous is still one of my favorite movies. Besides the entertainment part. it tells us to love, accept, and celebrate ourselves, no matter who or what we are....maaaaaad darling.

[rsheidy]

that handsome guy in the background with the mustache eating peanuts and wearing a red jacket was my first love.his name is randy .we were together for several years in key west.i miss him so much.he passed on december 1988.i will always love you randy.i miss you! r.i.p. love,roy

[manystar]

sorry to hear that, he probably is in heaven waiting for you. Kiss

M

[Grimmitt]

he was so good looking how did he die?

[kimmo4444]

Must you ask the obvious?

[MansManBk]

Charles Pierce will always be one of the best Drag Acts to ever hit the stage! Russell was good but no where near Charles.

[Patrick3183]

That was fascinating! A vanished world for sure.

[bearcub410]

thanks for posting this . breaks my heart to think of all those guys , good bless them all . people were nicer then . thanks

[thelioninthewinter]

Really. I did not think that was great although if you check out a clip called joan and bette its f star gold

[dantiger]

Craig you were wonderful. Love all the cute hippie haired guys. These were my days of Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll. Oh the times we had. Most of my old gang are gone now. They would be about 60 like me. So very very sad.

[boomboominspace]

OUTRAGEOUS AGAIN!!!!

[killyky]

very good :) I am so happy to see this performace :)

[gaygirlb4]

Jim Bailey is better because his voices are perfection...i saw him do mae west in new york...incredible

[gymnastix]

But I saw "Outrageous" and it's touching little story, in addition to the drag sequences, that I think deserves to be discovered by a new generation.

[gymnastix]

Russell was good, but I also agree with ornager2525 that the late Charles Pierce was just as good, if not better--supposedly Lucille Ball's favorite drag performer. To my recollection, Pierce may have even preceded Jim Bailey--a really old school drag queen/female impersonator/impressionist. Pierce's work may be seen in the Harvey Fierstein film "Torch Song Trilogy." I believe there is also a VHS of his work once in release, maybe still obtainable on the video collector's market.

[moviemker]

P.S. I think I'd vomit being around all those mustaches!

[moviemker]

A man impersonating Bette Davis impersonating Joan Crawford -- and doing a great job at it -- deserves to be praised!

[cian10]

He pass away. What had he Aids?

[mansfield67]

Saw the film when it first came out,then bought it on VHS.... then DVD. Thirty yrs. later it's still the best movie Canada ever made ! Timeless, Craig was the best !!

[NClackum]

He was wonderful!

[wickedisthemirror]

The MOST FABULOUS female impersonator to ever live...

[brkitdwn]

You've got to be kidding! If not, you should get out more!!

[wickedisthemirror]

Honestly, name ONE better! He is the true talent... If you have never seen this movie, or know nothing about his life please inform yourself, you'll be glad you did.

[oranger2525]

I'll name one. Charles Pierce.

[steeny01]

this is such a good video craig sounds like a fab entertainer i live in brighton uk i wish we had great acts like this god bless you craig

[boneym22]

how nice! craigs amazing though.

[eternalvsop]

I preferred Charles Pierce.

[rockne10]

jim bailey is best of all hes not campy

[boneym22]

who the voice? are u simple? hes spot on . craig amazing!

[jimblackwood]

They don't make drag shows this anymore...reminds me of Tinsel Garland from Atlantic City in the 70's. GOD was THAT a fun city for us!

[up2itru]

This is from a film "Outrageous"

[xthexshadowsxpurrx]

who's voice is that?

[boneym22]

rip xx

[davedave9103]

he unfortunately died of AIDS complications in 1990--a true loss.

[boneym22]

what happend to the guy in this clip? hes very good

[up2itru]

Sadly, he passed away ... jc