Years active
1988 – Present
Stage Name(s)
Shelly Mars
Category
Drag King
Country of Origin
USA
Birth – Death
1960 – Present
Bio
Shelly Mars is a multimedia performance artist, actor, printmaker and drag king whose work explores sexuality and power using an expanding catalog of created personae. An originator of 1980s – ‘90s queer […]
Years active
1984 – 1997
Stage Name(s)
Johnny Science, John Grant, Johnny Armstrong, Daniel Austen
Category
Drag King Make-Up Artist
Country of Origin
USA
Birth – Death
1955 – 2007
Bio
Johnny Science was a musician, make-up artist, and LGBT community leader thriving in New York City. He is credited as the person who fostered masculine […]
Years active
1982 – 2015
Stage Name(s)
Diane Torr, Danny King, Jack Sprat, Hamish McAllister, Charles Beresford, Mr. EE
Category
Drag King, Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
United Kingdom
Birth – Death
1948 – 2017
Bio
Diane Torr was a Drag King pioneer, gender activist and performance art provocateur who blazed […]
Years active
1978 – Present
Stage Name(s)
Crema, the Phoenix
Category
Male Impersonator, Drag King
Country of Origin
Canada
Birth – Death
1955 – Present
Bio
Crema’s first drag performance was as a male impersonator at a a gay show bar called B.J.’s Club in Vancouver Canada in 1978. From an interview between Clare Smyth (Drag […]
Years active
1965 – Present
Stage Name(s)
El Daña, Elsie Saldaña
Category
Country of Origin
USA
Birth – Death
1944 –
Bio
El Daña is a Mexican-American male impersonator from Fresno, California who’s been performing since […]
Years active
1955 – 1969
Stage Name(s)
Stormé DeLarverié
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of OriginUSA
Birth – Death
(c.)1923 – 2014
Bio
Stormé DeLarverié was a legendary male impersonator, international icon, LGBT community activist and “a self-appointed guardian of lesbians” (1) in New York City. She performed as a male impersonator serving as the Master […]
Years active
1943-1989
Stage Name(s)
MISORA Hibari
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
Japan
Birth – Death
1937-1989
Bio
MISORA Hibari (美空ひばり) was a singer and actress who symbolized the post-war era of Japan. During her career spanning over 40 years, she recorded 1500 songs including 517 original songs. Her first performance acting as a boy […]
Years active
1935 – mid-1950s
Stage Name(s)
Blackie Dennis
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
USA
Birth – Death
1911 – 1988
Bio
Blackie Dennis was a male impersonator from the mid-1930’s to the mid-1950’s who performed in the notorious nightclubs of New York City’s beloved bohemian neighborhood, Greenwich Village. She wore tuxedos and sharp suits […]
Years active
1923 – 1952
Stage Name(s)
Gladys Bentley, Bobbie Minton, Fatso Bentley
Category
“Bulldagger”, Butch
Country of Origin
USA
Birth – Death
1907 – 1960
Bio
Gladys Bentley was an inspiration to many as a prolific African-American, out and proud lesbian, and bawdy gender bending entertainer during the 1920’s Harlem Renaissance. She was a robust 250 pound woman with a deep, growly voice making […]
Years active
c.1920 – 1945
Stage Name(s)
Azucena Maizani, Azabache, La Ñata Gaucha
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
Argentina
Birth – Death
1902 – 1970
Bio
Azucena Maizani was one of the leading female singers of the tango, with a career that soared to prominence during […]
Years active
ca. 1914 – ca. 1940
Stage Name(s)
Bert Whitman
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
USA
Birth – Death
ca. 1888 – 1964
Bio
Said to be “the best male impersonator of the race” and the “ebony Fred Astaire”, Bert Whitman was considered one of the best male impersonators of her day. Born around […]
Years active
1913 – 1930
Stage Name(s)
Pip Wainfor, Phil Wainfor
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
United Kingdom
Birth – Death
1899 – 1964
Bio
From 1913 to 1930, Violet Wainfor used the stage name Pip or Phil Wainfor to perform as a male impersonator in small halls and pubs in the United Kingdom and […]
Years active
1913 – Present
Stage Name(s)
Takarazuka Revue
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
Japan
Birth – Death
N/A
Bio
Takarazuka Revue is a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka, Japan. It was founded in 1913 making it the longest running, all-female, still […]
Years active
1909 – 1914
Stage Name(s)
Aida Overton Walker
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
USA
Birth – Death
1880 – 1914
Bio
Aida Overton Walker was an immensely successful African-American actress, singer, dancer, choreographer, and male impersonator on the vaudeville circuit performing for black and white audiences which was rare for the time. In 1909, out of necessity, Aida became a male […]
Years active
1900 – 1918
Stage Name(s)
Maude Adams
Category
Male Impersonator, Breeches Role
Country of Origin
USA
Birth – Death
1872 – 1953
Bio
Maude Adams was a celebrated American actress who was the first person to play Peter Pan on the Broadway stage in 1905. She played several male impersonator roles over her career […]
Years active
1890 – 1906
Stage Name(s)
Florence Hines
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
USA
Birth – Death
unknown – 1924
Bio
Despite the dearth of personal biographical details, there is enough ample evidence to show that African American Florence Hines had a flourishing career as a male impersonator on the vaudeville stage beginning circa 1890 with Sam T. Jack’s production, The Creole […]
Years active
1889 – 1910
Stage Name(s)
Gowongo Mohawk, Go-Won-Go
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
USA
Birth – Death
1860 – 1924
Bio
Gowongo Mohawk (August 11, 1860 – February 7, 1924) was one of the first American Indian actors to perform on the American stage and the first known American Indian male impersonator. She wrote, […]
Years active
1870-1908
Stage Name(s)
Ella Wesner
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
USA
Birth – Death
1841 – 1917
Bio
Ella Wesner was from a family of ballet dancers and began her career in children’s ballet corps in Philadelphia (1). Before she was thirty, and prior to her career as a male impersonator, she was […]
Years active
1869 – 1920
Stage Name(s)
Vesta Tilley
Category
Male Impersonator
Country of Origin
United Kingdom
Birth – Death
1864 – 1952
Bio
Vesta Tilley, indisputably the most famous male impersonator of all time, was one of the highest paid performers in the British Music Halls during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. She accomplished six […]
Years active
1864 – 1975
Stage Name(s)
Eugenie Fiocre
Category
En Travasti
Country of Origin
France
Birth – Death
1845 – 1908
Bio
Eugenie Fiocre was a principal ballet dancer in the Paris Opera. She was known for her beauty, grace and talent. She often took on male roles called en travesti due to the shortage […]