10 juicy, must-read memoirs about the secret (and not-so-secret) history of gay Hollywood

Beyond Paradise: The Life Of Ramon Novarro by André Soares

Gay screen idol Ramon Novarro is widely regarded as the first Latin American actor to become a star, and his brutal murder is one of the most talked-about tragedies in Hollywood. In Beyond Paradise, André Soares walks us through his vast film career, where he shared the screen with the likes of Joan Crawford (Across to Singapore) and Greta Garbo (Mata Hari), featuring interviews with those who knew him best.

Sexs, Drugs, And Pilot Season by Joel Thurm

Renowned casting director Joel Thurm recounts decades of experience as a Hollywood casting director, working on classics like Grease and Rocky Horror Picture Show. In his new memoir, he also dives deep into his own sexual experiences with stars Rock Hudson and Robert Reed, making for quite the eyebrow-raising, page-turning adventure.

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Working in the industry since the ’70s, Joel Thurm has plenty of surprising stories to share about gay Hollywood.

In Bed With Gore Vidal by Tim Teeman

In his long career as a writer and intellectual, Gore Vidal pushed boundaries around sexuality, politics, and cultural criticism. His 1948 novel, The City and the Pillar, followed the story of a gay relationship, which outraged conservative literary critics. Teeman’s In Bed With Gore Vidal combines interviews with Claire Bloom, Susan Sarandon, and more of those close to Vidal, to tell the story of his advocacy for gay sexual freedom—including his famous feud with Truman Capote, and the latter’s refusal to fully identify as gay—from the peak of his career to his painful decline in health, and the legacy he left behind.

Full Service by Scotty Bowers

In 1946, Scotty Bowers arrived in Hollywood after serving in World War II, and quickly began a rousing life in Hollywood’s sexual underground. Full Service: My Adventures In Hollywood And The Secret Sex Lives Of The Stars chronicles his adventurous encounters—sexual and otherwise—with the likes of Tennessee Williams, Edith Piaf, Spencer Tracy, and more. Chronicling an era of supposed innocence in Hollywood, Bowers’ memoir takes us behind the (steamy) curtain of mid-century celebrity culture.

Baggage: Tales From A Full Packed Life by Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming needs no introduction, but his memoir dives deeper than you might expect on his life in Hollywood, relationships, hookups, and memorable encounters with celebrities such as Gore Vidal and Liza Minnelli. It also touches on exactly what the title promises—baggage! Regretful mistakes, traumas, and difficult memories… Alan Cumming balances it all for a compulsively readable page-turner.

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We’re just here for the acting. And the queerness.

I Was Better Last Night by Harvey Fierstein

As you would expect, Harvey Fierstein uses his memoir to combine humor and heart, chronicling his life from his early days in Brooklyn, his life in the theatre, “Torch Song Trilogy,” the gay rights movement, the AIDS crisis, and beyond. Packed with stories about gay culture, sex, and romance, Fierstein also tackles addiction, hardships, and some of the most meaningful moments of his life. To this day, Harvey Fierstein’s legacy can be found in queer theatre, cinema, and art, and his memoir work volumes to illustrate just how deep it runs.

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Best-Kept Boy In The World by Arthur Vanderbilt

The head-spinning story of Denny Fouts, a famous male prostitute of the 20^th century. Arthur Vanderbilt puts us in the room with Denny, where as a socialite he charmed the likes of Gore Vidal and Truman Capote, becoming a literary muse for each of them. Denny passed away young, at 34, but left a swirling impact on those who knew him.

Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making Of A Movie Star by Tab Hunter

A memoir from Tab Hunter, the queer movie star known for his good looks who ascended to fame at the very end of Hollywood’s golden age. Tab Hunter Confidential is Hunter’s first-hand account of the difficulties that came with stardom, and the pressures he faced through a tense first decade of working in Hollywood.

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Wisecracker: The Life And Times Of William Haines, Hollywood’s First Openly Gay Star by William J. Mann

The Midnight Express actor William Haines, often seen as Hollywood’s first openly gay star, faced innumerable challenges after being blacklisted by the film industry. Here, William J. Mann introduces us to Haines in a more personal sense, and lifts the veil on his second admirable career as a famous interior decorator. After all, what queer person doesn’t know how to pivot when faced with the impossible?