Publisher's Synopsis
Kenneth/Kate US is based upon a true story, taken from several books by Kenneth aka Kate Marlowe as well as other source materials.
Kenneth has been described as one of the gayest and most openly homosexual personalities of the late '50s and early '60s. Whom at this moment in time, has been almost forgotten.
He went from being a hustler, female impersonator, drag stripper, call boy, male madam, [to name just a few things he did] and hairdresser to some of the most famous women in Hollywood including Gypsy Rose Lee, Sally Rand, Imogene Coca, Hedda Hopper, Phyllis Diller and others. His career also included authoring several books, producing a magazine, writing, directing, and producing several films and stage shows and at the age of 50 began transitioning and soon after, marrying a man in San Quentin prison. Kenneth, now Kate made history by being the first transexual to be married in a California prison.
Armistead Maupin, author of the widely popular books and mini-series Tales of the City met Kate. He said in a July 2010 interview, "I met Kenneth Marlow(e) in 1972 when he was in the process of being Kate Marlowe. He threw a fundraising Big Band dance at which Sally Rand (then 70) performed her famous fan dance under a VERY DIM blue bulb. He called the evening "The Ball To End All Balls." When I interviewed her later (Kate) she said she'd grown up in a whorehouse in Winnemucca, Nevada. I'm not at all sure that was true, but it was a fascinating detail, so I appropriated it for Anna Madrigal in Tales of the City."
This books is a companion piece to the off-Broadway play about Kenneth/Kate's life entitled Make Me Gorgeous by this author with additional material by Wade McCollum.
Sit back, relax and take the ride.
