Eva Le Gallienne with Barrie Kreinik

You Might Know Her From

Back for an extra-special, extra pride episode. You can listen to this complete Eva Le Gallienne deep dive with author and actor Barrie Kreinik on the You Might Know Her From Patreon. You’re gonna love this dig into backstage lore and OG celesbian gossip as we explore the oeuvre of American theatre icon Eva Le Gallienne. Here to break it down with us is Barrie Kreinik, whose new audio drama, The Queen of Fourteenth Street, digs into Le G’s robust stage credits, her dedication to creating an artistic institution of and for the people (the Civic Repertory Theatre), and her storied relationships with many an actor and socialite.

We originally discovered Le Gallienne when interviewing Kate Burton, who appeared in Le G’s ‘80s revival of Alice in Wonderland. We are so grateful for connecting with Barrie so we could explore American theatrical history through the lens of this queer trailblazer.

Happy Pride from an OG theatre queer. We love YOU and we love Le G!

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Discussed this episode:

RIP Donald Sutherland

Kiefer Sutherland Christmas tree

Anne’s list of men: Gene Hackman, Dabney Coleman, Donald Sutherland, Tommy Lee Jones, John Travolta

Damian’s list of men: John Travolta, Adrian Zmed, Christopher McDonald

Jean Smart is so good in The Brady Bunch Movie

Guest: Barrie Kreinik (barriekreinik.com)

Eva Le Gallienne was the queer theatre legend you’ve never heard of

Barrie Kreinik wrote and starred in the audio drama about Le G called The Queen of Fourteenth Street

We learned about LeG from our Kate Burton interview

“Lavender marriage”

Helen Sheehy biography on Le G

Carole Shelley originated Madame Morrible was in national tour of The Royal Family with Le G

Le G’s autobiography, At Thirty Three

Studs Terkel interview with Le G

1947 Alice in Wonderland (Le G narrates and is The White Queen)

1983 Alice in Wonderland (directed by Le G w/ Kate Burton as Alice)

Anne Kaufman Schneider (daughter of George S. Kaufman who wrote The Royal Family) was keeper of Le G’s legacy and also had an affair with her despite being 25 years younger than Eva

Other relationships over the years:

• Margaret Mauer (actress)

• Mary Duggett Benson aka “Mimsie”

• Alla Nazimova (termed the phrase, “Sewing Circle”)

• Mercedes de Acosta (Barrie described her as “a succubus”)

• Basil Rathbone

• Gladys Calthrop

• Josephine Hutchinson (married to men before and after Le G; was Eva’s Alice in Alice in Wonderland and her Wendy in Peter Pan)

• Marion Gunnar Evanson Westlake (Scandinavian-American actress)

• Margaret “Peggy” Webster (dubbed her Le G, never lived with her. Marion lived in Weston even when Peggy visited). Lived with Pamela Frankau for rest of life.

• Anne Kaufman Schneider

Performing Arts Library has 1975 video with Le G and Josephine Hutchinson and Staats Cotsworth

“Shadow” meant lesbian

We can’t substantiate these lovers: Tallulah Bankhead, Beatrice Lily, Laurette Taylor

Eva’s father Richard La Gallienne allegedly had an affair with Oscar Wilde

Gwen La Gallienne was step-daughter of Richard (with his 3rd wife) and had an affair with Louise Bryant, journalist and feminist

Sexual Psychologists: Richard von Krafft-Ebing

Hays Code

Only torchbearers for Le G’s Civic Rep was the regional theatre movement (1950s-1970s)

The Stage Act (3 Democratic senators RI, PA, and VT) meant to revitalize non-profit theatre ($1B annually invested in theatres for payroll, expenses, etc)

Claire Foy could play Le G

1960 Mary Martin Peter Pan