Finding aid to the Peter Mintun Cockettes Collection, 1970-2009
GLC 78
Finding aid prepared by Tim Wilson
James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA, 94102
(415) 557-4400
info@sfpl.org
2013
Title: Peter Mintun Cockettes Collection,
Date (inclusive): 1970-2009
Date (bulk): 1970-1972
Collection Identifier: GLC 78
Creator:
Mintun, Peter
Physical Description:
2 document cases + 1 oversized box
(1.0 cubic feet)
Contributing Institution:
James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA, 94102
(415) 557-4400
info@sfpl.org
Abstract: The collection contains photographs of the Cockettes, especially Sylvester and John Rothermel, flyers, show sequence sheets
and some scripts for Cockettes performances, correspondence and contracts, newspaper clippings and published articles about
the Cockettes, and some audiorecordings.
Physical Location: The collection is stored onsite.
Language of Materials: Collection materials are in English.
Access
The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center hours, with photographs available during Photo Desk
hours. Collections that are stored offsite should be requested 48 hours in advance.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Peter Mintun Cockettes Collection (GLC 78), LGBTQIA Center, San Francisco Public Library.
Provenance
Donated by Peter Mintun, September 1, 2012.
Related materials
Researchers are encouraged to see also GLC 79 Kreemah Ritz Papers.
Biographical Note
Peter Mintun is a pianist. Due to his talent playing 1920s and 1930s songs, Mintun was recruited by John Rothermel to become
the piano accompanist for the Cockettes, an experimental theater troupe. Mintun has performed with many singers and groups
including The Cockettes, John Rothermel, and Sylvester. He is credited as Peter Arden in some productions.
Mintun served as accompanist for the Cockettes for many of their early 1970s performances. He also accompanied Sylvester for
his early solo concerts. In May 1971 Mintun played piano (and had Jackie Floyd Jones on drums) for Sylvester, Frank Bourquin
and John Rothermel for a performance art piece called "Club Mandarin," which was a recreation of a 1930s nightclub held at
the Upper Market Street Gallery. When the Cockettes went to New York in 1971, Mintun remained in San Francisco. Mintun's last
performance with the troupe was Vice Palace in October 1972, when he accompanied only Rothermel.
Scope and Contents
The collection contains photographs of the Cockettes, especially Sylvester and John Rothermel, flyers, show sequence sheets
and some scripts for Cockettes performances, correspondence and contracts, newspaper clippings and published articles about
the Cockettes, and some audiorecordings.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into 6 series: Series 1. Correspondence; Series 2. Shows; Series 3. Subject Files; Series 4. Audiorecordings;
Series 5. Publications; and Series 6. Photographs. Within each series, all folders are arranged alphabetically.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Cockettes (Theatrical troupe).
Rothermel, John
Sylvester, 1947-1988
Experimental theater--California--San Francisco.
Hippies--California--San Francisco.
Series 1
Correspondence,
1971-2002
Physical Description:
10.0 folders
Scope and Contents
Contains letters to and from Mintun pertaining to the Cockettes and to events or documentaries to celebrate their performances
and impact. One letter from Mintun's father expresses his concern about Peter's future and the people with whom he associated.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by name.
Box 1, Folder 1
Cockettes documentary: contract, photo selection, invitation to fundraiser,
1998-2002
Box 1, Folder 2
Crawford, R[obert], manager of Zim's Restaurant,
undated
Box 1, Folder 3
Ed [Edward Heyman?],
undated
General note
Draft letter discusses disposition of Dana Suesse recordings and the International Piano Archives. Letter drafted on the back
of a flyer: "Farewell Performance. Sylvester--Bon Voyage. Saturday March 23."
Box 1, Folder 6
Lindsley, Charles and Edward Linotti,
1974-1975
Box 1, Folder 7
Mintun, H.D. (father),
1971
Box 1, Folder 8
Nieze, Thomas,
1971, 1980
Box 1, Folder 9
Ritz, Kreemah,
1997-1998, undated
General note
Contains references to an exhibition on Sylvester, a 30th anniversary exhibition about The Cockettes, and a book about the
Cockettes. Ritz was born Daryl Simmonds.
Series 2
Shows,
1970-1972, 2009
(bulk 1970-1972)
Physical Description:
17.0 folders
Scope and Contents
The series contains musical arrangements, tune lists, and scripts for performances by the Cockettes, and tune lists and arrangments
for John Rothermel, Sylvester, and Kenneth Marlowe. Some contracts and flyers are included. The folder "Show sequence lists,
lyrics, scenarios" contains material for several different Cockettes shows. In some cases, notes for more than one show appear
on a single page; in other cases, the name of the show is not clear. The material is from when Mintun was engaged as the troupe's
accompanist.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Box 1, Folder 11
Club Mandarin,
May 26-28, 1971, undated
See also:
Box 1 / Folder 22. Sylvester lyrics and tune lists.
Box 1, Folder 12
Les Cockettes des Paris,
October 9-10, 1970
General note
Includes sheet music, flyers, playlist. "The Poor People of Paris (Jean's song)" is inscribed "Best wishes, Desi Arnaz, 1956,
Hollywood."
Box 1, Folder 13
A Curious Evening with Kenneth Marlow,
1971
Box 3, Oversize-folder 1
Midnight Films poster. Nocturnal Dream Shows, Todd Trexler artwork,
1970
Box 1, Folder 16
Pearls Over Shanghai script,
Winter 1970
Box 1, Folder 17
Programs and flyers,
1971-1972, 2009, undated
General note
Includes a flyer for June 1971 shows that features a drawing of Peter Mintun by Todd Trexler.
Box 1, Folder 18
Rothermel, John. Song sequence lists, sheet music,
1972, undated
Baby Your Mother, Like She Babied You. Words by Andrew Donnelly and Dolly Morse, music by Joe Burke
Dearie by Bob Hilliard and Dave Mann
Oh Promise Me. Words by Clement Scott, music by Reginald De Koven
Over There by George M. Cohan
Strike Up the Band (Here Comes a Sailor). Words by Andrew B. Sterling, music by Charles B. Ward
Box 1, Folder 20
Show sequence lists, lyrics, scenarios,
1971-1972, undated
General note
Includes: Chanson des "Tinsel Tarts" / Radio show items; Hal Roach clip Comedies; I've Told Every Little Star / Trademark;
"Hollywood Babylon"; "Smiles" / "I'm No Angel"; and untitled sequence sheets.
Box 1, Folder 21
Smacky and Our Gang,
1971, undated
General note
Includes scripts; song sheet revisions on the back of "Sylvester Sings at the Palace" flyers; and song sheets and sheet music:
"The Twentieth Century Talking Machine Co. / Columbia, The Gem of the Ocean," "Thorns Upon the Wild Red Rose" (by Ron Strauss,
1971), "Young and Healthy," "Guilty," and "Marching Along Together."
Box 1, Folder 22
Sylvester lyrics and tunes lists, includes Club Mandarin,
1971, undated
Box 1, Folder 23
Tinsel Tarts in a Hot Coma,
1971
Box 1, Folder 24, Box 3, Oversize-folder 2
Tropical Heatwave / Hot Voodoo ; untitled tune lists,
[1970], undated
Box 1, Folder 25
Vice Palace,
October 27-28, 1972
See also:
Box 1 / Folder 31. Rothermel, John.
Series 3
Subject Files,
1970-2005
(bulk 1970-1972)
Physical Description:
14.0 folders
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Scope and Contents
The series contains clippings, some drawings, flyers, and ephemera relating to the Cockettes, and to John Rothermel and Sylvester.
Of note are the contracts for Mintun's official performances, his calendar for October 1972, and the files on Sylvester which
includes some drawings.
Box 1, Folder 26
Admittance ticket to Cockettes shows,
undated
Box 1, Folder 28, Box 3, Oversize-folder 3
Clippings,
1971-2000, undated
See also:
Box 1 / Folder 4. Harding, Tom for clippings from New York City, 1994.
Box 1, Folder 31
Rothermel, John,
1971-1973, 1994
Bulk, 1971-1973
General note
Includes clippings; flyer for "A Curious Evening with Kenneth Marlow" (1971); script and press release for
Vice Palace; flyer for "The Hilarious Cass Daley with orchestra" at 56 Gold Street, San Francisco; song sheets and contracts for 56 Gold
Street performances with Mintun.
Sylvester [James],
1970-2005
Box 1, Folder 33
Contract with Peter Mintun,
1972
Box 1, Folder 34
Do You Wanna Funk: The Life and Times of Sylvester [documentary] press kit,
1998
Box 1, Folder 35
Drawings by Sylvester,
1970-1971
Box 1, Folder 36
Sylvester at the Opera House program,
March 11, 1979
Box 1, Folder 37
"Sylvester Metamorphosis! From Cockette to Disco Diva and Disco!" exhibition flyer,
1998
Box 1, Folder 38
Worman, Martin. Midnight Masquerade: a History of the Cockettes. Book outline,
undated
Box 1, Folder 39
Series 4
Audio recordings,
1970, 1972
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
(4 CD-ROMs)
John Rothermel, Frank Bourquin, and Tom Nieze accompanied by Peter Mintun,
January 5 and 29, 1972
General note
3 CD-ROMs with playlists: John Rothermel and Frank Bourquin accompanied by Peter Mintun, January 29, 1972; John Rothermel,
Frank Bourquin, Tom Nieze recorded January 5, 1972, [aired] January 29, 1972, 9-10 pm, "Process" radio station K-101, host
Jack Anderson. John Rothermel, October 26, 1972, "This Is San Francisco" KEMO-TV Channel 20, Pete Marino, host.
Sylvester James with John Rothermel. Peter Mintun, piano,
August 1970
Physical Description:
1.0 items
General note
1 CD-ROM with playlist. Recorded in Menlo Park, California.
Series 5
Publications,
1970-1978
Physical Description:
13.0 folders
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Scope and Contents
The series contains magazine issues with stories about the Cockettes. The majority of the material is from the early 1970s,
and includes some photo essays on the troupe.
Box 3, Oversize-folder 4
Andy Warhol's Interview #33,
June 1973
Box 2, Folder 1
Bay Area Reporter, vol. 2, no. 21,
October 18, 1972
General note
Includes piece on John Rothermel's performance to benefit SIR.
Box 3, Oversize-folder 5
The California Aggie University of California, Davis,
May 27, 1971
General note
News item on pages 8-9 "The Cockettes" Sat.
Box 3, Oversize-folder 6
City Adventure,
June 1978
General note
Article: "Sylvester. Step Two: Disco Dandy Lured to Hollywood" by Michael Branton.
Box 2, Folder 2
Earth, vol. 2, no. 8,
October 1971
General note
Article: "The Cockettes of San Francisco."
Box 3, Oversize-folder 7
Kalendar, vol. 1, no. K20,
October 25, 1972
General note
Includes article on Vice Palace, page 6, 12.
Box 2, Folder 3
"Neon Rose" (
Place, volume 3, number 1). Printed in San Francisco, California, by Stecher-Traung-Schmidt Corp.,
June 1973
Box 2, Folder 4
The Official Cockettes Paper Doll Book. (San Francisco, Calif.: last gasp eco-funnies co., inc., 1971),
1971-1972
General note
Inscribed by Peter Mintun, 1972. Includes flyer: "Neighborhood Arts Program invites you to The Story Book Ball: a free musical
for children. Presenting The Good Fairies, Mother Goose Puppeteers, Music by Happy Trails, Mukluks Clowns, Persuasion Rock
Band, Clowns Bob & Barry, Robin Goodfellow & The Chaimber Maids. Sunday August 15, Washington Square; Sunday August 22, Portsmouth
Square."
Box 2, Folder 5
Rags / 3 (San Francisco, Calif.),
August 1970
General note
Article on the Cockettes.
Box 3, Oversize-folder 8
The San Francisco Phoenix, vol. 1, no. 4,
October 26, 1972
General note
Contains photo of John Rothermel and notice of Halloween performance.
Box 2, Folder 6
Scanlan's Monthly vol. 1, no. 5,
July 1970
General note
Contains article: "The Bastard Children of Cecil B. De Mille Are Making Films in San Francisco" by Arnold Passman about the
Cockettes film
Luminous Procuress.
Box 2, Folder 7
Vector, vol. 8, no. 9,
November 1972
General note
Contains photo of Mink Stole.
Box 2, Folder 8
Zoom: le Magazine de l'Image,
Janvier-Fevrier 1973
General note
Contains article: "New York Unisex" photographs of Cockettes taken by Gilles Larrain.
Series 6
Photographs,
1970-1994
(bulk 1970-1972)
Physical Description:
20.0 folders
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Scope and Contents
Contains photographs, negatives, and some contact sheets with images of the Cockettes at rehearsals, some performances, and
in informal settings. Two folders contain images of Sylvester that were taken over several years.
Box 4, Folder 1
Cockettes, Palace Theatre, San Francisco, California,
October 1970
Box 4, Folder 2
Cockettes reunion,
April 3, 1994
Box 4, Folder 3
Contact proof sheets,
1971
General note
Includes: Club Mandarin, Upper Market Street Gallery, San Francisco photos by Tom Nieze, May 26-28, 1971; 1971 photos by Peter
Mintun; "San Francisco Cockettes 2 Shanghai"; "New York Cockettes Shanghai"; "Peter's Mountain View, Leaving for N.Y.C."
Box 4, Folder 4
Divine,
October 26, 1972
General note
3 images: one labeled
Vice Palace production, photo by Clay Geerdes; one with no annotations but appears to be from same photo shoot; third photo by Clay Geerdes.
Box 4, Folder 6
Gold Street (San Francisco, Calif.) bar show,
September 1972
General note
John Rothermel, Peter Mintun.
Box 4, Folder 7
Killough, Chris. Mountain View,
1970?
Box 4, Folder 8
Peter Mintun, Frank Bourquin ("Inez"), Stuart Jenkins, David Winters, Greg Walsh, Ed Linotti, Martin Worman, Rumi Missabou,
Johnny MacGowman,
circa 1970
General note
Photographs taken by Joshua Freiwald at Mountain View, California, commune. Some 8x10 portraits and group shots, some contact
sheets.
Box 4, Folder 9
Peter Mintun, Daniel Ware, Sylvester James, Jody, Goldie Glitters in Sausalito, California,
Summer 1970
Box 4, Folder 10
Peter Mintun, Club Mandarin, San Francisco [2 copies],
July 1971
Box 3, Oversize-folder 9
"Happy 40--Love, Joshua" [Peter Mintun, Sylvester, Palace Theatre lobby, signed by Joshua Freiwald],
undated
Box 4, Folder 11
Peter Mintun, John Rothermel,
undated
General note
In Palace Theatre (San Francisco, Calif.) alley. Photos by Clay Geerdes.
Box 3, Oversize-folder 10
Peter Mintun, John Rothermel, Palace Theatre rehearsal,
1972
General note
Photo by Anthony Enton Friedkin.
Box 4, Folder 13
Passaloqua, Lennie,
1970?
Box 4, Folder 15
Rumi at Palace Theatre rehearsal,
October 1970
Box 4, Folder 16
Sylvester,
1970-1983, undated
General note
19 photos: "Miss Rubie Blue, 1925" photo by Rosenhugh; "To Peter...all my love, Rubie Bleu [sic], Sept. 6, 1970"; 3 copies
of photo by David Wise; Victorian Vignettes photo; "Jann Wenner's office, Rolling Stone magazine, February 25, 1971; 2 snapshots
on front steps of 946 Haight Street, San Francisco; 9 snapshots in various poses, some in Mountain View and San Francisco;
August 1980, 2647 Pine St., San Francisco; Jan. 1983 with Mintun at piano.
Box 4, Folder 17
Sylvester and Bobbie Cameron, (Mountain View, Calif.),
1970-1971?
Related materials
Researchers are encouraged to see also Box 4 / Folder 12: Negatives.
Box 4, Folder 18
Unidentified man,
undated
