Finding Aid to the John Canalli Photographs and Video Recordings, circa 1978-2010 Coll2009-007

Loni Shibuyama
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007
(213) 821-2771
askone@usc.edu


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Title: Canalli (John) photographs and video recordings
creator: Canalli, John
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2009-007
Physical Description: 0.7 Linear Feet 1 archive carton.
Date (inclusive): circa 1978-2010
Date (bulk): bulk
Abstract: Photographs, video recordings, and personal papers, circa 1978-2010, from gay independent filmmaker John Canalli. The bulk of the photographs documents Canalli and his friends attending drag queen events in San Francisco. The video recordings include DVDs and videocassettes of Canalli's film productions, including Wigstock documentaries and outtakes, the documentary Heroism : A Community Responds, programs from the Gay Cable Network, and excerpts from unfinished works.

Biography

Born on October 29, 1956, independent filmmaker John Canalli (also known by his family name Canaly) wrote and produced LGBT-themed dramas and documentaries. Active in LGBT film festival programming, Canalli served as Assistant Film Festival Director for the 9th International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival in 1985, where his dramatic short One Sings was screened. Canalli went on to develop the Gay Video Festival in San Francisco in 1986, and later co-developed west coast programming for the Gay Cable Network, which featured interview programs produced out of San Francisco and New York. Canalli also documented the AIDS crisis, writing and producing Heroism : A Community Responds, which highlighted the gay community coming together through Meals on Wheels and other forms of compassionate outreach. Among his most celebrated works, Canalli produced a number of video documentaries about Wigstock, a popular annual drag performance party in New York City's Tompkins Square Park. He died from complications from AIDS on March 25, 1992.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Acquisition

Gift of Christine Canaly, July 30, 2009.

Preferred Citation

[Box/folder #, or item name] John Canalli Photographs and Video Recordings, Coll2009-007, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Michael Palmer; revised by Loni Shibuyama, May 2014.

Scope and Contents

The collection includes correspondence, miscellaneous papers, clippings, microcassettes, photographs, and video recordings from independent filmmaker John Canalli, circa 1978-2010. The bulk of the photographs documents Canalli and his friends as they dressed up for and attended drag queen events, mostly in San Francisco. The video recordings include DVDs and videocassettes of Canalli's film productions, including Wigstock documentaries and outtakes, the documentary Heroism : A Community Responds, programs from the Gay Cable Network, and excerpts from unfinished works. Also included are an interview with Canalli and a documentary retrospective of his work.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1. Papers and photographs
Series 2. Video recordings

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Gay and lesbian film festivals
Gays in motion pictures
Photographs
Homosexuality on television
Cross dressing
Drag shows
Video tapes
Motion pictures and gay men
Homosexuality in motion pictures
Gay men on television
Canalli, John

 

Papers and photographs circa 1978-2010

Canalli (John) photographs, sample

Scope and Contents

This series comprises correspondence, miscellaneous papers, clippings, microcassettes, and photographs from John Canalli, circa 1978-2010. The microcassettes are sound recordings of Canalli's conversations with others, and audio from his film productions. The bulk of the photographs documents Canalli and his friends as they dressed up for and attended drag queen events, mostly in San Francisco. Note that some correspondence may be found in the photograph albums.

Arrangement

Personal papers are at the beginning of this series, followed by photographs.
Box 1, Folder 1

Personal papers 1980-1992

Box 1, Folder 2

Whitworth, David correspondence about Canalli 1989-2010

Physical Description: 21 color photographs.
Box 1, Folder 10

Microcassettes 1987-1988

Physical Description: 2 microcassettes.
Box 1, Folder 3

Photograph album #1: "The Me Story" circa 1978-1992

Physical Description: 60 color and black and white photographs.
Box 1, Folder 4

Photograph album #2 circa 1978-1992

Physical Description: 90 color and black and white photographs.
Box 1, Folder 5

Photograph album #3 circa 1978-1992

Physical Description: 49 color and black and white photographs.
Box 1, Folder 6

Photograph album #4 circa 1978-1992

Physical Description: 57 color and black and white photographs.
Box 1, Folder 7-8

Photograph album #5 circa 1978-1992

Physical Description: 290 color photographs.
Box 1, Folder 9

Photographs found loose circa 1978-1992

Physical Description: 18 color photographs.
 

Video recordings circa 1980-1992

Scope and Contents

This series comprises DVDs and videocassettes of Canalli's film productions. Included are Wigstock documentaries and outtakes; the documentary Heroism : A Community Responds; programs from the Gay Cable Network; and excerpts from unfinished works. This series also includes an interview with Canalli and a documentary retrospective of his work.

Arrangement

This series is arranged alphabetically.
Item VDD0696

1 in 7 undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (Betacam) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M143228.
Item VDD0697

Alphabitland: The Backyard Tour, Featuring Wigstock 89 1989

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (U-matic) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M143229.
Item VDD0698

Alphabitland: The Underground Tour, Featuring Wigstock 90; One Sings 1990

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (U-matic) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M154050.
Item VDD0699

Alphabitland: The Underground Tour, Featuring Wigstock 90 1990

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Copies

Original videocassette (U-matic) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M143230.
Item VDD0700

[Excerpts from John Canalli's unfinished work] undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (U-matic) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M143233.
Item VDD0701

Gay Cable Network Show #51 and #52 undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (VHS) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M154052.
Item VDD0702

Ghetto Girls (A Day in the Life) undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (VHS) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M154053.
Item VV3094

Ghetto Girls; Human Still Life; The Me Show undated

Physical Description: 1 videocassette (VHS).
Item VDD0703

Halloween 89; Alphabitland (raw 5B + 8 + TV outtakes) undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (VHS) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M154054.
Item VDD0704

Heroism: A Community Responds undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (VHS) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M154055.
Item VDD0705

Human Still Life undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (U-matic) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M143231.
Item VV3095-VV3096

Human Still Life; Gay Cable Network #47 and #52; Pride and Progress; The Right Stuff undated

Physical Description: 2 videocassettes (VHS).
Item VV3097

Human Still Life; The Me Show undated

Physical Description: 1 videocassette (VHS).
Item VDD0706

[Interview excerpts] undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (U-matic) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M143232.
Item VDD0707

John Canalli: Video Artist 1955-1992 (retrospective and interview) undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (VHS) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M154057.
Item VDD0708

Just Another Girl; One Sings undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (VHS) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M154056.
Item VDD0709

Return of the Flys; Divine is Dead; Nuclear Family undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (VHS) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M154051.
Item VDD0710

Wigstock 89 undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (VHS) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M154058.
Item VDD0711

[Wigstock outtakes] undated

Physical Description: 1 DVD.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original videocassette (VHS) is stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive: UCLA Inventory #M154059.