Arlene Elster Papers
Rebekah Eppley
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society
657 Mission Street, Suite 300
San Francisco, California 94105
Phone: (415) 777-5455
Fax: (415) 777-5576
Email: info@glbthistory.org
URL: http://www.glbthistory.org/
© 2008
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society. All rights reserved.
Arlene Elster Papers
Collection number: 2002-11
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society
San Francisco, California
- Processed by:
- Rebekah Eppley
- Date Completed:
- September 11, 2008
- Encoded by:
- Rebekah Eppley
© 2008 The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Arlene Elster papers
Dates: 1970 -- 1976
Bulk Dates: 1970 -- 1972
Collection number: 2002-11
Creator:
Elster, Arlene
Collection Size:
2 manuscript boxes 15 1/2W x 10 1/2 H x 5D
Repository:
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society
San Francisco, California 94105
Abstract: The bulk of the collection contains newspaper clippings and articles about the porn industry in general during the 1970's
and Elster's Sutter Cinema in particular. Also included in the collection are advertisements for the theater and films produced
by Leo Productions, documents related to the Erotic Film Festival, and materials from sexual liberation groups such as COYOTE,
The Sexual Freedom League, the Psychedelic Venus Church, and the Adult Film Association of America. The collection provides
a history of the politics surrounding pornography in San Francisco, with an emphasis on San Francisco's adult film industry,
during the 1970's.
Physical location: Stored at the Archives of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society in San Francisco, California
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Collection open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright to unpublished manuscript materials has been transferred to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society.
Preferred Citation
Arlene Elster papers, 2002-11, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society.
Acquisition Information
Donated to the Library by Arlene Elster in 2002.
Biography / Administrative History
Arlene Elster owned and operated the Sutter Cinema in San Francisco between 1970 and 1975. She was the first, and possibly
only, woman to operate an adult theater. Elster was trained as a medical technologist and holds a degree in Biological Science
from the University of Texas. She grew up in Port Arthur Texas, eventually making her way to San Francisco where she worked
in the research department of the Irwin Memorial Blood Bank. She met Lowell Pickett while doing volunteer lab work at the
Haight Ashbury Clinc where Pickett was an administrator. During this time she began exploring creative endeavors, including
photography and eventually partnered with Pickett in the adult film business.
In December 1970 Elster and Pickett hosted the first International Erotic Film Festival at the Presidio Theater. They opened
the Sutter Cinema together in 1971 and produced "soft core" porn films for the theater through their company, Leo Productions.
After ending their business association, Elster operated the theater alone.
Elster was arrested on 311.2 Exhibiting Obscenity to Others in 1970 and was convicted in 1971. She appealed the conviction
to the Supreme Court, with her attorney, Carol Hughes, asking for a clear definition of obscenity. The Supreme Court declined
and Elster received a fine of $1,000 but no jail time.
Between 1970-1974 Elster was arrested on obscenity charges 14 times. During this time, the San Francisco police, supported
by the Mayor and Board of Supervisors, continually arrested adult theater owners. Although the owners were rarely convicted,
the strategy was to put the theater owners out of business with legal hassels and fees. At the time, obscenity was defined
as "Appealing to a sick interest in sex, far beyond community standards, and without any social value." Elster and Picket
were committed to creating films that were appealing to both men and women and many considered their style to be more artistic
than the films shown at other adult theaters. The November 15, 1970 issue of The Sunday Oregonian reported that "The Sutter
Cinema takes small ads, features a delicate, feminine drawing in an 18th centry style and offers simply erotic films." The
theater closed in the early 1980's.
Elster was active in a number of sexual liberation organizations including COYOTE, the Sexual Freedom League and the Psychedelic
Venus Church.
More information about Elster may be found in the June 27, 1973 issue of The San Francisco Examiner and the February 9-22,
1972 issue of The Night Times, Volume 2, Number 3 (Issue 12).
Scope and Content of Collection
The Arlene Elster Papers capture the climate of San Francisco during the 1970's when the City was prominent in the adult film
industry. Most of the collection is comprised of Elster's papers from the Sutter Cinema and the First International Erotic
Film Festival and newspaper articles and clippings chronicling the struggle between adult filmmakers and legislators who were
trying to close the theaters. The majority of articles and clippings within the collection are from the San Francisco Chronicle
and the San Francisco Examiner, but the Berkeley Barb, Daily Californian, Enterprise Record, Independent, LA Times, and Washington
Post are also represented.
People, organizations, and institutions represented in the collection include Marilyn Chambers, Dianne Feinstein, Maurice
Girodias, Paul Lawrence, Tom Lynch, Phyllis Lyon, the Mitchell Brothers, Lowell Pickett, Mary Rexroth, Margo St. James, the
Adult Film Association of America, COYOTE, Olympia Press, the Psychedelic Venus Church, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors,
and the Sexual Freedom League.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into 4 series:
- 1. Clippings
- 2. Sutter Cinema
- 3. Organizations
- 4. Miscellaneoous
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Gay men
Erotica
Motion pictures
Separated Material
First Erotic Film Festival Posters (2) removed to Oversize papers from Manuscripts Collections Box E.
Clippings
1970 -- 1974
Physical Description: 2 Folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains articles collected by Elster representing both positive and negative attitudes toward pornography and
adult films, primarily in San Francisco during the 1970's, and sets the tone for the conditions and environment in which Elster
operated the Sutter. The Sex News folder contains articles about Elster and the Sutter Cinema as well as the politics surrounding
pornography. Articles about particular films and actresses such as The Green Door and Marilyn Chambers are also included.
The bulk of the articles are from the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner.
Within the Sex Smiters folder are San Francisco Chronicle and Examiner articles relating to police arrests and legislation
aimed at outlawing pornography, including Dianne Feinstein's attempts to outlaw obscenity and pornography in San Francisco.
folder 1/1-2
Sex News
1970 -- 1974
Physical Description: 1 Folder
folder 1/2-2
Smut Smiters
1971 -- 1972
Physical Description: 1 Folder
Sutter Cinema, 1970-1972
1970 -- 1972
Physical Description: 7 Folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains papers relating to the Sutter Cinema. Documents concerning Elster's obscenity charges, including the
petition for a writ of certiorari in the Supreme Court case, are included. Press and publicity for the Erotic Film festival;
Sutter Cinema ads and negatives, including the Sutter Fables comic strip developed as an advertisement for the theater; a
catalog listing films produced by Leo Productions; and a press kit for Intersection, a film by Jann Berner starring Mary Rexroth
also make up the series. The Erotic Film Festival Planning folder contains some Olympia Press materials including biographical
information about Maurice Girodias who served as a judge for the Festival.
folder 1/3
Obscenity Charges
1971 -- 1972
Physical Description: 1 Folder
folder 1/4
Erotic Film Festival Planning
1970
Physical Description: 1 Folder
folder 1/5
Erotic Film Festival Press
1970
Physical Description: 1 Folder
folder 1/6
Advertising Paste-Up
1970 -- ?
Physical Description: 1 Folder
folder 1/7
Advertising Negatives
1970 -- 1971
Physical Description: 1 Folder
folder 2/8
Leo Productions
?
Physical Description: 1 Folder
folder 2/9
"Intersection" Press Kit
1971
Physical Description: 1 Folder
Organizations
1970 -- 1975
Physical Description: 4 Folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series is comprised of organizational newsletters, membership information, bylaws, and related materials. One folder,
containing membership lists, is restricted.
Access Note
One folder, RESTRICTED Membership Lists, is restricted.
folder 2/10
Adult Film Association of America
1974 -- 1975
Physical Description: 1 Folder
folder 2/12
Sexual Freedom League and Psychedelic Venus Church
1971 -- 1973
Physical Description: 1 Folder
folder 2/13
RESTRICTED Membership Lists
1970 -- 1972
Physical Description: 1 Folder
Miscellaneous
1971 -- 1974
Physical Description: 1 Folder
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series consists of California pornography surveys and reports, including the Statewide Survey of Public Opinion About
the Public Display of Pornographic Materials, a copy of A Treasury of Filth porn magazine, an ordering catalog for The Print
Mint comic publisher, and flyers and brochures for the San Francisco Museum of Art Film Series and Amsterdam's Wet Dream Film
Festival.
folder 2/14
Miscellaneous Items
1971 -- 1974
Physical Description: 1 Folder
