1981-07-01Celluloid Closet Is Published

The Celluloid Closet, by Vito Russo, is published. Russo’s book told the history of how Hollywood portrayed gays and lesbians in film from the silent era through the 1970s. Covering over 300 films, it was deeply critical of the film industry’s homophobia. Russo toured the U.S. and Western Europe with an illustrated lecture of the history that was seen by many thousands.