Hal Call
Encyclopedia
Harold Leland "Hal" Call (September 1917–December 18, 2000) was an American businessman and LGBT
rights activist. Born and raised in Grundy County, Missouri, Call enrolled in the University of Missouri
in 1935 on a scholarship. He studied journalism. Call enlisted in the United States Army
in June 1941 as a private. He was promoted to sergeant within the year and, after completing Officer Candidate School
was promoted to lieutenant. He saw combat in the Pacific Theater
, where he was wounded and received the Purple Heart
. Returning to the United States in 1945, Call left the Army at the rank of captain and returned to the University of Missouri to complete his journalism degree.
After graduating Call worked for several news outlets, including the Kansas City Star. In August 1952, while working for the Star, Call was arrested for "lewd conduct" and paid an $800 bribe to have the charges dismissed. Call resigned his job and he and his lover Jack moved to San Francisco.
With his arrival in the city, Call became involved with the Mattachine Society
, the first sustained gay rights group in the United States. Following the resignations of the original leadership in 1953, Call became president of the Society. Call frequently appeared on local television programs in the 1950s, one of the few openly gay men who spoke about gay issues, and appeared both in The Rejected
, the first-ever television documentary on homosexuality, and "CBS Reports: The Homosexuals
", the first network broadcast on the subject.
In 1955 Call co-founded Pan Graphic Press, which printed The Mattachine Review, The Ladder
and other homophile
publications. He also founded Dorian Book Service, a gay and lesbian literature clearinghouse. With the liberalization of obscenity laws beginning in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Call began marketing gay erotica through the Adonis Bookstore, the first gay adult shop in San Francisco. He later expanded the business to include peep show
s, eventually opening the Circle J club as a venue for screening pornographic films and hosting "circle jerk" parties. Call also began filming pornographic "loops
" of men masturbating on a gold couch in his office. These Gold Couch Capers became collector's items.
Hal Call died in San Francisco on December 18, 2000, at the age of 83.
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
rights activist. Born and raised in Grundy County, Missouri, Call enrolled in the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
in 1935 on a scholarship. He studied journalism. Call enlisted in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in June 1941 as a private. He was promoted to sergeant within the year and, after completing Officer Candidate School
Officer Candidate School (U.S. Army)
The United States Army's Officer Candidate School , located at Fort Benning, Georgia, provides training to become a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army...
was promoted to lieutenant. He saw combat in the Pacific Theater
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, where he was wounded and received the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
. Returning to the United States in 1945, Call left the Army at the rank of captain and returned to the University of Missouri to complete his journalism degree.
After graduating Call worked for several news outlets, including the Kansas City Star. In August 1952, while working for the Star, Call was arrested for "lewd conduct" and paid an $800 bribe to have the charges dismissed. Call resigned his job and he and his lover Jack moved to San Francisco.
With his arrival in the city, Call became involved with the Mattachine Society
Mattachine Society
The Mattachine Society, founded in 1950, was one of the earliest homophile organizations in the United States, probably second only to Chicago’s Society for Human Rights . Harry Hay and a group of Los Angeles male friends formed the group to protect and improve the rights of homosexuals...
, the first sustained gay rights group in the United States. Following the resignations of the original leadership in 1953, Call became president of the Society. Call frequently appeared on local television programs in the 1950s, one of the few openly gay men who spoke about gay issues, and appeared both in The Rejected
The Rejected
The Rejected is a documentary film about homosexuality, produced for KQED in San Francisco by John W. Reavis,The Rejected was the first documentary program on homosexuality broadcast on American television. It initially ran on September 11, 1961, and was later syndicated to National Educational...
, the first-ever television documentary on homosexuality, and "CBS Reports: The Homosexuals
CBS Reports: The Homosexuals
"The Homosexuals" is a 1967 episode of the documentary television series CBS Reports. The hour-long broadcast featured a discussion of a number of topics related to homosexuality and homosexuals. Mike Wallace anchored the episode, which aired on March 7, 1967...
", the first network broadcast on the subject.
In 1955 Call co-founded Pan Graphic Press, which printed The Mattachine Review, The Ladder
The Ladder (magazine)
The Ladder was the first nationally distributed lesbian publication in the United States. It was published monthly from 1956 to 1970, and once every other month in 1971 and 1972. It was the primary publication and method of communication for the Daughters of Bilitis, the first lesbian organization...
and other homophile
Homophile
The word homophile is an alternative to the word for homosexual or gay. The homophile movement also refers to the gay rights movement of the 1950s and '60s....
publications. He also founded Dorian Book Service, a gay and lesbian literature clearinghouse. With the liberalization of obscenity laws beginning in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Call began marketing gay erotica through the Adonis Bookstore, the first gay adult shop in San Francisco. He later expanded the business to include peep show
Peep show
A peep show or peepshow is an exhibition of pictures, objects or people viewed through a small hole or magnifying glass. Though historically a peep show was a form of entertainment provided by wandering showmen, nowadays it more commonly refers a presentation of a sex show or pornographic film...
s, eventually opening the Circle J club as a venue for screening pornographic films and hosting "circle jerk" parties. Call also began filming pornographic "loops
Porn loop
Porn loop is a slang term for the pornographic film loops created with Super 8 mm film starting in the late 1960s through the 1980s. They were largely replaced and phased out by technological improvements to both film-making and distribution including the home movie industry when anyone could...
" of men masturbating on a gold couch in his office. These Gold Couch Capers became collector's items.
Hal Call died in San Francisco on December 18, 2000, at the age of 83.