The Night Jack Wrangler Licked My Swizzle Stick

[Auggie27]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 2:26pm

I recall the momentous occasion* at Joe Allen's - circa 1987 -- only because I just saw the ad for the DVD about Mr. Wrangler's life portrayed in a documentary. Has anyone seen it? Is it fascinating? Did it play a festival in NY, gay or otherwise?

*I was invited for drinks with a friend. Afterwards, he was heading off with Wrangler to hear Jill O'Hara (PROMISES, PROMISES) in her cabaret debut. I had a gin and tonic, and in the thrall of an anecdote he was recounting -- alas, not about his film career -- Mr. W accidentally picked up mine and began to chew on it. What a memory. Do you think there's a one man show in this? I confess, I love the title (and Jill O'Hara warbling "Knowing When to Leave" in the background might be catchy).

Updated On: 10/30/08 at 02:26 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 2:45pm

Arte you telling us that you and Margaret Whiting and countless 1970s porn actors all swizzled the same stick?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 4:52pm

I'm not against swizzle-licking and telling, but I'm afraid I never got any of Mr. W's cocktail paraphernalia anywhere near my mouth. He drank scotch on the rocks and chain-smoked. Not being into cigarettes myself, I couldn't touch even a single butt. (But since you bring up Dame Whiting ... I do recall having his phone number -- to pass on some show-bizzy detail promised in a hasty moment of 1980s networking -- and briefly got the legendary Ms. Maggie on the horn. She made a charming secretary. I wanted to Wrangle a few bars of something by Hoagie Carmichael, but it seemed terribly tacky, and the call itself was tacky enough).

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 4:55pm

I love the autobiography he wrote with Carl Johnes.

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 4:56pm

!!!!!!!!!

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:01pm

I actually ordered the documentary from Netflix...more familiar with the straight pron he did but he seems like quite the character.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:05pm

I thought he only made one piece of straight porn -- dare I say it was called "Jack and Jill" or some such. And Namo, I don't think I ever saw the autobiography. Perhaps it's in my library, on the same shelf with the expose about Joey Stefano.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:11pm

Here's a link to the book on Amazon. It's an entertaining read.

His co-writer, Carl Johnes, was a companion of Joan Crawford's in her final years.
What's a Nice Boy Like You Doing?

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:13pm

Is this the place for me to tell my favorite (albeit apocryphal) Margaret Whiting story?

According to legend, she was performing in the Oak Room in the '80s, and went to hoist herself up onto a stool--and let rip a fart that her well-heeled audience couldn't fail to have heard.

She paused, shrugged, and said "I really can't eat cole slaw."

And went on with her act.
Updated On: 10/30/08 at 05:13 PM

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:15pm

He did lots of straight porn.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:21pm

Jack and Jill was great, there was a Devil in Miss Jones sequel in there, but perhaps the highpoint of the straight career was his appearance in Chuck Vincent's 1981 film "Roommates." It was the last gasp of porno chic, and played arthouses in its first run.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:32pm

Cole slaw! I cannot shake the image of Maggie at a NY deli, sunglass-clad, checking her purse for Gas-X before ordering a Reuben.

Mr. Wrangler was on the short side, with a slight limp, his telltale mantan (QT came to mind), and his beach boy do that clearly cost as much as John Edwards. An articulate, altogether charming man -- about 42 at the time? -- who seemed very mainstream showbiz, hardly the bad boy of the triple X.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:48pm

"Cole slaw? When did I eat COLE SLAW?"

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 5:56pm

Okay, I have just learned that he wrote the lyrics to the theme from Devil in Miss Jones II.

A veritable renaissance man is he!

[wildcat]

Posted: 10/30/08 at 9:07pm

The documentary is terrific fun. Christine Ebersole even makes an appearance. Mr. Wrangler directed musicals!!

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 10/31/08 at 12:15pm

Don't forget "In Love," Chuck Vincent's followup to "Roommates." The real last gasp of golden age porn and an attempt at crossover. I saw "Roommates" at the Quad rather than a porn theatre and I think "In Love" went the same route.

Wrangler played a movie director who becomes Kelly Nichols' husband.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 10/31/08 at 6:41pm

http://advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid64690.asp?page=2

The Advocate has a big interview with himself, aka Stillman. I love the part about his relationship with Whiting. ("I'm gay. I'm not bisexual.")

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/1/08 at 10:59am

Jack might lead the casual Advocate reader to believe he's been on Broadway a lot over the years.

Which leads me to wonder, why hasn't he been Billy Flynn yet?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/1/08 at 11:27am

Perhaps because he still thinks he's right for Fiyero.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 11/28/08 at 1:13pm

I watched the documentary, which was pretty undistinguished. But damn, pushing sixty, he's still very hot.

Oh, and its pretty surreal to see Sharon Mitchell, William Ivey Long, Candida Royalle, and Christine Ebersole all in the same film.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/29/08 at 9:32am

Is he really only pushing 60? I would've assumed he'd reached the other side. But yeah, it's startling how the constant sun damage, non-stop cigarettes and (fill in the blank) didn't turn him into a Mickey Rourke-esque burn-out. You can still see the old Jack, and he even looks vaguely porno-ready. Maybe he should make a new one? Maybe that's what's missing -- baby boomer porn, with 55-62 year old stars?

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 11/29/08 at 1:07pm

Imdb lists his birth year as 1946. But it also lists his height at 5'10" and he freely admits he's a short guy in the doc, so...

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/29/08 at 2:37pm

The same age as Liza! I wonder if he's had a joint replaced?

[nexttoelectric]

Posted: 11/29/08 at 2:45pm

Is it bad that none of this thread made sense?