Jack Doroshow / Flawless Sabrina Papers
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Creator
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Abstract
Jack Doroshow (1939-2017), also known as the drag queen Flawless Sabrina, was a performer, writer, producer, and mentor to LGBTQ community members. As Sabrina, Doroshow was a well-known drag queen, making appearances in New York City area clubs, and organizing and hosting drag queen pageants during the 1960s. Sabrina built on her success in the entertainment industry after her involvement in the 1968 film The Queen which documented her 1967 Miss All-America Camp Beauty Contest. The Jack Doroshow / Flawless Sabrina Papers consist of materials created and collected by Doroshow related to his career and personal life. The bulk of the materials in this collection document Doroshow's successes and failures in the entertainment industry, including files on the movie The Queen; an unrealized 1980s television show The Apple Pie Show with John Waters and Divine; and also proposals and scripts on a variety of other movie, television, and theatrical projects Doroshow attempted throughout the 1970s to the 2000s. The collection also consists of material on the drag community in New York City during the 1960s through 2010s, with some focusing specifically on Flawless Sabrina's drag career through photographs, event invitations, and show cue cards. Materials on the drag community include invitations, publications, and photographs. This collection has numerous issues of the weekly publication Michael's Thing which connected the gay community with restaurants, gay-friendly businesses, and promotional information on special events, drag shows, and dance clubs in New York City during the 1970s and 1980s. Doroshow's papers also include files on his business ventures including his antique selling, children's quilts, music production, and magazine publication. A large collection of notebooks and notepads document his thoughts, writing ideas, and partial journal entries. Doroshow's personal files include correspondence, photographs, appointment books, and resumes.
Biographical Note
Jack Doroshow (1939-2017), also known as the drag queen Flawless Sabrina, was a performer, writer, producer, and mentor to LGBTQ community members. In 1959 Doroshow along with two friends staged a drag pageant in Philadelphia, which eventually led to the creation of his persona Flawless Sabrina, who served as pageant hostess. He eventually formed his own company, Nationals Academy, to tap into the drag show subculture through pageants in large and small American cities. His most famous pageant was the 1967 Miss All-America Camp Beauty Contest of which the footage was made into a 1968 documentary The Queen by Frank Simon. Sabrina acted as mistress of ceremonies and film narrator. The success of the documentary resulted in an increase in speaking engagements and television appearances. Doroshow also sold antiques, as well as produced projects in film, television, and theater. He was well-known as Mother Sabrina, a mentor to not only drag performers, but other members of the LGBTQ community. He passed away in 2017.
Arrangement
This collection is organized into six series. Each is arranged chronologically within. The first series is arranged further into three subseries.
Series I. Film, TV Shows, and Theater
Subseries I.A. The Queen
Subseries I.B. The Apple Pie Show
Subseries I.C. General Project Files
Series II. Drag Events and Ephemera
Series III. Writings
Series IV. Business Projects
Series V. Music Production
Series VI. Personal Files
Scope and Contents
The Jack Doroshow/Flawless Sabrina Papers consist of paper and electronic files created and collected by Jack Doroshow documenting his personal life and career as Flawless Sabrina the drag queen, actor, writer, and producer. This collection provides insight into the work and life of a drag entertainer and business person in New York during the 1960s through 2010s, including his exploration into a variety of business and entertainment ventures, his struggles financially supporting himself as an artist, and his relationships with artists and performers. This collection also documents the evolution of the drag community through the years within New York City.
Doroshow's various projects within the music, television, theatrical, and film industries include the 1968 documentary film The Queen; an unrealized talkshow, The Apple Pie Show, with John Waters and Divine; and the movie More, More, More. Project files in this collection typically include proposal packets, scripts, budgets, and correspondence. Documentation on Jack's career as Flawless Sabrina and also the drag queen community in general is represented through photographs, event promotional material, set plans, notes, and cue cards. Large photograph collages once mounted on Doroshow's apartment walls contain images of Doroshow with friends and partners at home and events throughout his life.
This collection contains a notable amount of issues dating from 1973 to 1984 of Michael's Thing, a guide to information and entertainment for the LGBTQ community within the New York City area. This weekly publication provided articles, interviews, and advertisements which focused on the interests of the community including drag shows, dance clubs, and special events. These issues not only document popular events and places during this time, but Doroshow was also a contributing writer. A large number of loose notes, notepads, and notebooks date from the 1970s to the 2010s, containing Dorowshow's ideas, thoughts, production notes, to do lists, quotes, brief journal entries, and sketches.
While working on his various entertainment industry projects, Doroshow supported himself through successful and unsuccessful business ventures including selling antiques, children's quilts, and two unrealized magazines, Reflections and Casino. His struggles to financially support himself and maintain his rent-controlled apartment in New York are well-documented in this collection, especially as he grew elderly, relying on his community to assist him. Doroshow's role as a mentor to the LGBTQ community is evident in his correspondence and notes with performers and friends, as well as appearances where he would share his experiences with others. This collection also contains material on his personal life, including resumes, and family photographs, as well as material he accumulated on partners and various people in his life.
Subjects
People
Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use materials in the collection in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Jack Doroshow / Flawless Sabrina Papers; MSS 594; box number; folder number or item identifier; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Curtis Carman and the Jack A. Doroshow Revocable Trust in December 2019; the accession number associated with this purchase is 2019.078.
Born-Digital Access Policies and Procedures
Advance notice is required for the use of computer records. Original physical digital media is restricted. An access terminal for born-digital materials in the collection is available by appointment for reading room viewing and listening only. Researchers may view an item's original container and/or carrier, but the physical carriers themselves are not available for use because of preservation concerns.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact Fales Library and Special Collections, special.collections@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596 with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Appraisal
Three carriers containing born-digital material were removed from the collection because they were blank or not able to be imaged. 80 commercial recordings with no connection to Jack Doroshow/Flawless Sabrina were removed from the collection. 23 publications had existing copies within the library and were removed from the collection.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Doroshow's pronouns within the archival description will reflect whatever name is being used for that project. For items in which he is described as Jack Doroshow (writings, correspondence) the archivist uses "he/his" pronouns, and when Flawless Sabrina material is mentioned, the pronouns are "she/hers". Usage of the subject headings drag queens and female impersonators within the finding aid reflects the way Flawless Sabrina would refer to herself.
At the time of accessioning, materials were rehoused in archival boxes, with loose materials foldered in their original order. Born-digital items were identified, physically separated, and inventoried, but not forensically imaged, analyzed, or described.
In 2023, twenty-four optical discs were forensically imaged, analyzed, and arranged. New York University Libraries follows professional standards and best practices when imaging, ingesting, and processing born-digital material in order to maintain the integrity of the content. Material was placed in acid-free folders and boxes. Overstuffed folders were separated and placed in multiple folders when needed. Material from approximately 15 framed items were unframed and foldered appropriately. Oversized material was unfolded and placed in appropriately sized boxes. Rolled cue cards from shows were sent to the Preservation Lab for housing and returned in January 2024. Two scrapbooks were rehoused by the Preservation lab as well.
A large portion of the commercial audiovisual recordings as well as books and publications were removed from the collection. Their titles and dates were added into a spreadsheet to be stored in the collection's curatorial folder.
Revisions to this Guide
Repository
Series I. Film, TV Shows, and Theater, 1959-2005, inclusive
Extent
Extent
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series consists of files related to Doroshow's projects connected to various movie, television, and theater projects, as either Jack Doroshow or Flawless Sabrina.
Arrangement
This series is arranged into three subseries and organized chronologically within.
Subseries I.A. The Queen, 1959-2002, undated, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This subseries includes files related to the 1968 documentary film The Queen. The film covers the 1967 Miss All-America Camp Beauty Contest in New York City in which Flawless Sabrina was the emcee and narrator. This subseries contains ephemera related to the beauty contest event itself including Flawless Sabrina pageant business cards, event invitation, a Robert Kennedy letter declining the invitation, and an event program. Promotional material for the movie, budgets, press clippings, marketing packets, movie stills of the contestants, and a filming agreement with a list of the participants and their payments are also in this subseries. Of note are photographs from the 1968 Cannes Film Festival including images from events and a movie screening which were attended by Doroshow, Doroshow as Flawless Sabrina, and one of the contestants, Rachel Harlow. This subseries also contains promotional material and press clippings surrounding screenings of the movie in the 1990s and 2010s.
Arrangement
This subseries is arranged chronologically.
The Nationals Corporation Business Card for Flawless Sabrina, circa 1959-1968, inclusive
Miss All-American Camp Beauty Pageant -- Invitation and Program, 1967-02-20
Miss All-American Camp Beauty Pageant -- Invitation Regret Letter from Robert Kennedy, 1967-02-20
Telegram from Jack Doroshow to His Mother re: Movie, 1967-10-14
Contract for Documentary Movie, Letters, and List of Participants and their Payments, 1967-1968, inclusive
Press Clippings, 1967-1973, inclusive
Film Press Packet / Publicity Material, circa 1968
Movie Poster, 1968
Digital materials
Press Release, circa 1968
Photographs -- Promotional Movie Stills, circa 1968
Civil Court Judgement Between Jack Doroshow / National Academy and IBM Corporation, 1968-03-20
Photographs by Jill Krimentz -- Flawless Sabrina and Photographers Parents, 1968
Photographs by Pierre Manciet -- Flawless Sabrina, Rachel Harlow, Alan Delain, and Others at Cannes Film Festival, May 1968
Photographs by Pierre Manciet -- Flawless Sabrina and Others at Dinner at Cannes Film Festival, May 1968
Photographs by Pierre Manciet -- Flawless Sabrina and Rachel Harlow at Cannes Film Festival, May 1968
Photographs -- Film Screening at the Cannes Film Festival with Ringo Starr, Jack Doroshow, Rachel Harlow, and Others, May 1968
Photographs by Maurice Gaulmin -- Rachel Harlow, Jack Doroshow, and Others at Cannes Film Festival, May 1968
Accounting Report for Film, Budget, 1968-1971, inclusive
Book Contract with Pyramid Publications, 1972-1975, inclusive
Letter re: Potential Television Show, 1983
Notes on Concepts for Musical, 1987
Si Litvinoff Recollections on The Queen, 1992
1990s Release of Film -- Promotional Material and Still Photographs, 1993
Financial Distribution History, 1993
1990s Release of Film -- Notes and Memos, 1993-1994, inclusive
Press Clippings, 1993-1995, inclusive
Film Forum Advertising and Marketing for the Release, circa 1995, inclusive
Book -- Images of America: Gay and Lesbian Philadelphia with Entry for Jack Doroshow and The Queen, 2002
Transnation Film Festival -- Movie Poster / Event Listings, 2016
Promotional Material for Screening Event at Mother, undated, inclusive
Subseries I.B. The Apple Pie Show, 1983-1985, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This subseries contains material from Doroshow's unsuccessful attempt to produce The Apple Pie Show, a television talk show that would have been hosted by filmmaker John Waters and performer Divine during the 1980s. This subseries includes business cards, agreements with potential investors, press releases, shot lists, production schedules, budgets, and correspondence with John Waters and Divine, all related to the development of the show. Color sketches of caricatures of Divine in various costumes, set design images, logo mock-ups, and original painted story boards are also in this subseries. Proposal packets include letters of support, narratives describing the premise of the show, storyboards, budgets, and press releases which were distributed to potential investors and stakeholders. Also included in this subseries is Doroshow's handwritten preparatory script for his phone call with John Waters, as well as an audio recording of the conversation, along with a typed transcript.
Arrangement
This subseries is arranged chronologically.
Treatment for Show and Related Memo, 1983
Robert Keenan Investment / Partnership Agreement, 1983
John Waters Phone Call -- Script, Audio Recording, Transcript of Call Conversation, 1983-12-06
Divine Correspondence and Research, 1983-1984, inclusive
John Waters Correspondence and Agreements, 1983-1984, inclusive
Agreements, Contracts, and Copyright Marks, 1983-1985, inclusive
Apple Pie Video and Apple Pie TV Business Cards and Letterhead, 1983-1985, inclusive
Show Proposal / Presentation Packets and Supporting Documents, 1983-1985, inclusive
Phone Script to Market the Show, 1983-1985, inclusive
Show Shot List and Production Schedule, circa 1983-1985, inclusive
Photographs of Set Design Mock-ups, circa 1983-1985, inclusive
Collage with Images of John Waters, Divine, and Cartoon Caricatures, circa 1983-1985, inclusive
Byron Guthrie Art Promotional Flier with "Something is Cooking on Your T.V. Set", circa 1983-1985, inclusive
Illustrations of Characters, Model Sheets, and Sketches, circa 1983-1985, inclusive
Color Graphics and Original Story Boards, circa 1983-1985, inclusive
Sketch of the Show Logo / Title Screen, circa 1983-1985, inclusive
Animation Quote Breakdown, circa 1983-1985, inclusive
Investor Agreements and Correspondence, 1983-1985, inclusive
Notes, circa 1983-1985, inclusive
Budget, Finances, circa 1983-1985, inclusive
General Correspondence, 1983-1984, undated, inclusive
Beach St. Productions Agreement, 1984
Joe Franklin Letter, 1984
Jeff Haddow Letter, 1984
Dick Roffman Show Correspondence and Press Release to Promote Show, 1984
Correspondence -- Mothers Sound Stage, 1984
Animation Company Estimate, 1984
Correspondence re: TV Networks, 1984
Correspondence re: Cinemax, 1984
Ivan Kramarevsky Investor Agreements, Correspondence, 1984-1985, inclusive
Day Video Estimates, 1985
Mock-ups of Promotional Material and Correspondence re: Potential Filming at the Limelight club, 1985
Mock-up of Promotional Material, Agreements, and Correspondence re: Using Studio 54 for Filming, 1985
Subseries I.C. General Project Files, 1960s-2005, undated, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This subseries includes realized and unrealized Doroshow projects in movies, television, and theater, with him in the role of producer, writer, or actor, dating from the 1960s to the early 2000s. The subseries contains proposals and correspondence for Doroshow's partnership in the 1970s with writer Rona Jaffee including Baby Rainbow and All My Friends' Secrets. Documentation of acting projects include call sheets, scene lists, and residual reports for his bit part in The Anderson Tapes. Files in this subseries on propspective television shows Miss Cellaneous, Only In New York and an untitled video cabaret show include correspondence and presentation packets. Doroshow's production of the 1970s movie More, More, More files include agreements, budget, screenplay, promotional material, and soundtrack planning with songwriter Greg Diamond. This subseries also includes scrapbooks containing tracking notes for many of these projects, as well as actor headshots from the 1970s and 1980s which were retained by Doroshow in consideration for parts in various projects he was developing. Audio recordings from the project A Musical History of the Vietnam War are also in this subseries.
Arrangement
This subseries is arranged chronologically, within groupings of files.
Actor and Model Headshots for Various Projects, circa 1960s-1980s, inclusive
Rona Jaffee Projects -- Correspondence, 1967, undated, inclusive
Rona Jaffee Projects -- Baby Rainbow Correspondence, 1969
Rona Jaffee Projects -- Certificate of Incorporation for Doroshow's Company, Dor, Inc., 1970
Rona Jaffee Projects -- Contracts with Dor, Inc., 1970
Rona Jaffee Projects -- Agreement re: Film Rights to Hair Correspondence, 1970
Rona Jaffee Projects -- All My Friends' Secrets -- Drafts, Notes, Edits, 1970s, inclusive
Personal Manager Agreement for Jack Doroshow, 1970
TV Project -- New York Cabaret Synopsis, 1970s-1980s, inclusive
Acting Project -- The Anderson Tapes Call Sheets, Scene Lists, Guild Residual Reports, 1970, 2008, inclusive
Multiple Projects -- Lists, Notes, and Letters, 1970-2001, inclusive
TV Project -- A Day in the Life of... Synopsis, 1971
Film Project -- I Ate Eros Proposal, 1971
Film Project -- Slap Outline and Letter, 1971
Film Project -- Sheila -- Agreement, Notes, Script Pages, circa 1971
Notebook -- Multiple Project Status Reports, Contact Lists, and Meeting Notes -- (Slap, Baby Rainbow, Sheila, Rona Jaffee, and Other Projects, 1971-1978, inclusive
Film Project -- Mary Ann -- Synopsis and Script Pages, 1974
Film Project -- Lion's Share -- Agreement, Outline, Notes, Letters, 1974-1975, inclusive
Apirations Productions, Inc. -- Blank Stock Certificates, Checks, Certificate of Incorporation, 1975
Film Project -- Desdemona, Chinzano and Raw -- Partnership Offer, 1975
Film Project -- More, More, More -- Agreements, Budget, Soundtrack Planning with Greg Diamond, Screenplay, Promotional Material, 1975-1977, inclusive
Film Project -- The Babysitter Script, July 1976
Film Project -- Posessed Agreement, 1976
Film Project -- Nickel Mountain Finance and Production Plan, 1977
Film Project -- Comin' Up Letter and Presentation Packet, 1979
Film Project -- Death Beat Letter, Script, Budget, 1980
Len Aitken Productions -- Promotional Material, circa 1980
Theater Project -- Strawhead Script, circa 1980-1983, inclusive
Theater Project -- Play Scripts by Mark Malone, 1981
Film Project -- The Journey Treatment, Summary Presentation, 1982
TV Project -- Miss Cellaneous -- Presentation Packet, Phone Script for Soliciting, Budget, Correspondence, Location Information, 1983
Film Project -- The Last Nazi Script, 1983-10-10
TV Project -- Variety Videos I, II, and III Proposal, circa 1983
Film Project -- Liquid Sky Business Cards, Logo Mock-up, Correspondence, Weekly Gross Reports, 1983-1984, inclusive
TV Project -- Video Cabaret Proposal, 1984
Film Project -- Camp Pains Proposal, 1984
Film Project -- How to Be a Television Talk Show Host Proposal, 1985
Film Project -- Frontiers in Biological Psychiatry Proposal, 1985
TV Project -- Music Mansion Proposal, 1986
Film Project -- Forecast Proposal, 1989
TV Project -- Probe Vision Proposal, 1992
Theater Project -- Feminine Wiles Script Draft, 2002
Jack Script Dialogue, January 2005
Psociopathetik Experiences -- Use of Jack's Apartment for Filming, 2005
Film Project -- Chicken Pox Script with Flawless Sabrina Role, 2005
Film Project -- Serpico Production Handbook, undated, inclusive
Film Project -- Daddy Proposal Material, undated, inclusive
Film Project -- Wallstreet Mob Proposal Material, Mock-ups, undated, inclusive
Film Project -- The Hitch Hiker Script, undated, inclusive
Jim Mannix, Jr. -- Television Show Writing Samples, undated, inclusive
Film Project -- Proposal for Movie about Alice Cooper, undated, inclusive
Theater Project -- Unknown Show Character Descriptions, undated, inclusive
Film Project -- Broken Goddess with Holly Woodlawn Proposal, Photographs, undated, inclusive
Theater Project -- Doctor Noguchi Script, undated, inclusive
TV Project -- Only in New York Proposal, undated, inclusive
Theater Project -- Unknown Script, including Characters "Golightly" and "Solomon", undated, inclusive
Theater Project -- Unknown Script, including Character "Jack", undated, inclusive
Film Project -- Coffee and Commerce Outline, undated, inclusive
Letterhead and Business Cards for Doroshow Working as a Producer, undated, inclusive
A Musical History of the Vietnam War, undated, inclusive
Photographs -- Unknown Stage Play, undated, inclusive
Series II. Drag Events and Ephemera, 1960-2014, inclusive
Extent
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series includes paper and electronic files related to the career of drag queen Flawless Sabrina, as well as files collected by Sabrina on the drag community in general dating from the 1960s to the 2010s. Flawless Sabrina material includes appearance photographs, invitations, and announcements. The series also contains show planning material including production notes, stage directions, and large scrolls containing dialogue cues for skits.
Digital and print photographs in this series include Flawless Sabrina with friends, drag queens, at events, and professional portraits of Sabrina by Diane Arbus, Julia Nuson, Ves Pitts, and Sabrina's partner, Curtis Carman. Large photograph collages previously mounted on Sabrina's apartment walls are in this series, featuring images of Sabrina, friends, events, other performers, dating from the 1980s to the 2010s. This series also has a number of artists' drawings and paintings of Flawless Sabrina, while other artists were inspired to include her in a number of video and photographic installations. This series contains video recordings, catalogs, and photographs of some of these art installations including Dorian, a Cinematic Perfume; Jack and Debra which includes footage of Flawless Sabrina juxtaposed with scenes from a Miss America Pageant; and Irma Vep, The Last Breath by Michelle Handelman. An event announcement and video recording of the 2014 NYU Tisch School lecture event featuring Flawless Sabrina sharing her experiences as a drag queen is in this series as well as video footage of her 74th birthday party in 2013 at the Soho Grand. Objects in the series include sequin pants with "Flawless" stamped on the side, and a rubber stamp with "Mother Approved, XO" in reference to Sabrina's other name, Mother Flawless Sabrina.
This series also contains material accumulated by Flawless Sabrina on drag performers and the community including books; press clippings; publications; city event guides; event invitations; wig catalogs; headshots and bios of performers. Of note is a 1960s photograph album containing performers in drag shows, but also men dressed in casual women's clothes at leisure in various private homes. This series also includes video footage from the 1970s of vacationers on Fire Island and in Central Park in New York, and a 2011 Joe Jeffreys recording of the 46th Annual Miss Fire Island Contest.
Arrangement
This subseries is arranged chronologically, within groupings of files.
Photographs -- Shows, Pageants, Home Parties, and Informal Gatherings with Flawless Sabrina, Performers, and Others, 1960-1964, inclusive
Photographs by Frank Teti -- Portraits of Flawless Sabrina, circa 1967-1968, inclusive
Photographs by Diane Arbus -- Portraits of Flawless Sabrina, 1968
Digital materials
Photographs -- Portraits and Early Images of Flawless Sabrina, 1968, undated, inclusive
Press Clippings and Articles re: Drag Queens and Performers, 1969, 1995, 2008, inclusive
Book -- How to Impersonate a Woman, 1973
Footage by Nelson of Scenes from Fire Island (1976) and Central Park in New York (1973), TV Advertisements, and Footage of David Bowie, 1973, 1976, undated, inclusive
Digital materials
Photographs -- Performers and Friends at Shows, Parties, Parades, 1973-2009, inclusive
Wigs and Hair -- Catalogs and Press Clippings, 1980s, 1999, inclusive
The Rocky Horror Poster Magazines, 1980
Dietz Productions -- Proposals and Agreements for Entertainment Booking, Announcements for Flawless Sabrina Private Party, 1982
Flawless Sabrina Event Announcements and Promotional Material, 1980s, inclusive
Flawless Sabrina Event -- "A Reading of Beads" Announcements, Photographs, and Promotional Material, 1999, undated, inclusive
Flawless Sabrina Event Announcements and Promotional Material, 2000-2017, undated, inclusive
Drag and Related Event Announcements and Promotional Material, 1980s-2010s, undated, inclusive
Book -- What a Drag, 1984
Angela Repellant (Angela Pringle) -- Performer Press Packet and Writings, 1986
Caskillet Review at the Shark Club -- Event Script, Shark Sketches, circa 1986
Various City Weekly Gay Event Guides, 1986-1987, inclusive
Sketches and Drawings of Flawless Sabrina, 1987, undated, inclusive
Private Lives Event Guide Signed by Cover Model Wayland Flowers, December 1988
Book -- Drag Gags, 1991
My Comrade -- Flawless Sabrina Featured, 1993, 2004, 2006, inclusive
Photograph -- Portrait of Flawless Sabrina, 1995
Poop Joke Newsletter, February-March 1998
Propaganda Magazine, Winter 1999
Photographs -- Flawless Sabrina with Others at Events, Shows, and Parties, 1999-2009, undated, inclusive
Drag Performer Bios and Headshot Photographs, 2000, undated, inclusive
Photographs by Curtis Carman -- Flawless Sabrina with Friends Lavynia, Mike, Brandon, and Barbara, 2000
Photograph Collages with Flawless Sabrina and Others, 2000, undated, inclusive
Cards, Announcements, Press Clippings from Disassembled Collage, undated, inclusive
Photographs by Curtis Carman -- Portraits of Flawless Sabrina, 2000-2001, inclusive
Flawless Sabrina Website Printed Pages, Press Clippings, 2001, 2017, inclusive
Book -- The Art of Conversation, 2002
Photographs -- Flawless Sabrina Performing, Posing, Socializing, 2002-2005, undated, inclusive
Photograph Collage of Flawless Sabrina from Leslie Lohman Art Installation, 2004
Photographs -- Flawless Sabrina Appearance at the Tritone in Philadelphia, PA, 2004-04-25
Next Magazine, 2006-04-14
"Kings and Queens of New York City: A Drag Summit" -- Program, Promotional Material, and Correspondence, 2006
Photographs -- Flawless Sabrina and Others at Event, 2006
Digital materials
Makeup Artist Michael Gwaltney -- Portfolio of Work, 2006
Digital materials
Advertisement for Visual AIDS with Flawless Sabrina Image by Curtis Carman, 2006
Flawless Sabrina Brief Bio, circa 2006-2017, inclusive
Gazelland Magazine, Spring 2007
Dame Edna -- Show Programs, Promotional Material, 2007, undated, inclusive
Drag Show Video Vérité -- Promotional Material, Program, Press Clippings, 2007-2011, inclusive
Flawless Sabrina Images in Publications, 2007-2012, inclusive
Video Art Installation Dorian, a Cinematic Perfume Featuring Flawless Sabrina -- Program, Photographs, and Press Clippings, 2009, 2012, inclusive
Artworks by Flawless Sabrina -- Images and Artist Statement, 2010
Joe Jeffreys Footage of Rita and Charity at the 46th Annual Miss Fire Island Contest, 2011-09-10
Digital materials
Video Art Installation -- Jack and Debra, 2012-09-25
Digital materials
Flawless Sabrina 74th Birthday Celebration at Soho Grand, 2013-09-10
Digital materials
The Missing Queen Ball -- List of Performers, 2013
Artwork Irma Vep, The Last Breath by Michelle Handelman, Featuring Images for Flawless Sabrina -- Exhibit Catalogues, 2014
"In Conversation with Flawless Sabrina" Event at NYU Tisch School -- Announcement and Video Recording, 2014-11-14
Digital materials
Stage Direction Notes for Show, undated, inclusive
Notes -- "Bits for Backer's Audition", undated, inclusive
Flawless Sabrina Written Advice to Performer, undated, inclusive
Cue Cards / Script for Shows, undated, inclusive
Flawless Mother Sabrina's Fairytale Theater Presents: All About Steve -- Script Section, undated, inclusive
Portion of Script re: Nurse and Doctor, undated, inclusive
Artwork -- Cardboard Cutout of Flawless Sabrina Head, undated, inclusive
Publication -- Dr. Ducky DooLittles, undated, inclusive
Photographs -- Unknown Drag Event, undated, inclusive
Photographs -- Flawless Sabrina and Performers at Drag Events, undated, inclusive
Photographs -- Interiors of Event Venue, Exterior of Silver Platter Club, undated, inclusive
Photograph by Julia Nuson -- Portrait of Flawless Sabrina, undated, inclusive
Photographs by Ves Pitts -- Jack Doroshow Transforming into Flawless Sabrina, undated, inclusive
Club 82 Souvenir Photograph of Drag Performers, undated, inclusive
Live Shows -- Script Scrolls, undated, inclusive
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Due to the fragile nature of the materials, Public Services staff must remove these items from boxes and provide guidance on handling.
Unknown Show "Saturday Night Line Up" List, undated, inclusive
Flawless Sabrina-Inspired Print Advertisements and Art, undated, inclusive
Flawless Sabrina Art Plaque; "Sis" Crushed Soda Can Necklace; "Mother Approved" Ink Stamp, undated, inclusive
"Flawless" Logo Black Sequin Pants, undated, inclusive
Birthday Note and Get Well Card with Flawless Sabrina Sketch, undated, inclusive
Large Photograph Collages -- Flawless Sabrina and Friends, undated, inclusive
Show Poster -- "Gimme a Drag!!", undated, inclusive
Performance -- The Emperor's Premiere, undated, inclusive
Digital materials
Music Disc with Artwork -- "House of Music Flawless Mix Disc" With Track List, undated, inclusive
Series III. Writings, 1968-2017, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series contains Doroshow's writings including scripts, articles, reviews, notes, and proposed books. Of note in this series is a significant and rare collection of over 80 issues of the publication Michael's Thing, a weekly guide to New York City and a benficial resource of listings for clubs and businesses connected to the gay community during the 1970s and 1980s. Doroshow was a contributing writer for this publication. Michael's Thing offered celebrity interviews, articles, film reviews, party announcements, and advertisements for clubs and amenities for the gay community, dating from the 1970s to the 2000s. This subseries also contains a large number of Doroshow's legal pads, notebooks, sketch pads, and loose notes kept throughout his lifetime, filled with fragments of writing ideas, sketches, production notes, brief journal entries, quotes (his and others), and grocery and to do lists. This series also contains proposals for Doroshow's books, How to Enjoy Gay Sex and Flawless Sabrina's Cooking Guide for Single Men, neither of which were published.
Arrangement
This subseries is arranged chronologically, within groupings of files.
Flawless Sabrina's Cooking Guide for Single Men -- Book Proposal, 1968-1972, inclusive
Betty Moon -- Play Script, 1969-08-13
Michael's Thing -- Publication, 1972-1987, inclusive
How to Enjoy Gay Sex -- Book Proposal, 1972
Notebooks, Notes, 1972-2008, inclusive
Notebooks, Notes, 2006, 2014, undated, inclusive
Notebooks, Notes, 2008-2017, inclusive
Notebook -- Sketch, Quotes, Ideas, 2016-2017, inclusive
Notebooks, Notes -- Budgets, undated, inclusive
Notebooks, Notes -- Cooper Union Show, undated, inclusive
Notebooks, Notes -- Production Notes, undated, inclusive
Notebooks, Notes -- "Show Biz Stories", undated, inclusive
Notebooks, Notes / Show Cue Card -- "Telephone Jeopardy" Skit, undated, inclusive
Notebooks, Notes -- Journal Entries, undated, inclusive
Notebooks, Notes -- Sketches and Notes, undated, inclusive
Notebooks, Notes -- Writing Ideas, undated, inclusive
Notebooks, Notes, undated, inclusive
Autobiographical Entries / Writings, circa 1980s, inclusive
The Hostage -- One Act Play Script, 1985
Writings / Lyrics re: Roy Orbison, 2009
Why Bother Part Ten, 2009
"Wise Cracks" in Papercut Annual 2013, 2013
Review / Notes re: Zachary Drucker's Short Film, 2016
Chapters from Untitled Book / Script, undated, inclusive
"Kaum Documentary Tape Transcript, Corrected", undated, inclusive
Unknown Dialogue, Parts of Writings, Writing Samples, undated, inclusive
Writings -- Poem, Cue Cards, undated, inclusive
Series IV. Business Projects, 1965-2012, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series contains material related to Doroshow's many business ventures over the years to support himself while also pursuing his entertainment projects and drag performances. This series includes files from his antique consignment business from the 1960s to the early 2000s. These files typically contain lists of items and prices, receipts, slide images of artworks, and correspondence. Other less successful businesses include plans and correspondence for a club in the Chrysler Building in 1987, and correspondence and advertisements for the sale of children's puppet quilts in 1983. Doroshow also attempted to start two magazines, Reflections and Casina. Files on these two publishing ventures include proposal packets, correspondence, and mock-up issues.
Arrangement
This subseries is arranged chronologically, within groupings of files.
Antique and Artwork Consignment Business, 1965-2003, inclusive
Talent Manager -- Rachel Harlow Contract, Press Clippings, 1968-1988, inclusive
Talent Manager -- Elaine Fulkerson Contract, 1968
Publication -- Reflections -- Proposal, circa 1975, inclusive
Adam's Apple Restaurant -- Waiter Guidelines, Procedures, 1975
Publication -- Casino -- Proposal, Mock-up Issue, Correspondence, 1976
Business Opportunities -- Brochures, Releases, 1976-1985, inclusive
Marketing Consulting -- WJNL TV Station, 1978-1979, inclusive
Baird Jones Club -- Passes, Research Material, 1980s, inclusive
Reference for Jack Doroshow for Unknown Project, 1982
Magic Puppet Quilts -- Advertisements, Marketing Letters, 1983
Art Sales -- Johnathan Rogers Clark Exhibition Catalogs, Scrapbook, 1984-2002, inclusive
Plans for a Club in the Chrysler Building -- Proposal, Plans, 1987
Publication -- Cooking in Heels by Koi Doroshow, 2012
Notes on Concepts and Ideas for Clubs, undated, inclusive
Series V. Music Production, 1970-1987, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series contains material on Doroshow's work as a music producer, mostly taking place in France and England during the 1970s and 1980s. Work files contain notes, album storyboards, promotional material, and agreements between artists and recording companies, including X-15 Productions, Rise Entertainment, and London Records. Artists represented by Doroshow include Claudia Ashley, Claudia Polley, and Sasha Rage.
Arrangement
This subseries is arranged chronologically.
Blank Music Producing Contracts, 1970s, inclusive
Music Artist Bio -- Vincent Buffa, 1970s-1980s, inclusive
Chris De Marco Album Gigolo -- Contract, 1976
Robyn "Charly" Peterson for Album Danc'in in the Nude -- Contract, Press Release, Images, 1976
Flipers Album Big P Part 1 & 2 -- Contract with EMI, Vinyl Record, 1976
General Correspondence, 1976, 1982, inclusive
Alain-Philippe Malagnac Correspondence, 1976, 1987, inclusive
Claudia Ashley -- Contracts, Rights Agreements, Correspondence, 1977
X-15 Productions Management Agreement with Thomas Edgar Hurt, 1979-01-26
Notes, General Publicity, 1980s, inclusive
Sugarhill Records -- Original Storyboard Images, 1981-12-14
Trilogy Records, Sasha Rage -- Photographs, Agreements, Lyrics, 1981
Richie Havens -- Agreement, Recording Budget Proposal, 1984
Directions for Unknown Recording Session, undated, inclusive
Series VI. Personal, 1937-2018, inclusive
Extent
Extent
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series consists of material related to Jack Doroshow's personal life, friends, and family. Family photographs from the 1930s to the 1960s contain early images of Jack, his parents, siblings, and extended family. Of note in this series are photographic portraits by Nina Meledandri of Jack and his partner from 1985, as well as candid print and digital images from parties and gatherings at his apartment from the 1980s to the 2010s. Resumes, address books, appointment books, and correspondence provide a view into the daily life of Doroshow and his activities. This series also contains ephemera Doroshow accumulated over the years on friends and partners throughout his life including Bill Wagner, Curtis Carman, Rami Shamir, and granddaughter Zachary Drucker. Doroshow's struggle to retain his rent-stabilized apartment for over 30 years is documented in this series, illustrating the financial struggles of an aging performer in New York City during the 1980s to the 2000s. These files include correspondence with apartment management; photographic documentation of the building management's neglect of the apartment; Doroshow's requests to agencies for rent assistance; and his disbutes with utility companies. This series also contains material related to his legacy as a mentor to the LGBTQ community and drag performers which is evident in his personal correspondence which is full of notes and well-wishes; photographs from 2017 of his last birthday party; documentation of the establishment of the Flawless Sabrina Archives by his friends; and a program from his 2018 memorial service.
Arrangement
This subseries is arranged chronologically, within groupings of files.
