John Rothermel

His enviable collection of original 1920s - '40s records won him the reputation as an expert in popular music and his repertoire of 1930s songs was vast. Rothermel became an important member of San Francisco's notorious Cockettes when his appearances would stop the shows. Some of his roles were "Madge the Magnificent," "Violet Raye," "Miss Crabtee," "Petruchka" and "Roxie Ritz. " Because of his talent at assembling stylish period style costumes, he was a favorite with fashion photographers.

In the days before the term "art deco" was coined, Rothermel became a pioneer collector of the objets d'art that were first made famous at the 1925 Paris Exposition. His curiosity for this period of design also paved the way for a sporadic yet sensational singing and acting career in San Francisco.

John Rothermel was known as a historical design specialist, researching and documenting furniture and industrial design. An interest in music, acting and public speaking began in grade school. After graduation from West High School in Minneapolis he won a scholarship to the Minneapolis School of Art and Design based on a self-portrait and nine other paintings submitted for competition. To San Francisco he came in 1966 and lived in the Haight-Ashbury.

In 1971 during the Cockettes' first and last appearance in New York, the French magazine "Zoom" singled out Rothermel for a color cover story.

His irreverent portrayal of Mamie Eisenhower is a highlight of the underground film "Tricia's Wedding" (1971). With pianist Peter Mintun he performed on TV, radio in nightclubs and in concert.