b'Outrageous!(continued from page 3)Port Perry for holidays and the family cottage in Sutton,was no boxing him in, in his ambition and dreams. He Ont. on summer vacation.left Canada for California in 1972 so he could perform, PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER DOWNMany in his youth misunderstood Craig. Effeminategrow his act and become a movie star. It seemed like a and in love with all things entertainment, femininitybit of a stretch, but five years later he was back in Port and fashion, he was relentlessly teased at school andPerry to share with his family that he made good on his rejected by his father who didnt understand how toword. He was the star of an instant-cult classic film called have a son who was not like him. But the Hall family ac- Outrageous! produced by the founders of the Toronto cepted him as he was, supported all of his interests andInternational Film Festival.nurtured him as he grew to be the young man in loveThefilmputthespotlightonCraigandhispopu-with sensational female stars like West, Judy Garland,laractwentglobal.HeplayedinSanFrancisco,Las CarolChanning,BetteDavis,TallulahBankheadandVegas, Chicago and Miami. He was in demand across Joan Crawford. Europe, particularly Germany, Front row, left to right: Howard Hall, Jennifer Down, Cathryn Hall, Zula Hall, When he got work asandwouldplaywithOscar Cathryn Hall (light blue dress, partially obscured), Melba Hall (dark blue a female impersonator -Peterson in Sydney, Australia.dress), Kent Farndale, Lori Russell Eadie.Back row, left to right: Craig drag queen - after livingHe played not once, but twice,Eadie (Craig Russell), Jamie Donaldson, Phil Bulani, Doug Farndale. Craig as Santa in 1958. Craig as Carol Channing.withWest,hismotherat the austere Carnegie Hall in supported him and wentNew York City and eventuallyBut all was not well behind the scenes. Craig had a to his shows in the seedyconqueredboththeImperialmental illness. Manic depression was the catch-all diagno-areas of Torontos YongeRoom at the Royal York Hotelsis of the day and the lack of proper diagnosis and treat-St. that housed gay estab- and Massey Hall in Toronto. ment made it hard for him to cope. His emotional strug-lishments where he wasHis shows sold out, he gotgles turned to drug and alcohol abuse that affected his allowed to perform.parts on TV shows includingbehaviour so badly he lost his career in North America Norma hoped her sonTheLoveBoatandTrapperand fled to Germany for four years.wouldpickupatradeJohnM.D.,andmoremovieHe was a troubled person when he returned and it andhavealittlemoreandtheatreofferscamehisseemed the entertainment world did him no favours. He of a traditional life withway than he could count. Thecould not find the success he once had and that hurt him hisactasahobby.ButCraig in his school photo of 1958-59, second from top, second onmemorable little boy from Portgreatly. He did not want to be Craig Russell, the talented that was not Craig. Therethe right. Perry belonged to the world. star, anymore. He wanted to be Craig Eadie, the thought-ful, generous, down to earth guy he was raised to be.It was only with his Hall family in Port Perry where he could be that person, where he could put his entertainer From everyone at Gus Brown we would like to wish you apersona aside and nurture himself. It was where he came for connection and comfort when he felt so disconnected. Merry Christmas and a Happy & Safe New Year! He couldnt shake the performing bug completely, though. A long stay here in the late 1980s would culminate in a fantastic benefit show at Town Hall 1873, as produced by Howard Hall and community organizer Kent Farndale. His show was a sensational success.It aint easy in this crazy world, Craig sang. I couldnt make it without you.Nearly his entire Hall family, the Farndales and other community supporters were in the audience for his show that night. What they didnt know was that Craig wasCraigs autographed litho for his mom Norma and step-dad Eric.singing the lyrics directly to them. The words could not have been more true.By Brian Bradley, Special to Focus on ScugogPHOTOS COURTESY OF ESTATE OF LORI RUSSELL EADIE.Outrageous Misfits:Female Impersonator Craig Russell BUICK GMC and His Wife, Lori Russell Eadie,written by Brian Bradley and published by Dundurn Press, is the official 10 Vanedward Drive, Port Perry biography of Craig Eadie of Port Perry. 905-985-8474 It is available for sale at Books GaloreBUICK GMC www.gusbrownportperry.comas well as at other large and independent retailers.4 FOCUS - DECEMBER 2020'