Honcho (August 1981), Part One

On August 15, 1980, George Bosque, a security guard for Brink’s, robbed one of the trucks he was driving and fled with nearly two million dollars in cash. Having recently separated from his boyfriend, Bosque fled San Francisco, took the alias of J. R. Lewis, and reestablished himself in New York City, where he lived a lavish life with his stolen riches. Eventually, though, the law caught up with Bosque and he served fifteen years in a federal prison for his crimes, dying of a supposed drug overdose five years after his release. Upon his arrest, Bosque had only $34,850 left of the $1.85 million he stole, having spent most of the fortune on parties, furnishing his apartment, and financing an adult film. In fact, the movie is largely the reason Bosque is still remembered today, since his robbery has slipped quietly into the annals of crime history. Titled Centurians of Rome, the film centers around two farmers in ancient Rome who are forced into slavery and must trade sexual favors for their survival. With a $100,000 backing from Bosque, the production was fraught with issues as creative differences between director John Christopher, producer Bosque, and distributor Hand in Hand Films added frustrations to an inexperienced cast and crew. Upon its release in December of 1981, the film faced additional problems as Lloyd’s of London – the insurance company for Brink’s who paid the claim on Bosque’s robbery– sued for ownership of the film. Although the suit was eventually dropped, it added additional lore to the movie (which is touted as the most-expensive gay adult film ever made). Featured in this August 1981 issue of Honcho (which has been broken into two parts) is a review of the movie. Also contained in this first half are photospreads titled “Afloat” and “Hot Pink” and the short stories “Journey’s End” (where a desperate, unemployed carpenter tries to prove more than just his woodworking skills) and “Paradise” (about the narrator’s week of sexual passion at his father’s Florida apartment).

Mandate (August 1977), Part Two

On May 25, 1977, the Everard Baths in New York City caught on fire. A former church, the building was purchased by beer magnate James Everard in 1888 and transformed into a Turkish bath. Over the proceeding decades, the establishment became a popular cruising spot for gay men. By the 1970s, it had developed a reputation for its dilapidated facilities which paled in comparison to its counterparts like the Continental Baths. In fact, journalist Aaron Bates described the building as having “all the charm of a Transylvanian crypt” in a 1972 review for the magazine Gay. In addition to its shabby state, the managers had illegally converted the upper floors into a cramped collection of cubicles separated by plywood partitions. It was here that the fire began, possibly from a mattress ignited by a cigarette. As panic set in amongst the roughly one hundred patrons, several on the upper floors found their escape blocked by the privacy paneling covering the windows. Loss of power and a lack of sprinklers intensified the situation, resulting in nine deaths and twelve injuries. The incident became a sensational story as news outlets like The New York Times spent more space discussing the building’s nefarious business rather than the tragedy itself. In the gay community, it highlighted the social prejudices still faced by the minority, with the June issue of GaysWeek lamenting how businesses will callously put homosexuals in danger by ignoring health and safety codes for profit. This August 1977 issue of Mandate (which has been broken into two parts) features a poem by Charles Herschberg honoring those lost during the Everard fire. Contained in this second half (see the first half here) is an interview with writer Christopher Isherwood, a parody of Anita Bryant, and a discussion of T. E. Lawrence’s purported sexuality.

Mandate (August 1977), Part One

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