We know some of our editors and co-workers should get covered on the Tangents Web site. I was talking with Bill Percy and mentioned Joe Hansen. Percy said he would put up something on Joe, provide a list of the books, etc. But I am not sure even I know all the books, etc, but I may try a short thing for Percy, but hope someday we can better cover Joe Hansen. Also we never mention Morgan Farley, yet he was sort of famous in his day.
Is there a list of former ONE and HIC members—such s Susan Howe, Rodney Riggall, David Kennedy, Melvin Cain, Peter Blume, Rudi Steinert, etc.?
Is there a list of former ONE and HIC members—such s Susan Howe, Rodney Riggall, David Kennedy, Melvin Cain, Peter Blume, Rudi Steinert, etc.?
6 comments:
I did a Google search on Joe Hansen. After about 5 pages of various subjects, a small item appeared on him, pasted below. There was a famous Joe Hansen who was a U.S. Socialist that kept popping up in the results.
Joseph Hansen was born on Thursday, July 19, 1923 in Aberdeen and he was a famous author from United States.
Life in Brief:
- Being born on Jul 19, Joseph was a Cancer.
- his ethnicity: White.
He attended the Pasadena City College.
Joseph dated Jane Bancroft (wife).
He died on Wednesday, November 24, 2004, in Laguna Beach; cause of death: heart failure.
Famous Why : Dave Brandstetter detective series.
At least it gives the basics, but you say he was had to find—which again means someone has to be trying to find it, he would not come up in any search, probably, of either famous writers, or famous LGBT writers, or famous activist writers. And doesn't the "list" go by how many searches for a person or item there are?
Hansen is nicely covered in a new book by the academic Drewey Wayne Gunn called "Gay Sleuths." Gunn also edited a book called "The Golden Age of Gay Fiction," with a piece dealing with his early work, some of which was published under the name James Colton.
There is no danger of Joe's being forgotten, though it was disgraceful the way he had to live in his last years.
Best, Wayne
That is good. But this means that Google is unreliable as a source of info. (And that includes not checking for both Joseph and Joe.)
Being totally ignorant of Joseph Hansen, how did he live in his final years? The short bio on him indicates he was married to a female. Was he straight? bisexual? Did he have children?
He lived ok in a small cottage in Laguna Beach because, even though he was broke, the owner was a lady friend who kept the rent cheap. He was in pain in a sense as he had breathing problems, so was, strangely and frustratingly, roaming about with the oxygen canister and a cigarette in his mouth.
Jane had died years before, in a nursing home. Don Slater used to go with Joe to visit her. I assume you know that our logo, which we should use more, was created by Jane Hansen.
I thought you knew that daughter Barbara had transitioned into a man, Jamie. I don't think I ever understood the legal handling of his estate. We visited him often. Jim Schneider got him book shelves and then when he wanted to get the material HIC didn't need, got the material to the Huntington Library. But I gather if there is hopefully any income from the books—not sure who has title now—it will go to help Jamie, who is also handicapped and I think still lives in a group home some where in middle California.
The wonderful part of their lives was when Jane had a partner living with them in a house falling apart right against the Santa Monica Freeway, I think either at LaBrea or La Cienega. (First street after going under it going west I guess.) And that lady had a son, who later joined the marines and I wonder where he is today, or where she is if still living.
No matter what time of year you went there, to take magazine material or just to visit, in the dirty middle of the living room was an eternal Christmas tree. And lots of art and elitist magazines.
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