Bruhs Mero & Gean Harwood

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Bruhs Mero (February 15, 1911 - August 10, 1995) & Gean Harwood (1909 - 2006) were together for 66 years. Bruhs Mero and Gean Harwood met in New York in 1929, and remained together until Bruh's death in 1995.

Bruhs Mero was a member of the Mero family. He was born on February 15, 1911 and died on August 10, 1995 at 84 years old. Bruhs Mero's last known residence is at New York, New York County, NY 10003.

The Oldest Gay Couple in America: A Seventy-Year Journey Through Same-Sex America is Gean Harwood's double autobiography of his and Bruhs Mero's long life together. A moving and, at times, frightening journey through the gay and lesbian scene of New York City from 1927 to the present. Covering Harwood's childhood, the couple's professional life in the arts, the fear and repression of the McCarthy era, and Gean and Bruhs's triumphant "coming out" in the eighties,

The Oldest Gay Couple in America is an intimate look at the worlds of dance and theater, through fear and hope, and through the strife and fierce joy of two lives intertwined. Writing with style and wit, Harwood chronicles his encounters with screen stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood-Mae West, Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, and others. He details his partner's training and performances in the blossoming Manhattan world of modern dance in the mid-twentieth century, profiling many of the people who were to influence this field for decades to come.


The Oldest Gay Couple in America tells the moving and, at times, frightening story of Bruhs Mero (February 15, 1911 - August 10, 1995) and Gean Harwood (1909 - 2006), as they journey through the gay and lesbian scene of New York City from 1927 to the present. Covering Harwood's childhood, their professional life in the arts, the fear and repression of the McCarthy era, and their triumphant "coming out" in the eighties, this is an intimate look at the strife and joy of two lives intertwined.

This is a classic tale of love and loyalty in a lifestyle frequently dismissed as focusing on physical rather than spiritual beauty. It is about two people who shared a lifetime commitment and who, despite turmoil and discrimination, weathered life's storms to emerge stronger and wiser. Before Bruhs was fully incapacitated by Alzheimer's Disease, he and Gean became the toast of the New York gay scene. Harwood chronicles their late emergence as spokespersons for older gays and as role models for the young.

Because of the acceptance, in many quarters, of gay life today, it is easy to forget how far the gay rights movement has come since the days when Gean and Bruhs traveled the "corridor of fear; " as Harwood puts it. This is the first book totrace the long, sometimes painful, and always absorbing route these two men were forced to navigate in pursuit of the freedom to be themselves.

Sixty Years with Bruhs & Gean is a lively 90-minute musical that traces the remarkable relationship of Bruhs Mero and Gean Harwood, two gay icons who met in 1929 and remained together until Bruhs's death in 1995. Both funny and touching, their story covers the breadth of 20th Century gay history, from the early closeted days of the Great Depression and World War II, into the McCarthy era, Stonewall and beyond.

Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time by Elisa Rolle
Paperback: 760 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (July 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1500563323
ISBN-13: 978-1500563325
Amazon: Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time

Days of Love chronicles more than 700 LGBT couples throughout history, spanning 2000 years from Alexander the Great to the most recent winner of a Lambda Literary Award. Many of the contemporary couples share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married or of their families. Included are professional portraits by Robert Giard and Stathis Orphanos, paintings by John Singer Sargent and Giovanni Boldini, and photographs by Frances Benjamin Johnson, Arnold Genthe, and Carl Van Vechten among others. “It's wonderful. Laying it out chronologically is inspired, offering a solid GLBT history. I kept learning things. I love the decision to include couples broken by death. It makes clear how important love is, as well as showing what people have been through. The layout and photos look terrific.” Christopher Bram “I couldn’t resist clicking through every page. I never realized the scope of the book would cover centuries! I know that it will be hugely validating to young, newly-emerging LGBT kids and be reassured that they really can have a secure, respected place in the world as their futures unfold.” Howard Cruse “This international history-and-photo book, featuring 100s of detailed bios of some of the most forward-moving gay persons in history, is sure to be one of those bestsellers that gay folk will enjoy for years to come as reference and research that is filled with facts and fun.” Jack Fritscher