The Adonis. The Venus. The Eros.
These are just three of the many porn theaters Chelly Wilson managed and operated during her reign as “Queen of Sleaze.”
Walking down 42nd Street now, you’d have to squint for signs of Chelly’s former empire. I’ve gone down this rabbit hole many a time, whether exploring Jenny Holzer’s famous marquee series or trawling old-school blogs with names like “Filthy Dreams” and “Vintage Sleaze.” The first time I visited Times Square, I paid $3 for the joy of eating a McDonald’s yogurt parfait and watching the crowds; from Chelly’s telling, $3 used to buy you some more … explicit thrills.
In 1939, just months before World War II erupted, Jewish-born Chelly left her native Greece — and her two children — to escape to America. She worked numerous odd jobs to send money back home, from selling hot dogs on the street to piecing together newsreel footage of the war. While she was working furiously to earn the money to bring her children overseas, her relatives went into hiding. Her eldest daughter, Paulette, lived with a friend’s family for a period of time, disguised as their daughter so she could hide from the Nazis.
By 1944, Chelly had a plan. She rented her first theater on 42nd Street, married an American projectionist and had a child with him. After the Allies declared victory, she traveled abroad to bring her children back to America, where the family reunited for the first time in years.
In the 1950s and 60s, Chelly expanded her theater empire, eventually buying up five theaters along Eighth Avenue. At first, she and her husband wanted to screen Greek and arthouse films, with the occasional skin flick showing after-hours. But as the “golden age of porn” dawned in Times Square, Chelly saw a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity.
The family moved into a small apartment above one of her latest projects, The Eros. The Eros and The Adonis, two of Chelly’s biggest investments, became enormously popular with the gay community, even serving as the setting for some iconic queer pornos.
In 1961, Chelly founded Chellee Films with her friend Lee Pomeranz. The pitch: cheaply produce soft-core adult films in-house they could then screen themselves at Chelly’s chain of theaters. Some of the names of these films gave me a good giggle. Scarf of Mist, Thigh of Satin. Come Ride the Wild Pink Horse.
Chelly held court in her apartment above The Eros. She did business from her gold velvet couch, shook hands with celebrities and hosted lavish parties for visitors from Greece. Chelly, still friendly with her ex-husband and her current one, took a series of female lovers and took them to film premieres and red carpets.
Later in life, when Mayor Giuliani cracked down on the porn business, Chelly pivoted: she went from producing blue films to funding vampire movies, opening a restaurant-turned-celebrity hotspot and hosting a regular poker game at — where else? — her apartment above The Eros.
More from me:
I learned about “Queen of the Deuce” when I went to a midday showing (God I love being my own boss) of another art documentary, “Taking Venice.” Go see it! I recommend!
Speaking of recommend: have you explored the work of Sadie Barnette? I first discovered her work earlier this spring at Don’t Forget to Call Your Mother, a photo exhibit at the Met. I’m so inspired by the way she uses photos and family archives in her art.
All five of my Apple News In Conversation episodes now live in a permanent collection on the Apple News app. Listen!!!
Thank you to all of you who filled out my reader survey! Your responses are going to make this newsletter bigger and better.
More reads:
The Secret Life of Times Square’s Notorious Porn Queen, The New York Post
Times Square Red, Times Square Blue, by Sam Delaney
Chelly seems to have been a fascinating woman—I love how you pieced together her history!