“A fascinating and disturbing documentary, The Fall of ‘55 details through vivid interviews and diligent research a witch hunt instigated by Boise authorities in search of a ‘sex ring’ of men preying on teenage boys.”
— BOISE WEEKLY • Boise, ID

“Seth Randal has created what surely must be the definitive work on the issue… Spirited and meticulously fair, ‘The Fall of ‘55’ is deeply instructive to the rest of us, who might think it could never happen where we live.“
— gay.com

“Director Seth Randal has crafted a truly noteworthy documentary… Five years of careful research and interviews with Boise residents touched personally by the events reveal surprising new information about many of the men involved.”
— NEWFEST FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAMMERS • New York City

“This riveting documentary profiles a story that changed Boise, Idaho forever.”
— REELING FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAMMERS • Chicago, IL

“Randal shows how the discovery of a so-called homosexual sex ring preying on minors snowballed with alarming speed into an hysterical paranoia, leading to the conviction of 15 men and the intimidation of hundreds more. Well-documented pic should easily find a home on gay-friendly cable.”
— VARIETY

“Randal’s filmmaking style is influenced by Ken Burns’ grand documentaries (“Baseball” and “The Civil War”) and Errol Morris’ visual tale of injustice, “The Thin Blue Line.” (His) documentary has struck a chord with Boiseans and beyond.”
— IDAHO PRESS-TRIBUNE • Nampa, ID

“Any argument against blind prejudice is worth seeing. And any story about such prejudice is worth telling. Again and again.”
— THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW • Spokane, WA

“Randal’s telling of this story is both straight forward and well researched. Players in the historical drama are portrayed sensitively and without bias. ‘The Fall of ‘55’ could elicit emotions ranging from sadness to indignation…”
— AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

Dear Friends,

With so many new visitors to the website, I wanted to take the time to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about the film.

ARE DVDS AVAILABLE??
HOW CAN I SEE YOUR FILM?

Right now, THE FALL OF ‘55 is continuing on the film festival circuit, and copies of the DVD are only available to schools and libraries. The DVD is available for viewing at numerous universities, including Duke, University of Michigan, University of Chicago and Boise State.

Retail DVDs are not yet available to the public. Read below to find out how you can be notified when standard DVDs become available.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHEN DVDS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC?
HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY?
WHEN IS THE FILM SHOWING IN MY AREA?

Join our Friends of the Documentary email list. I send out approximately one email every month or two, with big news and updates about the film. CLICK NOW and send me an email to sign up.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO MAKE?

In all, six years. We started the research in 2000 and finished researching in 2005. The final cut of the film was finished in September of 2006. THE FALL OF ‘55 was produced largely at night, on weekends and during vacation time.

HOW CAN I GET A SCREENER TO REVIEW?
WHO DO I CONTACT TO PLAN A SHOWING IN MY AREA?

Contact Maura King with Frameline at 415/703-850 x306

Feel free to contact me with other questions! I may add them to this list!

Talk soon,
Seth

Dear Friends,

It’s the final two weeks for those of you in Los Angeles to see “Boise, USA,” Gene Franklin Smith’s original play about the 1955 Boise scandal. My co-researcher for The Fall of ‘55, Alan Virta, was recently in Los Angeles, and his review of the play should be forthcoming in the next few days.

One of our Friends of the Documentary also had the opportunity to see the play Boise. Let me share some of his thoughts.

[W]e got tickets by computer and saw Boise USA thursday nite at the Matrix Theatre down on Melrose…

The play was well written, well acted, with amazing production values considering it was in a small 99 seat equity theatre. The story featured the Mayor, Buck Jones*, his brother the elegant wealthy heir to a fortune, his Son in West Point, The FBI agent, The Psychologist, The accused Moore family, all including ten actors that did a wonderful job. The story was easy to follow and emotional, particularly with the suicide.

The best play I’ve seen in an equity theatre.

They were generous in their promotion of The Fall of ‘55 with handout cards and posters.

Before the show some of the patrons were discussing the subject in the Lobby… All in all, it was very well done. –CW

Remember, just two weeks left!

Talk soon,
Seth

* Buck Jones was actually a city councilman. He is referred to as the mayor in the play for dramatic reasons…

Dear Friends,

The Nampa, Idaho newspaper, the Idaho Press-Tribune, runs a regular column called “Cheers and Jeers,” where readers have an opportunity every week to express their positive or negative opinions on all sorts of topics important to them.

Last fall, an anonymous reader commented on the so-called “boys of Boise” cases, and I never had an opportunity to share what they said.

Jeers to those who were responsible for the witch hunt that happened on Halloween 1955 in Boise. Jeers to the fact that innocent people were labeled, and their lives turned upset [sic] down. Jeers to the fact that people are too quick to judge, and usually the innocent get hurt.” — Idaho Press-Tribune reader 10/15/2007

Nampa is a pretty conservative community, and I was surprised to read the quote. Thought you would enjoy reading it as well!

Talk soon,
Seth

Dear Friends,

“Playwright Gene Franklin Smith’s character-driven drama about gay persecution in the ’50s avoids politically correct preachiness, and instead conveys a powerful message through crackling stagecraft. Director Arturo Castillo’s energetic and taut staging fiercely renders the ironic contrast between the era’s Norman Rockwell wholesomeness and the savagery of the prosecutions for homosexuality. The play is remarkably well cast with performers who look as though they are truly denizens of their era.” –L.A. Weekly

Hey gang,

Congratulations to playwright Gene Franklin Smith and the cast and crew of his play, “Boise, USA.” As you’ll remember, the play also focuses on the 1955 Boise Morals Drive, like The Fall of ‘55. The play premiered this past Friday to a full house in Los Angeles. So far, the reviews are quite good. So far, the play is getting an average rating of 3.4 (out of four stars) at the website Goldstar.com.

Here are some of the quotes…

“BOISE, U.S.A shines a light on a very shady, but lesser known, aspect of recent history, one of the so-called ‘Lavender Scares’ of the 1950s. Fine performances maintain the focus on the human tragedy at the heart of the scandal; this is not just about homosexuality, but about the price we pay when we deny the rights and freedoms of others. BOISE, U.S.A. provides the kind of thought-provoking live entertainment not usually on offer in LA. Snap up your tickets now.”
“I think you’re going to be hearing a lot about this brilliant play about the real-life morals witch hunt that happened in Idaho in 1955 and 1956… It’s horrifying to learn how lives were ruined by innuendo and prejudice. This highly emotional show is well written and the actors in this production really bring to life the raw feelings their characters must have experienced.”

“This performance exceeded my every expectation… This play also served as an additional reminder that the “good old days” of the 50’s, wasn’t so good if you were gay (or a minority or a woman, for that matter). Definitely one of the best productions I have seen recently and highly recommended…”

I want to clarify one fact that several reviewers have misinterpreted in the story. It is implied that Eldon Halverson was a teenager when he was an accuser in these cases. He was 19 when one of the encounters allegedly happened years earlier. He was 20, 21 and 21 when the other liaisons are said to have happened. Eldon Halverson was a reluctant witness in these cases and in fact had to be brought back from another state to testify. His life has a very tragic outcome. Just another of the lives deeply touched by the 1955 Boise Morals Drive.

The events of one small town more than 50 years ago still have great relevance and deep emotional resonance even today. I am glad to know of the success of “Boise, USA” and look forward to seeing it.

Talk soon,
Seth

Dear Friends,

As you now know, a play about the 1955 Boise Morals Drive is set to premiere this coming Friday at a playhouse in Los Angeles. The play dramatizes some of the events featured in The Fall of ‘55

“Boise, USA” playwright Gene Franklin Smith did an interview with Frontiers, a Los Angeles magazine. Here are a few quotes from the article…

FRONTIERS: What’s the connection between modern America and Boise, USA?

GENE FRANKLIN SMITH: The events of 1955-56 are eerily similar to current-day sex scandals and the homophobia still haunting many American small towns. As the Bush administration continues its assault on our Bill of Rights, the parallels of what Boise’s government tried to do — purge all homosexuals from the city — becomes very clear.

What does the play say about being gay in 2008 America?

What happened in Boise could definitely happen today. America is a breeding ground for sex scandals because we’re so steeped in Puritanism. I encounter homophobia every single day of my life, as I’m sure most gay men and women do. In Los Angeles, it’s subtle. But in Middle America, homophobia is relentlessly aggressive.

CLICK HERE to read the entire article. Below you will also find a press release with much more information about the play.

Gene first contacted us three years ago, before the completion of The Fall of ‘55, and we confirmed some of the basic facts. It’s nice to see his hard work paying off. We certainly congratulate him and wish the production the very best.

Talk soon,
Seth

“THE NINA & RAJEN KILACHAND SERIES”
AT THE MATRIX THEATRE
PRESENTED BY SALEM K THEATRE COMPANY
PRESENT THEIR THIRD PRODUCTION…

The World Premiere of
BOISE, USA

Written by Gene Franklin Smith
Directed by Arturo Castillo

Limited Engagement opens Friday, May 16 at the Matrix Theatre in West Hollywood…

April 10, 2008…Los Angeles…The Salem K Theatre Company, who recently presented the critically-acclaimed productions of Poor Beast In The Rain and Snake In The Grass, presents the third and final production in its inaugural 2008 “Nina and Rajen Kilachand Series” season with the World Premiere of BOISE, USA, written by Gene Franklin Smith and directed by Arturo Castillo. BOISE, USA will preview on Tuesday, May 13, Wednesday, May 14 and Thursday, May 15 at 8pm and will open on Friday, May 16 at 8pm and run for seven weeks through Sunday, June 29 at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood.

Inspired by actual events, the play begins Halloween night, 1955, in quiet, respectable Boise, Idaho, when the shocking arrests of three men for “lewd and lascivious conduct” with three teenage boys sets off a notorious “witch hunt” to purge the city of all suspected homosexuals. Family loyalties are divided, pitting brother against brother, father against son. What happened back then in Boise could happen again, anywhere, any time, even now.
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST

ARTURO CASTILLO (Director) Mr. Castillo’s work in theatre as a director reflects a broad range of styles and experiences. A graduate of the prestigious Webber-Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England, Mr. Castillo went on to work in London as a director. In addition to his many London credits, Mr. Castillo directed theatrical productions all over Europe, including productions in Madrid, Berlin, Munich, Paris, Prague, Milan and Rome. He was a co-founder and Associate Artistic Director of Novel Stages in Philadelphia, also serving on the Pennsylvania State Arts Council as a theatre panelist as well as on the Arts in Education panel. While in Los Angeles he has directed theatre and film, including Theresa Rebeck’s LOOSE KNIT; Bishop and Fuller’s LOVEPLAY; Richard Devin’s MY MOTHER’S COMING; and Wallace Shawn’s one-man tour de force THE FEVER. Mr. Castillo co-wrote, produced and directed the independent film” F64″, and has directed a music video of the song “Daddy, Daddy” for the band Katoorah Jayne.

GENE FRANKLIN SMITH (Playwright) apprenticed playwriting with F.D. Reeve and Tony Connor at Wesleyan University, where his first play, an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s TENDER IS THE NIGHT, was produced at the Second Stage Theatre. He graduated with honors in English literature and Theater and moved to New York City, where several of his plays received full productions and staged readings, including LIFE BENEATH THE ROSES (Quaigh Theatre and TOMI Theatre), ADULTS IN LOVE (Lone Wolf Theatre) and CREATED EQUAL (John Houseman II Theatre). LIFE BENEATH THE ROSES has also been produced regionally at the Cincinnati Playhouse (FutureFest Finalist), University of Nebraska-Kearney, Theatre Americana (winner, David James Ellis Memorial Award for Best Play 1992-93) and the Bitter Truth Theatre. Gene moved to Los Angeles and in 1997, his play RUBICON had its world premiere at the Coast Playhouse. In 1998, Gene founded the Write Act Repertory Company in Hollywood and served as Artistic Director for 5 years. During his tenure, three of his plays were produced: DEVIL’S CONSORT; TRANSPORTS OF THE HEART (co-written with Clyde Derrick); and in the 2000-01 season, his critically acclaimed adaptation of Charles Dickens’s novel, BLEAK HOUSE. In 2003, Gene relocated to Toronto, Ontario, where he incorporated the Troubled Souls Collective, which produced his popular site-specific productions, HAUNTED MASTERS in 2004 and MORE HAUNTED MASTERS in 2005, at the historic Victorian mansion, Spadina Museum. Gene’s screenplays, SLAVE TO HIS MISTRESS and THE PURSUED (a prequel to “Moby Dick”), have placed as finalists in the Nicholls Fellowship in Screenwriting and at the Austin Film Festival. Gene relocated back to Los Angeles in 2006 and now serves on the board of directors of the Salem K Theatre Company.

The cast of BOISE, USA will feature (in alphabetical order): Nic D’Avirro, Seamus Dever, Matty Ferraro, Kris Kamm, Melissa Kite, George McDaniel, Cameron Mitchell, Jr., Audrey Moore, Westley Thornton and Craig Robert Young.

The production has assembled a multi award-winning design team. Set Design will be by Laura Fine Hawkes (Snake in the Grass, Poor Beast in the Rain). Lighting Design will be by Leigh Allen (Lost Angel’s Killer Joe, PRT’s Death of A Salesman). Costume Design is by May Routh (numerous film and television credits including “Path To War,” “Reindeer Games,” “Ronin,” “Andersonville” Costume Design - Emmy Nomination). Sound Design is by Eric Snodgrass (Sleeping Beauty Wakes, Nosferatu). The dramaturge is Margo Lemberger.

BOISE, USA will preview on Tuesday, May 13, Wednesday, May 14 and Thursday, May 15 at 8pm and will open on Friday, May 16 at 8pm and run for seven weeks through Sunday, June 29 at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood.
Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 3pm. Ticket prices are $30 for Friday and Saturday evenings, and $25 for Thursdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm, with discounts available for groups of eight or more. For tickets, please call at 323-960-4420 or visit www.salemktheatreco.org.

Dear Friends,

In addition to this website, we also have a myspace account dedicated to the film. If you’re on myspace, please add us to your list of friends. The film’s official myspace site is http://myspace.com/FALLof55

Also — consider adding me as a friend! I’m at http://myspace.com/sethrandal

Talk soon,
Seth

Dear Friends,

Those of you who have already seen The Fall of ‘55 already know the dramatic story of Al Travelstead, the owner of a popular Boise restaurant. Al and his family ran the Howdy Pardner Drive-In, as well as a local dance school. Students from the school would perform dance routines on the roof of the restaurant, stopping traffic on Fairview Avenue. Our film explores the family’s harrowing experiences as part of the 1955 Boise Morals Drive.

Now, a newly-discovered photo gives us another look at the restaurant, including a spectacular shot of the sign. This picture, by the late photographer Leo “Scoop” Leeburn, was discovered by the Idaho State Historical Society. Even though it is too late to get the shot in the film, I thought you would all get a kick out of seeing it. This photo appears to be later than 1955, because the roof-top piano was replaced by a deejay booth. So far, I have not confirmed the identities of the man in the photo. The Idaho Statesman says the woman was “Miss KGEM Radio.” Can any of you identify the year and model of the car in the parking lot?

“CLICK HERE” for a view of the photo from the Idaho Statesman website…

Some of you may be wondering, “Where was the Howdy Pardner,” or “What is there now?” After a stint as a photo shop, the Howdy Pardner building is once again a popular restaurant. Now, it hosts Los Betos, a cheap and tasty 24-hour Mexican Food drive-thru. The building is at 5220 Fairview in Boise, near Channel 7 and K106 Radio.

Talk soon,
Seth

Dear Friends,

The tragedy and drama of the Boise Morals Drive continues to draw attention more than five decades later. From my film, to John Gerassi’s book The Boys of Boise to the works of numerous playwrights. Now, a new play is again tackling the scandal.

Boise, USA is set to play for six weeks at a Los Angeles theater. This is the play’s World Premiere. Here are the details:

BOISE, USA
May 16 - June 29, 2008

Salem K Theatre Company
Matrix Theatre
7657 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles 90046

The film is the work of playwright Gene Franklin Smith. Gene and I first chatted four years ago, and it is exciting to see his efforts pay off.

I have not yet read the script, and therefore can’t comment on the story. Gene apparently uses newspapers from the time extensively. From what I understand, the play combines real people with composite characters. Should be interesting. I’m crossing my fingers that I can get to LA to see it!

CLICK TO LEARN much more about the play Boise, USA.

I will be sure to post more details as I get them.

Talk Soon,
Seth

Dear Friends,

The Fall of ‘55 plays this week at the conference of the Western Psychological Association in Irvine, California. Welcome, members of the WPA! We’re pleased you are able to use the film as a teaching tool.

Talk soon,
Seth