🌈"𝓦𝓮𝓵𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓪𝓻𝓭 𝓲𝓽'𝓼 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮!"🌈(Part One) LGBTQ+ representation on the Aaron Spelling romantic-comedy-drama anthology series The Love Boat, which ran on ABC from its launch as a TV movie in 1976 and then as a weekly series from September 24th, 1977 until the Pacific Princess sailed off the airwaves on May 24th, 1986. Featuring an ever-changing roster of guest stars from classic Hollywood film and television and the worlds of music, fashion, and sports, the series was a solid ratings winner in it's Saturday night time slot for years and spawned a revival entitled Love Boat: The Next Wave on UPN in 1998-99, and the reality series The Real Love Boat in Australia and America in 2022. Among the gay, lesbian, and bisexual celebrities featured on the original series were classic Hollywood film stars Farley Granger, Tab Hunter, Roddy McDowall, Vincent Price, Van Johnson, Cesar Romero, and Patsy Kelly, television stars Richard Deacon (Mel Cooley on The Dick Van Dyke Show), Sherman Hemsley (George Jefferson on The Jeffersons), Kristy McNichol (who, in addition to her work in films, starred on the series Family and Empty Nest), Dick Sargent (Darrin #2 on Bewitched), Robert Reed (Mike Brady on The Brady Bunch), Nancy Kulp (Miss Jane Hathaway on The Beverly Hillbillies), Gordon Thomson (well-known Canadian actor who played conniving Adam Carrington on Dynasty and whose name was misspelled on his Love Boat porthole), Fannie Flagg (actress, author and screenwriter noted for Fried Green Tomatoes), Glenn Scarpelli (Alex on the original One Day at a Time who now owns a TV station in Sedona, Arizona), and James Coco (who also starred on stage and screen). Guest stars from the fashion world included designers Bob Mackie (notable for his work with Cher, Carol Burnett, and countless other iconic film, music and TV stars) and Halston (Liza Minnelli's best friend and creator of the pillbox hat, famously popularized by Jackie Kennedy, renowned for his use of both silk and ultrasuede in his fashion designs). From the music industry were the groups the Village People (who had hits with Y.M.C.A. and Macho Man) and the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo featuring Ricky Martin front and center. Last, but certainly not least, legendary pop artist and filmmaker Andy Warhol who made an appearance on The Love Boat in 1985, two years before his passing. It should also be noted that actor and director Charles Nelson Reilly made a guest appearance on The Love Boat in 1982 but his porthole credits appearance proved impossible to find. In an extremely progressive move, The Love Boat featured an intelligent, sensitive, and highly sympathetic transgender storyline on an episode in 1982 when series regular Gopher (played by Fred Grandy) learned that his college roommate (played by Mackenzie Phillips) had transitioned. An episode in 1984 showcased a very positive coming out story about a gay couple (played by Roy Thinnes and Michael McGrady), one of whom was fraternity brothers with series regular Doc (Bernie Kopell). There were also a number of episodes featuring cross-dressing, with John Ritter, Bert Convy and Arte Johnson (among others) appearing in drag in Some Like It Hot-style storylines.
Part two of this post can be viewed here.
