- For the Mads production, see MADS - Glen or Glenda.
Glen or Glenda is a 1953 film written and directed by Edward D. Wood Jr. It was Wood's first professional collaboration with Bela Lugosi, and the cast featured several other Wood Productions regulars. It dealt with controversial issues of gender identity, including transvestism and pseudo-hermaphroditism.
Plot[]
A psychiatrist describes to his colleague the case of Glen, a man who is secretly a transvestite. Glen is engaged to marry Barbara, and he is conflicted about whether or not to tell Barbara about his proclivities. Glen is tormented by mental images of all that can go wrong. Glen eventually tells Barbara the truth, and she promises to try to to understand him. The psychiatrist advises Glen and Barbara of how they can proceed and have a happy life.
The psychiatrist then tells his colleague about another case, this one involving a man named Alan. Alan uses surgery and hormone treatments to transition to being a woman named Ann and is then able to live happily.
All of this is overseen by a sinister scientist, who offers his own comments on the unfolding drama.
Cast[]
- Edward D. Wood Jr. - Glen/Glenda
- Bela Lugosi - Scientist
- Lyle Talbot - Inspector Warren
- Dolores Fuller - Barbara
- Conrad Brooks - Banker
- Timothy Farrell - Narrator/Dr. Alton
Notes[]
- The making of this film was dramatized in the 1994 movie Ed Wood.
- Edward D. Wood Jr. is not credited for his performance as an actor in this film. The role of Glen/Glenda is credited to "Daniel Davis".
- Glen or Glenda was used as the movie in the live stage show The Mads Are Back (starring Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff). A live streaming version of this performance was made available in July of 2020.
MST3K Connections[]
- Director, writer, and actor Edward D. Wood Jr. was also director, writer, and producer for Bride of the Monster, writer for The Violent Years, and writer and director for The Sinister Urge (in which he also portrayed a man in the fight).
- Bela Lugosi also portrayed Dr. Lorenz in The Corpse Vanishes, Dr. Zorka in The Phantom Creeps, and Dr. Erik Vornoff in Bride of the Monster.
- Timothy Farrell also portrayed Lt. Holmes in The Violent Years and Umberto Scali in Racket Girls.
- Dolores Fuller also portrayed Margie in Bride of the Monster.
- Conrad Brooks also portrayed the suspect outside the office in Bride of the Monster, Connie in The Sinister Urge, and a man at the airfield in The Beast of Yucca Flats.
- Henry Bederski (man with hat and receding hairline) also portrayed a kid at the diner in The Sinister Urge.
- Bruce Spencer (homosexual) also portrayed Eddie in Racket Girls.
- Actor and makeup artist Harry Thomas (man in nightmare) was also makeup artist for Project Moon Base, Invasion USA, High School Big Shot, Night of the Blood Beast, and The Bubble, as well as makeup supervision for The Unearthly.
- Actor and cinematographer William C. Thompson (judge) was also cinematographer for Project Moon Base, Bride of the Monster, The Violent Years, The Sinister Urge, and Racket Girls.
- Actor and producer George Weiss (man at transvestite's suicide) was also producer for Racket Girls.
- Set director Jack Miles was also set director for The Violent Years.
- Sound technician Ben Winkler was also sound mixer for War of the Colossal Beast and sound technician for Swamp Diamonds and The She-Creature.
- Camera operator Bert Shipman was also camera operator for Bride of the Monster.
- Still photographer Larry Smith was also still photographer for Bride of the Monster and The Sinister Urge.