Rico (Edward G. Robinson) and Otero (George E. Stone) are queer-coded gangsters in Mervyn LeRoy’s 1931 pre-code Hollywood film adaptation of W.R. Burnett’s 1929 novel “Little Caesar.”

Warner Baxter’s character, Julian Marsh, in the 1933 pre-code musical 42nd STREET was originally written as gay - but only a brief glimpse of subtext remains in the film adaptation.

The 1932 pre-code Hollywood film CALL HER SAVAGE was one of the earliest mainstream American films to feature a glimpse inside what is likely a gay bar.

Rex O'Malley plays the queer-coded gay best friend in queer director Mitchell Leisen’s 1939 screwball comedy MIDNIGHT.

The French film CINDERELLA, directed by Pierre Caron in 1937, features a scene ambiguously showing the homosexuality of the character of Mr. Jolibois, a choreographer of music hall dancers - played by the actor Jacques Josselin.

Ferdinand the Bull is a classic queer-coded character from Disney’s early days, featured in the 1938 animated short of the same name and based on Munro Leaf’s 1936 children’s book “The Story of Ferdinand.”