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.