USC.edu

Christopher Freeman

Professor (Teaching) of English
Christopher Freeman
Pronouns He / Him / His Email cefreema@usc.edu Office THH 404G Office Phone (213) 740-3745

Research & Practice Areas

20th century literature; the novel; memoir; literary theory; gay and lesbian studies; Los Angeles/Hollywood

Center, Institute & Lab Affiliations

  • Monette-Horwitz Trust, advisory board member since 2006
  • ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archive, Board Member

Biography

Chris Freeman moved to Los Angeles from Minneapolis in May, 2005. He grew up in Rome, Georgia and has a PhD in English from Vanderbilt University.

Education

  • Ph.D. English, Gender Studies, Vanderbilt University, 8/1993
  • M.A. English, Vanderbilt University, 5/1989
  • B.A. English, summa cum laude, Berry College, 6/1987

  • Research, Teaching, Practice, and Clinical Appointments

    • Professor (Teaching), USC Dornsife College, 2015-08-
    • Associate Professor (Teaching), USC Dornsife College, 2012-08-2015-07
    • Lecturer, University of Southern California, 2006-01-2012-07

  • Summary Statement of Research Interests

    My work has primarily been in 20th century gay and lesbian studies. I’ve edited three books on Christopher Isherwood, including THE AMERICAN ISHERWOOD (Dec 2014), a Hollywood memoir by John Carlyle; and more recently a collection of essays about gay Los Angeles called LOVE, WEST HOLLYWOOD. I am also working on a longer term project on the life, work, and times of the gay writer Paul Monette (and editing his journals for publication).

    Research Keywords

    gay and lesbian studies; popular culture; memoir; Hollywood; Los Angeles; modernism

    Detailed Statement of Research Interests

    My work as a scholar in the past decade has centered on gay writing and culture in post World War II Los Angeles. I’ve also published some journalism, many book reviews, and have been a consultant and interviewee on several films and television programs, including the award-winning CHRIS AND DON: A LOVE STORY, which premiered in LA at the AFI Film Festival on November 10, 2007. I am also a consultant for a new documentary called LA: A QUEER HISTORY. My work on Christopher Isherwood continues, with the publication of THE AMERICAN ISHWEROOD (Minnesota, Dec 2014) and a forthcoming two-day conference on Isherwood in Southern California in Nov 2015.

  • Contracts and Grants Awarded

    • Oscar Wilde and His Circle, Joseph Bristow (UCLA), (National Endowment for the Humanities), Chris Freeman $3,900, 2011-2012

  • Conference Presentations

    • “”Teaching A SINGLE MAN in Los Angeles” , Modern Language AssociateRoundtable/Panel, MLA, Invited, Los Angeles, CA, 01/08/2011 –
    • “‘Feasting with Panthers,’ or Thrown to the Lions: On the Limits of Camp” , Modern Studies AssociationRoundtable/Panel, MSA, Invited, Las Vegas, Nevada, 10/2012
    • “”We Have to Say We’ve Been Here”: Paul Monette and the Making of an Activist” , UCLA GLBTQ ConferenceTalk/Oral Presentation, Invited, UCLA, Fall 2007

    Other Presentations

    • “”On These Shoulders We Stand” documentary”, Screening/Moderator, Los Angeles, CA, 2009-CONT
    • “Howard Fine Live Interview”, Life Raft, Los Angeles, CA, 2009-CONT
    • “Keynote address: The “Truth” about Paul Monette”, One Person’s Truth: The Life and Work of Paul Monette, UCLA, 2005-CONT
    • “The Importance of Being Earnest”, Pre-Play remarks, Pasadena, CA, 2014-2015
    • “Queer Pulp Fiction, with Katherine V. Forrest”, Interview and discussion, Palm Springs, CA, 2013-2014
    • “The Days of Anna Madrigal”, Interview with Armistead Maupin, downtown LA, 2013-2014
    • “Christopher Street West and Gay LA”, Talk, Palm Springs, CA, 2013-2014
    • “Queer LA Panel”, LA Festival of Books, USC campus, 2011-2012
    • “”How Do We Learn What We Need to Know””, Faculty Showcase, USC Campus, LA, CA, 2010-2011
    • “”On These Shoulders We Stand””, moderator at film screening, Hollywood, CA, 2010-2011
    • “Brokeback Mountain Panel”, LA Book Fair, USC Campus, LA, CA, 2010-2011
    • “”On These Shoulders We Stand””, moderator at film screening, Taper Hall, USC campus, 2010-2011
    • “”Jack, I swear”: Some Promises to Gay Culture from Brokeback Mountain”, Invited Lecture, Retirement of Professor Joe Wittreich, New York, New York, CUNY Grad Center, 2009-2010
    • “Talk on Love, West Hollywood”, Brown Bag Lunch, Ide Room, 2008-2009
    • “Measure for Measure”, moderator/discussion leader, USC campus, 2006-2007
    • “Moderator: GLBT Visibility in Hollywood, “Gay but not Forgotten””, Writers’ Guild of America, Hollywood, CA, 2006-2007
    • “An Evening with Tab Hunter”, Interview/moderator, Santa Monica, CA, 2005-2006

  • Book

    • Freeman, C., Berg, J. (2001). Conversations with Christopher Isherwood. Vol. USA,
    • Freeman, C., Berg, J. (2000). The Isherwood Century: Essays on the Life and Work of Christopher Isherwood. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.

    Book Chapter

    • Freeman, C., Berg, J. J. (2013). “Auden and Isherwood” ch 30 in AUDEN IN CONTEXT. W.H. Auden in Context pp. 316-325. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.  http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/literature/english-literature-1900-1945/w-h-auden-context?format=HB 
    • Freeman, C. (2011). “Jack, I swear”: Some Promises to Gay Culture from Mainstream Hollywood. The Brokeback Book pp. 103-117. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
    • Freeman, C. (2001). “Something They Did in the Dark”: Lesbian and Gay Novels in the US, 1948-73. Philadelphia, PA: Modern American Queer History, Temple University Press.

    Book Review

    • Freeman, C. (2015). LGBT History 101: A Review of “US Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History”. pp. 42. Cambridge, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review. Vol. 22.3,  glreview.org 
    • Freeman, C. (2014). Review of Barrie Jean Borich, BODY GEOGRAPHIC. Cambridge, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review.
    • Freeman, C. (2013). Isherwood after Stonewall. Liberations: Isherwood’s 1970s Diaries pp. pp 24-25. Cambridge, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review. Vol. vol 20 no 2 (Liberations: Isherwood’s 1970s Diaries),  www.GLReview.com 
    • Freeman, C. (2011). “Too Much Information” Review of Isherwood’s 60s Diaries. review of THE 60s, Isherwood’s diaries pp. 31-2. Boston, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide. Vol. 18.2 (review of THE 60s, Isherwood’s diaries),
    • Freeman, C. (2010). “A Not So Distant Mirror” review of GAY BAR by Will Fellows and Helen Branson. pp. p 40. Boston, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide. Vol. 17/6,  PubMed Web Address http://www.glreview.com/index.php 
    • Freeman, C. (2010). E.M. Forster: Brief Lives by Richard Canning (review). pp. 42. Boston, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide. Vol. XVII,  http://www.glreview.com/issue.php?issueid=57 
    • Freeman, C. (2010). “The Making of a Magazine” review of ADVOCATE DAYS by Mark Thompson. pp. 41-2. Boston, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide. Vol. 17/2,  PubMed Web Address http://www.glreview.com/issue.php?issueid=53 
    • Freeman, C. (2008). Review of WHAT BECOMES YOU. pp. p. 45. Brooklyn, NY: White Crane. Vol. 78,  PubMed Web Address http://www.whitecranejournal.com/main.asp 
    • Freeman, C. (2008). Review of THE END OF THE WORLD BOOK. 15/4 pp. 44. Boston, MA: GLR. Vol. July-August 2008 (15/4),
    • Freeman, C. (2007). Review: Armistead Maupin’s MICHAEL TOLLIVER LIVES. 5, Sept-Oct 2007 Boston, MA: GLR Worldwide. Vol. 14 (5, Sept-Oct 2007),
    • Freeman, C. (2006). GRIEF, a novel by Andrew Holleran. 966 pp. 57, 59. Los Angeles: The Advocate.
    • Freeman, C. (2006). Review: 3 Young Adult Novels. 967 pp. 58. Los Angeles: The Advocate.

    Essay

    • Freeman, C. (2012). Yale AIDS Memorial Project (online). New Haven, CT: Yale University.
    • Freeman, C. (2011). “The Many Lives of Malcolm Boyd”. pp. p 30. Boston, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide. Vol. 18/5,
    • Freeman, C. (2011). “Art Memo: Paul Monette’s BORROWED TIME”. pp. 36-7. Boston, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide. Vol. 18/4,
    • Freeman, C. (2011). The Professor on the Dance Floor: Alice Echols and HOT STUFF. pp. 1. Los Angeles, CA: The Advocate.  www.advocate.com 
    • Freeman, C. (2010). Artist Profile: Jeff Sheng “A Lens on the Soldiers of DADT”. pp. p 26. Boston, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide. Vol. 17/3,  PubMed Web Address http://www.glreview.com/images/GLR-17.3-cover.jpg 

    Encyclopedia Article

    • Freeman, C. (2013). “Found History: LETTERS TO ONE”. New Orleans: GLBTQ Online.  PubMed Web Address
    • Freeman, C. (2009). Essay on Jim Grimsley for Encyclopedia of Contemporary LGBTQ Literature of the U.S.. pp. 275-76. Greenwood, CT: Greenwood Press. Vol. 1,  PubMed Web Address www.abc-clio.com (greenwood press) 
    • Freeman, C. (2005). Dictionary of Literary Biography. Gale. Vol. fiction, 20th century American,

    Journal Article

    • Freeman, C. (2016). Christopher Isherwood and the Limits of Camp. 1 pp. 14-17. Baltimore, MD, Johns Hopkins UP: Modernism/Modernity. Vol. 23 (1),  PubMed Web Address http://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/modernism_modernity/ 
    • Freeman, C. (2005). “Making Fun Out of It”: Rethinking Isherwood’s WORLD IN THE EVENING. 1, 2005 pp. 89-103.The Christopher Isherwood Review.

    Magazine/Trade Publication

    • Freeman, C. (2016). “Sarah Schulman on Her Latest Provocations” (Interview by Chris Freeman). 5 pp. 34. Cambridge, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review. Vol. 23 (5),  glreview.org 
    • Freeman, C. (2014). “A Single Man We Can Live With”. 6 pp. 34. Cambridge, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review. Vol. 21 (6),  glreview.org 
    • Freeman, C. (2014). Interview with Sean Strub. pp. 28-31. Cambridge, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review.
    • Freeman, C. (2014). At the Corner of Hollywood and Gay. Cambridge, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review website blog.  glreview.org 
    • Freeman, C. (2014). Artist Profile: Peter Paige. Cambridge, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review.
    • Freeman, C. (2009). “From Sexy to Serious: Ben Patrick Johnson”. 03 pp. 2 pp.. Los Angeles, CA: Frontiers Magazine. Vol. 28 (03),  Frontiers 
    • Freeman, C. (2009). First Lady of Celluloid Community: Kirsten Schaffer. 5 pp. 2pp. Los Angeles, CA: Frontiers Magazine. Vol. 28 (5),  frontiers 
    • Freeman, C. (2008). Interview with Artist Don Bachardy. 4/July 1, 2008 pp. 18, 20. Los Angeles, CA: Frontiers. Vol. 27 (4/July 1, 2008),
    • Freeman, C. (2008). Interview with Director Donna Deitch. 5/July 15, 2008 pp. 18, 20. Los Angeles, CA: Frontiers. Vol. 27 (5/July 15, 2008),
    • Freeman, C. (2008). Interview with Gay Historian Boze Hadleigh. 6/July 29, 2008 pp. 18, 20. Los Angeles, CA: Frontiers. Vol. 27 (6/July 29, 2008),
    • Freeman, C. (2006). Interview: Stephen McCauley. 965 pp. pg 124.

    Other

    • Freeman, C. (2013). Tom Bianchi: Eyes on the Pines. 6 pp. 18-19. Cambridge MA: Gay and Lesbian Review. Vol. 20 (6),  www.glreview.com 
    • Freeman, C. (2012). “Vito: The Artist as Activist”. no 5 pp. p. 49. Cambridge, MA: Gay and Lesbian Review. Vol. vol 19 (no 5),  www.GLReview.com 
    • Freeman, C. (2012). “Marilyn Monroe: a serious, mysterious life”. 5 pp. 35-6. Cambridge MA: Gay and Lesbian review. Vol. 19 (5),  www.GLReview.com 
    • Interviewed for SIN CITIES:Berlin for CBC, I was interviewed for a documentary on Berlin between the wars; aired on CBC and A&E, released on DVD, 2006., 2005-2006
    • interviewee and consultant for CHRIS & DON: A LOVE, This documentary on Isherwood and Bachardy premiered at the AFI Festival in Hollywood in November, 2007. I am in the film half a dozen times, and my first book, THE ISHERWOOD CENTURY, was a major source for the project., 2007-2008
    • Interviewed for SAVING THE BOOM, Commentary on documentary about historic preservation and gay culture, 2008
    • Interview, Interview of Pyramid TV (Canada) for a series, “Inside Hollywood” on Gay Hollywood for TV broadcast in North America., 2009-2010
    • interview, Interview for History Channel Documentary series, How Sex Changed the World, on Weimar Germany. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPV4TtQnWRM, 06/2012
    • TV roundtable, KLCS, a public television channel of LAUSD, roundtable discussion of GAY LA: Then and Now. Broadcast Oct/Nov 2013. http://www.klcs.org/, 10/2013
    • USC Parents’ Association finalst, 2006-2007

  • Media, Alumni, and Community Relations

    • Gay and Lesbian Caucus of the WGA, led panel discussion for a crowd of 200+,