| Bruz Fletcher | |
| Birth Name: | Stoughton Fletcher |
| Birth Date: | 12 March 1906 |
| Birth Place: | Indiana |
| Death Place: | Los Angeles, California |
| Partner: | Casey Roberts |
| Education: | Indiana University |
| Occupation: | Singer |
Bruz Fletcher (March 12, 1906 – February 8, 1941) was a singer in Los Angeles, California, during the Pansy Craze. Born in Indiana, Fletcher gained fame as a singer at Club Bali, a popular nightclub during the Great Depression. Fletcher was openly gay and lived with his partner Casey Roberts.[1]
Fletcher was born to Stoughton A. Fletcher and Mae Henley Fletcher, who were one of the richest families in Indiana at the time.[2] [3] When Fletcher was a child, his mother and grandmother ended their lives in a double suicide.[1] His sister, Louisa Fletcher, made headlines after being left at the altar of her wedding to a German count.[1] Fletcher attended Howe Military Academy and Indiana University and moved to Los Angeles in 1926.[2]
Fletcher, known as the "Singing Satirist", was known for lyrics that were often gay coded.[4] In 1935, Fletcher was hired to perform at Club Bali on Sunset Boulevard for two weeks. After proving a popular draw, however, he remained at the club for over four years, performing for stars such as Humphrey Bogart, Ronald Reagan, and Howard Hughes.[4] Fletcher wrote two books and several plays.[5]
Fletcher was openly gay, and his living arrangements with his partner Casey Roberts were openly written about in Hollywood newspapers at the time.[6] In 1941, Fletcher died by suicide at the age of 34.[1]