Free expression documentary fund nears 70 percent

San Francisco topless legend Carol Doda performs during Sacramento indecency trial 

The online campaign funding a Sacramento documentary exploring the 1969 strip club indecency case that took the jury to the club is approaching 70 percent funded with 9 days remaining.

Using the crowdfunding site Indiegogo, Fletcher and his team are trying to raise $10,000 by March 22. Through March 15, the month-long campaign was at 68 percent of goal.

The feature-length documentary will use the colorful 1969 trial over “bottomless” dancing at Orangevale’s Pink Pussy Kat to help to tell a broader story about the limits of free expression then and now.

The impactful Sacramento trial went national when Judge Earl Warren Jr. decided to take the jury to the club see the dancers “do the dance.” The case helped write the rules for exotic dance in California.

Sacramento journalist and filmmaker Ed Fletcher said he was confident the team will hit the goal.

“There is so much Sacramento love for a deeply local story. We will get there,” said Fletcher.

The reaction to the campaign has been mostly positive, Fletcher said.

“Some people don’t want to talk about it or maybe they think it’s anti-women. To me, it’s just history,” Fletcher said. “This happened and we want to tell the story. I’m not pro-strip club or anti-strip club. I’m a journalist. But at the same time you can’t be afraid to show a little leg in marking if you’re making a project about free expression.”

Directing the project is DQ Hayes, an emerging filmmaker and former musician from the band Shakedown.

"There is love for this project from all over. We get people hitting up our page from UK, Spain, Sweden. Free expression and women's empowerment is universal," said Hayes.

More information at: Dothedance.net

CLICK HERE to contribute

Carol Doda, Big John Misterly clash in coming documentary film

Video clips furnished by the forthcoming documentary film "Do the Dance," which uses the Sacramento 1969 trial over "bottomless" dancing to tell a broader story about the limits to Free Expression. Do the dance is currently raising funds via indiegogo.
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Former Sacramento County sheriff lays out how women should be covered under a new ordinance being discussed in response to the full nude performances he deemed indecent.  As a result of the case, the county and state officials enacted new rules.

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San Francisco topless legend Carol Doda was called to testify during the Pink Pussy Kat trial. In this 1969 clip she talks about the difference between Sacramento and San Francisco.

Campaign underway to fund free expression documentary

The online crowdfunding campaign seeking $10,000 to launch Sacramento documentary "Do the Dance" is underway. 'Do the Dance' examines a 1969 Sacramento strip club indecency trial to tell a broader story about the limits of Free Expression.  The trial made national news after Judge Earl Warren Jr. decided the jury needed to see the dancer "do the dance." San Francisco topless legend Carol Doda also testified.  Learn more HERE.

Poster art for doc film "Do the Dance" revealed

Stare away

Check out these designs for "Do the Dance," our documentary. Tom Beauchamp and his team at Monster Design Co. put this amazing work together.
"Do the Dance" puts us in the Sacramento courtroom and "beer bar" where the son of a legendary jurist told a daring exotic performer to "Do the Dance" in a precedent-setting 1969 case. Get your tickets to our launch party fundraiser here.
The poster art (above) and the social media art tease with this tension, while the ink dot pattern and lettering help define the era. Do you agree? Tell us what you think.

Carol Doda's dead, now what

Death of would be documentary star adds urgency to project 

Carol Doda performing at Chuck Landis' Largo during Sacramento obscenity trial 

By Ed Flethcher
Meeting Carol Doda always seems a matter of when, not if.
Once I began to pursue producing a film about Sacramento’s infamous strip club indecency trial, I’d decided Doda could be key in securing more media coverage and access to financial backers.
The world famous San Francisco entertainer turned the 1969 trial into a national story when she was called to testify by performing a striptease for the jury.
Doda’s cooperation and (hopefully) support would open the doors to media coverage and financial backers, I’d reasoned.
While I briefly spoke with her (more on that later), I never got my interview.
She died Nov. 9  at age 78 due to complications related to kidney failure.
Doda’s death and the passing of Sacramento County Undersheriff Larry Stamm is a sad reminder that time is of the essence when it comes to uncovering dusty historical gems contained in human memories.
When the project was first conceived it was singular in focus: produce a feature-length film on the arrest and trial -- think “American Hustle” meets “The People Vs. Larry Flynt.”
Maybe some screenwriters have a clear distinction between research and writing phases while writing a historical fiction. That has not been the care for me. I researched and wrote, then researched some more.
All along the way, I’ve been sharing the process and the bits history I’ve uncovered.
Somewhere along the way, we decided this rich American story is worth sharing as a documentary.
Doda would have been one of the stars.
I’d resisted the urge to rush right into calling Doda early in the process, but more than a year ago a summoned the courage to call Miss Doda. I looked up the number to her San Francisco lingerie shop and dialed it up.
The problem was she said she had not been to Sacramento and did not perform at the trial. Rather than trying to convince her otherwise, I politely let her off the hook and resolved to try to meet her face-to-face once I had the pictures to show her.
Now I have the photos, but Doda is no longer with us.
Former KCRA reporter Steve Swatt said her appearance was a highlight of the trial.
“Carol Doda was the main attraction in Sacramento's famous topless-bottomless obscenity trial in the late 1960s. She testified at the trial by performing her San Francisco act -- topless, of course -- at what was then the Largo nightclub on Fair Oaks Boulevard,” said Swatt, who covered the trial. “Needless to say, her appearance in front of judge, jury, attorneys, media and curious onlookers was the highlight of the trial.”
The San Francisco Chronicle credited with helping take the strip tease out of the fringe and exposing it mainstream audiences.
Using her loss as added motivation, stay tuned for announcements aimed at kicking the documentary project into high gear. If you’d like to help please contact Ed Fletcher at pinkfilm1969@gmail.com.

Carol Doda performs during Sacramento stripper trial

So exciting about these images I found of the Pink Pussy Kat trial that I can't want to share what I found at the U.C. Davis Speical Collections. They were taken by the Sacramento Union newspaper on Sept. 22, 1969. 

Sacramento's 1969 "bottomless" stripper trial reached another level of media hype when San Francisco performer Carol Doda arrived to dance for the 10 men, 2 woman jury. The Sept. 22, 1969 court proceedings took place at Chuck Landis' Largo. Pink Pussy Kat performers Susanne Marie Haines and Sheila Brandenson, as well as owner Leonard Glancy were arrested after performing fully nude.

The presiding judge Earl Warren Jr. is surrounded by the media. The fact that Warren is the son of Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren added another story line.

While the trial hinging on "contemporary community standards," in addition to watching the offending dance, the jury received testimony from Doda and watched the film "I Am Curious Yellow."

Carol Doda surrounded by the Sacramento media including radio station KFBK.

Trial judge Earl Warren Jr. outside of Chuck Landis' Largo. All image used on a provisional basis. Images from Sacramento Union archives maintained by the U.C. Davis Special Collections.