Douglas Byng Before the term drag queen could be coined, out British actor Douglas Byng honed the female impersonation craft back in the World War I era. He first donned ladies’ clothes to perform comic monologues as queens and other historical figures in the Shakespearean tradition but eventually moved into cabaret-style acts in London’s West End. PROMINENT DRAG FIGURES
Coccinelle
In post-World War II France, Coccinelle made her debut as a drag performer at Chez Madame Arthur, then performed alongside other female impersonators at Le Carrousel de Paris. But in 1958 she became a media sensation, according to historian Joanne Meyerowitz, after undergoing gender- confirmation surgery and returning to the stage. Suddenly Coccinelle appeared in films and headlined shows at the Paris Olympia. Her success paved the way for other trans performers who underwent “the operation” and continued to perform. Later in life, she became involved in trans activism and founded Devenir Femme.
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