Finocchio’s, the SF club that gave birth to American drag

Finocchio's, seen at far left, with Enrico's at the center, in 1964. (Photo: Alan J. Canterbury, via the San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library)

Once upon a time, there was a cabaret-style nightclub in San Francisco’s North Beach that featured a cast of female impersonators. The place gained nationwide notoriety, and became a go-to destination for tourists, sailors, and celebrities alike. And this was…