Circus of Books - Production & Contact Info

Circus of Books (2019)
Not Rated
92 min | Documentary, Biography, History

Circus of Books (2019)

Not Rated

92 min | Documentary, Biography, History

In 1976, Karen and Barry Mason had fallen on hard times and were looking for a way to support their young family when they answered an ad in the Los Angeles Times. Larry Flynt was seeking distributors for Hustler Magazine. What was ...See moreIn 1976, Karen and Barry Mason had fallen on hard times and were looking for a way to support their young family when they answered an ad in the Los Angeles Times. Larry Flynt was seeking distributors for Hustler Magazine. What was expected to be a brief sideline led to their becoming fully immersed in the LGBT community as they took over a local store, Circus of Books. A decade later, they had become the biggest distributors of gay porn in the US. The film focuses on the double life they led, trying to maintain the balance of being parents at a time when LGBT culture was not yet accepted. Their many challenges included facing jail time for a federal obscenity prosecution and enabling their store to be a place of refuge at the height of the AIDS crisis. Circus of Books offers a rare glimpse into an untold chapter of queer history, and it is told through the lens of the owners' own daughter, Rachel Mason, an artist, filmmaker and musician. See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
37 cast members

Name	Known for
Karen Mason Self Self See fewer	Stars in the House (2020)
Barry Mason Self Self See fewer	Inglorious Treksperts (2018)
Micah Mason Self - Karen and Barry's Son Self - Karen and Barry's Son See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Rachel Mason Self - Karen and Barry's Daughter Self - Karen and Barry's Daughter See fewer	Untitled Halyna Hutchins Project
Josh Mason Self - Karen and Barry's Son Self - Karen and Barry's Son See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Fernando Aguilar Self - Former Employee Self - Former Employee See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Freddie Bercovitz Self - Former Employee Self - Former Employee See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Gisella Colindres Self Self See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Ellen Friedman Self Self See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Larry Flynt Self - Publisher of Hustler Magazine Self - Publisher of Hustler Magazine See fewer	The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
David Gregory Self - Former Employee Self - Former Employee See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Joseph Hawkins Self Self See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Alexandr Jonah Ivolgin Self Self See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Harold Kameya Self Self See fewer	Our Child Is Gay (2010)
Ellen Kameya Self Self See fewer	Okaeri Voices (2020)
Polly Kim Self Self See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Ben Liefke Self - Employee Self - Employee See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Billy Miller Self - Magazine Publisher Self - Magazine Publisher See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Paulo Morillo Self - Customer and Writer Self - Customer and Writer See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Don Norman Self - Customer Self - Customer See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Jorge Rodriguez Self Self See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Alexei Romanoff Self - LGBT Rights Activist Self - LGBT Rights Activist See fewer	L.A.: A Queer History (2021)
Jeff Stryker Self - Adult Film Star Self - Adult Film Star See fewer	Underground (II) (1998)
Phil Tarley Self - Adult Film Director Self - Adult Film Director See fewer	Chasing Andy (1998)
Alaska Thunderfuck Self - Former Employee and Drag Queen Self - Former Employee and Drag Queen See fewer	The Last Sharknado: It's About Time (2018)
Alex Valdes Self Self See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
John Weston Self - First Amendment Attorney Self - First Amendment Attorney See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Ellen Winer Self - Karen's Childhood Friend Self - Karen's Childhood Friend See fewer	Circus of Books (2019)
Dorian Wood Self - Customer and Artist Self - Customer and Artist See fewer	Paisa (2019)
Connie Chung Self - Reporter (archive footage) Self - Reporter (archive footage) See fewer	House of Cards (2013)
Ted Koppel Self - News Anchor (archive footage) Self - News Anchor (archive footage) See fewer	Koppel on Discovery (2006)
Simon L. Leis Jr. Self - County Prosecutor, Ohio (archive footage) (as Simon Leis) Self - County Prosecutor, Ohio (archive footage) (as Simon Leis) See fewer	Cellblock 6: Female Lock Up (2010)
Ed Meese Self - Attorney General of the United States, Reagan Administration (archive footage) Self - Attorney General of the United States, Reagan Administration (archive footage) See fewer	The Reagan Presidency (2012)
Jim Morrison Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Army of the Dead (2021)
Ronald Reagan Self - President of the United States (archive footage) Self - President of the United States (archive footage) See fewer	Kings Row (1942)
Matt Sterling Self - Adult Film Director (archive footage) Self - Adult Film Director (archive footage) See fewer
Potter Stewart Self - Supreme Court Justice (archive footage) Self - Supreme Court Justice (archive footage) See fewer