Walter Cole was a drag queen better known by his stage name, Darcelle XV, certified the world’s oldest working drag performer by Guinness World Records in 2016.
- Died: March 23, 2023 (Who else died on March 23?)
- Details of death: Died in Portland, Oregon of natural causes at the age of 92.
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Drag icon
After serving in the U.S. Army in the early 1950s, Cole opened the coffee shop Caffé Espresso in Portland, bringing the city its first espresso machine. He later expanded it to add a jazz club in the basement called Studio A. Later, he opened the nightclub Demas, initially a lesbian bar, and he began shaping his drag persona. Initially married to a woman, Cole came out as gay as he developed his Darcelle XV persona in the mid-1960s. He stated that while he identified as male in his personal life, he preferred Darcelle to be referred to as female, telling the Los Angeles Times, “I’m an entertainer with a capital E. Darcelle is a character – like in a play – and I work very hard at her.” As Darcelle XV began attracting fans, Cole renamed his nightclub Darcelle XV Showplace. The club became a popular entertainment destination, hosting the longest-running drag show on the West Coast. Cole became a Portland icon as he continued to perform regularly as Darcelle XV for decades, still performing multiple times a week when he achieved his Guinness World Record in 2016. In 2021, Darcelle XV Showplace was officially recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. Cole was also known for his charitable work on behalf of the homeless and people living with HIV/AIDS.
Notable quote
“When we were starting our show, we worked as hard for six people as we later did for 200. I wasn’t going to give up on anything. As hard as times are, people need to smile.” —from a 2020 interview for the Oregonian
Tributes to Walter “Darcelle XV” Cole
Full obituary: The Oregonian
