Darcelle XV aka Walter Cole was a legendary Drag icon not only in her hometown in Portland OR, but in the drag universe. Walter served in the U.S. Armed forces and was discharged after the Korean War. In 1967, he bought a tavern in Northwest Portland, which became Darcelle XV Showplace. The name Darcelle honors the French actress and singer Denise Darcel. Darcelle described her persona as “sequins on the eyelids, lots of feathers, big hair, big jewels, and lots of wisecracks.”
For over 50 years, Darcelle XV Showplace was home to the longest-running drag show in the West Coast and produced the La Femme Magnifique International Pageant. Darcelle provided a safe space to showcase the drag art form and provided a home and career for countless drag performers. Darcelle also gave back generously to the community and has been widely honored for her philanthropy; an AIDS Memorial Monument and a street named in her honor.
In 2016, Darcelle was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest drag queen at the age of 85, and in 2020 Darcelle’s XV Showplace was added to the Oregon National Register of Historic Places.