Pat Rocco

Directing·Feb 9, 1934

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Pat Rocco was born Pasquale Vincent Serrapica in 1934 to an Italian-American family in Brooklyn, New York. Moved to California at 11, and "came out" at 13. Had his own radio show, in which he featured as a singer, at 16, and recorded an album at 19. As a charismatic, openly gay youth, Rocco pursued a career in entertainment in Southern California, singing and appearing on televised talent shows. Appeared in some early TV shows in the late 40s and early 50s, and created the part of Mack the Knife in the West Coast premiere of "The Threepenny Opera". A job as a photographer of male nude studies turned into a successful mail-order business of his own 8mm and 16mm films. Shown publicly for the first time in 1968 in L.A.’s Park Theatre, Rocco’s films were widely embraced by the gay community and favorably reviewed by mainstream press. The films were ecstatic affirmations of gay love and identity, groundbreaking at a time when homosexual activity remained illegal. “They were the first really overt gay films with nudity in a public theater […] they had something to say that was positive,” said Rocco in a 1983 interview. The significance of the films was deeply felt: “I’ve had a number of people tell me that ‘I came out because of your films.’ I can’t tell you, the letters, the phone calls, the things like that. ‘They made me feel like I was not alone.’ ‘They gave me a real positive feeling about myself because I could relate to the people on the screen.’” What was once a clandestine, black-market activity became a celebratory event.

Film	Credit
Pat Rocco Dared2021 · Self (archive footage)	Self (archive footage)
Silent No More1977 · Writer, Director	Writer, Director
We Were There1976 · Narrator, Director	Narrator, Director
Drifter1975 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Light from the Second Story Window1973 · Director of Photography	Director of Photography
ONE Adventure1973 · Himself, Director, Director of Photography	Himself, Director, Director of Photography
Get That Sailor1973 · Director	Director
A Dream of Body1972 · Writer, Director of Photography, Director	Writer, Director of Photography, Director
A Deep Compassion1972 · Writer, Director	Writer, Director
A Breath of Love1971 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
Come of Age1971 · Director of Photography, Director, Writer	Director of Photography, Director, Writer
SS.P.R.E.E. on a Spree1970 · Director	Director
Changes1970 · Director	Director
Sex and the Single Gay1970 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
Meat Market Arrest1970 · Actor, Director	Actor, Director
Mondo Rocco1970 · Actor, Director	Actor, Director
Sign of Protest1970 · Director	Director
Pat Rocco Dares1969 · Director, Writer, Director of Photography	Director, Writer, Director of Photography
Marco of Rio1969 · Writer, Producer, Director	Writer, Producer, Director
Let There Be Boys1969 · Actor, Director	Actor, Director
Breath of Love1969 · Director	Director
Ron and Chuck in Disneyland Discovery1969 · Director	Director
A Pat Rocco Happening!1968 · Writer, Director, Director of Photography	Writer, Director, Director of Photography
Autumn Nocturne1968 · Director	Director
Strip Strip1968 · Director	Director
Someone1968 · Director of Photography, Producer, Director	Director of Photography, Producer, Director
Love Is Blue1968 · Director	Director
AA Matter of Life1968 · Director	Director
Sunny Boys1968 · Director	Director
FFanny's Hill1968 · Director	Director
AA Very Special FriendDirector	Director
TThe Anatomy of TomDirector	Director