Elmer Curtie Character Analysis

Owner of Derry’s gay bar, the Falcon, which opened in 1973. Curtie initially thinks that his bar will service bus passengers arriving in the terminal next door. In 1977, Curtie nearly goes bankrupt but his luck suddenly turns around when his bar becomes a hangout for the local gay community. Curtie does not realize until 1981 that “his patrons [are] just about almost exclusively gay.” The Falcon has rather campy décor, which may have been part of its attraction for its clientele. It is painted in black and gold and is decorated in stuffed birds, provided by Elmer’s brother, who was a taxidermist and bequeathed Elmer the birds when he died.