Picturehouse debuted the official red-band trailer for Carol Doda Topless at The Condor, the documentary set in San Francisco starting in 1964 when Carol Doda became the first dancer in the nation to perform topless.

The film is based partly on the book Three Nights at the Condor by Benita Mattioli.

Featured in the documentary are Pete Mattioli, former owner of the Condor Club, Benita Mattioli, author of “Three Nights at the Condor,” Congressman John Burton, author Wednesday Martin and saxophonist, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, and Sly and the Family Stone Co-Founder, Jerry Martini and many more.

Release Date

Co-Directed by Marlo McKenzie and Jonathan Parker, Carol Doda Topless at The Condor premiered at the 2023 Telluride Film Festival; and opens in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco theaters on March 22, then expands to top 40 markets beginning March 29, 2024.

Synopsis

Against the backdrop of the 1964 Republican Convention, a San Francisco cocktail waitress became one of the city’s most popular entertainers after making her debut as America’s first topless dancer. The new documentary feature Carol Doda Topless at the Condor tells the story of the fresh-faced girl next door who defied convention and the law by gyrating atop a white baby grand piano and turning a North Beach nightclub into the city’s second-most-popular tourist attraction after the Golden Gate Bridge. Meanwhile, Doda’s very public use of silicone to enhance her breasts launched a new industry.

Directors Marlo McKenzie and Jonathan Parker share an unprecedented look at Doda’s life and legacy, as well as a behind-the-scenes tour of the vibrant, sometimes outrageous and always entertaining world of North Beach.

“I was drawn to Carol Doda’s story because of her courage,” says co-director McKenzie. “She was a trailblazing entrepreneur who took risks to achieve her dreams. There were consequences for her choices, and she faced them with charm and humor. Carol helped move culture towards accepting nudity as a part of the human experience that can be embraced and delighted in.”

Co-director Parker adds, “I knew Carol personally. She was such an important part of San Francisco’s cultural history, which had an impact on the whole country. I wanted to make sure her story was told. At a time when there weren’t a lot of options for women, Carol created a career for herself that resonated on many levels. She had charisma. She had courage. And I believe she loved what she did.”

Official Trailer

Watch the official trailer for Carol Doda Topless at the Condor