PHILADELPHIA — Thom Cardwell, 79, of Philadelphia, a screenwriter, film producer, queer icon, and local celebrity, died Jan. 2 in Germantown after a yearlong battle with health complications.

A longtime organizer of the Philadelphia Film Festival, Cardwell was the former director of the Philadelphia Film Society, development director of the Philadelphia Cinema Alliance, and a founding member of the East Coast's largest queer film festival.

An influential figure in Philadelphia's film, cultural, and LGBTQ scenes for decades, Cardwell helped shape many of the city's best-known festivals, including the international queer film festival QFest (formerly the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival). His name often appeared in The Inquirer and other outlets during red carpet events, a spotlight he was no stranger to after appearing as a teenage dancer on "American Bandstand."

Multifaceted — or "multifabulous," as his sister said he liked to describe himself — Cardwell was also a writer whose work appeared in Women's Wear Daily, Philadelphia Gay News and Taste Magazine. He was a book collector and self-described "hopeless romantic." Over the years, he mentored dozens — if not hundreds — of filmmakers, writers, and queer creatives looking for a sense of belonging in Philadelphia.

"Thom was one of the people who made the Philadelphia gay community so warm and inviting. He was involved with many organizations and causes," said writer and friend of Cardwell, Alexander Kacala. "He may have been decades older than many of us, but was way more active and engaged than most of us."

Cardwell co-founded the QUEERtimes weekly newsletter, advised the Lambda Literary Foundation, and volunteered with a variety of organizations. His screenplay "What Comes Next" was turned into a feature film in 2011.

He was known for his flair, rarely seen without a bright scarf or bold outfit.

"Looking back now I realize that Thom never wore athletic wear as a boy," said his sister, Janice Canfield. "He was always matching suspenders with colored ties and so conscious of his belt buckles and cufflinks."

Born in Philadelphia on April 4, 1945, to the late Rexford Cardwell and Phyllis Ferrante, Cardwell moved to the suburbs at age 5, he said in an interview with the Philadelphia Gay News (PGN) in 2015. Both of his parents, his father of Irish and Welsh descent who was a Southern Baptist from North Carolina, and his mother, an Italian Roman Catholic from Connecticut, were "first generation Americans."

The stark cultural and religious differences in his parents' backgrounds would guide him throughout his life.

"I think that helped me a lot later in life, especially being gay in high school, which was not exactly fashionable at the time," he told PGN. "I was also a regular on 'American Bandstand' and there were always rumors about all us kids being gay. Most of the kids on 'Bandstand' were from the city, so that separated me even more from the kids at school in the suburbs."

As a child, he organized elaborate neighborhood productions of "Peter Pan" and "The Mikado," assigning every kid a role — with rules about rehearsals and commitment. To fund the plays, the troupe sold rummaged items at flea markets and charged 20 cents for admission. One year, they raised $40 and donated it to a cancer organization.

"Thom was the best motivator," his sister, Janice, said. That passion for production followed him through life.

Cardwell was enamored with film as a child, watching double and triple features on Saturdays and sneaking off to the movie theater with his cousins during vacations in Wildwood, New Jersey. If a movie was good enough, they'd sneak back into the theater to watch it again. "We watched 'Gentleman Prefer Blondes' with Marilyn Monroe five times," he told PGN.

In high school, he and a friend scored passes to dance on "American Bandstand." While his friend didn't return, Cardwell became a regular for more than three years, earning fan mail and pen pals. He also began writing behind-the-scenes dispatches — an early taste of the spotlight and journalism. On set, he met Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Patti LaBelle and Connie Francis — the first of many celebrity encounters in a life full of them.

Cardwell earned a bachelor's degree in English language and literature from St. Francis College in 1966, and began a Ph.D. in British and American literature at Fordham University a year later. He also took film classes at The New School and Villanova University, choosing his schools largely for their proximity to New York City.

"I flourished in New York and expanded my horizons in amazing directions, meeting new people and learning new things ... It was an exciting time," he told PGN.

By the 1990s, Cardwell had become a central figure in Philadelphia's film scene, helping shape the programming at the Philadelphia Film Society and later the Philadelphia Cinema Alliance.

He regularly attended festivals like Sundance to scout queer films and rising talent for Philadelphia's showcases. His programming included dozens of films from more than a dozen countries each year, giving a platform to underrepresented filmmakers.

"He was proudly gay, proudly supported gay causes, and pushed for more gay media during a time when gay people were still slowly coming out of the closet," said longtime friend Matthew Ray, founder of ChatterBlast. "That was almost as powerful as all the connections; he made safe spaces. A gay film festival is filled with queer creative people and some of those people come from trauma, marginalized communities, or have not always been given the time or the investment to be heard — he made sure they had that."

Cardwell moved to Memphis, Tennessee, around 2019 with his longtime partner, Randal Edelstein. The couple recently moved back to Philadelphia, settling in Germantown.

Even in death, Cardwell found a way to help others — his liver was successfully donated to an organ recipient.

He is survived by his partner, Randal Edelstein; sister, Janice Canfield; nieces Lisa Laffey (Bill) and Pam Myer (Robb); and grandnieces and grandnephews Nick, Zac, and Mac Laffey, and Robbie and Eddie Myer.

A public memorial, Life Is Not A Dress Rehearsal: Celebration of Life of Thom Cardwell, will be held April 27 at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St., Philadelphia.

An online RSVP is required, which can be completed at sickening.events/e/thom-cardwell-celebration.

Donations in his name may be made on the same site and will benefit the new Philadelphia LGBTQ+ International Film Festival.

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