Icons - Jackie Curtis

"Jackie is just speeding away,

Thought she was James Dean for a day,

Then I guess she had to crash,

Valium would have helped that bash,

She said: "Hey Sugar, Take a walk on the wild side"

(Lyrics from the 'Lou Reed' song 'Walk on the Wild Side")

Jackie Curtis was born in New York City. He performed as both a man and a woman throughout his career. While performing in drag, Curtis would typically wear lipstick, glitter, bright red hair, and ripped and torn dresses and stockings. Curtis pioneered this unique style, a combination of trash and glamour which has prompted assertions that Curtis inspired the "Glitter rock" or "Glam Rock" movement of the 1970s.

"Jackie Curtis is not a drag queen. Jackie is an artist. A pioneer without a frontier" Andy Warhol.

Primarily a stage actor, Curtis debuted at the age of 17 in 'Tom Eyen's' play 'Miss Neferititi Regrets'. Curtis began to write his own plays immediately after this experience, often featuring famous transsexuals, such as 'Candy Darling' and later 'Holly Woodlawn'. His productions enjoyed successful runs at 'La Mama' and were well-reviewed. Curtis' work was inspired in part by the 'Playhouse of the Ridiculous'. As writer and lead actor his plays include: 'Glamour, Glory and Gold' which also starred 'Candy Darling' and 'Robert De Niro' in his first appearance on stage, 'Vain Victory, Amerika Cleopatra' featuring Harvey Fierstein, 'Femme Fatale' with 'Patti Smith', 'Wayne County' (now 'Jayne County') and 'Penny Arcade' and 'Heaven Grand In Amber Orbit' with 'Holly Woodlawn'.

'Andy Warhol' and his director 'Paul Morrissey' cast Curtis and 'Candy Darling' in 'Flesh' (1968) and with 'Holly Woodlawn' in 'Women in Revolt' (1971).

Curtis was also a singer and poet. In 1974 Curtis and 'Holly Woodlawn' appeared in the critically acclaimed 'Cabaret in the Sky' at the New York Cultural Center. A CD of songs by 'Paul Serrato' from the Curtis musicals 'Lucky Wonderful' and 'Vain Victory' was released in 2004. Curtis' poem 'B-Girls' much of which is based on his observations of people who visited his grandmother's bar, 'Slugger Anns' led to Curtis' inclusion in the 1979 book 'The Poets' Encyclopedia'. It was the longest poem in the book, spanning a total of eight pages.

Jackie Curtis made two more movies during the 1980s. Drug addiction, however, had taken control of her life, eventually leading to her death of heroin overdose at the age of 38.