Jackie Curtis
| Jackie Curtis | |
|---|---|
| Born |
John Curtis Holder, Jr. February 19, 1947 New York City |
| Died | May 15, 1985 (aged 38) New York City |
| Cause of death | Heroin overdose |
| Resting place | Rose Hills Memorial Park, Putnam Valley, New York |
| Occupation | Actress, writer, singer, Warhol Superstar |
Jackie Curtis (February 19, 1947 – May 15, 1985) was an American actress, writer, singer and Warhol Superstar.
Jackie Curtis was born John Curtis Holder, Jr. in New York City to John Holder, Sr. and Jenevive Uglialoro. Her parents divorced and she had one sibling, half-brother Timothy Holder, who is an openly gay hip-hop priest. Her maternal grandmother, who she was mostly raised by, was Ann Uglialoro, known by her nickname Slugger Ann. Jackie performed as both a man and a woman throughout her career. While performing in drag, Curtis would typically wear lipstick, glitter, bright red hair, and ripped dresses and stockings. Curtis pioneered this 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 said of his associate. Primarily a stage actress, Curtis debuted at the age of 17 in Tom Eyen's play Miss Neferititi Regrets. Curtis began to write her own plays immediately after this experience, often featuring famous transsexuals, such as Candy Darling and, later, Holly Woodlawn, both of whom appeared in her productions, which 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 actress, her plays include Glamour, Glory and Gold, which also starred Candy Darling, Melba LaRose, Jr. and Robert De Niro in his first appearance on stage, playing several roles; Vain Victory, Amerika Cleopatra featuring Harvey Fierstein; Femme Fatale, with Patti Smith, Jayne County and Penny Arcade; and Heaven Grand in Amber Orbit with Holly Woodlawn.
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