Woodlawn (born Haroldo Santiago Franceschi Rodriguez Danhakl on October 26, 1946) is a transvestite and former Warhol superstar, who appeared in his movies Trash (1970) and Women in Revolt (1972).
Her life was summarized
by Lou Reed in his song
Walk on the Wild Side:
hitch-hiked her way across the USA,
plucked her eyebrows on the way,
shaved her legs, and then he was a she...
Early life
Born in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico, she adopted the name Holly as an homage to the heroine of Breakfast at Tiffany's and in 1969 added the surname from a sign she saw on an episode of I Love Lucy.
Career
She met Andy Warhol in the Factory at a screening of Flesh. Through him she met Jackie Curtis, who cast Woodlawn in her play Heaven Grand in Amber Orbit in the autumn of 1969. In October she was assigned a bit role in Trash, but so impressed director Paul Morrissey that she was given a larger role. In 1970 she received word from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that George Cukor, supported by others, was petitioning the Academy to nominate her for Trash[citation needed] - however, nothing came of this campaign.
In May 1971, Woodlawn replaced Candy Darling at the La Mama Theatre, New York in a production of Vain Victory written and directed by Jackie Curtis. She was arrested and briefly incarcerated in Puerto Rico after being caught shoplifting.
By 1976 the work had dried up, and Woodlawn moved to San Francisco. She returned to New York later in the year and had a brief revival after appearing on Geraldo Rivera's talk show before being jailed again in 1977 for not fulfilling a previous probation obligation. She was released on the appeal of politician Ethan Geto, who helped organize a benefit for her.
Woodlawn continued to make cameo appearances in plays and films such as Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss throughout the 1980s and 1990s. After Warhol's death, she was a frequently requested commentator on his life and influence. She currently resides in West Hollywood.
Woodlawn began performing in cabaret shows in sold-out New York and Los Angeles performances in the early 2000s.
Trash
Uploaded by davidlange
Spotlight
The Holly Woodlawn Story: A Low Life in High Heels
Amazon Price: (as of 09/06/2008)
List Price: $19.95
Used Price: $5.89
Holly, Jane Forth and Little Joe
Selected filmography
- Milwaukee, Minnesota (2003)
- Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998)
- Night Owl (1993) (a.k.a. "Nite Owl")
- Broken Goddess (1973)
- Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers (1972)
- Women In Revolt (1972)
- Trash (1970) (a.k.a "Andy Warhol's Trash")
DVD's featuring Holly Woodlawn
Amazon Spotlight
Stargazer: The Life, World and Films of Andy Warhol
Amazon Price: $11.66 (as of 09/06/2008)
List Price: $14.95
Further Reading
"We need welfare
and you can't have
my fucking shoes!"
External Links
- Holly Woodlawn
- Actor: Trash. Visit IMDb for Photos, Filmography, Discussions, Bio, News, Awards, Agent, Fan Sites.
- La MaMa E.T.C.
- La MaMa E.T.C.
- BBC - Radio 4 Woman's Hour -Sadie Lee; Painting a Warhol Legend
- Holly Woodlawn was immortalized in the Lou Reed song "Walk on the Wild Side" and has been described as the most famous drag queen in the world. Part of the Andy Warhol set, Holly was born Harold Azjenberg in Puerto Rico in 1946.


































