George Abagnalo
George Abagnalo is a writer and actor. He was born in Brooklyn in 1951. In early July, 1968, at the age of sixteen, he was hired by Paul Morrissey to work at Andy Warhol’s studio, The Factory;[1][2] Warhol was still recovering after having been shot by Valerie Solanas. Morrissey was initially impressed by Abagnalo’s knowledge of film. Abagnalo began as an errand runner and scrapbook keeper. He also designed handmade posters for display at movie theaters showing Warhol films. His posters for Tub Girls (1967) and Lonesome Cowboys (1968) are shown prominently in two of photographer Jack Mitchell’s portraits of Warhol, which the Jack Mitchell archives captioned: "Photograph of Andy Warhol at his Factory at 33 Union Square West in New York City with 16mm film reels and posters for Tub Girls and Lonesome Cowboys by George Abagnalo, 1968."[3]
Morrissey also arranged for Abagnalo to work weekends at the Garrick Theater on Bleecker Street, which had begun specializing in the showing of Warhol films. In the fall of 1968, Abagnalo began his senior year at the High School of Art and Design in New York City and so was only able to continue working at The Factory after school. In 1969, he contributed to the fourth issue of Warhol’s Interview magazine with a review of the film Night of the Living Dead (1968) and an interview (along with William Terry Ork) of the film’s director, George A. Romero.[4] The review and interview are known as the first acknowledgements of the importance of that film.[5][6][7]
Abagnalo’s affiliation with Warhol lasted through 1977. He appeared in Women in Revolt (1972) and was co-screenwriter (with Pat Hackett) of Warhol’s last film, Andy Warhol’s Bad (1977).[8][9] He continued to make freelance contributions to Interview magazine, most notable his interview with Holly Woodlawn in the August 1975 issue.[10] He also contributed to SoHo Weekly News.
After leaving The Factory, he continued writing and acting sporadically. He was the male lead in Jackie Curtis’ last play Champagne (January 3–27, 1985) at La Mama Experimental Theatre Club[11] and appeared in other off-off Broadway productions.
Abagnalo is author of Boy on a Pony (2001), a novel about the sexual abuse of patients by health care providers.[12] The novel won ForeWord magazine’s Book of the Year Bronze Award for gay fiction, 2002.[13][14]
References[edit]
- ↑ Gopnik, Blake (April 28, 2020). Warhol. HarperCollins. p. 831. ISBN 9780062298409. Search this book on
- ↑ Hervey, Ben (June 18, 2008). Night of the Living Dead. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 104. ISBN 9781839022029. Search this book on
- ↑ Highberger, Craig. "Andy Warhol at his Factory at 33 Union Square, LAST ONE signed by Jack Mitchell". 1stDibs. 1stDibs.com Inc.
- ↑ Williams, Tony (July 7, 2011). George A. Romero: Interviews. University Press of Mississippi. p. 224. ISBN 978-1-61703-028-4. JSTOR j.ctt2tvjv9. Search this book on
- ↑ Hervey, Ben (June 18, 2008). Night of the Living Dead. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 16–17. ISBN 9781839022029. Search this book on
- ↑ Punch, David. "Night of the Living Dead: Horrors of Reality Manifested in the Flesh". Medium. Medium.
- ↑ Kuhns, Rob (director) (2013). Birth of the Living Dead (Documentary Film).
- ↑ "George Abagnalo". IMDb. IMDb.com.
- ↑ Canby, Vincent (May 5, 1977). "Film: Warhol's Descent Into Gore". The New York Times: C22.
- ↑ Abagnalo, George. "In Memory of Holly Woodlawn". Interview. Interview Magazine.
- ↑ "Curtis Serves "Champagne"". Back Stage. 25 (53): 35. December 28, 1984. ProQuest 1438563882.
- ↑ "Boy on a Pony Is Not a Children's Book". The New Yorker (Ad). June 17, 2002. p. 159.
- ↑ "ForeWord Magazine Announces the 2002 Book of the Year Award Winners". ForeWord Magazine: 25. May 30, 2003.
- ↑ "Boy on a Pony Grabs You". The Advocate (Ad): 42. August 19, 2003.
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