George Abagnalo, born in Brooklyn in 1951, was a member of Andy Warhol’s studio, The Factory. Among his many contributions to that creative community, he acted, worked in graphic design, contributed to Interview magazine, and co-wrote Warhol’s last film.
Abagnalo joined The Factory in the summer of 1968, at the age of sixteen, when he was hired by Paul Morrissey as an errand runner and scrapbook keeper.[1][2] (At the time, Warhol was still recovering after having been shot by Valerie Solanas.) Impressed by Abagnalo’s knowledge of film, Morrissey eventually tasked him with designing 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.[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, paving the way for its status today as a cult classic.[5][6][7]
Abagnalo’s affiliation with Warhol lasted through 1977. During this period, he made freelance contributions to Interview magazine, including an interview with transgender actress Holly Woodlawn in the August 1975 issue.[8] He appeared in Women in Revolt (1972) and was co-screenwriter (with Pat Hackett) of Warhol’s last film, Andy Warhol’s Bad (1977).[9][10] Bad's provocative content was censored by distributors and elicited shock from critics at the time of its release.[11] It marks the end of Warhol’s filmography, which is recognized today as an important contribution to avant-garde and queer cinema.[12]
Abagnalo is featured in the documentary film Beautiful Darling[13] and his experiences in the New York avant-garde scene are documented in various histories of the era.[14][15]
Apart from his work at The Factory, he contributed to SoHo Weekly News and acted in off-off Broadway productions. He was the male lead in Jackie Curtis’ last play Champagne (January 3–27, 1985) at La Mama Experimental Theatre Club.[16][17]
Abagnalo is author of Boy on a Pony (2001), a groundbreaking novel exploring the taboo subject of sexual abuse of patients by health care providers.[18] The novel won ForeWord magazine’s Book of the Year Bronze Award for gay fiction, 2002.[19][20]
References
- ^ Gopnik, Blake (April 28, 2020). Warhol. HarperCollins. p. 831. ISBN 9780062298409.
- ^ Hervey, Ben (June 18, 2008). Night of the Living Dead. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 104. ISBN 9781839022029.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Hervey, Ben (June 18, 2008). Night of the Living Dead. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 16–17. ISBN 9781839022029.
- ^ 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).
- ^ Abagnalo, George. "In Memory of Holly Woodlawn". Interview. Interview Magazine.
- ^ "George Abagnalo". IMDb. IMDb.com.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (May 5, 1977). "Film: Warhol's Descent Into Gore". The New York Times: C22.
- ^ "Andy Warhol's Bad". Monthly Film Bulletin; London. 44 (516): 63. Jan 1, 1977.
- ^ Ahern, Mal (2013). "An Invisible Cinema". Millennium Film Journal (58): 94–99.
- ^ "Beautiful Darling". IMDb. IMDb.com, Inc.
- ^ Sewall-Ruskin, Yvonne (Oct 1, 1998). High on Rebellion: Inside the Underground at Max's Kansas City. Open Road Media.
- ^ Davis, Glyn (July 25, 2019). Warhol in Ten Takes. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1844574018.
- ^ "Curtis Serves "Champagne"". Back Stage. 25 (53): 35. December 28, 1984. ProQuest 1438563882.
- ^ "Playwright File: Jackie Curtis (1970-2007)". La Mama.
- ^ "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.