Born
Denis Charles Pratt in Carshalton, England, on Christmas Day,
1908, he suffered a difficult childhood and in a time when
there was a much more homophobic society. Around his late
teens, or perhaps his early twenties, he began to accept his
sexuality more easily until finally he decided to state it to
the world with his mode of dress, trowelled on make-up, long
fingernails, and henna'd hair.
Between
'legitimate' jobs he earned money as a male prostitute until
he became a nude model for a government supported art school.
His autobiography "The Naked Civil Servant" (made into a film
starring John Hurt, 1975) gains its title from this time.
Following the film's good reception in America in 1976, Crisp
later moved to New York, living on Lower East Side and
becoming a 'resident alien' (another title) by keeping his
British passport. In 1978 he staged the first "An Evening with
Quentin Crisp". The reviews were excellent and it won a
special Award for Unique Theatrical Experience.
Quentin died of natural causes at a friend's house on the
outskirts of Manchester, England, on November 21st. 1999, the
eve of the opening night of yet another run of (updated) "An
Evening with Quentin Crisp".
Born
Denis Charles Pratt in Carshalton, England, on Christmas Day,
1908, he suffered a difficult childhood and in a time when
there was a much more homophobic society. Around his late
teens, or perhaps his early twenties, he began to accept his
sexuality more easily until finally he decided to state it to
the world with his mode of dress, trowelled on make-up, long
fingernails, and henna'd hair.
