Bobby, look for a thin woman with huge expressive eyes done in black kohl-- kind of a cross between Alice Cooper and Nefertiti. Her hair was always done up in a large and loose Gibson Girl meets Geisha coiffure. She always wore black but would find some costume fragment, usually on the floor of the dressing room-- some discarded feathers, a beaded or glittering thing-- that she would work into a stunning and unique shawl. That's Ann.
As I remember her now, she was somewhat older than the rest of us then-- somewhere in her thirties, whereas we were in our early twenties.
And yet there was never the sense that she was anything but our peer. It's as if in all of that glamorous madness and with all of these children she had found a home. But surely that is how so many of us felt.
Don't get me wrong. There were many who were older-- Ethyl and Madame, for instance-- and we always treated them with that certain respect as ruling elders. But Ann... well she was just one of us kids. Quite an exceptional attitude for her to project, now that I, having become one of those elders, look back on it.
Dear friends,
I am so delighted and moved to be hearing from you about my sister, Ann Craig! I'm scanning some photos from our mother's archives to share with you --- and perhaps shake loose more memories! I'll put them up before the week's out.
Meantime, I just heard from Eleanor -- our mom, the author of "The Moon is Broken," her memoir about Annie (it's on Amazon) -- that someone took movies/video of some of Ann's peroformances at La Mama. She was doing skits that had originated at the Pyramid, including the famous 'Family Feud' episode that featured, on one side, the Onassises, with Ann (?) playing Jackie in a pink suit/pillbox hat with a bit of meatloaf on the shoulder. I'm told that the filmmaker showed these works around in various venues, years later, and that my mother asked to be given copies -- actually, paid for copies -- but through some mischance never received them. Anybody know who the auteur might be? It would be -- well, it would be worth a long, grateful cry to see those images.
Another bit of Annie / Pyramid trivia to share: Some of you may be familiar with the great poet Mark Doty. He's always written gorgeously on drag theatricals and cabaret in general, and one of his nest-known poems, 'Bill's Story,' which appeared in the collection "My Alexandria," is abuot Ann. It's a retelling of a story I told him, which Mark made his own -- but which jibes beautifully with memories of Annie I've read here.
Many thanks, still searching,
Bill
I am so delighted and moved to be hearing from you about my sister, Ann Craig! I'm scanning some photos from our mother's archives to share with you --- and perhaps shake loose more memories! I'll put them up before the week's out.
Meantime, I just heard from Eleanor -- our mom, the author of "The Moon is Broken," her memoir about Annie (it's on Amazon) -- that someone took movies/video of some of Ann's peroformances at La Mama. She was doing skits that had originated at the Pyramid, including the famous 'Family Feud' episode that featured, on one side, the Onassises, with Ann (?) playing Jackie in a pink suit/pillbox hat with a bit of meatloaf on the shoulder. I'm told that the filmmaker showed these works around in various venues, years later, and that my mother asked to be given copies -- actually, paid for copies -- but through some mischance never received them. Anybody know who the auteur might be? It would be -- well, it would be worth a long, grateful cry to see those images.
Another bit of Annie / Pyramid trivia to share: Some of you may be familiar with the great poet Mark Doty. He's always written gorgeously on drag theatricals and cabaret in general, and one of his nest-known poems, 'Bill's Story,' which appeared in the collection "My Alexandria," is abuot Ann. It's a retelling of a story I told him, which Mark made his own -- but which jibes beautifully with memories of Annie I've read here.
Many thanks, still searching,
Bill
Unless I am totally wrong, I believe the Family Feud show was shot by Tom Rubnitz, who unfortunately has long since passed. Perhaps that is why your mother never received her copy. Also unfortunately, I have heard that, due to problems with his family, these films will never be seen. Whether or not this is true, it underscores the necessity for all of us to make wills now and not leave it up to our inheritors to decide what becomes of our legacy.
I didn't know ANY of these folk... but am really enjoying these tales! Thanks!
Bill..Is the world small or what. I live in Ptown and Mark Doty lives down the street in the season. Wierd!!
True that, Bobby. I think the world is much smaller than it is big -- a potentially comforting reality which our present government makes more disastrous every day!
quote:Originally posted by NEOborg:
and what about Craig Curiosity... Vanessa Miasma... Gerard... and.. Blue Fucking L'Amour!
those were the days...
Just found this forum...and a showbox full of old photos of Michael T, Craig, Vanessa etc...from the pyramid. I still remember doing a photoshoot of Michael lypsynching "sweet transvestite from transexual transylvania..." Good time...
Hi Brain ! Hey david ! is daddy (larry t.) ? sorry...i just got here a few days ago... i don't have a clue who's who. anybody HELPING out the "new bbb's here ?
Will be opening a club in beijing very soon. It would HELP alot if some of you former staff members would SAY HI !
David Ratt... i'm gonna kick your ass... for losing my phone # & address. You fuck !
Hattie ....is that you ???? Hatches ????? give me a break knuckleheads. I've been in Beijing for 8 yrs. i'm waiting ! well ???
Dana tech.
Will be opening a club in beijing very soon. It would HELP alot if some of you former staff members would SAY HI !
David Ratt... i'm gonna kick your ass... for losing my phone # & address. You fuck !
Hattie ....is that you ???? Hatches ????? give me a break knuckleheads. I've been in Beijing for 8 yrs. i'm waiting ! well ???
Dana tech.
I'll never forget the night I heard "Hatches" admit that he loves the song "We built this city on Rock and Roll"..it was then I realized the humanity of the pYramid icons I had idolized...that these were people that had lives during the day - and listened to commercial radio - and were not just supreme divas and disco 'creatures of the night'...
I wish that top was a little more low cut.
Which top, seven, the wig?
Lisa I guess that just proves you can't take a lot of what I say seriously. I did love Grace though-- she opened quite a few vistas for me regarding music and stagecraft; I was fortunate to first witness her antics onstage at The Fillmore West when I was 13. But that song? Nah. Hated it. And it wasn't even Grace.
Of course, I would be the first to admit that I do have very peculiar taste in music... but I don't even think I owned any kind of radio (let alone one which received AM) from the 1970's on-- until I recently bought a clock radio, that is.
Lisa I guess that just proves you can't take a lot of what I say seriously. I did love Grace though-- she opened quite a few vistas for me regarding music and stagecraft; I was fortunate to first witness her antics onstage at The Fillmore West when I was 13. But that song? Nah. Hated it. And it wasn't even Grace.
Of course, I would be the first to admit that I do have very peculiar taste in music... but I don't even think I owned any kind of radio (let alone one which received AM) from the 1970's on-- until I recently bought a clock radio, that is.
Dana, did the club in Beihjing open? It's Joshua, former staffer, and always a fan of yours, thought you were cool, even though we only overlapped for a spell.
Hatches IS Hattie as far as I know. But Daddy I believe Johnny D whom I'm not sure you knew back then.
(People: did I just break the rules by saying the above?)
What brought you to China?
Hatches IS Hattie as far as I know. But Daddy I believe Johnny D whom I'm not sure you knew back then.
(People: did I just break the rules by saying the above?)
What brought you to China?
quote:Originally posted by Dana:
Hi Brain ! Hey david ! is daddy (larry t.) ? sorry...i just got here a few days ago... i don't have a clue who's who. anybody HELPING out the "new bbb's here ?
Will be opening a club in beijing very soon. It would HELP alot if some of you former staff members would SAY HI !
David Ratt... i'm gonna kick your ass... for losing my phone # & address. You fuck !
Hattie ....is that you ???? Hatches ????? give me a break knuckleheads. I've been in Beijing for 8 yrs. i'm waiting ! well ???
Dana tech.
No, it's no secret, Johnny D is me.
Hatches is Hattie.
Chi Chi is Chi Chi.
Pops Steiner (don't ask) is the magical Dany Johnson.
That's all I'll reveal for now.
Hatches is Hattie.
Chi Chi is Chi Chi.
Pops Steiner (don't ask) is the magical Dany Johnson.
That's all I'll reveal for now.
Hi Everyone
I haven't been keeping up with technology, so it has been a while since I posted. Luckily, my intern Rodrigo spent all morning plugging me . . . into the Motherboards, that is.
More later,
Cranky L'face AKA the real Hapi Phace (Ancient and Justified)
I haven't been keeping up with technology, so it has been a while since I posted. Luckily, my intern Rodrigo spent all morning plugging me . . . into the Motherboards, that is.
More later,
Cranky L'face AKA the real Hapi Phace (Ancient and Justified)
Welcome aboard, neighbor!
"intern"?
Oh is THAT what we're calling it these days?
An "intern".
OK.
It's about time you got your ancient Phace on here Hapi!!!!!!
Oh is THAT what we're calling it these days?
An "intern".
OK.
It's about time you got your ancient Phace on here Hapi!!!!!!
I
Hapi Phace
Hapi Phace
Bobby Miller?
Egad, that is quite the blackmail photo. I will get the check into the mail immediately!
xxoo The Hapster
Egad, that is quite the blackmail photo. I will get the check into the mail immediately!
xxoo The Hapster
quote:Originally posted by bobby:
Hapi Phace? Where in the hell..?
welcome back, we missed ya doll.
I gall bladder you too Miss Understood!
xxxx00000www Aunt Hapi
Hapi Phace[/QUOTE]
xxxx00000www Aunt Hapi
Hapi Phace[/QUOTE]
No offense vulgar, but ...
I may be responding to this five years late(r) - but I am sorry, Linda Simpson doing Frank's verion of "strangers" is GENIUS! Any queen could do Nancy's version - but to have the (tucked) cajones to do Frank!!!! That is as brilliant as any of Andy Kaufman's acts. Linda, you were about a thousand million artistic miles ahead of the lot of us for doing that number. Such absolute perfection. How could you ever top that? No wonder you would never do another number after that - it wan't because of shame - but because it was perfect.
I may be responding to this five years late(r) - but I am sorry, Linda Simpson doing Frank's verion of "strangers" is GENIUS! Any queen could do Nancy's version - but to have the (tucked) cajones to do Frank!!!! That is as brilliant as any of Andy Kaufman's acts. Linda, you were about a thousand million artistic miles ahead of the lot of us for doing that number. Such absolute perfection. How could you ever top that? No wonder you would never do another number after that - it wan't because of shame - but because it was perfect.
quote:Originally posted by vulgargreek:
Like many of us, I have suppressed this haunting memory for way too long:
well, does anyone want to remember Linda's first and last Lip-singing act? It was at Pyramid back in 1992, when she made a stunning Debutt, singing "strangers In the Night", yes the Sinatra version!!
The audience fell silent, and the number was dead on arrival!
linda has shunned any mention of this topic, however subtle... should this forum force her to finally confront her demons??
Hapster!!!!!!
Love you madly, welcome fellow Ancient One..
Love you madly, welcome fellow Ancient One..
OMG Haps... welcome back!
I still have that zip-up dress that you are wearing in Bobby's pic-- though on me it's more of a top (pun intended.)
I still have that zip-up dress that you are wearing in Bobby's pic-- though on me it's more of a top (pun intended.)
I had an intern once and all he was interested in was my boots.
HI Hapi!
The very first time I showed up at Pyramid, I think it was Dec. of '81, a drag queen gave me a giant hug and I felt sooo welcome and won't forget it. And it almost surely could not have been you. And yet, not being able to recall just who, I put your phace there in my memory because I have always found you to be the welcoming huggy type. (If I'm wrong, don't tell me.)
nice to see you here.
The very first time I showed up at Pyramid, I think it was Dec. of '81, a drag queen gave me a giant hug and I felt sooo welcome and won't forget it. And it almost surely could not have been you. And yet, not being able to recall just who, I put your phace there in my memory because I have always found you to be the welcoming huggy type. (If I'm wrong, don't tell me.)
nice to see you here.
"Hugging"?
Oh is THAT what we are calling it these days... "Hugging".
OK
Well, on that note it's time for PYRAMID Part 2.
Oh is THAT what we are calling it these days... "Hugging".
OK
Well, on that note it's time for PYRAMID Part 2.