Seventeen years [twenty-five – 2024] since the passing of Quentin Crisp, the unforgettable Quentin Crisp. Crisperanto – The Quentin Crisp Archives – are lovingly and comprehensively curated by archivist/curator Phillip Ward. So much extraordinary material there. Don’t miss it.
Here’s just a little sampling of the man himself, starting with his acting debut in the 1967 short, Captain Busby (based on a surreal poem by Philip O’Connor)
And Bernard Braden’s BFI interview the following year (“the year “ The Naked Civil Servant” was first published and before he became a household name”)
The 1975 tv/film adaptation (starring John Hurt) can be found here
The follow-up, “An Englishman in New York” may be viewed here
Hurt and Crisp can be seen together in the 1990 documentary, Resident Alien (selections from that can be seen here)
Here is Quentin Crisp Live in Los Angeles in 1980 (in four parts)
Here’s Quentin interviewed in 1983, in 1985, plus 1985 again and here (from 1987)
and again – here
Glorious that you’ve sent these wonderful things to us, Phillip. Thank you!
I went to New York for the gay games in 1994 and as part of the cultural events I attended a certain show with an elderly man on the stage in a small theater for no more than 100 people in lower Manhattan. I remember a similar reaction of the audience. At that time my English was very poor and I understood little but I accepted the invitation of an American friend because I never could say no to anyone. I nos wonder if this man on the stage could have been Mr Quentin crisp of whom I knew nothing at all at that time.