Taylor Mead obit

Taylor Mead, Bohemian and Actor, Dies at 88

 He was not on the list.

Taylor Mead, an underground cinema legend whose comic charm and sense of the surreal inspired Andy Warhol and other seminal figures in the alternative film world, died Wednesday in Denver. He was 88.

A fixture of bohemian New York who was also a poet and artist, Mead was visiting family in Colorado when he had a stroke, said his niece, Priscilla Mead.

Called “the Charlie Chaplin of the 1960s underground,” Mead was an elfin figure with kewpie-doll eyes who appeared, by his count, in 130 films, starting with the 1960 art house classic “The Flower Thief.” In a review for the Village Voice, film critic J. Hoberman pronounced him “the first underground movie star.”

He later became one of Warhol’s first superstars, appearing in films such as “Tarzan and Jane Regained … Sort Of” and “Lonesome Cowboys.” He also was known for his work in Ron Rice’s “The Queen of Sheba Meets the Atom Man” and Robert Downey Sr.’s “Babo 73.”

Indie auteur Jim Jarmusch, who cast Mead in a moving vignette that closed his 2003 film “Coffee and Cigarettes,” considered Mead one of his heroes.

A dropout from a life of privilege, Mead allied himself with Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and other early leaders of the San Francisco Beat scene of the 1950s before settling in New York to eke out a living as a member of its thriving arts underground.

He was a familiar face on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, where he wandered the streets with a notebook, read his poetry in coffeehouses – often against a background of a Charles Mingus recording – and fed feral cats in the predawn hours.

“Taylor was a spark who inspired filmmakers, poets and artists on both coasts,” said Haden Guest, director of the Harvard Film Archive, which sponsored a Mead retrospective last fall. “He saw his life as his art and his art as his life and didn’t separate them the way we do today.”

He was the subject of “Excavating Taylor Mead,” a 2005 documentary by William Kirkley that knits the actor’s personal history with later struggles to hold on to his decrepit New York apartment and maintain his free-spirited life.

Born on the last day of 1924 in Grosse Pointe, Mich., Mead was the son of a wealthy businessman and his socialite wife who divorced before he was born. He floated through boarding schools and a number of colleges before his father found him a job in a brokerage house, which was not to his liking.

Openly gay since he was about 12, he left the East Coast in the mid-1950s, hitchhiked to California and studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Inspired by “Pull My Daisy,” a short 1959 film based on the Kerouac play “Beat Generation,” he collaborated with Rice on “The Flower Thief,” a somewhat haphazardly structured film shot with a handheld camera that features Mead wandering through San Francisco coffeehouses and dives carrying a flower, an American flag and a teddy bear.

“There was no plot, no planning,” he told the Philadelphia City Paper in 2005. “It was … extremely spontaneous, and all of us were just crazy anyway.”

Village Voice critic J. Hoberman praised it as “the beatnik film par excellence,” with Mead playing “a kind of Zen village idiot.”

In 1964, before Warhol was a pop-art mega-celebrity, he invited Mead on a road trip to California for the opening of a gallery show. They wound up making “Tarzan and Jane Regained…Sort Of,” a spoof of Hollywood adventure movies that was Warhol’s first partially scripted feature. It starred Mead as a Hollywood Tarzan cavorting with a naked Jane in a bathtub at the Beverly Hills Hotel, exercising on Venice Beach and having a bicep-flexing contest with Dennis Hopper as a rival Tarzan.

Mead would appear in about 10 Warhol films over the next decade, including a curious 76-minute piece featuring his naked rear end.

Calling himself “a drifter in the arts,” Mead also acted on stage, winning an Obie Award in 1963 for his performance in the Frank O’Hara play “The General Returns From One Place to Another.” He published poetry and three volumes of his journals, displayed his art in the 2006 Whitney Biennial and read his poems weekly at Manhattan’s Bowery Poetry Club.

“His whole campaign was, stay creative, active, busy. And he did,” said filmmaker and friend Clayton Patterson.

He made his biggest splash in decades in 2003 in Jarmusch’s “Coffee and Cigarettes,” a loosely connected series of vignettes with a wide-ranging cast including Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Tom Waits and Iggy Pop. Critics were moved by Mead’s performance as a janitor on a coffee break who doesn’t want to go back to work. The film ends with Mead closing his eyes to the strains of a favorite Mahler song, which resonated with his colorful past:

I am dead to the world’s tumult,

And I rest in a quiet realm!

I live alone in my heaven,

In my love and in my song!

Director

Home Movies NYC to San Diego (1968)

Home Movies NYC to San Diego

Short

Director

1968

 

European Diary (1967)

European Diary

Director

1967

 

Home Movies Rome/Florence/Venice/Greece

Short

Director

1965

 

My Home Movies

Short

Director

1964

 

Writer

Home Movies NYC to San Diego (1968)

Home Movies NYC to San Diego

Short

Writer

1968

 

Home Movies Rome/Florence/Venice/Greece

Short

Writer

1965

 

My Home Movies

Short

Writer

1964

 

Actor

Toilet Gator (2017)

Toilet Gator

2.5

Bar act

2017

 

VERSE, a Murder Mystery (2011)

VERSE, a Murder Mystery

TV Series

Taylor Mead

2011

1 episode

 

Nubile Nuisance

6.0

Father Jocasta

2006

 

Doses of Roger

Short

Roger - old

2006

 

Electra Elf: The Beginning Parts One & Two

6.0

Video

2005

 

Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)

Coffee and Cigarettes

7.0

Taylor (segment "Champagne") (voice)

2003

 

Abnormal: The Sinema of Nick Zedd

Video

2001

 

Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV (2000)

Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV

5.9

Award Presenter (as Taylor Meade)

2000

 

Ecstasy in Entropy (1999)

Ecstasy in Entropy

6.0

Short

1999

 

Frogs for Snakes (1998)

Frogs for Snakes

4.4

Doc Wax

1998

 

The Deflowering

5.8

Short

J. Jerry Franky

1994

 

Natural Born Crazies

4.8

Elderly Man

1994

 

Last Supper (1992)

Last Supper

7.1

The actor

1992

 

Shadows in the City (1991)

Shadows in the City

5.6

Father

1991

 

Donald Sutherland and Amanda Ooms in Buster's Bedroom (1991)

Buster's Bedroom

5.3

James

1991

 

Eszter Balint in Wonderland USA (1989)

Wonderland USA

Short

1989

 

No Such Thing As Gravity (1989)

No Such Thing As Gravity

6.8

Short

The Judge

1989

 

A Coupla White Faggots Sitting Around Talking

Video

Rippley

1981

 

Underground U.S.A. (1980)

Underground U.S.A.

5.0

The uncle

1980

 

Debbie Harry and Everett McGill in Union City (1980)

Union City

5.9

Walter

1980

 

Seduction of Patrick

Short

1979

 

Feedback (1979)

Feedback

6.0

Judge

1979

 

Little Italy (1978)

Little Italy

5.9

Taxi Client (uncredited)

1978

 

Brothers Till We Die (1977)

Brothers Till We Die

6.6

Mentally Ill Man (uncredited)

1977

 

Messalina, Messalina (1977)

Messalina, Messalina

4.0

(uncredited)

1977

 

Squadra antifurto (1976)

Squadra antifurto

6.2

Ubriachella (uncredited)

1976

 

Cyrinda Foxe and Taylor Mead in La Dolce Vita Grande (1973)

La Dolce Vita Grande

Short

Carlo

1973

 

Viva in Cleopatra (1970)

Cleopatra

6.4

Anubis

1970

 

Brand X (1970)

Brand X

6.2

ViewerPresidentMinster ...

1970

 

The Secret Life of Hernando Cortez (1969)

The Secret Life of Hernando Cortez

Hernando Cortez

1969

 

Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight in Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Midnight Cowboy

7.8

The Party

1969

 

San Diego Surf (1968)

San Diego Surf

6.5

Mr. Mead

1968

 

Lonesome Cowboys (1968)

Lonesome Cowboys

5.2

Nurse

1968

 

The Bizarre Ones (1968)

The Bizarre Ones

4.8

1968

 

Rolando Peña in Dialogue with Che (1968)

Dialogue with Che

CIA Agent

1968

 

The Illiac Passion (1967)

The Illiac Passion

7.0

The Demon or Sprite

1967

 

**** (1967)

****

6.2

1967

 

European Diary (1967)

European Diary

1967

 

Homeo (1967)

Homeo

7.4

Short

1967

 

Imitation of Christ (1967)

Imitation of Christ

4.2

Hobo

1967

 

The Nude Restaurant (1967)

The Nude Restaurant

5.4

Harmonica Player

1967

 

Le Désir attrapé par la queue (1967)

Le Désir attrapé par la queue

1967

 

Babo 73 (1964)

Babo 73

5.3

President Sandy Studsbury

1964

 

Open the Door and See All the People

5.5

Tramp

1964

 

Dennis Hopper and Taylor Mead in Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of (1964)

Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of

5.6

Tarzan

1964

 

Taylor Mead in The Queen of Sheba Meets the Atom Man (1963)

The Queen of Sheba Meets the Atom Man

6.9

The Atom Man

1963

 

Hallelujah the Hills (1963)

Hallelujah the Hills

6.1

Convict II

1963

 

To L.A. with Lust

Short

1963

 

Too Young, Too Immoral (1962)

Too Young, Too Immoral

7.7

Scribbles

1962

 

Taylor Mead in Lemon Hearts (1962)

Lemon Hearts

Short

1962

 

Taylor Mead in The Flower Thief (1960)

The Flower Thief

6.8

Flower Thief

1960

 

Producer

European Diary (1967)

European Diary

producer

1967

 

Cinematographer

Home Movies NYC to San Diego (1968)

Home Movies NYC to San Diego

Short

Cinematographer

1968

 

Home Movies Rome/Florence/Venice/Greece

Short

Cinematographer

1965

 

My Home Movies

Short

Cinematographer

1964

 

Editor

Home Movies NYC to San Diego (1968)

Home Movies NYC to San Diego

Short

Editor

1968

 

European Diary (1967)

European Diary

Editor

1967

 

Home Movies Rome/Florence/Venice/Greece

Short

Editor

1965

 

My Home Movies

Short

Editor

1964

 

Dennis Hopper and Taylor Mead in Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of (1964)

Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of

5.6

Editor

1964

 

Taylor Mead in The Queen of Sheba Meets the Atom Man (1963)

The Queen of Sheba Meets the Atom Man

6.9

Editor

1963

 

Sound Department

Dennis Hopper and Taylor Mead in Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of (1964)

Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of

5.6

sound

1964

 

Music Department

Taylor Mead in The Queen of Sheba Meets the Atom Man (1963)

The Queen of Sheba Meets the Atom Man

6.9

musical score

1963

 

Additional Crew

Andy Warhol's Factory People (2008)

Andy Warhol's Factory People

7.6

TV Series

interview

2008

1 episode

 

Thanks

Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol (1990)

Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol

6.9

thanks: for generous help and insight

1990

 

Self

Method or Madness?

Self

In Production

 

Marsha P. Johnson in Pay It No Mind: Marsha P. Johnson (2012)

Pay It No Mind: Marsha P. Johnson

8.4

Self

2012

 

In the Fabulous Underground (2012)

In the Fabulous Underground

7.8

Self

2012

 

The Party in Taylor Mead's Kitchen (2011)

The Party in Taylor Mead's Kitchen

Short

2011

 

Full Circle: Before They Were Famous

Self

2010

 

Candy Darling in Beautiful Darling (2010)

Beautiful Darling

7.3

Self

2010

 

Andy Warhol's Factory People (2008)

Andy Warhol's Factory People

7.6

TV Series

Self

2008

2 episodes

 

New York Agora: The Legacy of the 60s Counterculture

2008

 

The Piles Project (2008)

The Piles Project

Short

Self

2008

 

A Chat With... Taylor Mead (2006)

A Chat With... Taylor Mead

Short

Self

2006

 

Poster Design by Alexander Kellas, Pandiscio Co.

Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis

7.4

Self

2006

 

Vies et morts d'Andy Warhol (2005)

Vies et morts d'Andy Warhol

5.7

TV Movie

Self - SuperStar

2005

 

Excavating Taylor Mead (2005)

Excavating Taylor Mead

7.4

Self

2005

 

Superstar in a Housedress (2004)

Superstar in a Housedress

7.6

Self

2004

 

Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story (2000)

Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story

7.0

Self

2000

 

Jonas Mekas in Jonas in the Desert (1994)

Jonas in the Desert

6.8

Self

1994

 

One Hour (1990)

One Hour

6.5

1990

 

Rich Brown and David Greene in Beyond Vaudeville (1986)

Beyond Vaudeville

8.5

TV Series

Self - Guest

1990

1 episode

 

Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol (1990)

Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol

6.9

Self

1990

 

Warhol's Cinema 1963-1968: Mirror for the Sixties (1989)

Warhol's Cinema 1963-1968: Mirror for the Sixties

7.1

TV Movie

Self

1989

 

Birth of a Nation (1983)

Birth of a Nation

7.1

Self

1983

 

Andy Warhol in Fashion (1979)

Fashion

TV Series

Self

1979

1 episode

 

Tally Brown in Tally Brown, New York (1979)

Tally Brown, New York

7.7

Self

1979

 

Notes for Jerome

6.4

Self

1978

 

Saturday Night Live (1975)

Saturday Night Live

8.0

TV Series

SelfSelf - Poet

1976

3 episodes

 

Leidenschaften

7.6

1972

 

John Lennon and Yoko Ono in Up Your Legs Forever (1971)

Up Your Legs Forever

5.8

Self - Legs (uncredited)

1971

 

Grimaces

Short

Self

1967

 

Couch (1966)

Couch

5.2

Self

1966

 

Taylor Mead's Ass (1965)

Taylor Mead's Ass

5.9

Self

1965

 

Salvador Dali at Work

6.0

Short

1964

 

Archive Footage

Compression (1995)

Compression

7.2

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

2025

1 episode

 

The Andy Warhol Diaries (2022)

The Andy Warhol Diaries

7.7

TV Mini Series

Self - WriterSelf (archive footage)

2022

2 episodes

 

Marsha P. Johnson in The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017)

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

7.2

Self (archive footage)

2017

 

Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures (2016)

Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures

7.5

Self (archive footage, uncredited)

2016

 

A Day in the Life of Andy Warhol (2015)

A Day in the Life of Andy Warhol

6.9

Self (archive footage)

2015

 

Hard Drive (2015)

Hard Drive

Short

Taylor (archive footage)

2015

 

Andy Warhol's Factory People (2008)

Andy Warhol's Factory People

7.6

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

2008

1 episode

 

American Masters (1985)

American Masters

8.2

TV Series

(archive footage)

2006

1 episode

 

Hibiscus in The Cockettes (2002)

The Cockettes

7.3

Self (archive footage)

2002

 

Multiple Futures

6.4

J. Jerry Frankie (segment "The Deflowering") (archive footage)

1995

 

Monument à Félix Guattari (1994)

Le cow boy et l'indien

Self (archive footage)

1993

 

Arena (1975)

Arena

7.7

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

1993

1 episode