Jackie Curtis - in Popular Culture

In Popular Culture

• Curtis is named in Lou Reed's song "Walk on the Wild Side" which was about the 'superstars' Reed knew from Andy Warhol's studio The Factory. The verse speaks of his drug addiction and fascination with James Dean: "...Jackie is just speeding away - Thought she was James Dean for a day... then I guess she had to crash, Valium would have helped that bash"

• In 2004, a film based on Curtis' life, Superstar in a Housedress, brought Jackie Curtis back to the limelight, exposing some little known facts about the performer to the public. Curtis' influence on a number of people, friends and associates such as Holly Woodlawn, Joe Dallesandro and Penny Arcade, and observers such as David Bowie, are noted in the film. Jayne County writes of Jackie as being "...the biggest influence on me at this time."