Paul Morrissey | |
|---|---|
 Morrissey in 2016 | |
| Born | February 23, 1938 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Filmmaker |
| Known for | Warhol superstar |
Paul Morrissey (born February 23, 1938) is an American film director, best known for his association with Andy Warhol.[1] He was also director of the first film in which a transgender actress, Holly Woodlawn, starred as a girlfriend of the main character played by Joe Dallesandro in Trash (1970).[2]
Of Irish extraction, Morrissey attended Ampleforth College and Fordham University, both Catholic schools, and later served in the United States Army.[citation needed] A political conservative and self-described "right-winger",[3] who has publicly protested against immorality and anti-Catholicism, Morrissey's long-term collaboration with the low-keyed, apparently apolitical Warhol was viewed by many as "a successful mismatch", although both men did share some traits, e.g. both were practicing Catholics from ethnic backgrounds (Warhol was of Rusyn descent).[4]
Morrissey's bold, avant-garde direction in film making is often attributed to his relationship with Warhol and The Factory, although Morrissey claimed in his memoir, Factory Days, that this is not the case.[5] Morrissey's early works with Warhol took advantage of 16mm news cameras such as the Auricon, which recorded sound directly on film and had the capacity to film takes up to 33 minutes in length. This permitted a portable, small crew method of filming and was amenable to improvisation.[citation needed]
Morrissey was among the first film directors to cast a transgender woman from Warhol's inner circle in his films Trash (1970) and Women in Revolt (1971).
For an analysis of each of Morrissey's feature films, see Maurice Yacowar, The Films of Paul Morrissey (Cambridge UP).
