Transgender actress Holly Woodlawn, who became famous after starring in Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey’s 1970 films “Trash” and “Women in Revolt,” has died. She was 69.
Her former caretaker and friend Mariela Huerta told the Associated Press that Woodlawn died Sunday in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer.
Woodlawn was born Harold Danhakl and took her new name after she ran away from home at 15 and hitchhiked to New York City, where she became one of Warhol’s “drag queen superstars.” Her story was the inspiration for the first lines of Lou Reed song “Walk on the Wild Side.”
Holly came from Miami F.L.A.
Hitch-hiked her way across the U.S.A.
Plucked her eyebrows on the way
Shaved her legs and then he was a she
She said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side,
Said, hey honey, take a walk on the wild side.
Woodlawn also starred in independent films such as “Twin Falls Idaho” and “Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss.” Recently, she starred in the Amazon series “Transparent.”
According to Huerta, Woodlawn has no survivors.