Paul Johnson, a strapping blonde young man from New Jersey, was reportedly discovered in mid-1965 by theatrical producer Lester Persky at the discotheque Ondine and brought to the attention of Andy Warhol at Warhol's "Factory" (work-living space). According to Warhol, "Paul was unbelievably good-looking - like a comic-strip drawing of Mr. America, ...
October 19, 1982, Ormond Beach, Florida, United States
Place Of Birth
New Jersey, USA
Height
6' (1.83 m)
Profession
Actor
Movies
My Hustler, Ciao! Manhattan
Star Sign
Virgo
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Quote
1
I only had two dollars, and the drinks cost two something. So I was waiting at the bar for my friend, realizing my time was short. He turned up and asked me to sit with everybody in the back - Chuck Wein and Andy [Warhol] and Edie [Sedgewick]; they were having a dinner party because Edie had been on the Johnny Carson show that night. When they went back to the Factory, I went with them, and I stayed for three years. Most people didn't know I lived there, because I was taking speed - I figured if I took speed, I wouldn't be paranoid - and I only slept about twice or three times a year. That was enough rest....It was restful to be in one position knowing I wouldn't have to move right away. I put together a motorcycle for Andy. He gave me that name, Paul America.
2
Andy [Warhol] was very secluded... Sometimes I would go up to him and suggest something that we could do, and he would listen very nicely and ask Gerard to give me his reply... He wouldn't talk with me directly. He looked down on me, I guess. Took me for a fool, which I guess is what a lot of people do.
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Fact
1
Died after being hit by a car while returning from a dental appointment on October 19, 1982 in Florida.
2
He starred in only one full-length Warhol film - My Hustler in 1965. He later maintained that he was unaware of what the film was about, saying that "I was on LSD the whole time, and I thought I was just going through some practice motions." He thought that they were supposed to return to the house on Fire Island where My Hustler was shot in order to finish the film, but thought they were unable to return to the house because of the state they left it, believing that it was the owner of the house who had put up the money for the production.
$300,000
