![]() JW: I’m shocked every day still that he’s dead because he had been such a big part of my life. It’s been 27 years since Divine died, but I’m sure you both still think about him frequently. On the eve of his 70th birthday on October 19, we chatted with his friends and collaborators John Waters and Pat Moran-who are part of the iconic Dreamlanders-about his hilarious moments, professionalism, and not-exactly-thrifty spending habits. In his obituary ‘People’ magazine declared him as ‘Drag Queen of the Century.He was known for tasteless deeds in movies such as Pink Flamingos, outlandish costumes and eye makeup, and for being what People magazine called “the drag queen of the century.” Divine, who was born Harris Glenn Milstead and grew up in Towson, died in 1988 of a heart attack when he was 42. In 1988, with his career at a high point – he had just been cast in the new ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ film – he died at age 42 of an enlarged heart. Having finally broken through into the mainstream, he appeared on talk shows with David Letterman, Alan Thicke, and Merv Griffin, and was featured on the cover of ‘Interview’ magazine. His outrageous live performances were a huge club draw - performing such dance hits as ‘Native Love (Step by Step),’ ‘Shoot Your Shot,’ and ‘I’m So Beautiful.’ In 1985 he made two non-Waters films including ‘Lust in the Dust.’ His performance in the Waters film ‘Hairspray’ (1988) was a watershed – heralding a new acceptance for female impersonation in popular cinema as well as a new respect for his acting. In 1981 he starred in Waters’ ‘Polyester’ while simultaneously launching a career as a disco diva. In the mid-1970s Divine toured in successful runs of the campy plays ‘Women Behind Bars’ and ‘The Neon Woman. Lead roles in ‘Multiple Maniacs’ (1970), ‘Pink Flamingos’ (1971), and ‘Female Trouble’ (1974) followed, and a cult drag superstar was born. In the mid- 1960s he met director John Waters who christened him Divine and put him in the short film ‘Roman Candles.’ His natural comedic talents and outrageous persona blossomed in subsequent shorts before Waters cast him in his feature ‘Mondo Trasho’ (1969). Bullied in high school because of his weight and gentle demeanor, he was sent to a psychiatrist at 17 where he began to explore his attraction to men. Harris Glenn Milstead was born into a conservative Baltimore family. In his obituary ‘People’ magazine declared him as ‘Drag Queen of the Century.’ “I can stand on stage and do nothing, and people will write, 'Divine was outrageous.'”
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