Taylor Mead | Artifacts

Taylor Mead (December 31, 1924 – May 8, 2013) is often dubbed “the first underground movie star.” Raised in Grosse Pointe, a wealthy Detroit suburb, Mead experienced his parents’ divorce as a child. Known for his playful nature and wandering spirit, he began hitchhiking across the country shortly after high school, crossing it a half dozen times. In the late 1950s, while in San Francisco’s North Beach, he performed poetry in a café, where Ron Rice discovered him. Rice cast him as the lead in The Flower Thief. Mead quickly became a key figure in the New American Film movement, one of its first openly queer characters. He also won an Obie for a role in a Frank O’Hara play. Early on, he joined Warhol’s circle and starred in one of Warhol’s first films, Tarzan and Jane…. After wandering through Europe, he returned to star in Lonesome Cowboys, Nude Restaurant, and Wynn Chamberlain’s Brand X. Mead performed throughout his life at poetry readings, in plays, and in films like Jim Jarmusch’s Coffee and Cigarettes. William Kirkley later made a documentary about him, Excavating Taylor Mead. *Chapters:* 00:00 Welcome to Artifacts 01:37 Early Life 09:21 Sexual Awakening 14:30 On The Road 18:47 First Film 23:16 New York 16:19 Meeting Andy Warhol 29:11 Trip to California 36:34 Superstar 39:41 The Factory 44:38 Credits Watch the interview ad-free with interactive content and bonus material on the Artifacts platform: https://artifacts.movie/taylor-mead/ Taylor’s Interview is part of Artifacts' Silver Factory series, an enthralling journey through Andy Warhol’s Factory, uncovering the mesmerising stories of its vibrant inhabitants. The Silver Factory Series also features original interviews with Mary Woronov, Mario Montez, Viva, and more. Explore the Silver Factory Series: https://artifacts.movie/silver-factory/ *Artifacts Socials:* IG: https://www.instagram.com/artifacts_movie TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@artifacts_movie X: https://x.com/artifacts_movie FB: https://www.facebook.com/artifactsmoviearchive *ABOUT ARTIFACTS* Artifacts is a new online video platform and 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the vibrant history of avant-garde queer and underground movements through long-form in-depth interviews with the artists, thinkers, and revolutionaries who shaped them. All films on Artifacts are made available entirely for free with no paywall. Please consider supporting our mission to preserve cultural history by making a tax-deductible donation today at https://artifacts.movie/donate/