Ondine & Roger Jacoby

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Robert Olivo aka Ondine (June 16, 1937 - April 28, 1989) was an American actor. He is best known for appearing in a series of films in the mid-1960s by Andy Warhol, whom he claimed to have met in 1961 at an orgy.

Ondine: "I was at an orgy, and he [Warhol] was, ah, this great presence in the back of the room. And this orgy was run by a friend of mine, and, so, I said to this person, 'Would you please mind throwing that thing [Warhol] out of here?' And that thing was thrown out of there, and when he came up to me the next time, he said to me, 'Nobody has ever thrown me out of a party.' He said, 'You know? Don't you know who I am?' And I said, 'Well, I don't give a good flying fuck who you are. You just weren't there. You weren't involved...'"

Ondine also appeared in films made by his lover, Roger Jacoby, Dream Sphinx Opera, L'Amico Fried's Glamorous Friends and Kunst Life.

In later years, Ondine supported himself by showing Warhol films and delivering a lecture on his days as a Warhol "superstar" on the college circuit. He died of liver disease in Queens, New York, New York, in 1989 at the age of 52. He is portrayed in the film I Shot Andy Warhol by Michael Imperioli.


Roger was immortalized in a portrait painted by Alice Neel, the canvas is titled "Rose Fried's Nephew"
Robert Olivo aka Ondine was an American actor. He is best known for appearing in a series of films in the mid-1960s by Andy Warhol, whom he claimed to have met in 1961 at an orgy. Ondine also appeared in films made by his lover, Roger Jacoby. Originally a painter, Roger Jacoby began making experimental film in New York City in the 1960s. Many of his films contain the sounds of opera, images of family and often feature his lover. Roger was immortalized in a portrait painted by Alice Neel, the canvas is titled "Rose Fried's Nephew". Roger Jacoby died in 1985. Ondine died in 1989.

The Films of Roger Jacoby is a collection of the early experimental short films of Roger Jacoby. Originally a painter, Roger Jacoby began making experimental film in New York City in the 1960s. For both aesthetic and financial reasons he began to process his own film footage in the bathtub of his darkened bathroom. After receiving an NEA grant in 1974 he was able to buy a simple processing machine. By maintaining control of the processing, and by using an 'outdated' Auricon camera, Jacoby was able to weave texture, color and sound in a highly dramatic way. Many of his films contain the sounds of opera, images of family and often feature his lover of many years, Warhol superstar Ondine. Roger was immortalized in a portrait painted by Alice Neel, the canvas is titled "Rose Fried's Nephew". Roger Jacoby died November 19, 1985 at the age of 40.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondine_%28actor%29

Further Readings:

The Films of Roger Jacoby
Actors: Ondine
Directors: Roger Jacoby
Producers: Roger Jacoby
Studio: Susan Chainey
DVD Release Date: August 22, 2012
Run Time: 56 minutes
Amazon: The Films of Roger Jacoby

More LGBT History at my website: www.elisarolle.com/, My Ramblings/Gay Classics