Quentin Crisp

Quentin Crisp (1908 - 1999), born Denis Pratt, became a gay icon in the 1970s after being one of the first men to be unashamedly out of the Closet.

Known for his clever and often insightful witticisms, Crisp authored several books of autobiography and social advice, including The Naked Civil Servant and The Wit and Wisdom of Quentin Crisp

In his later years he appeared as a stage and film actor, notably as Queen Elizabeth I in the film Orlando.

Quotations

• "I am not famous, I am notorious, and if I am rich, it is because I have taken my wages in people."
• "I became one of the stately homos of England." (The Naked Civil Servant)

External Links

• www.crisperanto.org (http://www.crisperanto.org/)
• obituary (http://www.salon.com/people/obit/1999/12/03/crisp/) in Salon magazine
• Bibliography (http://www.crisperanto.org/books/Bibliography.html) including film roles