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Acting
Divine
Also known as: Harris Glenn Milstead
Biography
Divine (October 19, 1945 – March 7, 1988), né Harris Glenn Milstead, was an American actor, singer and drag queen. Described by People magazine as the "Drag Queen of the Century", Divine often performed female roles in both cinema and theater and also appeared in women's clothing in musical performances. Even so, he considered himself to be a character actor and performed male roles in a number of his later films. He was often associated with independent filmmaker John Waters and starred in ten of Waters's films, usually in a leading role. Concurrent with his acting career, he also had a successful career as a disco singer during the 1980s, at one point being described as "the most successful and in-demand disco performer in the world." Born in Baltimore, Maryland, into a conservative, wealthy middle class family, he became involved with John Waters and his acting troupe, the Dreamlanders, in the mid-1960s and starred in a number of Waters's early films such as Mondo Trasho, Multiple Maniacs, Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble. These films have since become cult classics. In the 1970s, Milstead made the transition to theater and appeared in a number of productions, including Women Behind Bars and The Neon Woman, while continuing to star in such films as Polyester, Lust in the Dust and Hairspray. The New York Times said of Milstead's '80s films: "Those who could get past the unremitting weirdness of Divine's performance discovered that the actor/actress had genuine talent, including a natural sense of comic timing and an uncanny gift for slapstick." He was also described as "one of the few truly radical and essential artists of the century… was an audacious symbol of man's quest for liberty and freedom." Since his death, Divine has remained a cult figure, particularly with those in the LGBT community.
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
October 19, 1945
Day of Death
March 7, 1988
Age at Death
42 years old
Place of Birth
Towson, Maryland, USA
Popularity Score
1.6
Filmography
Too Disgusting To Be Confused
Self
2025Movie
My Life with the Waters
Self
2021Movie
Disclosure
Edna Turnblad (archive footage)
2020Movie
Howard
Dawn Davenport / Earl Peterson (archive footage)
2018Movie
BEAT. Contour. Snatched. How Drag Queens Shaped the Biggest Makeup Trends
Self
2018Movie
Studio 54
Self (archive footage)
2018Movie
Crime and Beauty: Making ‘Female Trouble’
Self (archive)
2018Movie
Crime and Beauty: Remembering "Female Trouble"
Self (archive)
2018Movie
Discolocos
Self (archive footage)
2016Movie
Night Flight: Born Again
Self
2016Movie
Tab Hunter Confidential
Self (archive)
2015Movie
I Am Divine
Self (archive)
2014Movie
Cachitos de hierro y cromo
Self (archive footage)
2013TV
The Sex of Death e o Homem Invisível
Singer (archive footage)
2012Movie
The British Guide to Showing Off
Self (archive footage)
2011Movie
Uncle Bob
Self
2010Movie
Starz Inside: In the Gutter
Self (archive)
2008Movie
DIVINE R.I.P.
Self (archive footage)
2007Movie
The Roots of 'Hairspray'
Self (archive)
2007Movie
Girls and Boys - Sex and British Pop
Self
2005TV
Sex 'n' Pop
Self (archive footage)
2004TV
The Cockettes
Self (archive footage)
2002Movie
Divine: Shoot Your Shot & Live at the Hacienda
Self (archive footage)
2000Movie
Divine Trash
Self
2000Movie
In Bad Taste
Self (archive footage)
1999Movie
Soul Ache
Actriz cantante (Singer actress)
1998Movie
Divine: Shoot Your Shot
1995Movie
Divine: Live at the Hacienda
1994Movie
Divine: Live at the Hacienda
Writer
1994Movie
Rhythm Divine: The Story of Disco
Self (archive footage)
1992Movie
The Neon Woman
Flash Storm (archive footage)
1990Movie
Out of the Dark
Det. Langella
1988Movie
Hairspray
Edna Turnblad / Arvin Hodgepile
1988Movie
The Incredibly Strange Film Show
Self
1988TV
Out of the Dark
In Memory Of
1988Movie
Queen: The Magic Years vol. 3
Self
1987Movie
Queen: The Magic Years vol. 1
Self
1987Movie
Queen: Magic Years - A Visual Anthology
Self
1987Movie
Trouble in Mind
Hilly Blue
1985Movie
Lust in the Dust
Rosie Velez
1985Movie
Divine Waters
Self
1985Movie
Tales from the Darkside
1984TV
Late Night with David Letterman
Self - Guest
1982TV
Polyester
Francine Fishpaw
1981Movie
The Alternative Miss World
Self - Guest of Honour
1980Movie
Tally Brown, New York
1979Movie
Female Trouble
Dawn Davenport / Earl Peterson
1976Movie
Underground and Emigrants
Self
1976Movie
Pink Flamingos
Divine / Babs Johnson
1972Movie
Multiple Maniacs
Lady Divine
1970Movie
The Diane Linkletter Story
Diane Linkletter
1970Movie
The Diane Linkletter Story
Writer
1970Movie
Mondo Trasho
Divine / Greaser in Alley
1969Movie
Eat Your Makeup
Jacqueline Kennedy
1968Movie
Roman Candles
Party Guest / Man with Scarf
1967Movie
New Line: Independent Legacies
Self (archive footage)
—Movie