Quentin Crisp

Quentin Crisp was born Denis Charles Pratt in Surrey, U.K., in 1908. He endured teasing at school for being a homosexual and would provoke shock by wearing makeup and women’s clothes. Crisp moved to London in 1930. In London, he worked as a drafter, as a professional model for art colleges, and, briefly, as a male prostitute. Crisp became a well-known eccentric and fashion icon, particularly in the gay community. Crisp published several memoirs, including The Naked Civil Servant, which was made into a televised version in 1975. This helped launch Crisp’s career as an actor and as a performer in his one-man show, An Evening with Quentin Crisp, which he toured the country with for many years.