Joe LeSueur

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Joseph Madison LeSueur (September 15, 1924 – May 14, 2001[1]) was an American poet and screenwriter. He is known as a lover of Frank O'Hara and the author of Digressions on Some Poems by Frank O’Hara: A Memoir.[2][3][4]

Life[]

LeSueur grew up in Los Angeles, California and was raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in World War II and attended the University of Southern California on the GI Bill.[3] After graduating, he moved to New York City in 1949.[3][5] LeSueur met O'Hara at a party in 1951,[2] and the two lived together between 1955 and 1965.[6][3] During these years, O'Hara wrote many of his most famous poems, including the collection Lunch Poems.[7] From 1959 to 1963, the two lived at 441 East 9th St in the East Village.[8] As a member of the New York literary and art scenes, LeSueur knew Andy Warhol and the two conspired to write a movie together.[9] He was also a friend of the writer and translator Patsy Southgate.[7]

LeSueur's social circle is depicted in Wynn Chamberlain's diptych "Poets Dressed and Undressed," which shows LeSueur along side O'Hara, Joe Brainard, and Frank Lima.[10]

LeSueur died on May 14, 2001 in East Hampton, New York, aged 76.[11]

Career[]

Having worked as an editor and critic, LeSueur eventually found work as a regular writer for the soap opera Guiding Light.[3][7] He was a writer for several TV series, including Another World (1964), Texas (1980) and Ryan's Hope (1975).[12]

With Bill Berkson, he edited the book Homage to Frank O'Hara (Big Sky Books, 1978).[13]

Digressions on Some Poems by Frank O’Hara: A Memoir is a book that weaves together poems by O'Hara and LeSueur's own memoir.[6] LeSueur finished the book shortly before his own death in 2001.[14]

References[]

  1. ^ "Joseph Madison "Joe" LeSueur". FindAGrave.com. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b Hammer, Langdon (2003-04-13). "Village People". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
  3. ^ a b c d e Farr, Jason S. (2019-08-19). "The Queer Kinship of Our Literary Lives: A Tribute to My Uncle Joe LeSueur (and Frank O'Hara)". The Rambling. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
  4. ^ "Alex Katz Painting Goes To Auction in Los Angeles". lamodern.com. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  5. ^ "Author". US Macmillan. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  6. ^ a b "Digressions on Some Poems by Frank O'Hara | Joe LeSueur | Macmillan". US Macmillan. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  7. ^ a b c "Joe LeSueur (1924-2001) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  8. ^ "Frank O'Hara Residence". NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  9. ^ "Andy Warhol - Messy Lives". warholstars.org. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
  10. ^ Weber, Bruce (2014-12-07). "Wynn Chamberlain, an Artist in Paint, on Screen and in Novels, Dies at 87 (Published 2014)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  11. ^ "Paid Notice: Deaths LE SUEUR, JOE". The New York Times. 2001-06-14. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
  12. ^ "Joe LeSueur". IMDb. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  13. ^ www.bibliopolis.com. "Homage To Frank O'Hara Big Sky 11/12 by Bill Berkson, Joe LeSueur on Derringer Books". Derringer Books. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  14. ^ "Digressions on Some Poems by Frank O'Hara: A Memoir". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
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