Glenn O'Brien facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Glenn O'Brien
O'Brien in 2015
Born	March 2, 1947 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Died	April 7, 2017 (aged 70) Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Georgetown University and Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Notable awards	named one of Top 10 Most Stylish Men in America by GQ Magazine
Spouse	Gina Nanni (until his death)

Glenn O'Brien (born March 2, 1947 – died April 7, 2017) was an American writer. He wrote mostly about art, music, and fashion. Many people knew him as "The Style Guy" from GQ magazine. He even wrote a book with that name! Glenn O'Brien also worked as an editor for different magazines. He even started his own arts and literature magazine called Bald Ego for a few years.

Glenn O'Brien's Early Life and Education

Glenn O'Brien was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He went to St. Ignatius High School there. Later, he attended Georgetown University. While at Georgetown, he was the editor of the Georgetown Journal. This journal was started by Condé Nast, a famous magazine publisher. O'Brien also studied film at the Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Working with Andy Warhol and Interview Magazine

Early in his career, O'Brien was part of Andy Warhol's famous art studio, The Factory. He became the first editor of Interview magazine, working there from 1971 to 1974. Even after leaving, he kept writing for the magazine. He even returned as editor several times, staying connected with Interview for almost 20 years. During the punk music era, he was a music critic for the magazine. He wrote a very popular column called "Glenn O'Brien's Beat."

Music and Television Projects

In the late 1970s, Glenn O'Brien had his own band called Konelrad. He described it as a "socialist-realist rock band."

From 1978 to 1982, O'Brien hosted a TV show called TV Party. This show was on public-access cable TV in New York City. During this time, O'Brien also helped edit several important books about the downtown New York art scene.

In 1980, he wrote the script for a movie called New York Beat. The film starred the famous artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. It was finally released in 2000 as Downtown 81. O'Brien helped with the final production of the movie.

Writing About Art and Fashion

In June 1980, O'Brien wrote an article for High Times magazine. It was called "Graffiti '80: The State of the Outlaw Art." This article was one of the first big stories about the growing graffiti art scene. It featured artists like Basquiat, Fab Five Freddy, and Lee Quiñones.

After his TV show, O'Brien continued his writing career. He also tried working as a stand-up comedian. He was a contributing editor for magazines like Allure and Harper's Bazaar. He also worked as a Creative Director for advertising at Barneys New York, a fancy department store. For ten years, he wrote a monthly column for Artforum magazine. In 1993, O'Brien worked with the pop superstar Madonna on her "The Girlie Show World Tour" book.

In 2008, he became the editorial director for Brant Publications. This company publishes magazines like Interview Magazine, Art in America, and Antiques. He left this position in 2009.

Glenn O'Brien owned a collection of early artworks by Jean-Michel Basquiat. He lent these artworks to different art shows. He also helped write a major book about Basquiat.

Glenn O'Brien passed away in Manhattan on April 7, 2017, at the age of 70. He died from problems related to pneumonia. The singer Madonna called him "an amazing soul and a creative genius."

Awards and Honors

On February 17, 2009, GQ magazine named Glenn O'Brien one of the Top 10 Most Stylish Men in America.

Published Works

• Edo Bertoglio (photographer). Downtown 81. ISBN: 0345427270

Images for kids

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  O'Brien in 2015