John Waters facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Waters
Waters in 2025
Born	John Samuel Waters Jr. (1946-04-22) April 22, 1946 (age 79) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Education	Maryland Institute College of Art
Occupation	Filmmaker actor writer artist
Years active	1964–present
Organization	Dreamland Productions
Relatives	George P. Whitaker (third-great-grandfather)
Signature

John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, actor, writer, and artist. He became well-known in the early 1970s for his unique and unusual films. He is most famous for writing and directing the comedy film Hairspray (1988). This movie was a big success and was later turned into a popular Broadway musical and a 2007 musical film.

Some of his other movies include Polyester (1981), Cry-Baby (1990), Serial Mom (1994), Pecker (1998), and Cecil B. Demented (2000). His films often use a special kind of humor and strange, dream-like ideas.

As an actor, Waters has appeared in many films and TV shows. He was in Sweet and Lowdown (1999) and the Child's Play movie Seed of Chucky (2004). He also hosted the TV series John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You (2006).

Besides movies, Waters is a visual artist who creates art installations, photographs, and sculptures. He has received many honors for his work. In 2018, France named him an officer of the Order of Arts and Letters. In 2023, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Early Life and Education

John Waters was born on April 22, 1946, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was one of four children. His father, John Samuel Waters, made fire-protection equipment. Waters grew up in Lutherville, a suburb of Baltimore. His childhood friend was Glenn Milstead, who later became the famous performer Divine.

When Waters was seven, the movie Lili sparked his interest in puppets. He started putting on his own violent puppet shows for kids' birthday parties. His mother believed these puppets had a big influence on his future career as a filmmaker.

The movie Cry-Baby was also inspired by his childhood. He was fascinated by the "drapes" subculture and a young man in his neighborhood who had a hot rod (a classic car modified for speed).

Waters went to private schools, including the Calvert School and Boys' Latin School of Maryland. As a teenager, he and his friend Glenn Milstead met many of the people who would later act in their films.

Career

Early Filmmaking

Waters's first short film was called Hag in a Black Leather Jacket. The classic movie The Wizard of Oz (1939) had a huge impact on him. He loved its villains, costumes, and great dialogue.

Waters enjoyed both high-class "art" films and low-budget "exploitation" films. After a short time at New York University, he returned to Baltimore. There, he made more short films and his first full-length movies.

His close friend, Divine, starred in many of his early films. Waters worked with a group of local actors he called the Dreamlanders. This group included friends like Mink Stole, Cookie Mueller, and Edith Massey. They shot all of their early movies in and around Baltimore. These first films were known for their wild characters and funny, over-the-top dialogue.

Becoming a Mainstream Director

John Waters signing a fan's jean jacket sleeve at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, 1990.

In 1981, Waters made the film Polyester, which starred Divine and former teen star Tab Hunter. This was the first film where Waters did not operate the camera himself.

After Polyester, his films became more popular with wider audiences. Movies like Hairspray, Cry-Baby, Serial Mom, and Cecil B. Demented still had his unique style but were less controversial.

Hairspray was so successful that it was turned into a hit Broadway musical, which won many awards in 2003. A movie version of the musical was released in 2007 and was also a big hit. Cry-Baby, which was also a musical, was later adapted into a Broadway show.

Waters has often given his characters names where the first and last names start with the same letter. Examples include Corny Collins, Link Larkin, and Tracy Turnblad.

On September 18, 2023, Waters was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His friends and fellow Dreamlanders, Ricki Lake and Mink Stole, spoke at the ceremony.

Other Projects

Waters with historian Jon Wiener in 2010

John Waters loves books and owns over 8,000 of them. His home in Baltimore is filled with bookshelves, and books are stacked on tables and even on a replica electric chair in his hall. For over 20 years, he has had his fan mail sent to an independent bookstore in Baltimore called Atomic Books.

Waters is on the board of the Maryland Film Festival. Every year since 1999, he has chosen and hosted a screening of one of his favorite films at the festival. He also supports the Provincetown International Film Festival.

Since 2017, Waters has hosted an annual "Camp John Waters" in Connecticut. At this event, adult fans can enjoy a fun, camp-themed weekend. Special guests have included stars like Debbie Harry and Kathleen Turner.

Art Career

Waters in 2007

Since the early 1990s, Waters has created art using photographs and installations. His work has been shown in galleries and museums all over the world. In 2004, the New Museum in New York City held a major exhibition of his art.

His art pieces are often funny. For example, one piece is a photograph of flowers that squirts water at people who get too close. Waters says his art is conceptual, meaning the idea behind the piece is more important than how it's made.

In 2020, Waters promised to donate 372 artworks from his personal collection to the Baltimore Museum of Art. The collection includes pieces by famous artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. In return, the museum named its main rotunda after him. Waters also insisted that the museum name an all-gender bathroom after him, which they did.

Carsick: A Hitchhiking Adventure

Waters wanted to see what would happen if he gave up control of his life. So, he decided to hitchhike across the United States, from Baltimore to San Francisco. He wrote a book about his adventures called Carsick.

During his trip, he was picked up by a 20-year-old town councilman named Brett Bidle, who drove him for four hours. The next day, the indie rock band Here We Go Magic gave him a ride.

Later, Bidle met up with Waters again in Denver and drove him another 1,000 miles to Reno, Nevada. Waters was so grateful that he let Bidle stay at his apartment in San Francisco. Bidle said that even though they had different beliefs, they got along great and had an amazing time.

Personal Life

Waters in New York City, 2007

John Waters has apartments in New York City and San Francisco, and a summer home in Provincetown, Massachusetts. However, he mainly lives in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. All of his films have been set and filmed there. He is known for his signature pencil-thin mustache.

Filmography

As actor

Television

See also

In Spanish: John Waters para niños

• LGBT culture in New York City
• List of LGBT people from New York City