John Waters facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Waters
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Waters in May 2014
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John Samuel Waters Jr.
April 22, 1946 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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| Years active | 1964–present |
| Organization | Dreamland Productions |
| Relatives | George P. Whitaker (third-great-grandfather) |
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John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist. He became well-known in the early 1970s for his unique and unusual films. Some of his famous early movies include Pink Flamingos (1972) and Female Trouble (1974). Waters wrote and directed the comedy film Hairspray (1988). This movie later became a very popular Broadway musical and a 2007 musical film. Other films he wrote and directed are Desperate Living (1977), Polyester (1981), Cry-Baby (1990), Serial Mom (1994), Pecker (1998), and Cecil B. Demented (2000). His films often have funny and imaginative stories. He often worked with his friend and actor Divine (1966–1988) and his group of regular actors called the Dreamlanders.
As an actor, Waters has appeared in movies like Sweet and Lowdown (1999), Mangus! (2011), Excision (2012), and Suburban Gothic (2014). He was also in the Child's Play series with the film Seed of Chucky (2004) and the TV show Chucky (2024). He also hosted and produced a TV show called John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You (2006).
Waters is also a visual artist. He creates art using different methods like installations, photography, and sculpture. He has narrated audiobooks for his own books, Carsick and Mr. Know-It-All. These audiobooks were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album. In 2018, France honored him by making him an officer of the Order of Arts and Letters. He also received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Waters was born on April 22, 1946, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was one of four children. His mother, Patricia Ann, raised him Catholic. His father, John Samuel Waters, made fire-protection equipment. Through his mother, who came from Canada, he is related to George P. Whitaker. Waters grew up in Lutherville, Maryland, a suburb of Baltimore. His childhood friend, Glenn Milstead, who later became known as Divine, also lived in Lutherville. Waters and Milstead filmed many of their early movies at Waters's home. They even called the front lawn the "Dreamland Lot."
When Waters was seven, the film Lili made him interested in puppets. He started putting on puppet shows like Punch and Judy for birthday parties. Some people believe that the puppets in Lili greatly influenced his future career. Others think that watching different kinds of movies at a local drive-in from a distance had a bigger effect on him.
Waters went to private schools in Baltimore. He attended the Calvert School and Calvert Hall College High School. He later graduated from Boys' Latin School of Maryland. As a teenager, he often visited downtown Baltimore. There, he met many people who would later work with him on his films.
Career in Filmmaking
Starting His Film Journey
Waters's very first short film was called Hag in a Black Leather Jacket. The classic movie The Wizard of Oz (1939) had a big impact on Waters's creative ideas. He has said that he enjoys and gets ideas from all kinds of movies, both serious art films and fun, wild ones.
He returned to Baltimore to make his next short film, Roman Candles. All of Waters's early films were made in the Baltimore area. He worked with his group of local actors, known as the Dreamlanders. This group included Divine, Mink Stole, Cookie Mueller, Edith Massey, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, and others.
Moving Towards Mainstream Films
Waters's 1981 film Polyester starred Divine and former teen idol Tab Hunter. This was the first time Waters didn't operate the camera himself. He started working with a film student named David Insley. After this, his films became more widely known. Movies like Hairspray, Cry-Baby, Serial Mom, Pecker, and Cecil B. Demented still showed his unique style.
Hairspray became a very successful Broadway musical. It won many awards in 2003. A movie version of the musical was released in 2007. It received good reviews and was very popular. Cry-Baby, which was also a musical, later became a Broadway musical too.
In 2007, Waters hosted a TV show called 'Til Death Do Us Part. He was known as "The Groom Reaper" on the show. In 2008, he planned to make a Christmas movie for children called Fruitcake. However, the project was later put on hold. Waters has mentioned that it can be hard to find money to make independent films today.
On September 18, 2023, Waters received a special honor. He got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His friends and collaborators, Ricki Lake and Mink Stole, spoke at the event.
Other Creative Projects
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John Waters loves books and has a very large collection of over 8,000 books. For more than 20 years, he has had his fan mail sent to a bookstore in Baltimore called Atomic Books.
Waters has also taught classes. In the 1980s, he taught literature and film discussions. He is a board member for the Maryland Film Festival. He has chosen and hosted a favorite film there every year since 1999. He is also on the advisory board for the Provincetown International Film Festival. He contributes to Artforum magazine and creates a list of his top ten films each year. Waters also performs an annual show called "A John Waters Christmas." This show started in 1996 and tours many cities.
Since 2017, Waters has hosted a yearly "Camp John Waters" event. Fans from all over the world come to this fun weekend event. Famous guests have included Debbie Harry and Kathleen Turner. In 2019, the Film Society of Lincoln Center celebrated its 50th anniversary. John Waters spoke at the event along with other famous filmmakers and actors.
His Fine Art Work
Since the early 1990s, Waters has been creating art based on photographs and installations. His artwork has been shown in galleries and museums around the world. In 2004, the New Museum in New York City held a special show of his art. His most recent exhibition was at the Baltimore Museum of Art from October 2018 to January 2019. It later traveled to another art center.
In 2020, Waters announced that he would donate 372 artworks from his personal collection to the Baltimore Museum of Art. This collection includes some of his own art and pieces by famous artists like Andy Warhol and Cindy Sherman. To thank him for the donation, the museum named its main hall after Waters. The first show of his donated collection opened in November 2022. Waters is on the museum's board and plans for the museum to receive all his art after his death.
Carsick Adventure
Waters completed a unique journey across the United States. He hitchhiked from Baltimore to San Francisco. He wanted to see what would happen if he let go of his usual schedule. He wrote about his adventures in a book called Carsick. On May 15, 2012, during his trip, a 20-year-old councilman named Brett Bidle picked him up. Bidle thought Waters was a homeless hitchhiker in the rain. He drove Waters for four hours to Ohio.
The next day, a band called Here We Go Magic tweeted that they had picked up John Waters hitchhiking in Ohio. In Denver, Colorado, Waters met up with Bidle again. Bidle then drove him another 1,000 miles (1,600 km) to Reno, Nevada. Waters arranged for Bidle to stay at his apartment in San Francisco. Bidle later said that even though they had different ideas about politics, they had a great time. He felt it showed what America is all about: people with different views getting along.
Life in Baltimore
John Waters mainly lives in Baltimore, Maryland. He also has apartments in New York City and San Francisco, and a summer home in Provincetown. All of his films are set and filmed in Baltimore. He is easy to recognize by his unique pencil moustache.
Waters is a strong supporter of equal rights for all people. He was a big fan of the music of Little Richard when he was growing up.
Selected Filmography
Waters has directed and written many films, often working with his group of actors, the Dreamlanders. Some of his notable films include:
- Pink Flamingos (1972)
- Female Trouble (1974)
- Desperate Living (1977)
- Polyester (1981)
- Hairspray (1988)
- Cry-Baby (1990)
- Serial Mom (1994)
- Pecker (1998)
- Cecil B. Demented (2000)
He has also appeared as an actor in several films and TV shows, such as:
- Sweet and Lowdown (1999)
- Seed of Chucky (2004)
- Hairspray (2007) (cameo)
- The Simpsons (1997) (voice)
- Chucky (2024)
Published Books
- Waters, John (2019). Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder.
- Waters, John (2022). Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance.
Music and Audio Recordings
John Waters has also released several audio recordings, including:
- A John Waters Christmas (2004) – a CD of Christmas songs he put together.
- A Date With John Waters (2007) – a CD of love songs he compiled.
- Audiobooks for his books Role Models, Carsick, Mr. Know-It-All, and Liarmouth, all narrated by him.
- Spoken word recordings like Make Trouble (2017) and Prayer to Pasolini (2021).
Awards and Recognitions
In 1999, Waters received the Filmmaker on the Edge Award at the Provincetown International Film Festival. In 2015, the British Film Institute celebrated 50 years of his films.
Waters has been nominated for two Grammy Awards for his audiobooks: Carsick in 2015 and Mr. Know-It-All in 2020. In 2015, he received the Ted M. Larson Award for his contributions to filmmaking.
He has also received honorary degrees from the Maryland Institute College of Art (2016) and the University of Baltimore (2023). In 2017, he received the Timeless Star honor from a group of LGBTQ entertainment critics. In 2018, the French government honored him with the title of Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
In 2023, Waters received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He dedicated this honor to his parents. His star is located in front of a bookshop he often visits on Hollywood Boulevard.
Award Nominations
- 1988: Sundance Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize for Hairspray (Nominated)
- 1989: Independent Spirit Awards – Best Feature and Best Director for Hairspray (Nominated)
- 1998: Gijón International Film Festival – Grand Prix Asturias for Pecker (Nominated)
- 2015: Grammy Awards – Best Spoken Word Album for Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America (Nominated)
- 2020: Grammy Awards – Best Spoken Word Album for Mr. Know-It-All (Nominated)
Images for kids
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Waters in 2007
