Michael McClure facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael McClure
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McClure during the video taping of "Add-Verse", 2004
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| Born | October 20, 1932 Marysville, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | May 4, 2020 (aged 87) Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Poet, songwriter, critic, playwright, professor |
Michael McClure (born October 20, 1932 – died May 4, 2020) was an American poet, playwright, songwriter, and novelist. He became famous as one of the five poets who read at the well-known Six Gallery reading in San Francisco in 1955. This event was even mentioned in Jack Kerouac's book The Dharma Bums.
McClure was an important member of the Beat Generation. This was a group of writers and artists in the 1950s who explored new ways of thinking and living. He was even featured as a character named Pat McLear in Kerouac's novel Big Sur.
Contents
Michael McClure's Creative Journey
Michael McClure studied at several universities, including San Francisco State College. His very first book of poems, Passage, was published in 1956.
McClure wrote many different kinds of works. He published eight books of plays and four collections of essays. These essays covered topics like music and the environment. He also wrote fourteen books of poetry, including Jaguar Skies and Huge Dreams. A famous moment in his career was when he read his "Ghost Tantra" poems to the lions at the San Francisco Zoo. He also wrote two novels, The Mad Cub and The Adept.
Joining the Counterculture Movement
On January 14, 1967, McClure read his poetry at the Human Be-In event. This was a large gathering in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. He became a key figure in the 1960s hippie counterculture. People even called him "the prince of the San Francisco scene."
McClure also wrote plays that sometimes caused discussion. One of his plays, The Beard, imagined a meeting between the famous outlaw Billy the Kid and actress Jean Harlow. This play explored his ideas about human nature.
His other plays include Josephine The Mouse Singer. He worked for eleven years as a playwright at San Francisco's Magic Theatre. His musical play "Minnie Mouse and the Tap-Dancing Buddha" was very popular there.
McClure in Film and Music
Michael McClure also worked on television and in films. He made two TV documentaries called The Maze and September Blackberries. He appeared in several movies, too. You can see him in Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz (1978), where he recites poetry. He also appeared in Norman Mailer's Beyond the Law (1968) and Peter Fonda's The Hired Hand (1971).
McClure was a close friend of Jim Morrison, the lead singer of the band the Doors. Many people believe McClure helped Morrison become known as a poet. McClure performed spoken word poetry concerts with Ray Manzarek, the Doors' keyboardist, for many years. They even released several albums together. McClure also wrote the afterword for No One Here Gets Out Alive, a well-known book about The Doors.
He also released albums with the composer Terry Riley. McClure wrote the song "Mercedes Benz", which became very popular when Janis Joplin sang it. New songs he wrote were performed by Riders on the Storm, a band featuring Manzarek and Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger.
Awards and Later Life
McClure's writings appeared in famous magazines like Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair. He received many awards for his work. These included a Guggenheim Fellowship and an Obie Award for Best Play. He was also honored by San Francisco State University in 2014.
Michael McClure continued to write poetry, essays, and plays until he passed away. He lived in the San Francisco Bay Area with his second wife, Amy. He had one daughter from his first marriage.
Teaching at California College of the Arts
For many years, Michael McClure was a popular English professor at the California College of Arts and Crafts. This school is now called California College of the Arts and is located in Oakland, California.
His Passing
Michael McClure died on May 4, 2020, in Oakland. He was 87 years old and passed away due to complications from a stroke.
Selected Film Appearances
- Two (1965) – as himself
- Be In (1967) – as himself
- Beyond The Law (1968) – as an actor
- The Hired Hand (1971) – as an actor
- The Last Waltz (1978) – as himself
- The Source (1999) – as himself
- Love Her Madly (2002) – as himself
- The Third Mind (2006) – as himself
- Curses and Sermons (2008) – based on his work
See also
In Spanish: Michael McClure para niños
