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Walt Curtis

ウォルト・カーティス

Walt Curtis

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1941-07-04 （Portland, Oregon, U.S.）
Died
2023-08-25 （Portland, Oregon, U.S.） age 82
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Career

Occupations
poet, novelist, painter, radio host, actor
Active Years
1960-2023
Affiliations
Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission (co-founder), KBOO (host of the radio program 'Talking Earth')

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Mala Noche

1977 autobiographical prose/poetry

An autobiographical work based on Curtis's experiences. Published in 1977 and later adapted into Gus Van Sant's 1985 film of the same name.

self-explorationsexualityregional (Oregon)
Adaptations
  • [film] Mala Noche / Gus Van Sant (1985)

The Roses of Portland

1974 poetry

A collection of poems depicting Portland, its landscapes, and everyday life.

urban landscapenatureregionalism

Peckerneck Country

1978 essays/poetry

A mix of prose and poems portraying regional life and people of Oregon and the U.S. West Coast.

local cultureportraits of people

Salmon Song, And Other Wet Poems

1995 poetry

A poetry collection celebrating nature, especially salmon and wet landscapes.

natureenvironmentOregon ecology

Rhymes for Alice Bluelight

1984 poetry

Works that weave personal emotion with poetic observation.

personal memorylyricism

Angel Pussy

1970 poetry/avant-garde

An early collection containing avant-garde and provocative poems.

avant-gardeprovocation

Bibliography

  • Angel Pussy (1970)
  • The Erotic Flying Machine (1970)
  • The Roses of Portland (1974)
  • The Mad Bombers Notebook (1975)
  • The Mad Poems, The Unreasonable Ones (1975)
  • The Sunflower and Other Earth Poems (1975)
  • Mala Noche (1977)
  • Peckerneck Country (1978)
  • Journey Across America (1979)
  • Rhymes for Alice Bluelight (1984)
  • Salmon Song, And Other Wet Poems (1995)
  • Mala Noche: And Other "Illegal" Adventures (1997)

Adaptations

  • Mala Noche (film, dir. Gus Van Sant, 1985)
  • Penny Allen: Property (1978)
  • Penny Allen: Paydirt (1981)
  • Bill Plympton & Walt Curtis: Walt Curtis, The Peckerneck Poet (1997)
  • Sabrina Guitart: Salmon Poet (2009)
  • Courtney Fathom Sell: An Afternoon with Walt Curtis (2010)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
colloquial voiceautobiographical elementsavant-garde and provocative expression
Recurring Motifs
Oregon and Portland landscapesnature (especially salmon)sexuality and personal exploration

Legacy

Walt Curtis was a Portland-based poet, novelist, and painter known as an advocate for regional literature. Longtime host of the radio program 'Talking Earth', he helped revive interest in Oregon writers; his notable work 'Mala Noche' was adapted for film. In 2010 Portland declared a "Walt Curtis Week".

Archives

  • Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission - materials related to Walt Curtis

In Popular Culture

  • Film adaptation of 'Mala Noche' by Gus Van Sant (1985)
  • Long-running presence as host on the radio program 'Talking Earth'

Trivia

  • In 2010 Portland Mayor Sam Adams declared July 1–7 "Walt Curtis Week."
  • His work 'Mala Noche' was adapted by Gus Van Sant into a 1985 film; Curtis appears in the film as George.
  • He hosted the radio program 'Talking Earth' on KBOO beginning in 1971.
  • He was a co-founder of the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission.