Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Divine (performer)

Role / Field:

Iconic drag performer, actor, and singer, known for his association with John Waters.

Born:

1945-10-19

Died:

1988-03-07

Century / Era:

1945s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Harris Glenn Milstead (October 19, 1945 – March 7, 1988), better known by the stage name Divine, was an American actor, singer and drag queen. Closely associated with independent filmmaker John Waters, Divine was a character actor, usually performing female roles in cinematic and theatrical productions, and adopted a female drag persona for his music career. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, to a conservative middle-class family, Milstead developed an early interest in drag while working as a women's hairdresser. By the mid-1960s, he had embraced the city's countercultural scene and befriended Waters, who gave him the name "Divine" and the tagline of "the most beautiful woman in the world, almost".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Along with his friend David Lochary, Milstead joined Waters's acting troupe, the Dreamlanders, and adopted female roles for their experimental short films Roman Candles (1966), Eat Your Makeup (1968) and The Diane Linkletter Story (1970). Again in drag, he took a lead role in both of Waters's early full-length movies, Mondo Trasho (1969) and Multiple Maniacs (1970), the latter of which attracted press attention for the group. Milstead next starred in Waters's Pink Flamingos (1972), which was a...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Anatoly Fomenko — Contemporary (Born in 1945) (1945): Topologist, Mathematician, and proponent of the New Chronology theory.
• Abdul Basit 'Abd us-Samad — Contemporary (Died in 1988) (1988): Renowned Egyptian Quran reciter, celebrated for his melodious and emotionally engaging style.
• Abdul Ghaffar Khan — Contemporary (Died in 1988) (1988): Pioneering nonviolent activist and founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement.
• Adele — Contemporary (Born in 1988) (1988): Iconic English singer-songwriter celebrated for powerful mezzo-soprano vocals.
• Angus Deaton — Shared historical date (10-19 · Born) (1945): Influential economist specializing in poverty, inequality, and consumption analysis.
• Benjamin Banneker — Shared historical date (10-19 · Died) (1806): Self-taught polymath, surveyor, and advocate for racial equality in early America.
• Akseli Gallen-Kallela — Shared historical date (03-07 · Died) (1931): Leading Finnish painter and pioneer of national romantic art, famed for the Kalevala.
• Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud — Shared historical date (03-07 · Born) (1955): Saudi billionaire, investor, and influential member of the House of Saud.
• 1945 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1945
• October 19 (10-19) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 19
• 1988 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1988
• March 7 (03-07) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 7

Frequently Asked Questions about Divine (performer)