John Waters Biography

Described by William Burroughs as “The Pope of Trash”, John’s obsession with violence and gore, both on and off screen, set him apart from his peers, growing up as he did in 1950’s Baltimore, within an upper middle class Catholic family. Inspired by the gift of an 8mm camera for his 17th birthday, he began to make films with the help of his counter-culture friends, who included one Harris Millstead, better known as obese female impersonator 'Divine'. Showing an early talent for self-promotion, he screened these productions in rented Baltimore church halls to underground audiences, drawn by word-of-mouth and street leafleting campaigns.

His notoriety increased as his productions grew more polished and more shocking, garnering growing audiences and increasingly outraged reviews in Baltimore papers. His cult status was increased through midnight showings at art cinemas. In 1969 John’s father financed his first feature film, 'Mondo Trasho'. John was arrested on the eve of its premiere, on a charge of “conspiracy to commit indecent exposure”, which did nothing to harm his reputation. Commercial success came in 1973 when 'Pink Flamingos', a deliberate exercise in ultra-bad taste, which includes the infamous dog-shit eating scene by lead actor 'Divine', secured his reputation as “The Sultan of Sleaze”.

He continued to make low-budget shocking movies with his Dreamland repertory company, until Hollywood crossover success came with 'Hairspray' and, although his movies now have the toned-down patina of commercial success, they retain that Water’s manic edge, and reflect his life-long obsessions.