Transgender icon takes walk on the other side

08 December 2015 - 02:25 By ©The Daily Telegraph

Holly Woodlawn - transgender actress, Warhol muse and the inspiration for Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side - has died aged 69. Born Harold Danhakl in 1940s Puerto Rico, she came out at an early age, taking the name Holly from Breakfast at Tiffany's' Holly Golightly, and Woodlawn from a sign spotted in an episode of I Love Lucy. After running away from home at age 15 and hitchhiking to New York, she went on to become one of Andy Warhol's stable stars.Most recently, she appeared in the Amazon Prime hit show Transparent.However, she'll almost certainly be remembered most for the Lou Reed lyrics "Holly came from Miami, FLA/Hitchhiked her way across the USA/Plucked her eyebrows on the way/Shaved her legs and then he was a she/She says, 'Hey, babe, take a walk on the wild side',"Speaking in 2003 Woodlawn said: "Paul Morrissey made me a star, but Lou Reed made me immortal." ..

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