International Chrysis

International Chrysis (1951 – 26 March 1990) was an American transgender entertainer[1] and protégé of Salvador Dalí.[2] She also played the damsel in distress in the music video for Van Halen's version of "(Oh) Pretty Woman".[3]

Life and career

International Chrysis was a member of the Hot Peaches troupe and appeared briefly in the 1968 documentary The Queen. She toured drag supper clubs in the 1970s and moved her show to nightclubs in the 1980s, performing her revues Jesus Chrysis Superstar and The Last Temptation of Chrysis. She appeared in the 1990 film Q&A shortly before her death. Chrysis died of liver cancer, attributed to illegal breast enhancement injections and high levels of hormones.[4][5] A documentary about her life entitled Split: Portrait of a Drag Queen was released posthumously.[6][7][8][9] Dead or Alive briefly recorded under the name "International Chrysis" in her honor.

Death

Chrysis's breasts were injected with a wax that hardened into painful lumps and that eventually seeped into her bloodstream. Along with her use of female hormones, that seepage contributed to a fatal case of liver cancer.

References
  1. Senelick, Laurence (2000). The changing room: sex, drag and theatre. Routledge ISBN 978-0-415-15986-9
  2. Staff report (June 26, 1994). THIS WEEK; Identity Crisis.New York Times Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Van Halen: (Oh) Pretty Woman (Video 1981) - IMDb". IMDb.
  4. Staff report (2 May 1990). International Chrysis obituary. Variety
  5. Staff report (8 May 1990). International Chrysis obituary. The Advocate
  6. Holden, Stephen (3 September 1993). "Review/Film; Life and Death at the Edge: The Story of a Drag Queen". The New York Times.
  7. Weeks, Andrew and Ellen Fisher Turk (1993) Split: William to Chrysis Water Bearer Films
  8. Burston P (7 April 1993). Art imitates life. Time Out
  9. Holden, Stephen (September 3, 1993). Review/Film; Life and Death at the Edge: The Story of a Drag Queen. New York Times
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