Susan Bottomly

1stpicture The image of Susan Bottomly that was used for the cover of Mademoiselle Magazine in December of 1965.

Susan Bottomly's modeling career began in 1965, when at only fifteen years of age, she appeared surrounded in furs on the cover of Mademoiselle magazine, shot by successful British fashion photographer David McCabe. Upon meeting Andy Warhol in 1966, he invited her to join his Factory as one of his "superstars" and she quickly became the breakout star of the group. She was renamed International Velvet and went on to star in twelve Warhol films, including Chelsea Girls (1966), Paraphernalia (1966), Since (1966), Superboy (1966), and **** (The 24 Hour Movie) (1967), as well as appearing alongside other Factory members in John Schlesinger's Midnight Cowboy (1969).[1]

She was, in Warhol's words, "very beautiful".[2] A tall, long-necked brunette with graceful physicality, she impressed the artist deeply. She worked diligently on her personal cosmetics regimen, a process which Warhol observed with fascination: "Watching someone like Susan Bottomly, who had such perfect, full, fine features, doing all this on her face was like watching a beautiful statue painting itself."[2]

Bottomly made her film debut in Gerard Malanga's Prelude to International Velvet Debutante, a home-made short film, and moved to New York to join the Factory. She lived in the Chelsea Hotel in room number 116, and spent most of her days with Warhol and other Factory members. She went on to star in her Factory debut, Paraphernalia (1966), and followed up with the silent short film Superboy (1966), along with Mary Woronov.[3] Her time as a Factory star illuminated her beauty, and seemed to draw people to her with a kind of ethereal grace and allure. Warhol admitted, "There were other girls who were just as beautiful as Susan Bottomly was, but her way of moving made her extra beautiful. People constantly wanted to know, 'Who is she?' "[4]

Susan Bottomly (L) asks Mary Woronov (R) why she won't answer Bottomly's phone. Still from The Chelsea Girls (1966).

After Paraphernalia and Superboy, Susan Bottomly starred in what was most likely her most famous and successful film, The Chelsea Girls (1966). Filmed during the summer of 1966 while she was still new to the factory, she appeared in three segments of the three-hour split screen film. One of the segments, titled Hanoi Hannah after Mary Woronov's character, showed Bottomly, Woronov, and Ingrid Superstar conversing in Bottomly's room at the Chelsea Hotel, where she had been living since she moved to New York to join the Factory.

The scene displays Bottomly playing a passive character in juxtaposition to Woronov's curt and abusive character, Hanoi Hannah. Prior to filming, Bottomly informed Warhol that she was expecting a phone call from a major modeling agency and would have to answer it during filming if it rang. Bottomly also informed Woronov, but when the phone call arrived, Woronov pulled it out of Bottomly's hands and prevented her from taking it back. Bottomly pleaded with her, saying "You promised! That's my call." Bottomly also quipped, "What, you want to hear it ring some more? Is that why?" but Woronov replied scaldingly, saying, "You don't have a call. You have a fat ass." Bottomly ran from the set in tears, although did later return to finish the scene.

This scene has led to much speculation on the relationship between Bottomly and Woronov. Woronov is quoted by saying, "Velvet was a slob. She was a society girl from Boston hoping to follow in Edie Sedgwick's footsteps." Worovov refers to the event of filming by describing Bottomly as "slugging out of her vodka bottle, a little too greedily for a girl of good breeding." Woronov notoriously once whispered to Bottomly at her dressing-table, "No matter how much you put on your face, it won't make your butt any smaller."[5]

Another major Warhol film Bottomly appeared in was the elusive The Velvet Underground: Tarot Cards, a 60-minute sound film depicting Bottomly and many other Factory members. Bottomly appears throughout the film, which is shot continuously through one shot. She changes outfits several times within the hour-long duration.

Bottomly had an extensive catalogue of fashion images, appearing in mostly European editions of the biggest magazines in the world. She appeared most often in Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia, and Elle France, spanning from 1965 to 1977.

• Susan Bottomly at IMDb
• Susan Bottomly at warholstars.org