Rockets Redglare
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Born Name:
Michael Morra
Born Date: May 8, 1949
Born Place: New York City, New York
Died Date: May 28, 2001
Died Place: New York City, New York
Occupations: Actor, stand-up comedian
Brief Biography: Rockets Redglare was born in NYC to a 15-year-old heroin addict and a mobster, he became a cultural icon in the downtown punk, art, and club scenes. Over the 1980s and 90s, he performed his acclaimed Taxi Cabaret shows and appeared in over 30 films before his death in 2001.
Early Life and Sid Vicious Connection:
Childhood: Born addicted to heroin in 1949, Morra endured a harrowing Brooklyn childhood. After his mother was beaten to death, he left home and adopted the flamboyant moniker "Rockets Redglare".
The Punk Scene: He was a permanent fixture in the East Village. Before making it in entertainment, Rockets worked as a club bouncer, a roadie for a young Billy Joel, and a bodyguard and drug dealer for Jean-Michel Basquiat and Sid Vicious.
Comedy Career:
Lower East Side Legend: In the early 1980s, Rockets stepped onto the comedy circuit. He performed raunchy, raw stand-up routines based on his turbulent past in Lower East Side clubs like the Pyramid and Club 57.
Taxi Cabaret: He headlined his own hit show called Taxi Cabaret, which helped launch the careers of fellow underground performers like Steve Buscemi.
Film and Television:
Capitalizing on his rugged looks and gritty NYC persona, Redglare transitioned into a successful character actor. He was a go-to player for independent directors and mainstream productions alike, making appearances in notable films and television: Stranger Than Paradise (1984), Desperately Seeking Susan (1985),Down by Law (1986)Big (1988), Talk Radio (1988), and Animal Factory (2000).
Born Date: May 8, 1949
Born Place: New York City, New York
Died Date: May 28, 2001
Died Place: New York City, New York
Occupations: Actor, stand-up comedian
Brief Biography: Rockets Redglare was born in NYC to a 15-year-old heroin addict and a mobster, he became a cultural icon in the downtown punk, art, and club scenes. Over the 1980s and 90s, he performed his acclaimed Taxi Cabaret shows and appeared in over 30 films before his death in 2001.
Early Life and Sid Vicious Connection:
Childhood: Born addicted to heroin in 1949, Morra endured a harrowing Brooklyn childhood. After his mother was beaten to death, he left home and adopted the flamboyant moniker "Rockets Redglare".
The Punk Scene: He was a permanent fixture in the East Village. Before making it in entertainment, Rockets worked as a club bouncer, a roadie for a young Billy Joel, and a bodyguard and drug dealer for Jean-Michel Basquiat and Sid Vicious.
Comedy Career:
Lower East Side Legend: In the early 1980s, Rockets stepped onto the comedy circuit. He performed raunchy, raw stand-up routines based on his turbulent past in Lower East Side clubs like the Pyramid and Club 57.
Taxi Cabaret: He headlined his own hit show called Taxi Cabaret, which helped launch the careers of fellow underground performers like Steve Buscemi.
Film and Television:
Capitalizing on his rugged looks and gritty NYC persona, Redglare transitioned into a successful character actor. He was a go-to player for independent directors and mainstream productions alike, making appearances in notable films and television: Stranger Than Paradise (1984), Desperately Seeking Susan (1985),Down by Law (1986)Big (1988), Talk Radio (1988), and Animal Factory (2000).