Dorian Corey

Dorian Corey

Dorian Corey in Paris is Burning
Born Buffalo, New York
Died Manhattan
Occupation Drag queen

Dorian Corey (circa 1937 – August 29, 1993), born Frederick Legg, was an American drag queen and performer who was featured in Jennie Livingston's 1990 documentary about the ball culture of New York City, Paris Is Burning.

Beginning and early career

Corey grew up in Buffalo, New York. After studying at Parsons The New School for Design, she toured in the 1960s in the Pearl Box Revue, a cabaret drag act.[1] Corey was one of four performers who appeared on the 1972 Pearl Box Revue LP Call Me MISSter.[2]

Career in drag and design

Corey also ran and designed a clothing label called Corey Design.[3] At one point, Corey's act involved her wearing a 30-by-40-foot feather cape. Once she shed her costume down to her sequined body stocking, two attendants raised the cape up on poles to produce a feathered tent that covered half the audience.[1]

Robert Wells

Corey died of AIDS-related complications at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in Manhattan.[3] After Corey's death, the mummified body of Robert Worley (aka Robert Wells), was found in Corey's belongings with a gunshot wound to the head.[4] Investigators determined the body had been dead for about 15 years.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cunningham, Michael (May 1998). "The Slap of Love". Open City 6.
  2. ↑ "Pearl Box Revue – Call Me MISSter". Discogs.org. Retrieved 2014-10-23.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Dorian Corey Is Dead; A Drag Film Star, 56". New York Times. August 31, 1993.
  4. ↑ Conlon, Edward (1995). "The Drag Queen and the Mummy". Transition (65): 4–24.

External links