Northup, Harry E.

Actor, poet and editor, Harry Northup was born in Amarillo, Texas, on Sept. 2, 1940 and studied acting and poetry in New York City in the early 1960s. He has published eight volumes of collected poetry, acted in over thirty-six films, and helped found the Cahuenga Press.

From the description of Harry Northup papers, 1940-2010. (University of California, San Diego). WorldCat record id: 51182487

Biography

Harry E. Northup was born in Amarillo, Texas, on September 2, 1940, and grew up in Ordville and Sidney, Nebraska. Harry began acting at age 14 in community and high school theatre. After a brief tour of duty as a radioman in the U.S. Navy between 1958-1961 he attended Nebraska State Teachers College at Kearney, where he performed in leading roles. In 1962, he worked in summer stock, where he got his Equity card. In 1963, Northup moved to New York City where he met Leland Hickman in Frank Corsaro's Method acting class. Hickman introduced him to poetry.

After moving to Los Angeles, Northup acted in film and television roles to support his career as a poet with parts in Martin Scorsese's first six films including TAXI DRIVER and MEAN STREETS. He has acted in over thirty-six films, numerous television shows and series, and has worked with directors such as Jonathan Demme, who directed PHILADELPHIA and THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.

Northup's first book of poetry entitled AMARILLO BORN was published in 1966. He has had seven additional volumes of collected works published including THE JON VOIGHT POEMS (circa 1973), EROS ASH (circa 1976), ENOUGH THE GREAT RUNNING CHAPEL (1982), THE IMAGES WE POSSESS KILL THE CAPTURING (1988), THE RAGGED VERTICAL (1996), REUNIONS (2001), and GREATEST HITS, 1966-2001 (2002). Northup's poetry has appeared in small magazines and literary journals, especially TEMBLOR and BACHY. His work is diaristic in nature, drawing from life and emotional experiences, and often emphasizes the long poem. In 1985, Northup completed his bachelor's degree in English from California State University, Northridge, where he studied verse with Ann Stanford.

Two of Northup's books, THE RAGGED VERTICAL and REUNIONS, were published by Cahuenga Press, which he co-founded in 1989. The press was created in order to promote and inspire the work of its founders, Harry Northup, Holly Prado, Jimm Cushing, Phoebe MacAdams, Bill Mohr, and Celia Woloch. Northup works as an editor and writer at Cahuenga Press.

Along with the written word, Northup is an adamant supporter of the spoken word. New Alliance Records has released his "Personal Crime," new and selected poems from 1966-1991 on CD and cassette audio recordings and "Homes" on CD. He has participated in numerous public poetry readings and talks and organized a weekly on-going reading series entitled "Gasoline Alley Readings." Poets who participated include Holly Prado, Bill Mohr and Lewis MacAdams.

Harry Northup lives in Los Angeles with his wife, poet Holly Prado Northup.

From the guide to the Harry Northup Papers, 1940-2002, (University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.)