Viva (born Janet Susan Mary Hoffmann; August 23, 1938) is an American actress, writer and former

Warhol superstar Warhol superstars were a clique of New York City personalities promoted by the pop artist Andy Warhol during the 1960s and early 1970s. These personalities appeared in Warhol's artworks and accompanied him in his social life, epitomizing his fam ...

Life and career

Viva was born in Syracuse, New York, the daughter of Mary Alice (née McNicholas) and Wilfred Ernest Hoffmann. Hoffmann was the eldest of nine children born into a family of strict Roman Catholics. Her father was a prosperous attorney, and her parents were stalwart supporters of the Army–McCarthy hearings held to expose Communist government infiltration. The Hoffmann children were required to watch the televised proceedings. Raised in devout

Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, she considered becoming a nun. Viva began her career in entertainment as a model and painter. She retired from both professions, claiming that she believed painting to be a dead medium, and describing her time as a model as "...a period of my life I would rather forget." She was given the name Viva by

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the Art movement, visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore th ...

before the release of her first film but later used her married last name (Auder). She appeared in several of Warhol's films and was a frequent guest at

the Factory The Factory was Andy Warhol's studio in New York City, which had four locations between 1963 and 1987. The Factory became famed for its parties in the 1960s. It was the hip hangout spot for artists, musicians, celebrities and Warhol's superstar ...

. Viva's film career began in 1967, when she began filming ''

Ciao! Manhattan ''Ciao! Manhattan'' is a 1972 American avant garde film starring Edie Sedgwick. A scripted drama in which most of the actors play themselves, it centers on a character very closely based on Sedgwick, and deals with the pain of addiction and the ...

'', which was not completed until 1972. Viva approached Andy Warhol about being in one of his films, on the suggestion of her friend, actress Abigail Rosen McGrath. Warhol agreed but only on the condition that Viva take off her blouse for the role. Viva responded by adhering bandaids to her breasts and visiting Warhol at

The Factory The Factory was Andy Warhol's studio in New York City, which had four locations between 1963 and 1987. The Factory became famed for its parties in the 1960s. It was the hip hangout spot for artists, musicians, celebrities and Warhol's superstar ...

. Viva appeared in many of Warhol's films. The first, ''

Tub Girls ''Tub Girls'' is a 1967 American avant garde film directed by Andy Warhol and starring Viva, one of the Warhol Superstars. The film features Viva sitting naked in a bathtub talking with other Factory regulars, including Brigid Berlin (credited a ...

'', consists of Viva lying in a bathtub with various people of both sexes, including

Brigid Berlin Brigid Emmett Berlin (September 6, 1939 – July 17, 2020) was an American artist and Warhol superstar. Early years Berlin was born on September 6, 1939 in Manhattan in New York City. She was the eldest of three daughters born to socialite parent ...

and Rosen McGrath. She appeared in '' Bike Boy'', a film about a motorcyclist trying to find himself; and ''

The Nude Restaurant ''The Nude Restaurant'', also billed as ''Nude Restaurant'', is a 1967 feature-length underground film directed by Andy Warhol, and starring Viva (actress), Viva, Louis Waldon, Taylor Mead, Billy Name, Allen Midgette, and Rolando Peña. Different ...

'', in which she played a waitress, opposite

Taylor Mead Taylor Mead (December 31, 1924 – May 8, 2013) was an American writer, actor and performer. Mead appeared in several of Andy Warhol's underground films filmed at Warhol's Factory, including ''Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of'' (1963) and ...

.Viva Hoffman. "Warhol Superstar Viva Remembers Andy, His Mother & The Artist's Early Brush With Death", Bio.com, August 11, 2015. By far, Viva's most controversial role was in '' Blue Movie'' (1969), a seminal film in the

Golden Age of Porn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MediaWiki_talk:Spam-whitelist/Archives/2018/01#Another_Worthy_Journal_Article_on_Wordpress ---> The term "Golden Age of Porn", or "porno chic", refers to a 15-year period (1969–1984) in commercial American porno ...

that helped inaugurate the "

porno chic Porno may refer to: * Pornography, explicit depiction of sexual subject matter with principal intention of sexually exciting a viewer **Pornographic magazine **Pornographic film * ''Porno'' (film), a 2019 American film * ''Porno'' (novel), a 2 ...

" phenomenon in modern American culture. Viva starred opposite Louis Waldon. The film consists of improvised dialogue between Viva and Waldon about a multitude of topics, including the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

, President

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

, and various mundane tasks. These conversations are interrupted by the main event of the film, in which Viva and Waldon perform sexual acts in front of the camera. The film was seized by

New York City Police The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...

for obscenity, and the theater manager, projectionist and ticket-seller at the

New Andy Warhol Garrick Theatre The Garrick Cinema (periodically referred to as the New Andy Warhol Garrick Theatre, Andy Warhol's Garrick Cinema, Garrick Theatre, or Nickelodeon) was a 199-seat movie house at 152 Bleecker Street in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower ...

arrested for possession of obscene materials. Viva was on the phone with Andy Warhol when he was shot by

Valerie Solanas Valerie Jean Solanas (April 9, 1936 – April 25, 1988) was an American radical feminist known for the ''SCUM Manifesto'', which she self-published in 1967, and for her attempt to murder artist Andy Warhol in 1968. Solanas had a turbulent child ...

in 1968. Following Solanas' attempt on Warhol's life, Viva developed a close, personal friendship with Warhol's mother, Julia Warhola. Returning from the hospital, however, Warhol accused Viva of utilizing his absence to spy on his work and his mother, creating a rift in a relationship that was never repaired. Viva never saw Mrs. Warhola again after that. Viva's first starring role in a non-Warhol film was in Agnès Varda's ''

Lions Love ''Lions Love'' is a 1969 American drama film directed by Agnès Varda. Cast * Viva - Viva * Gerome Ragni - Jim * James Rado - Jerry * Shirley Clarke - Herself * Carlos Clarens - Himself * Eddie Constantine - Eddie Trivia Both Ragni and Rado, t ...

'' in 1969. The film features Viva in a

ménage à trois A () is a domestic arrangement and committed relationship with three people in polyamorous romantic or sexual relations with each other, and often dwelling together; typically a traditional marriage between a man and woman along with anothe ...

with

Gerome Ragni Gerome Ragni (born Jerome Bernard Ragni; September 11, 1935 – July 10, 1991) was an American actor, singer, and songwriter, best known as one of the stars and co-writers of the 1967 musical '' Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical''. On Jun ...

and

James Rado James Alexander Radomski (January 23, 1932 – June 21, 2022), known professionally as James Rado, was an American actor, playwright, director, and composer, best known as the co-author, along with Gerome Ragni, of the 1967 musical ''Hair''. He ...

. On November 1, 1968, Viva appeared on ''

The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...

'' on an evening that was guest-hosted by

Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...

. Four years later Allen cast her in his 1972 film '' Play It Again, Sam'' in the role of Jennifer.

Blake Gopnik Blake Gopnik (born 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American art critic who has lived in New York City since 2011. He previously spent a decade as chief art critic of ''The Washington Post'', prior to which he was an arts editor and crit ...

points out in his book '' Warhol: A Life as Art'' that she had a bit role as happening/party hostess, standing in for Warhol who was recuperating in the hospital, in

John Schlesinger John Richard Schlesinger (; 16 February 1926 – 25 July 2003) was an English film and stage director. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for ''Midnight Cowboy'', and was nominated for the same award for two other films ('' Darling'' an ...

's film ''

Midnight Cowboy ''Midnight Cowboy'' is a 1969 American drama film, based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. The film was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, with notable smaller ...

''. After she began making films for other directors she also began writing. Her first book, ''Superstar'', was an insider's look at the Factory scene, a partly fictional autobiographical account of her time there. It was distinguished from other "tell-all" memoirs by virtue of her writing, which incorporated various stylistic effects, including the use of taped conversations. She also wrote for various publications, including ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...

'' and '' New York Woman''. Viva incorporated the use of video tapes into her second book ''The Baby''. These tapes were later released by her former husband, video artist

Michel Auder Michel may refer to: * Michel (name), a given name or surname of French origin (and list of people with the name) * Míchel (nickname), a nickname (a list of people with the nickname, mainly Spanish footballers) * Míchel (footballer, born 1963), ...

, as ''Chronicles: Family Diary'' in three parts. She was the narrator for Carla Bley's 1971 experimental jazz composition '' Escalator over the Hill''. Viva was one of the early pioneers in

video art Video art is an art form which relies on using video technology as a visual and audio medium. Video art emerged during the late 1960s as new consumer video technology such as video tape recorders became available outside corporate broadcasting ...

. During the 1970s Viva was a guest participant in

Shirley Clarke Shirley Clarke (née Brimberg; October 2, 1919 – September 23, 1997) was an American filmmaker. Life Born Shirley Brimberg in New York City, she was the daughter of a Polish-immigrant father who made his fortune in manufacturing. Her mother w ...

's Teepee Video Space Troupe, which she formed in the early 1970s.

Personal life

With former husband

, Viva made and kept film diaries which included the birth of her first daughter, Alexandra (Alex) Auder. She was briefly engaged to the actor

Anthony Herrera Anthony John Herrera (January 19, 1944 – June 21, 2011) was an American actor. Early life and family background Herrera was born on January 19, 1944, in Wiggins, Mississippi, to Theresa Jewel (née Blackburn) and Rafael Antonio Herrera. His ...

. They had one child together, the actress

Gaby Hoffmann Gabrielle Mary Antonia HoffmannStated on ''Finding Your Roots'', November 21, 2017 (born January 8, 1982) is an American actress. She initially found success as a child actress, appearing in ''Field of Dreams,'' ''Uncle Buck,'' and ''Sleeples ...

. Though artistically successful, Viva was never very successful financially. In 1993, she was taken to housing court by the Chelsea Hotel, where she lived with her two daughters, for not paying her $920 a month rent for two years. Her daughter Gaby said “We lived in a classless society. We’d spend a summer at

Gore Vidal Eugene Luther Gore Vidal (; born Eugene Louis Vidal, October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012) was an American writer and public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit, erudition, and patrician manner. Vidal was bisexual, and in his novels and e ...

’s house in Italy, but we were on and off welfare.” Viva wrote a book about her daughter titled ''Gaby at the Chelsea'', a riff on '' Eloise at the Plaza'', as yet unpublished. Viva lives in Palm Springs, California, where she paints landscapes.

Filmography

*''

'' (1967) The Waitress *'' Bike Boy'' (October 1967) Girl on couch *''

'' (1967) *''

Lonesome Cowboys ''Lonesome Cowboys'' is a 1968 American Western film directed by Andy Warhol and written and produced by Paul Morrissey. The film is a satire of Hollywood Westerns, and was initially screened in November 1968 at the San Francisco Internationa ...

'' (1968) Ramona D'Alvarez *''

San Diego Surf San Diego Surf may refer to: * San Diego Surf SC, a youth soccer club * Oceanside Surf, a basketball team formerly known as San Diego Surf * ''San Diego Surf'' (film), a 1968 film by Andy Warhol {{disambiguation ...

'' (1968) Susan Hoffman *''

The Loves of Ondine ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (August 1968) Girl in Bed *''

'' (1969) Viva *'' Blue Movie'' (1969) Girl in Bed *'' Sam's Song'' (1969) Girl with the Hourglass *''

'' (1969) Gretel McAlbertson – The Party *'' Keeping Busy'' (1969) *'' Trapianto, consunzione e morte di Franco Brocani'' (1969) *'' Necropolis'' (1970) Countess Bathory (as Viva Auder) *'' Cleopatra'' (1970) Cleopatra *'' Play It Again, Sam'' (1972) Jennifer *''

'' (1972) Diana – Vogue editor *'' Cisco Pike'' (1972) Merna *'' New Old'' (1979) *'' Seduction of Patrick'' (short) (1979) *'' Flash Gordon'' (1980) Cytherian Girl *'' The State of Things'' (1982) Kate *''

Forbidden Zone ''Forbidden Zone'' is an American absurdist musical fantasy comedy film produced and directed by Richard Elfman, and co-written by Elfman and Matthew Bright. Shot in 1977 and 1978, the film premiered in 1980 and was distributed in 1982. Origi ...

'' (1982) Ex-Queen *''

Paris, Texas Paris is a city and county seat of Lamar County, Texas, United States. Located in Northeast Texas at the western edge of the Piney Woods, the population of the city was 24,171 in 2020. History Present-day Lamar County was part of Red River ...

'' (1984) Woman on TV (as Viva Auder) *''

The Man Without a Face ''The Man Without a Face'' is a 1993 American Drama (film and television), drama film starring and directed by Mel Gibson, in his directorial debut. The film is based on Isabelle Holland's 1972 novel of the same name. Gibson's direction received ...

'' (1993) Mrs. Cooper *''

The Feature ''The Feature'' is a collaboration between filmmakers Michel Auder and Andrew Neel. Using a collection of videos that Auder had created over the previous 40 years, in combination with original present-day footage of Auder shot by Neel, the two f ...

'' (as Viva Superstar) (2008) *''

News From Nowhere ''News from Nowhere'' (1890) is a classic work combining utopian socialism and soft science fiction written by the artist, designer and socialist pioneer William Morris. It was first published in serial form in the ''Commonweal'' journal begin ...

'' (2010) Viva

Books

* ''Superstar'' (1970) * ''The Baby'' (1974)

References

External links

*
Interview With Viva by Todd Moe
on

North Country Public Radio :''See also Windows Subsystem for Linux#WSLg, Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI.'' North Country Public Radio is a National Public Radio member regional radio network headquartered in Canton (village), New York, Canton, New York. The member-support ...

Bert Green Fine Art
{{DEFAULTSORT:Viva (actress) 1938 births Actresses from California Actresses from Palm Springs, California American film actresses 20th-century American memoirists Living people Actresses from Syracuse, New York American women memoirists 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Writers from Syracuse, New York 20th-century American women writers People associated with The Factory

Life and career

Personal life

Filmography

Books

References

Further reading

Articles

Books

External links