Edie Sedgwick

"Like a Rolling Stone" and "Leapord-Skin Pillbox Hat", both songs by Bob Dylan, were purportedly written about Sedgwick. Gale Storm has three Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to Radio, Music, and Television. The Velvet Underground song Femme Fatale (on the album The Velvet Underground and Nico) is also reported to be about Sedgwick. In 1981, she published her autobiography, I Ain’t Down Yet, which described, among other things, her battle with alcoholism.
The Cult wrote a song about her life called "Edie (Ciao Baby)" which was on their "Sonic Temple" album released in 1989. In her career, Gale Storm had several top ten songs, headlined in Las Vegas, and appeared in numerous stage plays. Her death was ruled a suicide/ drug overdose. It was followed by the haunting ballad of lost love, "Dark Moon".

Sedgwick died in November 1971 from barbituate poisoning. Her first record, "I Hear You Knockin' " (a cover version of a rhythm and blues hit by Smiley Lewis, in turn based on the old Buddy Bolden standard "The Bucket's Got A Hole In It") sold over a million copies. Shooting resumed on Ciao! Manhattan in 1970 and was completed in 1971. From 1952 to 1955, My Little Margie, originally a summer replacement for I Love Lucy, ran for 126 episodes and was immediately followed by The Gale Storm Show (aka Oh! Susanna), that ran for 143 episodes between 1956 and 1960. Electroconvulsive therapy treatments were administered extensively and several efforts at drug rehabilitation were made. After winning, she went on to become an American icon of the 1950s, performing in more than thirty-five motion pictures and starring in two highly successful television shows. In August 1969, she was admitted to the Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara where she met Mike Post whom she married. Two of her teachers urged her to enter the Gateway to Hollywood Contest held at the CBS Radio Studio in Hollywood, California where first prize was a one-year contract with a movie studio.

Sedgwick’s rapidly degenrating health saw her return to family in California and spend time in several different psychiatric institutions. In Junior High and High School she performed in the drama club. After shooting some footage in New York, work on the film was abandoned due to budget and legal problems. Born in Bloomington, Texas, her father passed away before she was a year old and her mother struggled to raise five children alone. In April 1967 Sedgwick began shooting on Ciao! Manhattan an underground movie in which she was to star. Josephine Owaissa Cottle (born April 5, 1922), better known as Gale Storm, is an American actress/singer. The relationship ended in 1967.

During this relationship she became dependent on heroin and barbituates. In 1966, Sedgwick began a tumultuous relationship with Bob Neuwirth. While involved with Dylan, Sedgwick was introduced to LSD. Following her departure from Warhol’s circles, Sedgwick began living at Hotel Chelsea where she became involved with Bob Dylan. Dylan’s friends convinced Sedgwick to sign up with Albert Grossman, Dylan's manager.

The friendship did not last beyond 1966 when Warhol and Sedgwick made an acrimonious public split. During this period the pair would often dress alike and Sedgwick frequently called herself 'Mrs Warhol'. She became Warhol's Girl of the Year during 1965 when she accompanied him everywhere in the New York social scene. It was during this period that Sedgwick began using illegal drugs, particularly amphetamines.

In 1965 she met Andy Warhol and quickly became his favourite 'Warhol superstar', featuring in many of his underground films including Poor Little Rich Girl, Vinyl, Beauty #2, the Chelsea Girls and Diaries, Notes and Sketches. She appeared in TIME, Life and Vogue between 1963 and 1965. In 1964, Sedgwick moved to New York to pursue a career in modelling. As a young woman Sedgwick suffered with clinical depression and anorexia nervosa.

Later in life, Sedgwick claimed to have experienced sexual abuse as a child. She was born in Santa Barbara, California as Edith Sedgwick to a troubled and eccentric establishment family which was seriously blighted by alcoholism and mental illness. Edie Sedgwick (April 20, 1943 - November 15, 1971) is best known as a star of underground films made by artist Andy Warhol in the 1960's. The Philosophy of Andy Warhol.

Andy Warhol. American Girl. Jean Stein: Edie. Jean Stein: Edie an America Biography.

Film Factory. Michael Opray: Andy Warhol. Victor Bockris: Andy Warhol. All Movie Guide (http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll/).

Edie Sedgwick fan site (http://www.rams.demon.co.uk/esmain.htm/). Ciao! Manhattan (1972). Diaries, Notes and Sketches (1970). The Chelsea Girls (1967).

**** aka the Four Star Movie (1965). Outer and Inner Space (1965). Beauty #2 (1965). Poor Little Rich Girl (1965).

Restaurant (1965). Vinyl (1965). Screen Test #2 (1965). Space 1965.