The New York Dolls are now mostly forgotten. But when they formed in 1971, they were a precursor to the future punk scene that had been started by the Velvet Underground and the Stooges.
David Johansen looked like what would happen if someone decided to do Mick Jagger as a mediocre drag queen. He was the lead singer of the Dolls and then later in the 1980s reinvented himself as singer Buster Poindexter who performed the song “King of Babylon” on Miami Vice.
But then there was “Hot Hot Hot” released in 1988 with a music video featuring his Scrooged co-star Bill Murray. His role as the Ghost of Christmas Past, a gruff insulting character posing as a taxicab driver, was a highlight of the movie. It brought him roles in movies like Let It Ride, Freejack and Tales from the Darkside: The Movie as well as the forgettable movie adaptation of Car 54, Where Are You?
He restarted a solo career and began working with Sylvain Sylvain and Arthur Kane with the Dolls. However, by 2020, he had to stop his musical career when he was diagnosed with stage four cancer and a brain tumor. He died on Feb. 28 at the age of 75.
Peace and love be with his family and friends.
What was your favorite role or song of his?
Zane Says 