Walt Curtis

Walt Curtis (July 4, 1941 – August 25, 2023) was an American poet, novelist, and painter from Portland, Oregon.^[1] His autobiographical work, Mala Noche (1977), became the basis for Gus Van Sant's 1985 film of the same name. He was the co-founder of the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission.^[2] He hosted the poetry radio show "Talking Earth" at KBOO from 1971.^[3] He wrote about and championed Oregon literary figures such as Joaquin Miller,^[4] Hazel Hall,^[5] Frances Fuller Victor,^[6] and many others. He also acted in Property in 1978 and Paydirt in 1981.^[7]

Portland Mayor Sam Adams declared July 1–7, 2010 "Walt Curtis Week."^[8] Curtis died on August 25, 2023, at the age of 82.^[1]

Books

• Angel Pussy (1970)
• The Erotic Flying Machine (1970)
• The Sunflower and Other Earth Poems (1975)
• The Mad Bombers Notebook (1975)
• The Mad Poems, The Unreasonable Ones (1975)
• The Roses of Portland (1974, poetry)
• Mala Noche (1977)
• Peckerneck Country (1978)
• Journey Across America (1979)
• Rhymes for Alice Bluelight (1984)
• Salmon Song, And Other Wet Poems (1995)
• Mala Noche: And Other "Illegal" Adventures (1997)

Films

• Penny Allen: Property (1978)
• Penny Allen: Paydirt (1981)
• Gus van Sant: Mala Noche (1985) as George
• Bill Plympton and Walt Curtis: Walt Curtis, The Peckerneck Poet (1997)
• Sabrina Guitart: Salmon Poet (2009)
• Courtney Fathom Sell: An Afternoon with Walt Curtis (2010)