Comments on: William Burroughs in New York City 1964-1965

By: RealityStudio

RealityStudio — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 20:21:37 +0000

WSB left London on Dec 27 1966 to visit his family in Palm Beach, FL. He didn’t go back to London till Feb or March 1967. I’m not sure of the exact dates but he definitely passed through New York. Check the Barry Miles bio?

By: Athena

Athena — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 19:34:41 +0000

Hi Jed! I have another question. Do you have a timeline in 1967? Would like to learn if Burroughs was in NYC in January 1967? Thanks! Athena

By: Athena

Athena — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 04:30:09 +0000

That information was tremendously helpful, Thank you!

By: RealityStudio

RealityStudio — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 21:06:30 +0000

In the Burroughs archives at NYPL, there’s a March 10 1965 letter from Burroughs indicating he was staying in room 702 of the Chelsea. There’s an Apr 30 1965 letter to Carl Weissner that gave 210 Center St as his address.

By: Jed

Jed — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 18:47:40 +0000

Thanks for the question. Burroughs checked into the Chelsea on his arrival to NYC in December 1964. He moved into Centre Street in March 1965. Between December 1964 and March 1965 he travelled to St Louis and Palm Beach for short periods for the Playboy assignment and his father’s funeral. The May 1965 date is from a postmarked envelope which shows he was getting mail at Centre Street and not Grove Press by at least that point. Hope this helps

By: Athena

Athena — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 17:38:20 +0000

Hi Jed – In your Burroughs timeline, one entry is a span of 6 days in January ’65 where Burroughs is staying at Hotel Chelsea. Could you kindly clarify whether those days were the extent of his stay, or if he stayed on until the entry dated May 14, 1965 after which date he was at Centre Street? Thank you.

By: Jed

Jed — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 14:15:28 +0000

I had a Grady party as in the Spring of 1965. I will have to look into it and update. Thanks for the comment.

By: Tony Towle

Tony Towle — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 12:04:20 +0000

I am baffled that Panna Grady’s party at the Dakota on December 11, 1964 is not mentioned in the above synopsis of William Burroughs’ activities for that year and the following one. This gala event I believe was primarily in honor of Burroughs arriving in New York, and is probably where he would have given Ted Berrigan the book discussed above. Although I don’t recall seeing Ted there, Burroughs certainly was, with Brion Gysin; also Andy Warhol, Allen Ginsberg, LeRoi Jones, Kenneth Koch, and other luminaries, whom I didn’t know — and less luminous guests as well, like myself, who still remember this, for me, unique evening.