Frank Rios - Beat Poet
Departures is KCET's hyper-local web documentary, community engagement tool and digital literacy program about the cultural history of Los Angeles' neighborhoods.
Watch.Listen.Learn.
Click on the thumbnails for videos, slideshows, and more.
Frank Rios was born in the Bronx, promptly abandoned living in a foster home, and was unable to speak until the age of 6. At 12 he became addicted to heroine, before taking to the way of the gun and eventually ending up in prison. On his way out, Rios felt "guided" to move to Venice, where he met the two people that changed his life: beat poets Stuart Z. Perkoff and Tony Scibella. The three of them were self ordained as the "Holy Three" and became the backbone of the poetry scene in Venice. Rios' life underscores the pull that Venice had, not only for artists but for social dissidents alike, and the intricate relationships shared by these groups in the 1950's.
Return To The Mural
4 Comments
"Yeah, being on the beach with your back to the world is like living a mile high and underground where 'the lady" can find you. PS: my favorite of all the Venice beats: Gayle Davis. (Tony's second wife, Elvis' girlfriend, exotic dancer extraordinaire, artist and inspiration).
Hi Ed... when we spoke with Frank Rios for this interview he mentioned the time he spent in Denver - setting up, as you say, a Denver Beat underground with the rest of the gang. Where you part of the group?
It was 1970-71 and I was 19 when I first met Frank. Tinley Park was a Chicagoland inpatient therapeutic community for heroin addicts. Frank was a counselor there - and he had a tremendous impact on my life...on my spiritual perspective. I knew then that he was very special. Coming into contact with Frank helped me question old ideas, and brought forth many new ways of thinking.
Thank you Frank.
Funders and Partners
Support for the Departures' Venice installment is provided through these sponsors and local community partners, as well as from viewers like you.
Click here to see all sponsors and community partners for Departures.
-
KCET Departures Receives NEA Art Works Grant
Departures receives one of 832 Art Works grants totaling $23.3 million...
-
A Guide to Departures: Little Tokyo
Here's how you can explore Little Tokyo through the lens of Departures...
-
A Kosher Slice of Pico-Robertson
The professor of planning at USC and author of "Urban Tomographies" do...
-
Pat's Restaurant
It's almost a rite of passage among the Latino staff that at first the...
flickr.com/kcetdepartures
departures@kcet.org
YouTube.com/Webstories
Justin Cram says :
It's so hard to imagine Beats in Venice, but Frank Rios makes it come alive. What an incredible story and person he is. Thanks for providing this great interview!