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People Who Knew Jack Kerouac and Are Still Alive

March 13th, 2018 · 4 Comments · Kerouac and The Beats, Merry Pranksters

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Just as when Gifford & Lee created Jack’s Book in the ’70s, and Allen Ginsberg did the Jack Summit in 1982 and all those documentaries were made — it was all because there were people alive who knew Jack well.

Now there are very few.

Here’s a list of Living People who either met Jack Kerouac or knew him well . . .

(to be added to and modified as we go)

David Amram – composer & jazz bandleader

Cliff Anderson – author and Jack’s friend in St. Petersburg

Nikita Angelakos – Lowell resident

GJ Apostolakos – Lowell resident

Ken Babbs – original Bus-riding Merry Prankster – Intrepid Traveler – author

Tommy Belkakis – Lowell resident

Ron Bevirt – original Bus-riding Prankster photographer

Paul Blake Jr. – son of Jack’s sister Nin

Helen Bone – knew Jack in Rocky Mount, NC

Gary Boyle – Lowell resident

Bonnie Bremser – author and wife of Ray Bremser

Nancy Bump – Lowell resident

Cappy’s Copper Kettle owner – bar owner in Lowell

Caleb Carr – son of Lucien Carr

Ethan Carr – son of Lucien Carr

Francesca “Cessa” Von Hartz Carr – wife of Lucien Carr

Simon Carr – son of Lucien Carr

Cathy Cassady – daughter of Neal & Carolyn Cassady

Jami Cassady – daughter of Neal & Carolyn Cassady

John Allen Cassady – son of Neal & Carolyn Cassady

Phil Chaput – Lowell resident

Ann Charters – biographer

Anthony Countey – Northport neighbor, band manager, event producer

Billy Drenas – Lowell resident

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott – songwriter / performer / storyteller / raconteur

Al Ellis (still alive?) – friend of Jack McClintock’s who visited Jack in St. Pete

Elliott Erwitt – photographer

Gretchen Fetchin – original Bus-riding Prankster

Brian Foye – author and Jack’s paperboy

Mary Frank – artist & Robert’s wife (1950-1969)

Eric Gibson – son of Gerd Stern & Jacky Gibson

Dana Godne – Bixby Canyon resident, owner of Alf the mule

Herb Gold – author

Nick Goumas – Lowell resident

Mike Hagen – original Bus-riding Prankster

Richard Hill (still alive?) – friend of Jack McClintock’s who visited Jack in St. Pete

Raymond Hinst – owner of Haslam Book store

Richard Howard – poet, mentioned in Desolation Angels

Joyce Johnson – author

Hettie Jones – author

Paul Kapetanopoulos – Lowell resident

Terry Kerouac Dewer – Jack’s cousin

Chuck Kesey – creamery founder & Ken’s brother

Dale Kesey – Ken’s cousin

Billy Koumantzelis‘s kids?

George Nicholas Koumantzelis – Lowell musician & record company owner

Sarah Langley – knew Jack in Rocky Mount, NC

Maria Livornese – a girlfriend of Jack’s in the ’40s

Peter Lownds – actor

Judy Machado – Mary Carney’s (Maggie Cassady’s) daughter

Jack McClintockSt. Petersburg Times reporter who interviewed Jack in Oct. 1969

Joanna McClure – poet and wife of Michael McClure

Locke McCorkle – Marin raconteur

Sita McCorkle (now Formosa) – Locke’s daughter (mentioned in Dharma Bums & Desolation Angels)

Tasha Mkee McCorkle – Locke’s other daughter

Rita McGrath – Lowell resident

Duncan McNaughton (still alive? He was as of Feb. 2017) – was at Jack’s Paris Review interview

Anne Murphy – Neal’s girlfriend, met Jack in Northport in ’63

Dale Nichols – Flamingo Bar owner in St. Pete, Florida

Lafcadio Orlovsky – Peter’s younger brother

Charlie Panagiotakos – Lowell resident

Charley Plymell – poet

Pam Plymell – publisher & designer

Betty Sampas – Jack’s sister-in-law

Jim Sampas – Jack’s nephew

Tony Sampas – Jack’s nephew

Ed Sanders – author and bandleader of  The Fugs

Alan Sansotta – a pool playing Pal of Jack’s in Florida

Aram Saroyan – author

Jenny Scott – Chloe Scott’s daughter

Richard Scott – Lowell resident

Gary Snyder – poet

Lois Sorrells – a girlfriend of Jack’s in late ’50s / early ’60s

Gerd Stern – poet and multi-media artist

Veryl Switzer – pro football player, gave Jack a ride in Kansas in 1952

Jamie Thompson (aka Abba Elethea) – Detroit & New York friend

Mark Vonnegut – Kurt’s son

George Walker – original Bus-riding Prankster & author

Wavy Gravy – Beat poet and Prankster clown supreme

(76)

Last updated — Jan 28th, 2023

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Corrections or additions welcomed in the comments —

or email — karmacoupon@gmail.com

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Here’s a rockin riff on the world’s usage of “beatnik” in the 21st century.

For a fun book on a bunch of the living Beats & Pranksters (circa 1982) check out — The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jack Kerouac.

For some Adventure Tales connecting the Beats & Pranksters check out — How The Beats Begat The Pranksters.

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Or here’s another interesting list folks seem to like — Famous People Who Didn’t Have Kids.

Or this is another cool one — “Great Americans” Not Born In America.

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by Brian Hassett  —  karmacoupon@gmail.com   —  BrianHassett.com

Or here’s my Facebook account if you wanna follow things there —

https://www.facebook.com/Brian.Hassett.Canada

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4 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Jeanne Masanz // Mar 15, 2018 at 8:57 PM

    Quite a long list. Thanks for doing this, Brian.

  • 2 Nancy Jones Cook // Mar 15, 2018 at 9:58 PM

    Yes, thank you Brian.

  • 3 Thomas Galasso // Mar 16, 2018 at 1:04 PM

    One more my good Detroit buddy Jamie Thompson aka Abba Elethea knew Jack and ran with Amram in late 50s Village. He once dumped a bucket of water on drunk Jack from 2nd story window late at night. He stopped singing.

    He wants to go to LCK and see Amram. He is 80 and this could be a most memorable visit. We will room together.

  • 4 John Allen Cassady // Jul 28, 2023 at 9:32 PM

    Brian,
    Man, you’ve really done your homework! As always. Keep The Beat, JC

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