Charles Busch American actor and writer Date of Birth: 23.08.1954 Country: USA

1. Biography of Charles Bush
2. Early Success as an Actor and Writer
3. Early Works and Musical Adaptation
4. Roles in Film and Television
5. Critical Acclaim and Broadway Success
6. Later Work and Novella

Biography of Charles Bush

Charles Louis Busch is an American actor and writer best known for his iconic character, Mary Dale. He was born on August 23, 1954, in New York City, to Gertrude Young, a homemaker, and Benjamin Bush, a merchant.

Early Success as an Actor and Writer

Bush first achieved success simultaneously as an author and actor, starring in plays that both parodied and celebrated classic film genres. Some of his notable works include "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom" (1984), "Psycho Beach Party" (1987), "The Lady in Question" (1989), and "Red Scare on Sunset" (1991).

Early Works and Musical Adaptation

Before gaining recognition in the theater world, Bush wrote and performed in lesser-known plays such as "Theodora, She-Bitch of Byzantium" (1984), "Sleeping Beauty, or Coma" (1984), and "Pardon My Inquisition, or Kiss the Blood Off My Castanets" (1986). He also adapted a book into a musical called "Ankles Aweigh" (1989) at the Goodspeed Opera House.

Roles in Film and Television

In 1994, Bush took on the lead male role in the comedy film "You Should Be So Lucky." Throughout the 90s, he participated in an autobiographical show called "Flipping My Wig" (1996) and played a serious lover in the melodrama "Queen Amarantha" (1997). His play "Die, Mommie, Die!" (1999) was staged in Los Angeles and later adapted into a film released in 2003. Additionally, Bush appeared in films such as "Addams Family Values" (1993), "It Could Happen to You" (1994), and "Trouble on the Corner" (1997).

Critical Acclaim and Broadway Success

Bush starred in film adaptations of his own plays, including "Psycho Beach Party" (2000) with Lauren Ambrose taking on the role of Gidget (a role Bush portrayed on stage) and "Die, Mommie, Die!" for which he received the special "Sundance Special Performance Award." In 2000, Bush's theatrical experiments gained broader recognition when his play "The Tale of the Allergist's Wife" premiered on Broadway. This was his first work in which he did not play the lead role and was specifically created for a wider audience. The lead role was performed by Linda Lavin, alongside Michelle Lee and Tony Roberts. The play received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Play in 2001.

Later Work and Novella

Bush's second and most recent Broadway production to date is the musical "Taboo," based on a revised storyline from Boy George's autobiographical book. In 1995, Bush published a well-known novella titled "Whores of Lost Atlantis," a fictional retelling of the story of lesbian vampires in ancient Sodom.