Interview

June 1977: Interview editor Glenn O'Brien interviews the boss, who created Interview and interviewed the stars.

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This interview was conducted at the third Factory, at 860 Broadway. It took 90 minutes-the time of one tape. I had thoughts about some of the questions, but mostly the interview was improvised. Andy was really on that day. We talked in the paneled "board room" while staff, including Fred Hughes, Catherine Guinness, Bob Colacello, and Ronnie Cutrone, came and went in the normal course of Factory business. I think Andy liked the questions, but most important, that he sounded smart and funny.

GLENN O'BRIEN: What was your first work of art?

ANDY WARHOL: I used to cut out paper dolls.

GO: How old were you?

AW: Seven.

GO: Did you get good grades in art in school?

AW: Yeah, I did. The teachers liked me. In grade school, they make you copy pictures from books. I think the first one was Robert Louis Stevenson.

GO: Did they say you had natural talent?

AW: Something like that. Unnatural talent.

GO: Were you arty in high school?

AW: I was always sick, so I was going to summer school and trying to catch up. I had one art class.

GO: What did you do for fun when you were a teenager?

AW: I didn't do anything for fun. I think maybe once I went down to see a Frank Sinatra personal appearance with Tommy Dorsey.