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George DiCaprio

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George DiCaprio
Born
George Paul DiCaprio

(1943-10-02) October 2, 1943 (age 81)
New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)Writer, editor, publisher, distributor; performance artist (former)
Spouses
  • Irmelin Indenbirken
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1964; div. 1975)​
  • Peggy Farrar
    ​
    (m. 1995)​
ChildrenLeonardo DiCaprio

George Paul DiCaprio (born October 2, 1943) is an American writer, editor, publisher, distributor, and former performance artist, known for his work in the realm of underground comix. DiCaprio has collaborated with Timothy Leary and Laurie Anderson. He is the father of actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

Biography

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DiCaprio was born to George Leon DiCaprio and Olga Anne Jacobs. His father was the son of Italian immigrants, Salvatore Di Caprio and Rosina Cassella, and his mother was of German descent.[1][2][3]

DiCaprio was active in underground comix throughout the 1970s, as a writer, editor, publisher, and distributor.[4] He is known for such titles as Greaser Comics, Forbidden Knowledge, and Cocaine Comix, collaborating with artists such as Laurie Anderson, Pete von Sholly, and Rich Chidlaw. (His own self-publishing imprint was known as Half-Ass Press.)[5] As a distributor in the 1970s and 1980s, he supplied West Coast retailers with underground and independent comics.[6]

He was also a performance artist. Comics writer Harvey Pekar details a DiCaprio performance in Los Angeles in February 1988 where DiCaprio claimed that he did "a light show using brine shrimp and worms. I'd hit 'em with cold water and they'd move around and I'd project 'em on a wall magnified. It blew people's minds."[7]

DiCaprio played an important role in his son's early career as an actor. He used to screen scripts for him, and was instrumental in getting Leo to portray Arthur Rimbaud in the 1995 film Total Eclipse.[4]

Since 2008, DiCaprio has worked as an executive producer in the film industry, mainly for documentaries and short films; one of his first assignments was as a co-executive producer of the TV series Greensburg,[8]

In 2021, he made his film acting debut, portraying Mr. Jack in Paul Thomas Anderson's film Licorice Pizza.[9]

Personal life

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DiCaprio met Irmelin Indenbirken (born 1945), a German immigrant, in college; the two later married and moved to Los Angeles.[2] The couple had one son, Leonardo DiCaprio, and divorced shortly after, when Leonardo was a year old. While Leonardo lived mostly with his mother, his parents agreed to live next door to each other so as not to deprive him of his father's presence in his life.[10][4]

Comics

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Editor

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  • Baloney Moccasins (Half-Ass Press, 1970) – also publisher and writer; features artwork by Laurie Anderson
  • Greaser Comics #1–2 (Half-Ass Press, Sept. 1971; Rip Off Press, July 1972) — also publisher of issue #1
  • Forbidden Knowledge #1–2 (Last Gasp, 1975, 1978) – edited by DiCaprio & Pete von Sholly, with contributions from Robert Williams, Rich Chidlaw, Matt Golden, Brent Boates, Art Vitello, Milt Gray, Jean Paul Laurens, Jim Himes, Icelandic Codpiece Comics Studio, Dennis Ellis, Chris Lane, Warren Greenwood, Doug Hansen, Pete Von X (a.k.a. Pete von Sholly), and Johnny Edgar
  • Cocaine Comix #1-4 (Last Gasp, 1976–1982) – co-edited with Rich Chidlaw
  • Hoo-Bee-Boo #1 (1982) — also publisher and writer

Writer

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As writer unless otherwise indicated[11]
  • "Don't Bite the Bullit!", "El Hypno-Bandito," "Great Moments of the 50's," "Great Balls of Fire!", and "Sexism is Out!", Greaser Comics #1 (Half-Ass Press, Sept. 1971) – stories and art; inks by R. Jaccoma
  • Greaser Comics #2 (Rip Off Press, July 1972) – wrote entire issue; stories illustrated by Jim Janes
  • "On The Road to Babylon" (art by Rich Chidlaw), Pure Joy Comix #1 (Icelandic Codpiece Comic Studio, Aug. 1975)
  • "Computer Date" (art by Jay Kinney), Snarf #6 (Feb. 1976)
    • Translated and republished in El Víbora #39 (Ediciones La Cúpula, Feb. 1983)
  • "Anthony and the Temptations" (art by Justin Green), Arcade: The Comics Revue #5 (Print Mint, Spring 1976)
  • "Roscoe Pitts - The Man who Changed his Fingerprints!!" (art by Warren Greenwood), Bicentennial Gross-Outs #1 (Yentzer and Gonif, July 1976)
  • "Great American Assassins: Dr. Frank Holt" (art by Jim Serpiello), Bicentennial Gross-Outs #1 (Yentzer and Gonif, July 1976)
  • "Wildroot: A Year Passes Like Nothing When You Spend Spring On The Floor Part One," "Wildroot: Part Two: House Of Divino," "Wildroot: Godzilla vs. the Cocaine Monster!!", and "Wildroot: Shoot-out at the Hollywood Ranch Market" (all art by Rich Chidlaw), Cocaine Comix #1 (Last Gasp, Feb. 1976)
  • "Atomic Follies" with Pete von Sholly and Quinn (art by Warren Greenwood), Forbidden Knowledge #2 (Last Gasp, [July] 1978)
  • "The Man They Couldn't Hang!" (art by Warren Greenwood), Forbidden Knowledge #2 (Last Gasp, [July] 1978)
  • "Dr. Leary's Evolutionary Deli" and "S.M.I².L.E." with Timothy Leary, Tim Kummero, and Pete von Sholly; illustrated by Pete Von Sholly, Neurocomics (Last Gasp, 1979)
  • "The Asbestos Workers' Revenge!!" (art by Warren Greenwood), Slow Death #10 (Last Gasp, Nov 1979)
  • "Wildroot: Night of the Nearly Dead" (art by Rich Chidlaw), Cocaine Comix #2 (Last Gasp, 1980)
  • "Taste the Base of Nostrilachoo!" (story by Rich Chidlaw), Cocaine Comix #3 (Last Gasp, 1981) — art by DiCaprio
    • Translated and republished in U-Comix #54 (Kunst der Comics / Alpha, 1985)
  • "Citizen Caine" (art by Rich Chidlaw), Cocaine Comix #4 (Last Gasp, 1982)
  • Yama Yama/The Ugly Head[4] (self-published, 1981) – flip book made in response to Gary Panter and burgeoning punk art scene; Robert Williams illustrated "Yama Yama" while S. Clay Wilson illustrated "The Ugly Head"[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Leonardo DiCaprio's family tree surprise: ancestry like Great Gatsby". The Daily Telegraph. 2013-05-22. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
  2. ^ a b Catalano, Grace (February 1997). Leonardo DiCaprio: Modern-Day Romeo. New York, New York: Dell Publishing Group. pp. 7–15. ISBN 0-440-22701-1.
  3. ^ "Ancestry 1706 (Pedigree Pages)". Hodank Family History Archives. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
  4. ^ a b c d Agard, Chancellor. "Five Things You Need to Know About Leonardo DiCaprio's Dad George," People magazine website (Feb. 8, 2016).
  5. ^ Publisher: George DiCaprio, Grand Comics Database. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  6. ^ Ferrer, Adam. "Leonardo DiCaprio’s Dad Had a Weird Job That Prepared His Son for Success," Showbiz CheatSheet (February 25, 2020).
  7. ^ Pekar, Harvey and Paul Mavrides (illustrator), "The L.A. Performance Scene (as Described by George DiCaprio)," American Splendor #14 (1989).
  8. ^ Lowry, Brian (Jun 11, 2008). "Greensburg". Variety.
  9. ^ "Full Cast and Crew". Licorice Pizza. IMdB.
  10. ^ Green, Jesse (February 12, 1995). "Fresh Blood; Leonardo DiCaprio". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  11. ^ "Issue Checklist for Creator George Dicaprio". Grand Comics Database. Retrieved Feb 3, 2025.
  12. ^ "Yama Yama / The Ugly Head". Grand Comics Database. Retrieved Oct 11, 2016.
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