Jane Forth (born March 4, 1953)[1] is an American actress and model She is best known for having been one of the Warhol superstars, starring in the films Trash (1970) and L'Amour (1972).[2] She was also one of “Antonio’s Girls”, models and muses of fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez.[3]
In 1968, Forth and her family left St. Claire Shores, Michigan, to go to New York.[4] She lived with her mother, Rhea Forth, a data control analyst, in an apartment at Kips Bay Plaza.[5] Her parents were separated and her father was an executive with Renault, Inc., in. New York.[5] She had three siblings, Diane, Robert, and Beverly.[5]
Forth briefly enrolled at a public junior high school before attending Quintano's School for Young Professionals, but she dropped out at the age of 15 to go to work as a salesgirl.[5]
She began her career as a receptionist at Andy Warhol's Factory in 1969.[6] Forth met Warhol through her first boyfriend, Jay Johnson—the twin brother of Warhol’s longtime partner, Jed Johnson.[3] Taken with her striking appearance, Warhol invited Forth to perform in Trash (1970) with Joe Dallesandro and Holly Woodlawn. Despite her youth, Forth shined in the production.[3]
Her unique look, involving plucked eyebrows, Wesson-oiled hair, pale skin, red cheeks, and bold lips, was pronounced the “New Now Face” in 1970.[5] Her look was inspired by classic Hollywood heroines, such as Myrna Loy and Claudette Colbert, she styled herself in thrifted clothing from the 1930s and ‘40s.[3] Despite the praise she received for her look, Forth had a difficult time signing to a modeling agency due to her short stature.[5]
Rapidly launched into the worlds of fashion and film, she became a protégé of fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who helped promote her.[7] Forth posed for Antonio Lopez’s fashion illustrations in the New York Times, Diane von Furstenberg, and was photographed for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.[5]
Forth had just turned 17 years old when Jack Mitchell photographed her for a nude four-page photo spread for the April 1970 cover of After Dark magazine.[5] In July 1970, Life magazine ran a story on Forth.[4] The youth and arrogance of then-teenaged Forth shows through her 1970 statement to Life: "When I’m home I’m yelling at my mother to iron my clothes, and when I’m out, I’m standing around yawning at all these fancy people."[4] She declared in the same interview that she bought dime-store make up and each of her “dress-up" faces only cost twenty-five cents, with her thrifted vintage dresses averaging a price of $12.50.[4]
Forth appeared in the Factory film Women In Revolt (1971), she was cast in Warhol's next production, L'Amour (1972) alongside fellow Warhol superstar Donna Jordan.[3]
After retiring from acting and modeling, Forth became a film and fashion industry make-up artist.[8]
Forth was married to the English director of photography Oliver Wood for 22 years, and they have two daughters.[6]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Trash | Jane | |
| 1971 | Women in Revolt | Jane | |
| 1972 | L'Amour | Jane | |
| 1977 | Andy Warhol's Bad | Screaming Passer-by | |
| 1981 | CBS Afternoon Playhouse | Make-up artist | |
| 1981 | The Prowler | Make-up artist | |
| 1983 | Cold Feet | Make-up artist |
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