Baby Jane

Baby Jane Holzer, a Warhol Superstar, was born Jane Brookenfeld on October 23, 1940 (imdb). Jane's father, Carl Brookenfeld, had made his fortune in real estate. Jane went to Cherry Lawn School in Darien, Connecticut and then to Finch Junior College until she was expelled, preferring dancing at El Morrocco to studying. After Finch, she started modeling and was catapulted to fame when David Bailey took her photographs for English Vogue in the summer of 1963. Jane Brookenfeld became Jane Holzer when she married Leonard Holzer - the heir to a large real estate fortune. Their home in New York was a twelve room apartment on Park Avenue.Nicky Haslam, the editor of Show magazine at the time, introduced Jane to Andy on 59th Street, in front of Bloomingdales. Andy told her he was doing a film called Soap Opera and asked if she would like to be in it. A week or so after meeting Warhol, Jane had a dinner at her father-in-law's house where she lived on Park Avenue, and Andy came. The other guests were David Bailey, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, David McEwen and Nicky Haslam. Jane was nicknamed "Baby Jane" by columnist Carol Bjorkman. The film, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, had just come out and although the columnist had not seen the film, she used the name for Jane Holzer. Jane hadn't seen the film either, but when she did, she "wanted to die" but the name stuck.

By David Bailey

crochet bikini Baby Jane wore

Vogue Cover, 1964

with Mick Jagger

Screentest

(images: Warhol Look)