About Curt McDowell
Lived 1945 – 1987 (aged 42). Curt McDowell was an artist and film director.
Curtis A. McDowell (January 9, 1945 – June 3, 1987) was an American underground filmmaker.
Biography McDowell was born in 1945 in Indiana. He moved to San Francisco in the late 1960s to study painting at the San Francisco Art Institute.
After switching to the filmmaking program at SFAI, McDowell studied under George Kuchar, who described his footage as the "prolific regurgitations of an 'enfant terrible.'" The two became romantic and artistic partners. McDowell directed the feature film Thundercrack! in 1975.
McDowell died from AIDS on June 3, 1987. He left his work to Robert Evans, who owned the Roxie Theater. After Evans also contracted HIV, he transferred ownership of McDowell's work to friends who established the Curt McDowell Foundation.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Curt McDowell's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Curt McDowell's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Curt McDowell?
artist (1945-1987)
When was Curt McDowell born?
Curt McDowell was born on 9 January 1945 in Lafayette.
When did Curt McDowell die?
Curt McDowell died on 3 June 1987 in San Francisco.
What was Curt McDowell's occupation?
Curt McDowell was an artist and film director.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Curt McDowell. https://biography.guide/curt-mcdowell/
MLA: "Curt McDowell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/curt-mcdowell/.
Chicago: "Curt McDowell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/curt-mcdowell/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:30 UTC