Michael Alig(1966-2020)
- Actor
Michael Alig was born in South Bend, Indiana. He was a founding member
of the notorious Club Kids, a group of young club goers led by Alig and
James St. James in the late
1980s and early 1990s.
Alig learned from mentors, including St. James, while rising in
popularity and prominence in the national underground club scene. Alig
was also influential in the early promotion of DJ
Keoki, Jenny Talia,
Freez, Richie Rich, and many other
Club Kid personalities. The Club Kids' outrageous behavior resulted in
their appearing on the news and the television talk show circuit.
Alig's most notorious parties were held at The Limelight, owned by
Peter Gatien. The Limelight was closed by
the police, but subsequently reopened several times during the 1990s.
In September 2003, it reopened under the name "Avalon".
The events of Alig's years as a club promoter up to his arrest were
examined in the 1998 documentary,
Party Monster (1998), and recreated
in a 2003 film of the same name (see
Party Monster (2003)), starring
Macaulay Culkin as Alig and
Seth Green as St. James. The events
are also covered in St. James's memoir, 'Disco Bloodbath'.
Alig was eligible for parole in November 2006, but was denied. He was
again denied parole in July 2008 and had his conditional release date
in March 2010. His release was held up after Alig received another
ticket for prescription drug use. Alig was eventually released on
parole in May 2014.
of the notorious Club Kids, a group of young club goers led by Alig and
James St. James in the late
1980s and early 1990s.
Alig learned from mentors, including St. James, while rising in
popularity and prominence in the national underground club scene. Alig
was also influential in the early promotion of DJ
Keoki, Jenny Talia,
Freez, Richie Rich, and many other
Club Kid personalities. The Club Kids' outrageous behavior resulted in
their appearing on the news and the television talk show circuit.
Alig's most notorious parties were held at The Limelight, owned by
Peter Gatien. The Limelight was closed by
the police, but subsequently reopened several times during the 1990s.
In September 2003, it reopened under the name "Avalon".
The events of Alig's years as a club promoter up to his arrest were
examined in the 1998 documentary,
Party Monster (1998), and recreated
in a 2003 film of the same name (see
Party Monster (2003)), starring
Macaulay Culkin as Alig and
Seth Green as St. James. The events
are also covered in St. James's memoir, 'Disco Bloodbath'.
Alig was eligible for parole in November 2006, but was denied. He was
again denied parole in July 2008 and had his conditional release date
in March 2010. His release was held up after Alig received another
ticket for prescription drug use. Alig was eventually released on
parole in May 2014.