Mario Montez

Ren Rivera, , known professionally as Mario Montez, was one of the Warhol superstars, appearing in thirteen of Andy Warhols underground films from 1964 to 1966. He took his name as a male homage to the actress Maria Montez, an important gay icon in the fifties and sixties. Before appearing in Warhols films, he appeared in Jack Smiths important underground films Flaming Creatures and Normal Love. Montez also stars in the Ron Rice film, Chumlum, made in 1964. Mario Montez, was a staple in the New York underground scene of the 1960s and 70s.

Montez was born Ren Rivera in Ponce, Puerto Rico, in 1935. When he was 8, the family moved to East Harlem where he grew up. In New York, he studied print and graphic arts but worked in clerical jobs.

Source: Wikipedia