John Spacely

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John Spacely, born John Olgin and also known as Gringo, was an American musician, actor, and nightlife personality. He was born in Venice, California, and grew up in a troubled home. His mother, Delphine Olgin, put him and his sisters up for adoption. His father had left the family, and John chose not to use his father’s last name. In California he was nicknamed “Whiskey John” and helped his mother deal marijuana. He was busted for marijuana and was expelled from Venice High School.

As a young man he became known in New York City as Gringo. He had a Hispanic-heritage grandfather and several siblings. After high school, he hustled on the Venice Beach boardwalk and later in the San Francisco area and on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip. In 1980, his girlfriend (and later wife) Cindy Elaine Houldson became pregnant but miscarried; she then died in a motorcycle accident in Washington state, an event that deeply affected him and contributed to his drug use.

In the 1970s Spacely moved to New York City for better opportunities. He lived in Alphabet City near the East Village and sold heroin to many people, including actor John Belushi. He worked for Punk Magazine for a time, but his drug problems eventually made work impossible. He returned to hustling around St. Mark’s Place and became a well-known street figure. He survived an attack by a drag queen and others, which left him with a damaged eye. He wore an eye patch and dyed his hair blond as part of his look.

Spacely befriended many musicians and artists in the East Village, including Johnny Thunders, Joey Ramone, and others. He sometimes performed on stage, but his main focus was acting. In 1982 he starred in Gringo: Story of a Junkie, playing a fictionalized version of himself. The film depicted New York’s drug problem and helped cement his street persona. A mural of Spacely on St. Mark’s Place became a local landmark but was painted over in 2000.

After Gringo, he sought more serious acting work and had a small part in Sid and Nancy. He was an early supporter of Ibogaine as a treatment for addiction. Spacely contracted HIV and died in 1993 from AIDS, a period captured in the documentary Born To Lose: The Last Rock and Roll Movie. His life remained a colorful part of New York’s street history and he is remembered for his vibrant personality and wild street ways.