Anthony Lovett, better known as Tony Lovett, (May 13, 1961 – January 26, 2014), was th
co-author
with Matt Maranian of the regional cult classic, ''L.A. Bizarro'', a best-selling underground guidebook to Los Angeles. The first edition of the book, which went to #1 on the ''L.A. Times'' Non-Fiction Bestseller list in 1997, remained on the chart for 5 months, and was in print for over ten years. ''L.A. Bizarro'' went through more than twenty printings before finally being retired by St. Martin's Press in 2007. The authors were profiled in the Weekend Calendar section of the ''L.A. Times'' in August 2007 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the book. Ironically, the first edition of ''L.A. Bizarro'' was out of print by then, but th
cover story
by Jessica Gelt generated renewed interest in an update/sequel as well as
website
that is still a work in progress. The all-new updated 2009 version of ''L.A. Bizarro'' by

Chronicle Books Chronicle Books is a San Francisco-based American publisher of books for adults and children. The company was established in 1967 by Phelps Dewey, an executive with Chronicle Publishing Company, then-publisher of the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' ...

was published in September 2009. Like the first book, it remained on th
''L.A. Times'' bestseller list
for over six months, and garnered praise as well as a new generation of followers. The new book and its authors were written-up again in a
L.A. Times feature article
as well as in th

Background

Lovett was born in Maryland, but grew up in Dallas, Texas, where he graduated from Greenhill School in 1979. He was accepted into the USC School of Cinema-Television as a freshman, where he founded the loosely-knit anti-establishment art group called "Film Fascists." Influenced by

Russ Meyer Russell Albion Meyer (March 21, 1922 – September 18, 2004) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. He is known primarily for writing and directing a series of successful sexploitation films that fea ...

David Lynch David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, visual artist and actor. A recipient of an Academy Honorary Award in 2019, Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, and the César Award for Be ...

John Waters John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including '' Multiple Maniacs'' (1970), '' Pink Flamingos'' (1972) and '' Fe ...

Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...

, Kurosawa, and

Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

, Lovett's own cinematic style fluctuated between surreal, sophomoric, and salacious. Lovett went on to join the Screen Actors Guild, appearing in Z-grade movies and television commercials. He also appeared onstage as an improv performer with

April Winchell April Terri Winchell (born January 4, 1960) is an American actress, writer, and radio host. She is prehaps best known as the second and current voice of Clarabelle Cow, having voiced the character since 1996. Early life Winchell was born in 1 ...

and Paul Rugg. With Ken Segall, they created their own short-lived comedy troupe, The Mood Swingers. A musician, photographer, and painter, Lovett played in a number of L.A. bands and also exhibited his paintings and photographs in the 1980s. Lovett began his career as a freelance journalist and humorist in 1983, and went on to write feature articles for numerous national publications, including "I Am Curious Donkey" for ''Chic,'' and the

crystal meth Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. Methamphe ...

opus, "Wired in California," for the "Drugs in America" special issue of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

.'' Lovett also contributed to ''Playboy'' and ''L.A. Weekly,'' among others. He has worked as a designer and copywriter for the entertainment industry, creating numerous campaigns for the big and small screens, and was developing a reality-based television show with Maranian and Star Price, who also created the popular Showtime series " Penn & Teller: Bullshit!" Lovett died in his sleep on January 26, 2014 in the Los Angeles area. He was 52 years old.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lovett, Anthony 1961 births 2014 deaths Writers from Los Angeles Greenhill School alumni