Harry was adopted aged three months. Her family includes a born-to sister and a cousin who lived with her parents.

She spent most of her twenties working at odd jobs, including spells as a secretary, a cocktail waitress and a Playboy bunny girl, and rubbing shoulders with the Andy Warhol set at a club called Max's Kansas City.

She became singer with the group Blondie (1973-81, revived in 1999), and one of the main punk rock figures. She is also an actress, with credits including Union City, Videodrome, Hairspray, Drop Dead Rock and Heavy.

Until 1984 she was a heroin user.

References

Dever, Maria, and Dever, Aileen. Relative Origins: Famous Foster and Adopted People. (Portland: National Book Company, 1992)
Moir, Jan. "Public Lives: Back to Her Roots," The Guardian [London], 7 July 1993, pp. 8-9
Who's Who in America, 1996
Jackson, Tina. "Beyond the Hype: You Only Live Twice," The Big Issue Cymru, 10-16 May 1999, pp. 30-32
White, Fraser. "Debbie Harry - Biography." [Includes portraits]. Available at: http://www.thehub.com.au/~bchudso/debs.htm
"Deborah Harry Home Page." [Includes portraits]. Available at: http://www.primenet.com/~lab/DHDeborahHarry.html

Indexes

European
USA
20th Century
21st Century
Music and Dance
Theater, Broadcasting, Cinema
Addiction or Abuse (drugs, Alcohol or Gambling)
Formal, American/European-Type Adoption
Birth or Infancy
Others ("Strangers")
Adoptive/Foster Family Included Birth Child(ren)