Walt Curtis

{{Short description|American poet (1941–2023)}}

Walt Curtis (July 4, 1941 – August 25, 2023) was an American poet, novelist, and painter from Portland, Oregon.{{Cite web |last=Redden |first=Jim |date=2023-08-26 |title=Well-known Portland poet Walt Curtis passes away at 82 |url=https://www.portlandtribune.com/lifestyle/well-known-portland-poet-walt-curtis-passes-away-at-82/article_250eb3d0-445a-11ee-a8c5-3ba746fdf9d3.html |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=PortlandTribune.com |language=en}} His autobiographical work, Mala Noche (1977), became the basis for Gus Van Sant's 1985 film of the same name. He was the co-founder of the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission.Jeff Baker, Portland celebrates poet Walt Curtis with two birthday parties, movie screening, The Oregonian 6/22/2010 He hosted the poetry radio show "Talking Earth" at KBOO from 1971.{{cite web |url=https://kboo.fm/program/talking-earth |title=Talking Earth |website=kboo.fm |date= 15 March 2007|access-date=June 3, 2021}} He wrote about and championed Oregon literary figures such as Joaquin Miller,{{cite web |url=http://www.ochcom.org/miller/ |title=Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission |website=www.ochcom.org |access-date=2015-10-13}} Hazel Hall,{{cite web |url=http://www.ochcom.org/hall/ |title=Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission |website=www.ochcom.org |access-date=2015-10-13}} Frances Fuller Victor,http://www.ochcom.org/writersmap.html retrieved 1013/2015 and many others. He also acted in Property in 1978 and Paydirt in 1981.{{cite news |last1=Catalina |first1=Gaitán |title=Hundreds gather to celebrate legendary Portland poet Walt Curtis; 'He was astonishing' |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2023/11/hundreds-gather-to-celebrate-legendary-portland-poet-walt-curtis-he-was-astonishing.html |access-date=7 November 2023 |work=The Oregonian/OregonLive |date=6 November 2023 |language=en}}

Portland Mayor Sam Adams declared July 1–7, 2010 "Walt Curtis Week."Richard Speer "Walt Curtis A poet/painter rises from the ashes" The Willamette Week 6/29/2010 Curtis died on August 25, 2023, at the age of 82.