Died this day in 1988: Harris Glenn Milstead

(Wikipedia) - Harris Glenn Milstead (October 19, 1945 – March 7, 1988) was an actor and singer, best known for his drag persona Divine. He was known for his performances in that persona in the films of John Waters, especially in the role of Edna Turnblad in the 1988 comedy film Hairspray.
The New York Times said of Milstead's films in the 1980s, "Those who could get past the unremitting weirdness of Divine's performance discovered that the actor/actress had genuine talent, including a natural sense of comic timing and an uncanny gift for slapstick." Continued