Joseph Madison LeSueur (September 15, 1924 – May 14, 2001[1]) was an American poet and screenwriter. He is known as a lover of Frank O'Hara and the author of Digressions on Some Poems by Frank O’Hara: A Memoir.[2][3][4]
LeSueur grew up in Los Angeles, California and was raised a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in World War II and attended the University of Southern California on the GI Bill.[3] After graduating, he moved to New York City in 1949.[3][5] LeSueur met O'Hara at a party in 1951,[2] and the two lived together between 1955 and 1965.[6][3] During these years, O'Hara wrote many of his most famous poems, including the collection Lunch Poems.[7] From 1959 to 1963, the two lived at 441 East 9th St in the East Village.[8] As a member of the New York literary and art scenes, LeSueur knew Andy Warhol and the two conspired to write a movie together.[9] He was also a friend of the writer and translator Patsy Southgate.[7]
LeSueur's social circle is depicted in Wynn Chamberlain's diptych "Poets Dressed and Undressed," which shows LeSueur alongside O'Hara, Joe Brainard, and Frank Lima.[10]
LeSueur died on May 14, 2001, in East Hampton, New York, aged 76.[11]
Having worked as an editor and critic, LeSueur eventually found work as a regular writer for the soap opera Guiding Light.[3][7] He was a writer for several TV series, including Another World (1964), Texas (1980) and Ryan's Hope (1975).[12]
With Bill Berkson, he edited the book Homage to Frank O'Hara (Big Sky Books, 1978).[13]
Digressions on Some Poems by Frank O’Hara: A Memoir is a book that weaves together poems by O'Hara and LeSueur's own memoir.[6] LeSueur finished the book shortly before his own death in 2001.[14]