Kreemah Ritz aka Big Daryl
September 10, 1947 — October 4, 2005
Born in England, Kreemah Ritz of the legendary Cockettes passed away October 4th of natural causes. Known affectionately as Big Daryl to the Cockette family, he will be fondly remembered for his duets with Richard "Scrumbly" Koldewyn during the acid-drenched, hippie sideshow troupe's short reign from 1970-1972. He parodied Richard Nixon in the cult film classic Tricia's Wedding and was Bald-headed Sally who gets eaten by a giant lizard in Elevator Girls in Bondage. A loving soul and fan of "Wheel of Fortune," "Jeopardy," pizza and Bette Davis, his sharp wit will sorely be missed.
In 2002 he gave his final performances reprising "Gert's Lament" (as Gertrude Stein) in the "Low Trash=High Art" cabaret held at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, at the Castro Street Fair, and for David Weissman and Bill Weber's DVD The Cockettes. His 2004 donation of Cockette and Sylvester memorabilia to the James Hormel Center recently was included in the exhibit and accompanying book Out at the Library, and he was a subject in Sweet Pam's tome, Midnight at the Palace: My Life as a Fabulous Cockette that same year.
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