A, A Novel - Cast

Cast

The book is a roman a clef, meaning that the fictional characters are thinly-disguised actual persons. The "cast" is itemized in the glossary written by Victor Bockris in the 1998 paperback edition. A run-down of the major characters in the book are:

Ondine is Robert Olivo, a Warhol superstar.

Drella is Warhol himself (he was nicknamed by Lou Reed as "Drella" because Reed felt it fit both sides of Warhol's persona, being a combination of Cinderella and Dracula).

Steve is Stephen Shore, a photographer who worked with Billy Name.

Paul is Paul Morrissey, who had just joined the group and would eventually become the director of Warhol's later films.

Lucky L is Paul America, newly popular in the Factory crowd for starring in My Hustler.

Gerard Malanga was the star of many Warhol films, and is the only person whose real name is used in the book.

Taxine or "Taxi," is Edie Sedgwick, the great female Warhol superstar. A, a novel was the beginning of the end of their relationship.

Ingrid is Ingrid Superstar, a Warhol Superstar, who was brought to the Factory to "replace" Edie in late 1965.

Rink or "Rink Crawl" is Chuck Wein, responsible for bringing both Edie and Ingrid to the Factory.

Irving Du Ball is Lester Persky, a film producer.

Moxanne is Genevieve Charbon, a French actress who Edie met in Paris that year.

Rotten Rita is Kenneth Rapp, who, with Ondine and Billy Name, made up the "A-heads Trio." Rita was also known as the Mayor, like Ondine was known as the Pope.

The Duchess is Brigid Polk, whose real name was Brigid Berlin. She would be Warhol's companion for the rest of his life, although he did not take part in her only conversation in the book.

Billy Name is Billy Linich, a photographer who worked closely with Stephen Shore. He was also the designer of the Factory.

Do Do or "Do Do Mae Doome," is Dorothy Dean. She worked at the New Yorker Magazine in the 60s.

The Sugar Plum Fairy is Joe Campbell who starred in My Hustler and Nude Restaurant.

Ron Via is Ronnie Vial, a member of the underground.

Oxydol is Olympio Vasconzalez, who starred in Conquest of the Universe with Ondine.

Lou is Lou Reed of the Velvet Underground, whose album cover Warhol created.