As a member of the Warhol Superstars - the famous clique of artists, freaks, and geeks that surrounded Andy Warhol at all times - Jackie's fame was all but assured. Warhol said of her that "Jackie Curtis is not a drag queen. Jackie is an artist. A pioneer without a frontier". It showed through all her performances as well as plays that she directed, which often starred other transgender personalities.
At Warhol's studio, called The Factory, and abroad, Jackie starred in several notable films of the time and was a gifted singer-songwriter to boot. In the early 80s, though, her output went into decline due to drug addiction. She filmed only two more movies in her last five years, and in 1985 succumbed to a heroin overdose. She was 38 at the time. A short life, but it the eyes of the LGBT community, an incredibly powerful one.