Dan Wakefield once wrote that the names Jack chose for the characters in his books were like “funny hats.” In most cases they were either thinly disguised and therefore easily recognizable to those intimate with the situations described, or they drew upon one or more outstanding—to Jack’s eye—aspects of that person’s character.
Throughout Jack’s career publishers feared that the real-life counterparts of his fictional characters would bring suits based upon what the fictions contained. (None did.) In some cases—for example, the Cassady children or a number of poets and musicians in New York and San Francisco—the names stand for real people who have been recruited into the works as supernumerary characters, in much the way a film director might offer friends non-speaking roles as dress extras. (However, the friends were not necessarily consulted about their cameo roles.) In other cases, especially those of the characters who appear again and again under a variety of pseudonyms, the real persons were so important to Jack as he set about transforming his life into fiction that he could not exempt them. In this latter case, the friends and lovers used in this way are roughtly akin to a stock company of actors. The fictional shadows speak and act, but in ways which Jack has devised for them and which serve his artistic purposes. If this is understood, the standard disclaimer which preceded each of his novels is entirely accurate. For the same reason the key that follows is not intended as an absolute identification of those named below with the characters and actions of the Kerouac characters who share some of their memorable traits. Additionally, there is no implication that the persons upon whom Jack based his characterizations actually behaved in the manner he ascribed to their fictional counterparts.
NOTE: Alphabetical cross-reference of real and fictional names. Actual names appear in capital letters, fictional names in upper and lower case.
Julian Alexander (SUB) = ANTON ROSENBERG
Ange (VD) (DS) = GABRIELLE L’EVESQUE KEROUAC
Annie (SUB) = LUANNE HENDERSON
ALAN ANSEN [Poet friend of Jack’s in New York] = Austin Bromberg (SUB), Rollo Greb (OR), Irwin Swenson (BD) (VC)
GEORGE APOSTOLOS [Boyhood friend of Jack’s] = G. J. Rigopoulos (MC) (DS), G. J. Rigolopoulos (VD), Danny “D.J.” Mulverhill (TC)
Alex Aums (DA) = ALAN WATTS
GEORGE AVAKIAN [Musicologist and record producer, a friend of Jack’s at Horace Mann] = Chuck Derounian (VD)
George Baso (BS) = ALBERT SAIJO
HENRY BEAULIEU [Boyhood friend of Jack’s] = Scotcho Rouleau (TC), Paul “Scotty” Boldieu (DS), Scotcho Boldieu (VD)
Dick Beck (BD) = BILL KECK
Roger Beloit (SUB) = ALAN EAGER
Charlie Bergerac (DS) = LEONA “LEO” BERTRAND
Lucky Bergerac (DS) = HAPPY BERTRAND
Vinnie Bergerac (MC) (DS) = FRED BERTRAND
Ernest Berlot (TC) = FRED BERTRAND
Charles Bernard (SUB) = ED STRINGHAM
FRED BERTRAND [Boyhood friend of Jack’s] = Vinnie Bergerac (MC) (DS), Ernest Berlot (TC)
HAPPY BERTRAND [Father of Fred Bertrand] = Lucky Bergerac (DS)
LEONA “LEO” BERTRAND [Mother of Fred Bertrand] = Charlie Bergerac (DS)
Jimmy Bisonette (MC) = CHARLIE MORRISETTE
Phil Blackman (VC) = PHIL WHITE
Blacky Blake (DA) = BERNIE BYERS
CAROLINE KEROUAC BLAKE [Jack’s sister] = Catherine “Nin” Duluoz (DS), Nin (DB) (MC)
PAUL BLAKE [Husband of Caroline Kerouac] = Big Luke (DB)
PAUL BLAKE, JR. [Son of Paul and Caroline Blake] = Little Luke (DB)
Ron Blake (BS) = PAUL SMITH
Deni Bleu (LT) (VD) (DA) (VC) = HENRI CRU
Paul “Scotty” Boldieu (DS) = HENRY BEAULIEU
Scotcho Boldieu (VD) = HENRY BEAULIEU
Remi Boncoeur (OR) = HENRI CRU
IRIS BRODIE [Friend of Jack’s in New York] = Roxanne (SUB)
Austin Bromberg (SUB) = ALAN ANSEN
Peter Browning (BS) = ROBERT LAVIGNE
Rosie Buchanan (DB) = NATALIE JACKSON
Ed Buckle (BD) = AL HINKLE
Helen Buckle (VC) = HELEN HINKLE
Slim Buckle (VC) = AL HINKLE
WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY, JR. [Schoolmate of Jack’s at Horace Mann] = William F. Buckley, Jr. (VD)
William F. Buckley, Jr. (VD) = WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY, JR.
Biff Buferd (VC) = BOB BURFORD
BEVERLY BURFORD [Bob Burford’s sister, she knew Jack in San Francisco as well as Denver] = Babe Rawlins (OR)
BOB BURFORD [Friend of Jack’s in Denver, former editor of New Story Magazine] = Ray Rawlins (OR), Biff Buferd (VC)
DAVID BURNETT [Son of Whit Burnett, a friend of Jack’s in New York] = Walt Fitzpatrick (SUB)
WHIT BURNETT [Poet and editor, with Martha Foley, of Story magazine] = Bennet Fitzpatrick (SUB)
JOAN VOLLMER ADAMS BURROUGHS [Wife of William S. Burroughs] = Jane (SUB) (OR), Mary Dennison (TC), June (VD)
JULIE BURROUGHS [Daughter of Joan Burroughs] = Dodie (OR)
WILLIAM BURROUGHS, JR. [Son of Joan and William S. Burroughs] = Ray (OR)
WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS [Novelist, author of The Naked Lunch, The Soft Machine, Nova Express, and others] = Will Dennison (TC), Wilson Holmes “Will” Hubbard (VD), Old Bull Lee (OR), Frank Carmody (SUB), Bull Hubbard (DA) (BD)
BERNIE BYERS [Chief Ranger at Marblemount Forestry Station, Washington State, when Jack worked as lookout on Mt. Hozomeen] = Blacky Blake (DA)
Reinhold Cacoethes (DB) = KENNETH REXROTH
Camille (OR) = CAROLYN CASSADY
BILL CANNASTRA [Lawyer friend of Jack’s who was decapitated in New York subway] = Finistra (VC)
Frank Carmody (OR) = WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS
MARY CARNEY [High school girlfriend of Jack’s] = Maggie Cassidy (MC) (VD), Mary Gilhooley (TC)
CESSA CARR [Wife of Lucien Carr] = Nessa (VC)
LUCIEN CARR [Friend of Burroughs in St. Louis and of Burroughs, Kerouac, and Ginsberg at Columbia and later in New York City] = Kenny Wood (TC), Julien Love (BD) (VC), Sam Vedder (SUB), Damion (OR), Claude de Maubris (VD)
CAROLYN CASSADY [Married to Neal Cassady for twenty years, a graduate of Bennington College, she is the author of Heart Beat: My Life with Jack & Neal] = Camille (OR), Evelyn (VC)
CATHY CASSADY [Daughter of Neal and Carolyn Cassady] = Emily Pomeray (VC), Amy Moriarty (OR)
JAMIE CASSADY [Daughter of Neal and Carolyn Cassady] = Gaby Pomeray (VC), Joanie Moriarty (OR)
JOHN ALLEN CASSADY [Son of Neal and Carolyn Cassady, named after Jack and Allen] = Timmy Pomeray (VC), Timmy John Pomeray (BS)
NEAL CASSADY [Model for the main character of Kerouac’s most famous novel, On the Road, railroad brakeman, “Adonis of Denver,” author of The First Third, autobiographical fiction] = Dean Moriarty (OR), Cody Pomeray (VC) (DB) (DA) (BS) (BD), Leroy (SUB)
Maggie Cassidy (MC) (VD) = MARY CARNEY
Cecily (VD) = CELINE YOUNG
BILLY CHANDLER [Boyhood friend of Jack’s killed in World War II] = Dicky Hampshire (TC) (DS) (VD)
Jay Chapman (VC) = JAY LANDESMAN
Charlie (VC) = CHARLIE MEW
HAL CHASE [Friend of Jack’s at Columbia and in Denver] = Chad King (OR), Val Hayes (VC), Val King (VC)
DUKE CHIUNGAS [High school football buddy of Jack’s] = Bruno Gringas (DS), Telemachus Gringas (VD), Duke Gringas (VC)
Timmy Clancy (VD) = JIM O’DAY
MARGARET COFFEY [High school girlfriend of Jack’s] = Pauline “Moe” Cole (MC) (VD)
Pauline “Moe” Cole (MC) (VD) = MARGARET COFFEY
Ricci Comucca (SUB) = RICHIE KOMUCA
Paddy Cordovan (SUB) = PETER VAN METER
GREGORY CORSO [Poet, author of Gasoline, Long Live Man, Elegiac Feelings American, and others] = Yuri Gligoric (SUB), Raphael Urso (DA) (BD)
Warren Coughlin (DB) = PHILIP WHALEN
ELISE COWEN [Friend of Joyce Glassman’s, girlfriend of Allen Ginsberg’s in New York during the midfifties] = Barbara Lipp (DA)
HENRI CRU [Friend of Jack’s at Horace Mann School and later in California and New York] = Remi Boncoeur (OR), Deni Bleu (LT) (VD) (DA) (VC)
Elliot Dabney (BS) = ERIC GIBSON
Willamine “Billie” Dabney (BS) = JACKIE GIBSON MERCER
CLAUDE DAHLENBURG [Friend of Jack’s in San Francisco] = Paul (DA), Bud Diefendorf (DB)
Damion (OR) = LUCIEN CARR
Al Damlette (T) = AL SUBLETTE
Mal Damlette (BS) = AL SUBLETTE
David D’Angeli (DA) = PHILIP LAMANTIA
Francis Da Pavia (DB) = PHILIP LAMANTIA
Lafcadio Darlovsky (DA) = LAFCADIO ORLOVSKY
Simon Darlovsky (DA) (BD) = PETER ORLOVSKY
Dave (Kulchur Magazine story “Dave”) = DAVID TERCERO
GUI DE ANGULO [Photographer and artist, daughter of the anthropologist Jaime de Angulo] = Gia Valencia (DA)
Claude de Maubris (VD) = LUCIEN CARR
Mary Dennison (TC) = JOAN VOLLMER ADAMS BURROUGHS
Will Dennison (TC) = WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS
Chuck Derounian (VD) = CEORGE AVAKIAN
DAVID DIAMOND [Composer friend of Jack’s in New York] = Sylvester Strauss (SUB)
Diane (VC) = DIANA HANSEN
Richard di Chili (DA) = PETER DU PERU
Bud Diefendorf (DB) = CLAUDE DAHLENBURG
Dodie (OR) = JULIE BURROUGHS
Denver D. Doll (OR) = JUSTIN BRIERLY
Geoffrey Donald (DA) = ROBERT DUNCAN
BOB DONLIN [Friend of Jack’s in San Francisco] = Rob Donnelly (DA)
Rob Donnelly (DA) = BOB DONLIN
Catherine “Nin” Duluoz (DS) = CAROLINE KEROUAC BLAKE
Emil “Pop” Duluoz (VG) (VD) (MC) (DS) = LEO ALCIDE KEROUAC
Gerard Duluoz (VG) (DS) = GERARD KEROUAC
ROBERT DUNCAN [Poet, author of Roots and Branches, Bending the Bow, and others] = Geoffrey Donald (DA)
Ed Dunkel (OR) = AL HINKLE
Galatea Dunkel (OR) = HELEN HINKLE
PETER DU PERU [San Francisco acquaintance of Jack’s] = Richard di Chili (DA)
Dusty (VC) = DUSTY MORELAND
ALAN EAGER [Tenor saxophone player, a well-known bop musician] = Roger Beloit (SUB)
Kyles Elgins (VD) = KELLS ELVINS
HELEN ELLIOT [Roommate of Helen Weaver] = Ruth Erickson (DA)
Elly (VC) = EDIE PARKER
KELLS ELVINS [Friend of William Burroughs in St. Louis and later at Harvard] = Kyles Elgins (VD)
Ruth Erickson (DA) = HELEN ELLIOT
Evelyn (VC) = CAROLYN CASSADY
Ben Fagan (BS) = PHILIP WHALEN
Alex Fairbrother (DA) = JOHN MONTGOMERY
LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI [Poet and publisher, author of A Coney Island of the Mind, Pictures of the Gone World,
and others] = Larry O’Hara [composite with Jerry Newman] (SUB), Lorenzo Monsanto (BS), Danny Richman (BD) (VC)
Finistra (VC) = BILL CANNASTRA
Bennet Fitzpatrick (SUB) = WHIT BURNETT
Walt Fitzpatrick (SUB) = DAVID BURNETT
Mardou Fox (SUB) = “IRENE MAY”
BEA FRANCO [Girlfriend of Jack’s in California, “The Mexican Girl”] = Terry (OR)
WILLIAM GADDIS [Novelist, author of The Recognitions and J.R.] = Harold Sand (SUB)
Old Bull Gaines (DA) (T) = BILL GARVER
Harry Garden (DA) = LOUIS GINSBERG
Irwin Garden (VD) (DA) (BS) (BD) (VC) = ALLEN GINSBERG
BILL GARVER [Friend of Burroughs in New York and Mexico City] = Old Bull Gaines (DA) (T), Harper (VC)
George (DB) = PETER ORLOVSKY
ERIC GIBSON [Son of Jackie Mercer] = Elliot Dabney (BS)
EDDIE GILBERT [Friend of Jack’s at Horace Mann School, he later embezzled a large sum of money and absconded to Brazil] = Jimmy Winchel (VD)
Mary Gilhooley (TC) = MARY CARNEY
ALLEN GINSBERG [Poet, author of “Howl,” “Kaddish,” and others] = Leon Levinsky (TC), Irwin Garden (VD) (DA) (BS) (BD) (VC), Carlo Marx (OR), Adam Moorad (SUB), Alvah Goldbook (DB)
LOUIS GINSBERG [Allen Ginsberg’s father] = Harry Garden (DA)
JOYCE GLASSMAN [Jack’s girlfriend in New York at time of the publication of On the Road] = Alyce Newman (DA)
Yuri Gligoric (SUB) = GREGORY CORSO
Alvah Goldbook (DB) = ALLEN GINSBERG
STANLEY GOULD [Friend of Jack’s in New York] = Ross Wallenstein (SUB), Shelley Lisle (BD)
Ed Gray (VC) = ED WHITE
Rollo Greb (OR) = ALAN ANSEN
Guy Green (BD) = ED WHITE
Tim Grey (OR) = ED WHITE
Bruno Gringas (DS) = DUKE CHIUNGAS
Duke Gringas (VC) = DUKE CHIUNGAS
Telemachus Gringas (VD) = DUKE CHIUNGAS
Dicky Hampshire (TC) (DS) (VD) = BILLY CHANDLER
DIANA HANSEN [Neal’s wife in New York] = Inez (OR), Diane (VC)
Harper (VC) = BILL GARVER
ALAN HARRINGTON [Novelist and essayist, author of The Immortalist and others] = Hal Hingham (OR)
Elmo Hassel (OR) = HERBERT HUNCKE
JOAN HAVERTY [Jack’s second wife; he wrote On the Road while living with her in New York] = Laura (OR)
Val Haves (VC) = HAL CHASE
Ruth Heaper (DA) = HELEN WEAVER
LUANNE HENDERSON [Neal’s first wife and road companion of his and Jack’s] = Mary Lou (OR), Joanna Dawson (VC), Annie (SUB)
AL HINKLE [Friend of Neal’s in Denver and San Francisco, he accompanied Jack on a trip across the country with Neal and Luanne Henderson] = Ed Dunkel (OR), Slim Buckle (VC), Ed Buckle (BD)
HELEN HINKLE [Wife of Al Hinkle, she also traveled with Jack, Neal, and Luanne, and spent a month with William and Joan Burroughs in New Orleans] = Galatea Dunkel (OR), Helen Buckle (VC)
Hal Hingham (OR) = ALAN HARRINGTON
MASON HOFFENBERG [Friend of Jack’s in New York, co-author of the novel Candy] = Jack Steen (SUB)
JIM HOLMES [Early friend of Neal Cassady’s in Denver] = Tom Snark (OR), Tom Watson (VC)
JOHN CLELLON HOLMES [Novelist, author of Go, The Horn, and Get Home Free] = Tom Saybrook (OR), Balliol MacJones (SUB), James Watson (BD), Tom Wilson (VC)
Bull Hubbard (DA) (BD) = WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS
Wilson Holmes “Will” Hubbard (VD) = WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS
Huck (BD) (VC) = HERBERT HUNCKE
HERBERT HUNCKE [Early friend of Kerouac, Burroughs, Ginsberg, et al., in New York, author of Huncke’s Journal] = Junky (TC), Elmo Hassel (OR), Huck (BD) (VC)
Inez (OR) = DIANA HANSEN
Jack (BD) = JACK KEROUAC
Jack (TC) = PHIL WHITE
NATALIE JACKSON [Girlfriend of Neal’s in San Francisco, she committed suicide in 1956, recorded in The Dharma Bums] = Rosie Buchanan (DB), Rosemarie (BD)
SANDY JACOBS [Friend of Jack’s in San Francisco] = Joey Rosenberg (BS)
Jane (SUB) (OR) = JOAN VOLLMER ADAMS BURROUGHS
RANDALL JARRELL [Poet and critic, author of Poetry and the Age, he was poet-in-residence at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., when he had Gregory Corso and Kerouac as houseguests] = Varnum Random (DA)
Jeanne (TC) = CELINE YOUNG
FRANK JEFFRIES [Friend of Jack’s in Denver, he traveled with Jack and Neal from Denver to Mexico City, recorded in On the Road] = Stan Shepard (OR), Dave Sherman (VC)
Joanna (VC) = LUANNE HENDERSON
Earl Johnson (VC) = BILL TOMSON
Helen Johnson (VC) = DOROTHY TOMSON
Roy Johnson (OR) = BILL TOMSON
June (VD) = JOAN VOLLMER ADAMS BURROUGHS
Junky (TC) = HERBERT HUNCKE
DAVID KAMMERER [Friend of Burroughs and Carr in St. Louis and New York] = Waldo Meister (TC), Franz Mueller (VD), Dave Stroheim (VC)
LENORE KANDEL [Poet, author of The Love Book, Word Alchemy, and others] = Ramona Swartz (BS)
Johnny Kazarakis (MC) (VD) = JOHNNY KOUMENTZALIS
BILL KECK [Friend of Jack’s in New York] = Fritz Nicholas (SUB), Dick Beck (BD)
GABRIELLE L’EVESQUE KEROUAC [Mémêre, Jack’s mother] = Marguerite Courbet Martin (TC), Sal’s “aunt” (OR), Ange (VD) (DS)
GERARD KEROUAC [Jack’s brother] = Gerard Duluoz (VG) (DS), Julian Martin (TC)
JACK KEROUAC = Peter Martin [and elements of other Martin brothers] (TC), Jack Duluoz (SP) (MC) (T) (VG) (DA) (BS) (VC), Leo Percepied (SUB), Ray Smith (DB), Jack (BD), Sal Paradise (OR)
LEO ALCIDE KEROUAC [Jack’s father] = George Martin (TC), Emil “Pop” Duluoz (VG) (VD) (MC) (DS)
Chad King (OR) = HAL CHASE
Val King (VC) = HAL CHASE
RICHIE KOMUCA [Tenor saxophone player, primarily a studio musician based in Los Angeles] = Ricci Comucca (SUB)
JOHNNY KOUMENTZALIS [Track star at Lowell High School during the late 1930s] = Johnny Kazarakis (MC) (VD)
PHILIP LAMANTIA [Poet and surrealist, associate editor of Parker Tyler’s magazine View] = Francis Da Pavia (DB), David D’Angeli (DA)
JAY LANDESMAN [Editor of Neurotica Magazine] = Jay Chapman (VC)
Laura (OR) = JOAN HAVERTY
Albert “Lousy” Lauzon (MC) (DS) = ROLAND SALVAS
Arial Lavalina (SUB) = GORE VIDAL
ROBERT LAVIGNE [Artist friend of Jack’s in San Francisco, it was he who introduced Allen Ginsberg to Peter Orlovsky] = Levesque (DA), Robert Browning (BS)
Rose Wise Lazuli (DA) = RUTH WITT-DIAMANT
Old Bull Lee (OR) = WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS
Leroy (SUB) = NEAL CASSADY
Levesque (DA) = ROBERT LAVIGNE
Leon Levinsky (TC) = ALLEN GINSBERG
Lu Libble (MC) (VD) = LOU LITTLE
Barbara Lipp (DA) = ELISE COWEN
Shelley Lisle (BD) = STANLEY GOULD
LOU LITTLE [Jack’s football coach at Columbia] = Lu Libble (MC) (VD)
Julien Love (BD) (VC) = LUCIEN CARR
Big Luke (DB) = PAUL BLAKE
Little Luke (DB) = PAUL BLAKE, JR.
Balliol MacJones (SUB) = JOHN CLELLON HOLMES
MICHAEL MCCLURE [Poet, novelist, essayist, dramatist, author of The Beard, September Blackberries, and others] = Ike O’Shay (DB), Patrick McLear (DA) (BS)
LOCKE MCCORKLE [Friend of Gary Snyder’s in Mill Valley, he rented the cabin behind his house to Gary and Jack in 1956] = Sean Monahan (DB), Kevin McLoch (DA)
Jimmy McFee (MC) = JIM O’DAY
Patrick McLear (DA) (BS) = MICHAEL MCCLURE
Kevin McLoch (DA) = LOCKE MCCORKLE
Arthur Ma (BS) = VICTOR WONG
Roland Macy (BD) = ED STRINGHAM
NORMAN MAILER [Novelist and essayist, author of The Naked and the Dead, and others. At one time he was married to Adele Morales, former girlfriend of Jack’s] = Harvey Marker (DA)
Roland Major (OR) = ALLAN TEMKO
Justin Mannerly (VC) = JUSTIN BRIERLY
Harvey Marker (DA) = NORMAN MAILER
George Martin (TC) = LEO ALCIDE KEROUAC
Julian Martin (TC) = GERARD KEROUAC
Marguerite Courbet Martin (TC) = GABRIELLE L’EVESQUE KEROUAC
Peter Martin [and elements of other Martin brothers] (TC) = JACK KEROUAC
Carlo Marx (OR) = ALLEN GINSBERG
Mary Lou (OR) = LUANNE HENDERSON
“IRENE MAY” [Model for the main female character in The Subterraneans, Jack’s girlfriend in New York in 1953] = Mardou Fox (SUB), Irene May (BD)
Waldo Meister (TC) = DAVID KAMMERER
MÉMÉRE [Jack’s mother, GABRIELLE L’EVESQUE KEROUAC] = Margaret Courbet Martin (TC), Sal’s “aunt” (OR), Ange (VD) (DS)
JACKIE GIBSON MERCER [Mistress of Neal’s in San Francisco, later girlfriend of Jack’s during time of Big Sur] = Willamine “Billie” Dabney (BS)
JAMES MERRILL [Poet and novelist, author of The (Diblos) Notebook] = Merrill Randall (DA)
CHARLIE MEW [Friend of Neal and Jack’s in San Francisco] = Charlie (VC)
Allen Minko (VC) = ALLAN TEMKO
Irving Minko (BD) = ALLAN TEMKO
Sean Monahan (BD) = LOCKE MCCORKLE
Lorenzo Monsanto (BS) = LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI
JOHN MONTGOMERY [Poet and pamphleteer, author of Kerouac West Coast] = Henry Morley (DB), Alex Fairbrother (DA)
Adam Moorad (SUB) = ALLEN GINSBERG
BREW MOORE [Bop saxophone player, based primarily on the West Coast] = Brue Moore (DA)
Brue Moore (DA) = BREW MOORE
DUSTY MORELAND [Friend of Jack and Allen’s in New York. Allen often referred to her as an “ignu,” a person of high intelligence] = Dusty (VC)
Amy Moriarty (OR) = CATHY CASSADY
Dean Moriarty (OR) = NEAL CASSADY
Joanie Moriarty (OR) = JAMIE CASSADY
Henry Morley (DB) = JOHN MONTGOMERY
CHARLIE MORRISETTE [Friend of Jack’s in Lowell, first husband of Caroline Kerouac] = Jimmy Bisonette (MC)
Franz Mueller (VD) = DAVID KAMMERER
Danny “D.J.” Mulverhill (TC) = GEORGE APOSTOLOS
Nessa (VC) = CESSA CARR
Alyce Newman (DA) = JOYCE GLASSMAN
JERRY NEWMAN [Record producer friend of Jack’s in New York] = Larry O’Hara [composite with Lawrence Ferlinghetti] (SUB)
Fritz Nicholas (SUB) = BILL KECK
Nin (DB) (MC) = CAROLINE KEROUAC BLAKE
OMAR NOËL/JEAN FOURCHETTE [Boyhood friend of Jack’s, he purportedly amused his buddies by masturbating in front of them] = Ali Zaza (DS), Zouzou (TC), Zaza Vauriselle (MC)
JIM O’DAY [Boyhood friend of Jack’s, they hitchhiked together from Lowell to Boston to join the Marines in 1942] = Timmy Clancy (VD), Jimmy McFee (MC)
Larry O’Hara [Composite with Jerry Newman] (SUB) = LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI
Larry O’Hara [Composite with Lawrence Ferlinghetti] (SUB) = JERRY NEWMAN
Ike O’Shay (DB) = MICHAEL MCCLURE
LAFACADIO ORLOVSKY [Brother of Peter] = Lafcadio Darlovsky (DA)
PETER ORLOVSKY [Poet, longtime companion of Allen Ginsberg, author of Clean Asshole Poems and Smiling Vegetable Songs] = George (DB), Simon Darlovsky (DA) (BD)
Edna “Johnnie” Palmer (VD) = EDIE PARKER
Alex Panos (TC) = SAMMY SAMPAS
Sal Paradise (OR) = JACK KEROUAC
EDIE PARKER [Jack’s girlfriend at Columbia, they were married while Jack was being held in custody at the Bronx jail as an accessory after the fact in a murder case] = Judie Smith (TC), Edna “Johnnie” Palmer (VD), Elly (VC)
Paul (DA) = CLAUDE DAHLENBERG
Leo Percepied (SUB) = JACK KEROUAC
JAMIE PERPIGNAN [Friend of Neal’s in San Francisco] = Perry Yturbide (BS)
Cody Pomeray (VC) (DB) (DA) (BS) (BD) = NEAL CASSADY
Emily Pomeray (VC) = CATHY CASSADY
Gaby Pomeray (VC) = JAMIE CASSADY
Timmy Pomeray (VC) = JOHN ALLEN CASSADY
Timmy John Pomeray (BS) = JOHN ALLEN CASSADY
Merrill Randall (DA) = JAMES MERRILL
Varnum Random (DA) = RANDALL JARRELL
Babe Rawlins (OR) = BEVERLY BURFORD
Ray Rawlins (OR) = BOB BURFORD
Ray (OR) = WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS, JR.
KENNETH REXROTH [Poet and essayist, author of Assays, Natural Numbers, 100 Poems from the Chinese, 100 Poems from the Japanese, and many other books] = Reinhold Cacoethes (DB)
Rhoda Ryder (DB) = THEA SNYDER
Danny Richman (BD) (VC) = LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI
G.J. Rigolopoulos (VD) = GEORGE APOSTOLOS
G.J. Rigopoulos (MC) (DS) = GEORGE APOSTOLOS
Gerard Rose (BD) = ANTON ROSENBERG
Rosemarie (BD) = NATALIE JACKSON
ANTON ROSENBERG [Friend of Jack’s in New York] = Julian Alexander (SUB), Gerard Rose (BD)
Joey Rosenberg (BS) = SANDY JACOBS
Scotcho Rouleau (TC) = HENRY BEAULIEU
Roxanne (SUB) = IRIS BRODIE
VICKI RUSSELL (alias of Priscilla Arminger) [Friend of Jack’s in New York] = Vicki (VC)
Japhy Ryder (DB) = GARY SNYDER
ALBERT SAIJO [Friend of Jack’s in San Francisco, he traveled from there to New York with Jack and Lew Welch in 1959] = George Baso (BS)
Whitey St. Clair (MC) = RED ST. LOUIS
RED ST. LOUIS [Boyhood friend of Jack’s, he introduced Jack to Mary Carney] = Whitey St. Clair (MC)
Sal’s “aunt” (OR) = GABRIELLE L’EVESQUE KEROUAC
ROLAND SALVAS [Boyhood friend of Jack’s] = Albert “Lousy” auzon (MC) (DS)
CHARLES SAMPAS [Brother of Sammy and Stella Sampas, columnist for Lowell Sun] = James G. Santos (MC)
SAMMY SAMPAS [Important early friend and influence on Jack; brother of Stella Sampas, Jack’s third wife, he was killed at Anzio during World War II] = Alex Panos (TC), Sabby Savakis (VD)
STELLA SAMPAS [Jack’s third and last wife, sister of Sammy Sampas] = Stavroula Savakis (VD)
Harold Sand (SUB) = WILLIAM GADDIS
James G. Santos (MC) = CHARLES SAMPAS
Sabby Savakis (VD) = SAMMY SAMPAS
Stavroula Savakis (VD) = STELLA SAMPAS
Tom Saybrook (OR) = JOHN CLELLON HOLMES
Stan Shepard (OR) = FRANK JEFFRIES
Dave Sherman (VC) = FRANK JEFFRIES
Lionel Smart (VD) (MC) (VC) = SEYMOUR WYSE
Judy Smith (TC) = EDIE PARKER
PAUL SMITH [Spent several days with Kerouac at Ferlinghetti’s cabin, Big Sur, 1960] = Ron Blake (BS)
Ray Smith (DB) = JACK KEROUAC
Tom Snark (OR) = JIM HOLMES
GARY SNYDER [Model for the main character in The Dharma Bums, poet and essayist, author of Myths & Texts, Earth House Hold, Turtle Island, and others] = Japhy Ryder (DB), Jarry Wagner (DA), Gary Snyder (VD)
Gary Snyder (VD) = GARY SNYDER
THEA SNYDER [Gary Snyder’s sister] = Rhoda Ryder (DB)
Jack Steen (SUB) = MASON HOFFENBERG
Sylvester Strauss (SUB) = DAVID DIAMOND
ED STRINGHAM [Friend of Jack’s in New York where he worked for The New Yorker
Magazine] = Charles Bernard (SUB, Ronald Macy (BD)
Dave Stroheim (VC) = DAVID KAMMERER
AL SUBLETTE [Friend of Jack’s in San Francisco] = Mal Damlette (BS), Al Damlette (T)
Ramona Swartz (BS) = LENORE KANDEL
Irwin Swenson (BD) (VC) = ALAN ANSEN
ALLEN TEMKO [Architectural critic and professor, a friend of Jack’s in New York and Denver] = Roland Major (OR), Irving Minko (BD), Allen Minko (VC)
DAVID TERCERO [Mexico City drug dealer] = Dave (Kulchur Magazine story “Dave”)
Terry (OR) = BEA FRANCO
BILL TOMSON [Friend of Neal’s in Denver and San Francisco, he introduced Neal to Carolyn] = Roy Johnson (OR), Earl Johnson (VC)
DOROTHY TOMSON [Wife of Bill Tomson] = Helen Johnson (VC)
Tristessa (T) = ESPERANZA VILLANUEVA
DON UHL [Friend of Neal’s in Colorado] = Ed Wall (OR), Ed Wehle (VC)
Raphael Urso (DA) (BD) = GREGORY CORSO
Gia Valencia (DA) = GUI DE ANGULO
PETER VAN METER [Friend of Jack’s in New York] = Paddy Cordovan (SUB)
Zaza Vauriselle (MC) = OMAR NOËL/JEAN FOURCHETTE
Sam Vedder (SUB) = LUCIEN CARR
Vicki (VC) = VICKI RUSSELL
GORE VIDAL [Novelist, essayist, and playwright, author of Burr, The City and the Pillar, Myra Breckenridge, and many others] = Arial Lavalina (SUB)
ESPERANZA VILLANUEVA [Friend of Burroughs and Kerouac’s in Mexico City] = Tristessa (T)
Jarry Wagner (DA) = GARY SNYDER
Dave Wain (BS) = LEW WELCH
Ed Wall (OR) = DON UHL
Ross Wallenstein (SUB) = STANLEY GOULD
James Watson (BD) = JOHN CLELLON HOLMES
Tom Watson (VC) = JIM HOLMES
ALAN WATTS [Theologian, author of The Way of Zen and other books] = Arthur Whane (BS), Alex Aums (DA)
HELEN WEAVER [Girlfriend of Jack’s in New York] = Ruth Heaper (DA)
Ed Wehle (VC) = DON UHL
LEW WELCH [Poet, author of Ring of Bone, How I Work As a Poet, and, in collaboration with Kerouac and Albert Saijo, Trip Trap] = Dave Wain (BS)
PHILIP WHALEN [Poet and Zen priest, author of On Bear’s Head, The Kindness of Strangers, and others] = Warren Coughlin (DB), Ben Fagan (BS)
Arthur Whane (BS) = ALAN WATTS
ED WHITE [Friend of Jack’s at Columbia, an architect; it was White who interested Jack in the concept of “sketching”] = Tim Grey (OR), Guy Green (BD), Ed Gray (VC)
Dr. Williams (DA) = WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS
WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS [Poet and novelist] = Dr. Williams (DA)
Jimmy Winchel (VD) = EDDIE GILBERT
RUTH WITT-DIAMANT [Former Director of the San Francisco Poetry Center] = Rose Wise Lazuli (DA)
VICTOR WONG [Son of a San Francisco Chinatown politician, he accompanied Jack on a trip to Big Sur] = Arthur Ma (BS)
Kenny Wood (TC) = LUCIEN CARR
SEYMOUR WYSE [Jack’s closet friend at Horace Mann School, he first interested Jack in jazz] = Lionel Smart (VD) (MC) (VC)
CELINE YOUNG [Girlfriend of Lucien Carr’s at Columbia] = Jeanne (TC), Cecily (VD)
Perry Yturbide (BS) = JAMIE PERPIGNAN
Ali Zaza (DS) = OMAR NOËL/JEAN FOURCHETTE
Zouzou (TC) = NOËL/JEAN FOURCHETTE
Postscript
Gabrielle Kerouac—Mémêre—died in 1972, the year her son Jack would have turned 50.