Anton LaVey

Infobox Writer
name = Anton LaVey


imagesize =
birthdate = birth date|1930|4|11
birthplace = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
deathdate = death date and age|1997|10|29|1930|4|11
deathplace = San Francisco, California, U.S.
occupation = writer, public speaker
children = Karla LaVey, Zeena Schreck, Xerxes LaVey
notableworks = "The Satanic Bible"
religion = Satanist (Church of Satan)
influences = Ayn Rand, Friedrich Nietzsche, Aleister Crowley, H. L. Mencken, Jack London, "Might is Right"
influenced =

Anton Szandor LaVeyWright, Lawrence - "It’s Not Easy Being Evil in a World That’s Gone to Hell", Rolling Stone, September 5, 1991: 63-68, 105-16.] , (April 11, 1930 – October 24, 1997) born Howard Stanton Levey, was the American founder and High Priest of the Church of Satan as well as a writer, occultist, musician and actor. He was the author of "The Satanic Bible" and the founder of "Laveyian" Satanism, a synthesized system of his understanding of human nature and the insights of philosophers who advocated materialism and individualism, for which he claimed no "supernatural inspiration”.

Biography

LaVey was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Michael Joseph Levey, a liquor distributor from Omaha, Nebraska, and his wife Gertrude, Augusta Coultron. [ [http://www.wargs.com/other/lavey.html Ancestry of Anton LaVey ] ] His family soon moved to California, where he spent most of his early life in the San Francisco Bay Area and later in Globe, Arizona. According to his biography, his ancestry includes French, Alsatian, German, Russian, Romanian, and Jewish stock.Barton, Blanche "The Secret Life of a Satanist"] His parents supported the development of his musical abilities as he tried his hand at various instruments, his favorite being keyboards such as the pipe organ and the calliope.

LaVey's biography tells of his dropping out of high school to join a circus and carnivals, first as a roustabout and cage boy in an act with the big cats, later as a musician playing the calliope. LaVey later noted that seeing many of the same men attending both the bawdy Saturday night shows and the tent revival meetings on Sunday mornings reinforced his increasingly cynical view of religion. He later had many stints as an organist in bars, lounges, and nightclubs. While playing organ in Los Angeles burlesque houses, he reportedly had a brief affair with the then-unknown Marilyn Monroe as she was dancing at the Mayan Theater. This claim has been challenged by those who knew Monroe at the time, as well as the manager of the Mayan, Paul Valentine, who stated that she had never been one of his dancers, nor had the theater ever been used as a burlesque house or for "bump and grind" shows."The Church of Satan" by Michael Aquino p. 17-19, detailing information from Harry Lipton, Monroe's agent, Paul Valentine and Edward Webber"]

According to his biography, LaVey moved back to San Francisco where he worked for a while as a photographer for the police department. He also dabbled as a psychic investigator, looking into "800 calls" referred to him by the police department. Later biographers have questioned whether LaVey ever worked with the police, as there are no surviving records substantiating the claim. LaVey met and married Carole Lansing, with whom he had his first daughter, Karla LaVey, in 1952. They divorced in 1960 after LaVey became entranced by Diane Hegarty. Hegarty and LaVey never married, but she was his companion for many years, and bore his second daughter, Zeena Galatea LaVey in 1963.

Becoming a local celebrity through his paranormal research and live performances as an organist (including playing the Wurlitzer at the Lost Weekend cocktail lounge), he attracted many San Francisco notables to his parties. Guests included Carin de Plessin, Michael Harner, Chester A. Arthur III, Forrest J. Ackerman, Fritz Leiber, Dr. Cecil E. Nixon, and Kenneth Anger.

LaVey began presenting Friday night lectures on the occult to what he called a "Magic Circle" of associates who shared his interests. A member of this circle suggested that he had the basis for a new religion. On Walpurgisnacht, 30 April, 1966, he ritualistically shaved his head in the tradition of ancient executioners, declared the founding of the Church of Satan and proclaimed 1966 as "the year One", Anno Satanas—the first year of the Age of Satan. Media attention followed the subsequent Satanic wedding ceremony of radical journalist John Raymond to New York socialite Judith Case on February 1, 1967 (photographed by Joe Rosenthal). "The Los Angeles Times" and "San Francisco Chronicle" were among the newspapers that printed articles dubbing him "The Black Pope." LaVey performed Satanic baptisms (including one for Zeena) and Satanic funerals (including one for naval machinist-repairman third-class Edward Olsen, complete with a chrome-helmeted honor guard), and released a record album entitled "The Satanic Mass".

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, LaVey melded ideological influences from Ayn Rand, [Lewis, James R. " [http://archiv.ub.uni-marburg.de/mjr/lewis2.html Who Serves Satan? A Demographic and Ideological Profile] ". "Marburg Journal of Religion". June 2001.] Friedrich Nietzsche, Aleister Crowley,Fact|date=February 2008 H.L. Mencken, and Jack London with the ideology and ritual practices of the Church of Satan. He wrote essays introduced with reworked excerpts from Ragnar Redbeard’s "Might is Right" and concluded with “Satanized” versions of John Dee’s Enochian Keys to create books such as "The Satanic Bible", "The Compleat Witch" (re-released in 1989 as "The Satanic Witch"), and "The Satanic Rituals".

Due to increasing visibility through his books, LaVey was the subject of numerous articles in the news media throughout the world, including popular magazines such as "Look", "McCall's", "Newsweek", and "TIME", and men’s magazines. He also appeared on talk shows such as Joe Pyne, Phil Donahue, and Johnny Carson, and in a feature length documentary called "" in 1970.

Hegarty and LaVey separated in the mid-1980s, and she sued for palimony. The claim was settled out of court. LaVey’s next and final companion was Blanche Barton. Barton and LaVey are the parents of Satan Xerxes Carnacki LaVey, born November 1, 1993. She succeeded herself as the head of the Church after his death, but has since stepped down from that role.

Anton LaVey died on October 29, 1997, in St. Mary's Hospital, San Francisco of pulmonary edema. He was taken to St. Mary's, a Catholic hospital, because it was the closest available. For reasons open to speculation, the time and date of his death was incorrectly (by two days) listed as the morning of Halloween on his death certificate. Zeena Schreck claimed responsibility for LaVey's death through putting a ritual curse on him. A secret Satanic funeral, attended by invitation only, was held in Colma. LaVey's body was cremated, with his ashes eventually divided amongst his heirs as part of a settlement, on the assumption that they possess occult potency, and can be used for acts of Satanic ritual magic.

LaVey was known by many as "doctor" (sometimes spelled "doktor"), not a claim of academic standing.Fact|date=September 2008

The First Family of Satanism

* Anton Szandor LaVey (1930-1997) - High Priest and Founder of CoS.
* Carole Lansing - Anton's First Wife and Mother to Karla.
* Karla Maritza LaVey (1952) - Daughter of Anton and Carole. High Priestess of Church of Satan (1990 to 1997), High Priestess of The First Satanic Church (1999 to Present)
* Diane Hegarty (1942) - Antons's Second Wife and Mother to Zeena. Hostess, Model Enchantress, Mother, Magicians Wife and High Priestess of the Church of Satan (1966 to 1984).
* Zeena Galatea LaVey/Schreck (1963) - Daughter of Anton and Diane. High Priestess of Church of Satan (1985 to 1990), Wife of Barry Dubin(1988 to Present), Alpha Female and Co-director of Werewolf Order and Radio Werewolf (1988 to 1993), Priestess of the Temple of Set (1995 to 2002), Co-Founding member and High Priestess of The Storm International Vanguard of the Sethian Movement (2002 - Now Defunct).
* Stanton Zaharoff LaVey (1978) - Son of Zeena. Grandson of Anton LaVey and Diane LaVey, founders of the Church of Satan. He carries on the family tradition as a "lifestyle Satanist". He is supportive of the character and philosophy of his grandparents. Maried Szandora (06/06/06 to ??/??/07)
* Szandora LaVey (1981) - (ex)Daughter-inlaw of Diane Hegarty. The go-go dancer and hula hoop artist for 50s surf band called Thee Swank Bastards, Satanic Fetish Model, Satanic Witch. Married Stanton LaVey (06/06/06 to ??/??/07).
* Blanche Barton (1959) - Last Companion of Anton and Mother to Xerxes. High Priestess of the Church of Satan (1997 to 2002) then became Magistra Tempi Rex and Chairmistress of the Council of Nine (the governing body of the Church of Satan).
* Satan Xerxes Carnacki LaVey (1993) - Only son of Anton and Blanche. He is also a standing member of the Church of Satan.

Controversy

Many different sources quote him saying : "The first time I read the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, my instinctive reaction was, So what's wrong with THAT? Isn't that the way any master plan should work? Doesn't the public deserve - nay, demand - such despotism?"

In "The Book of Satan", LaVey acknowledged the influence of "Might is Right" by mentioning both it and Ragnar Redbeard in his dedication page of the Satanic Bible (only early prints of the Satanic Bible have this page), as well as in an introduction to a later edition of Might is Right."Might is Right", (Bensinville, IL: Michael Hunt 1996). Ragnar Redbeard, ISBN ."] In an interview with LaVey a question regarding the book arose. LaVey responded by stating: :"Might is Right by Ragnar Redbeard is probably one of the most inflammatory books ever written, so who better to write an introduction? It was only natural that I excerpted a few pages of it for The Satanic Bible." cite web | author=Shane and Amy Bugbee | title=The Doctor is in | url=http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/MFInterview.html ] LaVey went on to state that::"The book has been so indelibly linked with me, it was felt that any new edition should have my name on it."
* John Smulo, a known critic of Anton LaVey, has stated that "Though LaVey justly charges that many Christians are guilty of hypocrisy, LaVey falls short himself. The sixth of LaVey's Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth says, "Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is a burden to the other person and he cries out to be relieved." Unfortunately, when it came to writing The Satanic Bible, LaVey hypocritically fell short of following his own rules." Smulo further claimed LaVey's most well known written work, "The Satanic Bible" relied heavily on many writers of a philosophical nature, most notably Ayn Rand, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Aleister Crowley. LaVey has stated that his religion was “just Ayn Rand’s philosophy, with ceremony and ritual added", [Ellis, Bill - (cited in Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media. Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky, 2000, p. 180). (Refer also to the "Satanism and Objectivism" essay on the Church of Satan website where this connection is examined at length.) ] though many say that he should be given credit for his creative synthesis of the thought of others into what has become the most influential statement of modern Satanism.Fact|date=April 2007 LaVey has denied claims of plagiarism in The Satanic Bible. [ [http://www.dpjs.co.uk/criticism/smulo.html#_ftnref149 Hypocrisy, Plagiarism and LaVey ] ]
*LaVey did not play, nor ever claim, the role of Satan during the rape scene of "Rosemary's Baby" (in fact it was actor Clay Tanner) and no technical advisor was used, [" [http://imdb.com/name/nm0849623/ Imdb Entry Clay Tanner] "] [" [http://www.xeper.org/maquino/nm/COS.pdf The Church of Satan by Micheal Aquino p. 17] "] [" [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0491989/ Imdb entry for Anton Lavey] "] [" [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063522/ Imdb Entry "Rosemary's Baby"] ".] [Castle, William "Step Right Up! I'm Gonna Scare the Pants off America"] the rumor also went unmentioned by Blanche Barton in " [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/Montalba.html The Georges Montalba Mystery] "

LaVey related books

Books by LaVey

* "The Satanic Bible" (Avon, 1969, ISBN 0-380-01539-0)
* "The Complete Witch, or, What to do When Virtue Fails" (Dodd, Mead, 1971, ISBN 0-396-06266-0); republished as "The Satanic Witch" (Feral House, 1989, ISBN 0-922915-00-8); re-released with an introduction by Peggy Nadramia, and an afterword by Blanche Barton (2003, ISBN 0-922915-84-9).
* "The Satanic Rituals" (Avon, 1972, ISBN 0-380-01392-4)
* "The Devil's Notebook" (Feral House, 1992, ISBN 0-922915-11-3)
* "Satan Speaks!", introduction by Blanche Barton, foreword by Marilyn Manson (Feral House, 1998, ISBN 0-922915-66-0)

Books featuring writings by LaVey

*"Misanthropia", "Rants and Incendiary Tracts: Voices of Desperate Illuminations 1558-Present!", edited by Bob Black and Adam Parfrey (Amok Press and Loompanics Unlimited, 1989, ISBN 0-941693-03-1)
*"The Invisible War", "Apocalypse Culture": Expanded & revised edition, edited by Adam Parfrey (Amok Press, 1990, ISBN 0-922915-05-9)
*"Forward", "Might is Right, or The Survival of the Fittest" by Ragnar Redbeard, LL.D., edited by Katja Lane (M.H.P. & Co., Ltd, 1996, ISBN 0-915179-12-1)

Books about LaVey

* "The Devil's Avenger: A Biography of Anton Szandor LaVey" by Burton H. Wolfe (Pyramid Books, 1974, ISBN 0-515-03471-1, Out of print)
* "The Secret Life Of A Satanist: The Authorized Biography of Anton LaVey" by Blanche Barton (Feral House, 1990, ISBN 0-922915-12-1)
* "Popular Witchcraft: Straight from the Witch's Mouth" by Jack Fritscher ; featuring Anton LaVey (University of Wisconsin Press : Popular Press, 2004, ISBN 0-299-20300-X, hardcover, ISBN 0-299-20304-2, paperback)

Filmography

* "Invocation of my Demon Brother" (short, uncredited role as Satan, 1969)
* "Satanis: The Devil's Mass" (featured, 1970; released on DVD by Something Weird Video, 2003)
* "The Devil's Rain" (technical advisor, role as High Priest, 1975)
* "The Car" (creative consultant, 1977)
* "Doctor Dracula", aka "Svengali" (technical advisor, 1981)
* "Charles Manson Superstar" (research consultant, 1989)
* "Death Scenes" (narrator/host, 1989)
* "Speak of the Devil" (featured, 1995)

Recordings of Anton LaVey

* "The Satanic Mass", LP (Murgenstrumm Records, 1968; re-released on CD with one bonus track, "Hymn of the Satanic Empire, or The Battle Hymn of the Apocalypse", by Amarillo Records, 1994; Mephisto Media, 2001)
* "Answer Me/Honolulu Baby", 7" single (Amarillo Records, 1993)
* "Strange Music", 10" EP (Amarillo Records, 1994; now available through Reptilian Records)
* "Satan Takes A Holiday", CD (Amarillo Records, 1995; now available through Reptilian Records)

ee also

*

Footnotes

External links

Writings by LaVey

* [http://churchofsatan.com/Pages/NineStatements.html The Nine Satanic Statements]
* [http://churchofsatan.com/Pages/Eleven.html The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth]
* [http://churchofsatan.com/Pages/Sins.html The Nine Satanic Sins]
* [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/PentRev.html Pentagonal Revisionism: A Five-Point Program] , 1988
* [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/MostPower.html The World’s Most Powerful Religion]
* [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/EnochianGuide.html Enochian Pronunciation Guide]
* [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/LaVeyLFTDevil-1969.html Letters From The Devil] from "The National Insider", Vol. 14, No. 17, April 27, 1969.
* [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/LaVeyPastOccultism.html On Occultism of the Past] from "The Cloven Hoof", September, 1971 c.e., Volume Three, Number Nine.

Interviews with LaVey

* [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/LaVeyOccultAmerica.html Section concerning Anton LaVey] in Chapter XII (Satan in the Suburbs) of "Occult America" by John Godwin (Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1972)
* [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/LaVeyEverythingYouEver.html Section concerning Anton LaVey] in "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sorcery, But Were Afraid to Ask" by Arlene J. Fitzgerald (Manor Books, 1973)
* [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/WaPost.html “Anton LaVey: America’s Satanic Master of Devils, Magic, Music, and Madness”] by Walt Harrington in "The Washington Post Magazine", February 23, 1986.
* [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/BOT.html “Anton LaVey / The Church of Satan Interview”] by Eugene Robinson in "The Birth of Tragedy", No. 4 “The God Issue”, November 1986 - January 1987
*" [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/HighSoc.html Dinner with the Devil] : An evening with Anton Szandor LaVey, the High Priest of the Church of Satan" by Reverend Bob Johnson in "High Society", August, 1994.
* [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/MFInterview.html "The Doctor is in......"] by Shane & Amy Bugbee in "MF Magazine" #3, Summer 1997.
* [http://www.velvethammerburlesque.com/pages/antonlavey.html Interview with Anton LaVey] by Michelle Carr and Elvia Lahman, originally published in the September 11, 1997 Velvet Hammer souvenir programme.

About LaVey

* [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/LaVeyBiography.html Anton Szandor LaVey: A Biographical Sketch] by Magus Peter H. Gilmore, on the Church of Satan's official website.
* [http://www.disinfo.com/archive/pages/dossier/id134/pg1/ Anton Lavey] by Alex Burns at disinformation.
* [http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/darkangel/Antonsl.html Anton Szandor Lavey: In memorium]
* [http://www.purgingtalon.com/nlm/tribute.htm Anton Szandor LaVey tribute]
*imdb name|id=0491989|name=Anton LaVey
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6838 Find A Grave Entry]
* [http://www.dpjs.co.uk/people.html#Anton%20LaVey People of Significance entry for LaVey]
* [http://www.nndb.com/people/772/000027691/ Anton LaVey entry] on NNDB
* [http://members.tripod.com/~dope420/LaVey.html Short biographical sketch] with particular focus on his influence on Marilyn Manson, taken from "Spin magazine" (February 1998, pg. 64).
*" [http://www.sfweekly.com/issues/1998-06-17/news/feature_print.html Has the Church of Satan Gone to Hell?] " by Jack Boulware "SF Weekly", Jun 17, 1998
*http://www.unimarburg.de/religionswissenschaft/journal/mjr/lewis3.html Lewis, James. R., "Diabolical Authority: Anton LaVey, The Satanic Bible and The Satanist Tradition", in "The Marburg Journal of Religion", v.7 no.1 (Sept 2002)
* [http://www.msdcorp.8m.com/hwolf.htm Introduction] to "The Satanic Rituals", by Burton H. Wolfe, 1976