12 Facts About Slim Brundage

Myron Reed "Slim" Brundage was the "founder and janitor" of the College of Complexes, a radical social center in Chicago during the 1950s.

Slim Brundage was born at an insane asylum, where his mother worked, in Blackfoot, Idaho.

Slim Brundage's mother died when he was seven and his socialist journalist father placed him in an orphanage.

Slim Brundage's youth was troubled; he dropped out of grade school and ran away from home at age 14 to become a hobo.

Slim Brundage changed his first name to Slim and was educated at flophouses and boxcars across the country.

Slim Brundage thought the world would be better without bosses and politicians and was jailed for his protest activities.

Slim Brundage worked as a bouncer and janitor of the Dil Pickle Club and later founded his own club, College of Complexes, in 1933 but closed after three months.

Slim Brundage reopened College of Complexes in 1951 with a $6,000 workman's pension.

Slim Brundage shut down the organization in 1961, retired to Guadalajara in 1975, and later moved to Southern California in 1980s.

Slim Brundage was a writer and poet closely associated with the Beats.

Slim Brundage called himself "The Janitor" because of his blue-collar background.

Slim Brundage was married to artist Margaret Brundage from 1927 to 1939, and Katarine C Wood from 1940.