Gene Poe, known to friends and colleagues as “Poe,” was born and raised in rural Virginia and graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University.

After graduation, Poe decided to backpack through Europe for a couple of months. Instead of two months, the trip lasted over two years and included opportunities to act as an American hippie in the film “Roma”, directed by Federico Fellini. Poe also got to work as a dresser for the English actor and political activist, Corin Redgrave, at the Wyndham Theatre in London.

When Poe returned to the United States, he headed straight for Hollywood. During his almost fifty year Hollywood career, he has worked on stage, movies, television shows, in print advertising and commercials. His print experience included working as a hand and a print model for a variety of products. Poe was also selected for a revealing photo in Playgirl magazine!

On the stage, his most memorable experiences include “The Dirtiest Show in Town” by Tom Eyen and “Boys in the Band” by Matt Crowley.

Poe’s television career as a background artist includes work on shows such as “The Ellen Show”, “Love Boat”, “Mash”, “Baa Baa Black Sheep”, “Days of Our Lives” and “The Young and the Restless”. A highlight of his background artist career was getting to know Andy Warhol when Mr. Warhol guest starred on “The Love Boat”. Poe is also part of perhaps the most well-known episode of “The Ellen Show”. You probably remember the episode where Ellen accidentally announces that she's gay over an airport PA system. Poe is the airline counter agent who – inadvertently – left the microphone in the “on” position.

In movies, Poe worked as a member of the flight crew in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture”, directed by Robert Wise. He also worked as the stand-in for Sir Anthony Hopkins who played Odin in “Thor". Get Poe to tell you the story of when Kenneth Branagh, who directed “Thor", climbed onto Poe’s chest to provide direction!

In 2013, Poe decided to retire from show business and relocated to Cathedral City, CA where he and his husband Michael have a home. It was the move to the Coachella Valley and the beauty of the desert and desert sunsets that reinvigorated Poe’s creativity. His work has been well-received and is now hanging in homes and offices in Los Angeles, Joshua Tree, south Florida, south Texas and throughout the Coachella Valley.