Shapiro was born and raised in
upstate New York. Shapiro designed the character Harry Chess as his
alter ego (he once said "I am Harry and Harry is me and we are all together"). Shapiro moved to San Francisco to live with Kriegmont, where they frequented
Pacific Heights and the
South of Market neighborhoods.
The Eagle, and The Slot. In 1978, Shapiro and
Dom Orejudos produced a joint gallery show at
Fey-Way Studios; Shapiro was close friends with Orejudos and
Tom of Finland, Shapiro died at home of
AIDS-related complications on May 30, 1987, with Kriegmont by his side. In his 2006 autobiography, Fritscher wrote: == See also ==