Gene Palma

Palma was a street drummer based in New York during the 1970’s and 1980’s, famous for his slick black hair and heavy makeup use, and also for his drumming routine that included several different styles – even though Gene Krupa was his favorite drummer of all time. He could use not only a minor drum, he could also perform with objects on the streets hitting his stick with precision and ability. Film lovers will remember him best for his minor yet unforgettable performance in Taxi Driver (1976) while Travis Bickle is having a date with Betsy in the classic film directed by Martin Scorsese. He continued his work on the streets for quite some time and even appeared (uncredited) in another film Hero at Large (1980), again playing a street drummer.