ACTORS/ACTRESSES:

INTRODUCTION:

From the above-ground hardcore movie beginnings in San Francisco in the late 60’s when hippie chicks would make love in front of a 16mm camera - often with the infamous Mitchell brothers behind it - to today’s slick mega-bucks big business, thousands of individuals have come and gone (no pun intended) through the industry. Many remain totally anonymous, while at the other end of the scale ”Linda Lovelace” will be forever publicly identified as the performer of DEEP THROAT - though curiously in death her original name, Linda Boreman, finally made the headlines.

Along the way, there have been hundreds of bona fide porn stars and starlets. But who are the greats – the “famous porn stars”, as well as the undeniable Legends?

The top male and female would have to be JOHN HOLMES and MARILYN CHAMBERS. Holmes, aka Johnny Wadd, made over a thousand films, including 8mm loops, and died of AIDS in 1988, while Chambers made a remarkably small number of movies and is well-off, successful and going strong today. Both of these legends are known by name amongst the public at large, not just porn fans, which is a rare occurence (although now in modern times, porn actress Jenna Jameson is at that level in the born-again porno chic sensibility of popular culture.)

ACTORS:

Holmes of course was the model for the lead character Dirk Diggler in the 1997 film BOOGIE NIGHTS and more recently was portrayed as a coke-addled weasel in the under-rated movie WONDERLAND. His most known screen persona was the “Johnny Wadd” detective of director Bob Chinn’s series of porn movies, although he appears also to have been credited under that name for different -- and earlier -- movies. One point about Holmes to be made is that a high percentage of his movie appearances consisted of dropping in for one scene rather than starring in the film or even having a real role. As such, he wasn’t acting a character in those movies so much as just getting his monstrous penis up and performing sex. Such was his fame that he could do this and get paid full wage, and one might speculate that his desire for easy cash fuelled this mode of performing (on the other hand, in his starring roles he often put a lot into his characters – an example being the “painter” in LITTLE ORPHAN DUSTY [1976]) One great cameo appearance of Holmes that fits the legend and also seems to convey a ‘character’, that character being porn celebrity-legendhood (much like certain Hollywood stars essentially play themselves all the time and that is what is expected – to see the Star pretending to be so-and-so), was as “Charlie Strayhorn”, the “No. 1 Country Music outlaw of all time” in 1983’s UP ‘N COMING (which starred Marilyn Chambers as well as Lisa DeLeeuw, both of whom did their own singing, and is a great film.) I wrote elsewhere of this film, “...the entrance of the Legendary John Holmes late in the movie – said sighting of which echoes the mythical proportions of Marlon Brando’s anticipated appearance near the end of APOCALYPSE NOW, except while in the latter it was Brando’s shaved head as the ominous Kurtz that was the Sign, in UP ‘N COMING it is of course Holmes’ big dong.”

Next up has got to be HARRY REEMS, co-star of DEEP THROAT (1972), which got him in a lot of legal trouble. Reems has great presence as an actor and brings a definite class to the adult movies he has been in. Reems also starred in THE DEVIL IN MISS JONES (1973), the other of the original “Big Three” porn productions. Reems had a signature big moustache, although he did shave it off for a period of time, which may be a relatively little-known fact. He appeared in the ultra-lame TEENAGE CHEERLEADER (1974) sans facial hair, for example.

Much different but more known today is RON JEREMY, who got his start in the late 70’s and is still going, still a big player in the industry and a popular culture phenomenon in his own right. He never – and has not to this day – shaved off his signature old-school moustache. Jeremy’s appeal - aside from his long dick - is his humour and his on screen verbal improvising. He has also been incredibly prolific right through to the modern era and so kept winning new fans and has passed into popular lore, aided by his cameo appearances in various mainstream director’s movies and by being the subject of the documentary PORN STAR:THE LEGEND OF RON JEREMY. Personally, I think he was also a good actor in the Golden Age and put a lot into his sex scenes.

JERRY BUTLER, who started in 1979 and with his cutey-boy looks and earnest, real-acting style, became – according to the cover of his 1990 autobiography RAW TALENT – the adult film industry’s “most popular male star”. Butler dropped out of the industry in the early 90’s, apparently driving a school bus at one point, happily so. One of porn’s hottest scenes is Ginger Lynn and Jerry Butler’s encounter on the hood of a red porsche in BEVERLY HILLS COX (1986), which is no surprise since they had instant sparks when they met on Ginger’s very first porn film – PANTY RAID (or SURRENDER IN PARADISE , or PINK LAGOON -- the sequel to S.I.P. -- all are the “Hawaii” films produced and directed by David J. Frazer and Svetlana on the same excursion to Hawaii in 1984). According to Butler, he and Ginger “fell in love”, only to have this initial passion corrupted by Butler’s sighting of Ron Jeremy horning in on the action on the beach. Ginger has publicly claimed over the years that in fact Jeremy raped her on that movie set, a charge that has never gained much credence, perhaps due to the hyperbolic form of her accusal.

The next two on the male legends list are undoubtedly JOHN LESLIE and JAMIE GILLIS. Both of these actors were stalwarts of the industry throughout the latter 70’s and well into the 80’s, with Leslie taking over the big marquee value from Gillis as things moved into the 80's. They also both moved into the directing side of things and have had a major impact on the evolution of adult movies, in different ways. Leslie became a hot director early in the video era – with titles like THE CHAMELEON, CURSE OF THE CATWOMAN, and DOGWALKER (none of which I’ve seen), while Gillis got more into his own private world of underground domination and humiliation stuff that he sold out of his own home and which now circulate in the underground of porn video trading (I bought one on eBay – a compilation of some very weird shit.)

Gillis’ pioneering gonzo video, ON THE PROWL (1989), was of course copped for BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997), the usage of it altered to the point that Gillis told me he was “horrified”. It is interesting that Gillis has been content to just live out his own private obsessions in small-time video product, since in the “Golden Age” his good looks and screen presence were recognized outside of porn circles, and indeed he did some mainstream roles. If you do want to get a glimpse of his dark video side, a vignette of his abusing technique slips through in the otherwise mainstream porno SLIP INTO SILK (1985). Gillis plays the sleazy manager of a radio station who is having it on with a white trash wench who is trying to get a radio show. In his office Gillis suddenly starts grabbing her hair and even gives her a slap as he skull-fucks her briefly, while she cooperates just as he likes. I had to wonder if Gillis and the ‘actress’ were playing out something in their real life. She has just the slutty look he likes to dominate, though in another scene she dominates Gillis, which also fits in with his kink. When I asked Gillis about this scene he said he couldn't remember but that it sounded "like fun". In fact, as far as I can tell, Gillis remembers few of his specific porn roles, which is in complete opposite to Ron Jeremy, who remembers every little movie he ever appeared in.

John Leslie was always a charming porn actor, always seemed to be having fun. His most famous role was in TALK DIRTY TO ME (1980), which spawned a number of sequels. A funny scene in the sequel to that movie,TDTM II (1982), involves him seducing the daughter of a woman he is banging. The ‘daughter’ is clearly depicted as a teenager, which would be a no-no nowadays but was okay back then (and used quite alot as a motif), and at one point while Leslie stimulates himself in preparation for coitus he remarks off the cuff that needing to do such self-stimulating to keep it up is something that happens when you get older. Incidentally, Leslie wore the same 'safari'-style shirt in a bunch of movies he made at this time. Obviously there was no costume department on these movies -- not to mention anybody to tell John Leslie that safari shirts aren't that cool.

Also up there in prolific performance and leading roles is PAUL THOMAS, the tall, thin and un-pornstar-looking guy who also on occasion played the piano in porn movies. Thomas sometimes appears too regal in his films, but did have a number of roles that showed acting depth. One of his best roles was the “Duke” in SOME KIND OF WOMAN, a gruff-voiced character who gets killed in a sexual encounter (filmed from above) with Ginger Lynn in the first scene, then is depicted in flashbacks scamming people, all told by his pal HERSCHEL SAVAGE (more on Herschel later) on a talk show. Interesting premise. Thomas also played the gruff-voiced heavy in a one-scene role in Sexually Altered States (discussed below). He turned to directing later as well. The main trivia on Thomas is that he was one of the disciples in the movie JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. True!

Again prolific and a man of leading roles, is the much less know ERIC EDWARDS. Edwards had looks and build, but his personality didn’t light up the screen so much. Historic status-wise, Edwards performed with Linda Lovelace in the very first loops she ever made -- or was constrained to appear in by her boyfriend Chuck Traynor. He also appeared in the classic DEBBIE DOES DALLAS, as well as the notorious Jamie Gillis vehicle THE ENEMA BANDIT (aka WATERPOWER). Edwards turned to directing also later but with less success. Nowadays he shoots and edits porn videos.

Amongst this old guard is another prolific performer but one who never got the lead roles – HERSCHEL SAVAGE. Savage – still active in porn today and looking way more fit than his bloated form in the 80’s – was always the supporting player, the second banana. He did great work in TRASHY LADY (1985), the excellent gangster-era movie with Harry Reems in the lead. I suspect Savage is a humble fellow -- in the silly Buried Alive Bukkake video's 'behind the scenes' footage we see him on a couch in the hotel lobby when some porn starlet sits down beside him. She obviously has no idea she is with one of the porn legends, and Savage merely introduces himself as "Herschel from Brooklyn". Then he starts making out with her, so we needn't pity him.

Also in the entertaining and well-shot TRASHY LADY was TOM BYRON, the original teen-look actor who played young men or boys in numerous ‘sexual initiation by older woman’ movies, such as PRIVATE TEACHER (1983). Thin, lanky and very youthful looking, Byron also had a long dick yet appeared quite humble in his roles. He did great work starring in the RISKY BUSINESS porno take-off KINKY BUSINESS (1985). Byron remained active as a performer until 2002, when he supposedly retired to the Director’s chair (he had already started using Viagra for the closing part of his performing career.) Curiously, in recent years Byron performed sexually more than once incognito under lots of make-up and costumes, such as the clown in Gregory Dark’s SEX FREAKS (1996).

A couple of other guys who performed well into the video era – are RANDY WEST and JOEY SILVERA. West got his start at the very end of the 70’s and was quickly considered an attractive, quality performer, although he was not prolific for a few years. Born in 1947, he is certainly one of the oldest performers from the original era, and has a solid legion of fans to this day.

Joey Silvera is a smallish and boyish actor who has credits dating back to the early 70’s but whose career didn’t really get rolling fully until the 80’s. He later grew a moustache and was one of those porn guys who could be seen in sex scenes with a bikini tan when tiny speedos were popular. Silvera was well-featured as the photographer’s assistant in BODY MAGIC (1982). He also played the ‘Radar’ character in the M.A.S.H. porn-spoof NURSES OF THE 407th (1983). Incidentally, Silvera (real name; Joseph Nassivera) has a name which the people who do movie credits can't seem to get right. Imdb lists 7 spelling variations on "Silvera", and I came across another one recently.

A funny little inside joke appears in the movie KEISHA (1987), aka REAL MEN DO EAT KEISHA, said phrase which only appears in the end title credits; when Joey Silvera and Randy West appear together as construction workers in a scene with Kristara Barrington. When they approach the hot and wet Kristara they introduce themselves by the real name of the other one (“I’m Randy, this is Joey.”) By the way, the title REAL MEN EAT KEISHA is a total misnomer. Keisha is in only one, minor scene – the movie is really about tormented (again) Jerry Butler describing fantasies of his ‘Little Oriental Maid’ (Barrington) to his psychologist (Sharon Mitchell), the latter with whom he, of course, eventually has sex with.

A popular porn stud who got his start just at the end of the film era is Canadian PETER NORTH, well known for his ample money shots and impeccably groomed hair. Pumped up like a body builder in those days, North manages to appear in some quality films like THE RIBALD TALES OF CANTERBURY (1985). He continues to be active to this day. The Canterbury film also used BUD LEE, who later became an active director and Asia Carerra’s partner, but then whose claim to fame was being the beautiful Hyapatia Lee’s husband. This explains why the stout and hairy and non-hung Bud got to appear as her lover in the film SWEET YOUNG FOXES (1983).

One “unsung hero” of the film era, as Ron Jeremy referred to him, was the diminuitive and somewhat elfin-looking BOBBY ASTYR (Astyr being an anagram for Satyr.) Astyr died in 2002 but is fondly remembered by porn fans precisely because he forged ahead undaunted despite being such a cretinous-looking little man. He appeared in a great non-sex role in the excellent CORRUPTION (1983) with Jamie Gillis, proving his worth as an actor with serious New York presence. I recall in BABYLON PINK (1979) where he crawled all over a just-waking Vanessa Del Rio as his wife, right in the prime of her ample, soft and full body, all-natural and before her extreme 80’s hairstyles and make-up. I couldn’t help thinking, “What a lucky bastard!” RIP Bobby.

Two other “unsuing heroes” were RICHARD PACHECO and GEORGE PAYNE. Pacheco’s roles were few and far between (probably by choice), the most famous for him being TALK DIRTY TO ME as Leslie’s dim-witted sidekick. He was genuinely handsome and hunky, and in fact still looks great as seen in interviews in recent porn documentaries. He became slightly typecast as the slightly retarded fellow, in the follow-up to Talk Dirty To Me – NOTHING TO HIDE (1981) -- as well as the Marilyn Chambers vehicle INSATIABLE (1980), the original negative of which seems to have disappeared. George Payne was another prolific porn actor who didn’t garner lead roles very much. Somewhat devilish-looking, especially when he wore eye-liner, Payne had a parallel career acting in some of the most extreme, semi-underground S&M porn being created in the late 70’s and into the 80’s. This was the infamous “Avon” product, the story of which could be fodder for some grimy movie – seeing as how alot of cocaine and a robbery attempt and subsequent murder or two were involved (not by Payne.) Gee, kinda sounds like the Wonderland story.

No list would be complete without a mention of “Smiling” MIKE HORNER. I just made up that nickname but it is true he always smiled when with the porn actresses, always let them and the audience know that sex was something positive and fun, something relational. Horner was very active back in the day, and iwas still a journeyman porn performer as of 2005. He did not do lead roles often – but one of his star vehicles is the romantic porno-comedy SEXUALLY ALTERED STATES (1985), aka S.A.S., in which he plays a wolf-ish sex addict who wears a top hat and does a little singing (Horner is a bona fide singer) but appears to be occasionally nervous carrying a whole movie as the star. Still, the movie has a genuine script and great acting and directing.

This oddity of a porn performer – ROBERT BULLOCK – seems out of place. He is entertaining in a Woody Allen sort of way -- appears in the above-mentioned S.A.S -- but doesn’t have a lot of presence as a porn guy. One exception to this is his lead role in Chuck Vincent’s THE VOYEUR (1984), one of Vincent’s later efforts but excellent nonetheless. Bullock (sometimes spelled Bulloch) plays a nerdy ex-cop who gets hired to follow and videotape a woman. REAR WINDOW-like, the plot gets really twisted and mind-warping and Bulloch handles the demands pretty well. Less successful is the pedestrian 16mm-shot COMING IN STYLE (1986) where he stars as a nerdy funeral home hairdresser.

Another odd Robert is ROBERT KERMAN, aka RICHARD BOLLA, a portly, balding guy who happened to do a lot of porn movies, including DEBBIE DOES DALLAS and the noir classic AMANDA BY NIGHT. Bolla also has a mainstream career including a major role in the classic CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST.

There are numerous other porn dudes from the 70’s and 80’s who appeared in a few or many X-rated movies but whose names or reputations didn’t last over the years, which is perhaps how they prefer it. One was MARC STEVENS, who had a super-long dick but which he never parlayed to major fame like John Holmes or Ron Jeremy. But like Holmes, he too died of AIDS, probably as a result of his bisexual activity. One of his last film roles is as a doctor (non-sex) in Sexually Altered States. And there is MICHAEL KNIGHT, a handsome man who looked like a cross between Christopher Reeves and Tony Robbins. He seemed to have a vague english accent but maybe that was just for his acting roles. He appeared in HEAVEN’S TOUCH (1983) – the porn version of HEAVEN CAN WAIT – and Chuck Vincent’s THE VOYEUR, among others. FRANK SERRONE was in a couple dozen pornos in the mid-80’s, usually doing a scene as the hunky Italian guy he was. MARC WALLACE (Wallice) is of course most known now for staying around the business even after he discovered he had the HIV virus, and in fact infected some female performers. Would you believe he appeared in over 600 movies and videos – and in fact has re-surfaced recently as a director? And how about BLAIR HARRIS -- who may also, or otherwise, be JON MARTIN -- that skinny guy with the countryboy smile who popped up fairly regularly and whose best known role was taking over the “Lenny” sidekick to John Leslie’s Jack in TALK DIRTY TO ME Part II. He used to wear a colored handkerchief tied around his neck. Come to think of it, Harris closely resembles the country-singing Hager twins, who were regulars on the country music and comedy variety show HEE HAW in the 70’s and subsequently posed nude in Playgirl magazine. Triplets separated at birth? BTW, Harris/Martin appeared in THE JADE PUSSYCAT (1977), one of the 'Johnny Wadd' movies, billed as LYLE STEWART.

We must certainly include WILLIAM MARGOLD because though known now more for his active voice in the welfare of porn performers and his anti-censorship stance, Margold also appeared in numerous porn films. He is particulary proud of the extreme oddities of some of his sex performances, such as impaling a roast chicken with his dick in INTIMATE LESSONS (1982). Margold, incidentally, claims to be a bear. Really. He appears dressed completely in a bear costume in the Troy Benny (the nom-de-porn of softcore director Carlos Tobalina) production MARATHON (1982), a "wall-to-wall" cheapo film (must be one of the earliest of that type), with just his member revealed. Yes, Margold performs sexually as the bear, including the money shot in full costume. Odd? You be the judge. (I later asked Margold about it and he said he had sex in the costume because he "couldn't get the damn thing off!") He also re-appears as himself later in the same movie. Said film had the tag-line, “An incredible contest of the mighty giants” due to the participation of so many of the male porn stars discussed here – Gillis, Holmes, Jeremy, and good ol’ Herschel Savage. It is also worth noting that this was Holmes' first movie after getting out of jail for withholding on the Wonderland murders info. And the film where he met his last wife, Misty Dawn. Incidentally, I found a video dub of this on a lawn one morning. Dried it out and it was fine.

Back when it didn’t matter what the guy looked like in porn movies as long as he could get it up – unlike today’s scene where buff, tanned males are the norm – BILLY DEE was an exception; half-black guy with an afro who actually was young and attractive, with a fine, muscular build.

If you saw the documentary on Ron Jeremy you saw interviews with SASHA GABOR, who has quite a thick accent. Hearing him speak gave me the answer to his role in (I believe) AMBER AROUSED (1985), in which he appeared as a Burt Reynolds clone, picking up Amber Lynn in his convertible and doing her. But he never spoke, and the reason is of course that his accent would have ruined the Reynolds look-alike schtick. He played the Burt role again in TRACEY AND THE BANDIT (1987) and DIRTY PICTURES (1985).

Another guy that goes way back and had a distinct onscreen presence is MICHAEL GAUNT (real name DATTORE, or CATTORE?). He appears to be of Italian descent and looks like a thin (or 'gaunt'?) Vince Vaughn. And to keep the 6 degrees of S.A.S.. going -- yes, he appears in that movie too.

There are many, many others not included here, though deserving of mention. MIKE RANGER, for example, who was another, rare, handsome guy. And that really solid, tall balding guy who looked kinda Russian. He often didn't speak in his roles, which made me think he had a thick accent, but in fact his name is DAVE RUBY. He appeared in about fifty movies from around 1977 until the mid-80's, such as DRACULA EXOTICA (1981) and BABYLON PINK (1979).