70s gay porn stars

Jack Deveau’s loosely plotted light comedy, starring porn superstar Jack Wrangler, is hailed as “a fascinating historical document of the Adonis Theater and ’70s gay culture,” and certainly captures the tempo and churn of activity in this 1,400-seat playpen where just watching the movie isn’t any man’s plan.

She went on to perform in another two dozen movies during the 70s and early 80s including Wet and Wild (1976), Erotic Adventures of Candy (1978) and Candy Goes To Hollywood (1979). During her career, she also worked as a burlesque dancer, nude model and was a columnist for High Society and Velvet.

Linda Wong

One of the first Asian porn stars in America, Linda Wong was Japanese by ethnicity but was born and raised in San Francisco.

It’s also a great film that everyone should see at least once; however, my vote for film of the year 1972 actually goes to Behind The Green Door.

Directed by the Mitchell Brothers, the film is widely considered one of the classics of the Golden Age of Porn and for good reason.

She only performed in a couple of sexploitation films yet is remembered (incorrectly) as being a big star.

The film is an adaptation of the novel by the same name which tells the story of a bored housewife of a French diplomat who seeks pleasure where she can. If you only see one of her films then make it Parties fines (1977).

C J Laing

Described by AVN when she was inducted into their Hall of Fame as “one of the most exciting stars of the Golden Age of porn“, C.J.

Laing starred in more than 50 films during the period 1974 to 1979.

She has also been inducted into the XRCO Hall of Fame as a ‘film pioneer’ and has been described as “an energetic performer who turned in some of the strongest performances of her time”. Interestingly, Welles is credited with directing the film but it was actually produced by Joseph W Sarno.

Certainly for fans of this goddess, the film was a tour de force in showcasing her many talents and features what is thought to be her first on-screen sapphic encounter with fellow porn star of the day, Marlene Willoughby.

Her work has been widely praised by sex therapists and counselors.

Sadly, Royalle passed away in 2015 aged 64 years old but her legacy lives on with a recent documentary film about her life (Candice) released in 2019. The sensuality is nearly palpable, amplified by the lack of sound or dialogue.

The only film ever directed by the famed French writer (a petty thief in his youth), Un Chant D’Amour simmers with sexual tension stirred by the caged would-be lovers and the prison guard who gets off on peeking in on them in various states of undress and arousal.

Vanessa del Rio has been inducted into the Halls of Fame at XRCO and AVN.

Her career began in 1974 and spans the 70s, 80s and 90s after which she continued to make appearances at adult industry events. Speaking of which, you can still catch her work on popular tube hosting sites where she has notched up over 13 million views on XVideos alone.

Though she officially retired from the industry in 1980, she continued to make a couple of adult films here and there during the eighties.

This was followed up a few years later by several films from 1975 including Farmer’s Daughters, Honey Cup and The Opening of Misty Beethoven.

An outspoken proponent of the industry Marlene Willoughby continued making porno movies right up to 1993. Famously appearing in iconic titles such as Debbie Does Dallas (1978), Skin Flicks (1978) and People (1978) he had a dominant screen persona.

It’s a well-made, tightly paced movie that culminates in an exquisite ending where Richard gets his comeuppance at the hands of the women that he’s wronged.

Other titles from 1972 that are popular include:

• Daddy’s Babysitter
• Swinging Wives
• His Loving Daughter
• Daddy Knows Best
• The Love Garden
• I’m No Virgin
• Maid in Sweden
• Erotic Adventures of Pinocchio
• Country Hooker

1972

I’ve mentioned Deep Throat a lot already and there is no doubt whatsoever that the title marks an important turning point in the age of porn.

To an unsavory degree, the film fetishizes the slaves’ exploitation, then tries to sell a story of one Roman commander (Eric Ryan) falling for the man he treats like property. Since actively working in the industry from 1973 she has had plenty of side careers, earning herself a Ph.D in 1992 and putting in the hours as a sexologist, porn magazine editor and cable television host.

A former prostitute, she is an excellent advocate for the industry and has appeared in over 200 titles including both softcore and hardcore as well as mainstream and B movies.

She continues to promote her current activities and back catalog of works and is known more now for her work as a performance artist and educator.

Jewish-American with a stunning, natural 36E chest and athletic body, she is best remembered for her black leather outfits and powerful on-screen presence but some of her earlier work features a more ‘demure’ Sprinkles.

She left the industry rather abruptly that same year when she married a rich fan.

Welles was the subject of the documentary film Inside Jennifer Welles (1977) which she reportedly directed but was in fact the work of Joseph Sarno.

Famously a diverse performer, she engaged in a variety of sex acts on screen from lesbian to gangbang, anal to interracial.

Leading off with a pretty sorry-looking Star Wars scrawl, the film puts its budget on the screen in the form of horses, handsome costumes, and a cast of dozens of tautly muscled men.

The horses appear only briefly, as do most of the costumes, as slaves Payne and Scorpio are held in sexual bondage for the pleasure of their imperious captors.

In the movie, Holmes played the role of a private investigator and was an instant hit. Welles was also the editor of the Eros magazine for a time during the 70s.

By this time, the porn industry had already produced some huge stars…

Notable 1970s Porn Stars

There are hundreds of names we could include in a run down of the seventies.

So popular in fact that many critics and observers were expressing concern that the porn industry could be a very real rival (and threat) to mainstream Hollywood.

Blue movies, once only found in back alley grindhouse theaters were being shown at major movie houses; not only that but many were huge box-office successes.

She was elected president of both organisations and regularly debated with representatives of the feminist group ‘Women Against Pornography’.

Leonard was also married to the legendary adult film producer/director, Bobby Hollander.

An inductee into the XRCO and AVN Halls of Fame and a Legends of Erotica winner, Gloria Leonard was an iconic star of the seventies porn scene and a long-standing supporter of the industry.

For several years, Olson and the Bressan Project have worked to restore the films of pioneering gay filmmaker Arthur J. Bressan, Jr., including his landmark 1978 documentary Gay USA, chronicling the LGBTQ rights movement, and the wrenching 1985 drama Buddies, the first feature film to tackle the AIDS crisis.

Bressan himself succumbed to complications related to AIDS in 1987, following a prolific period in which the native New Yorker directed ten films in ten years.

He was the man behind such iconic films as The Opening of Misty Beethoven (1976) and Barbara Broadcast (1977).

Other directors of note from this Golden Age of Porn, many of whose works are noted above, include:

• Tinto Brass
• Bob Chinn
• Jim Clark
• Joe D’Amato
• Gerard Damiano
• Michael Findlay
• Russ Meyer
• Artie & Jim Mitchell
• Alex de Renzy
• Michael R Robinson
• Joseph W Sarno
• Howard Ziem

Where to Watch Porn From The Seventies

I hope we’ve tempted you to try some of the classic porn from the 70s; truly one of the most important decades in the history of the adult industry.