Peter Berlin

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Peter Berlin is a renowned photographer, artist, filmmaker, model, and gay sex symbol. In the early to mid-1970s, Berlin created some of the most recognizable gay male erotic imagery of his time. Serving as his own photographer, model, and fashion designer, Berlin redefined self-portraiture and became an international sensation.

His two films, Nights in Black Leather (1973) and That Boy (1974), played to packed houses for years and, along with other pioneering erotic filmmakers such as Wakefield Poole and Jack Deveau, helped bring gay male erotic films artistic legitimacy.

1 Early life in Germany
2 Filmmaking and celebrity
3 Photography
4 His comeback
5 Further reading
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Early life in Germany

A relative of the famous fashion photographer George Hoyningen-Huene, Peter grew up in a poor, aristocratic family in Berlin, Germany during the 1940s and 1950s. His real name is Armin Hagen Baron von Hoyningen-Huene. In his early 20s, he worked as a photographer for an interview program on German television, photographing some of Europe's biggest celebrities and film stars. Peter's real passion, however, was photographing himself in erotic poses and making skin-tight clothes to wear as he cruised the parks and train stations of Berlin.

[edit] Filmmaking and celebrity

In the early 1970s, Peter moved to San Francisco and became a fixture on the streets, famous for his highly suggestive clothing and constant cruising. He collaborated with friend Richard Abel on a 16 mm hard-core porn film entitled Nights in Black Leather (1973) in which he played the lead role. Peter's poster for the film was a sensation and helped make Nights in Black Leather an enormous underground hit.

As a follow-up, Peter directed, produced, wrote, and starred in That Boy (1974), another wildly successful film. He also made four short films in the mid- to late-1970s, which were primarily sold as 8 mm "loops" by mail order. His self-portraits were widely published and sold, making Peter a gay household name and an international celebrity. He was also the subject of several Robert Mapplethorpe photographs, six drawings by Tom of Finland, and at least one photograph by Andy Warhol.

His birthday is December 28th and he was born in Poland. The Russians invaded Poland and his young mother (Who is 20 years older than Peter and still alive) had to flee their home and leave the key in the door with her three small children. Peter is a middle child. He stands 5' 11".

Peter is a highly skilled photographer, painter and illustrator.

[edit] Photography

Berlin's photographs and artwork have been exhibited around the world, most notably in the exhibition "Split/Vision" (New York, 1986) curated by Mapplethorpe, and in the exhibition "Berlin on Berlin" (2006) at the Leslie/Lohman Gallery in New York.

Although Peter retreated from the limelight in the 1980s, he continues to make videos of himself and lives quietly in San Francisco, where he is still recognized on the streets by his fans.

[edit] His comeback

In 2005, filmmaker and writer Jim Tushinski directed and co-produced (with Lawrence Helman), the feature-length documentary That Man: Peter Berlin, which began a resurgence of interest in Berlin's works. The documentary premiered at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival and garnered several awards at film festivals worldwide, reconnecting Berlin with his older fans and introducing him to a new generation. In 2006, Berlin launched a Web site devoted to his work.