| Megan Leigh | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michelle Maira Schei March 2, 1964 Oakland, California, United States |
| Died |
June 16, 1990 (aged 26) (suicide) |
| Other names | Caroline Chambers, Heather Newman, Caitlyn Lewiss |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian |
| No. of adult films | 141 (per IAFD)[1] |
Megan Leigh (born Michelle Maira Schei on (March 2, 1964 – June 16, 1990) was an American stripteaser and star of adult videos.
Leigh was born in Oakland, California, USA. She ran away from home for the first time at age 14 and by 16 was working at a Guam massage parlor. At 18, she began dancing nude at the Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theatre in San Francisco. Although the O'Farrell's management considered her little more than a passably pretty bleach blonde with little dancing talent, she became popular as house dancer "Eve" and made a few thousand dollars per month in tips (which she reportedly spent mainly on drugs). In late 1986, she stopped working at the O'Farrell Theatre and underwent a "makeover" (i.e. detoxification and cosmetic surgery), reemerging as Megan Leigh. In the summer of 1987, she starred in Secrets Behind the Green Door (see Behind the Green Door with Marilyn Chambers). She became known for her ability to deep throat her partners, getting a starring role in 1989's Deep Throat III. When not starring in videos, she made many public appearances, including a return to the O'Farrell Theatre as a headliner.
Her body was discovered on June 16, 1990[2] at her home in Solano, California. She had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.[3] According to former porn performer and message board contributor Brandy Alexandre, an autopsy discovered a lethal dose of Valium in Leigh's system. Porn historians, including Luke Ford, have said that Leigh had recently entered a lesbian relationship and had moved in with her girlfriend, when her family reportedly denounced her for her decision to enter into a same-sex relationship. Reports claim that she had become despondent by her family's rejection, and had been abusing drugs before her suicide. She left behind a note mentioning unresolvable personal problems, a body of work numbering 133 titles, and a $500,000 (USD) house that Leigh had purchased for her mother just one month before her suicide.