Jamie Gillis

Jamie Gillis

Gillis at the CES in Las Vegas, 1999
Born April 20, 1943
New York City, New York, USA
Died February 19, 2010 (aged 66)
New York City, New York USA
Other names Al Cianelli, Jamier Kantor, Jaime Gillis, Jaimie Gillis, Jaimi Gillis, Jamey Gillis, Jamie Grill, Buster Hymen, Jamey, James Kleeman, Ronny Morgan, Barry Gillis
Ethnicity Dutch Jewish
Partner(s) Zarela Martinez[1]

Jamie Gillis (April 20, 1943 – February 19, 2010) was an American pornographic actor, director and member of the AVN Hall of Fame.

Biography

Gillis was born James Ira Gurman in New York City and graduated from Columbia University. His parents named him Jamie after the Tyrone Power character in the film The Black Swan (1942), and he took the name Gillis from the girlfriend he was living with when he made his first films.[2] While supporting himself driving a cab, he answered an ad in the Village Voice.[3]

He appeared in more than 470 movies as an actor."[4] He also directed several adult movies. Openly bisexual, he appeared in many gay porn films, including a sex scene with Zebedy Colt in the 1975 BDSM-themed film The Story of Joanna. Gillis also appeared in the mainstream Hollywood film Nighthawks (1981) as the boss of Lindsay Wagner's character.

According to Al Goldstein, Gillis was always described as "sexually the wildest, most decadent, off-the-wall guy in the business."[5] He was a pioneer in the pornographic style known as Gonzo. In addition to starring in the first Buttman film, he also created the influential On The Prowl series. Featuring a porn star who rides in a limo looking for regular guys to have sex with, the video series was very popular and inspired a scene in the movie Boogie Nights.[6] He also co-produced the popular Dirty Debutante series with fellow director and performer Ed Powers,[7] as well as the Walking Toilet Bowl series of films that focused on golden showers and coprophilia.

Gillis died on February 19, 2010 in New York City from melanoma, which was diagnosed four or five months earlier.[8] In an audio interview given to The Rialto Report shortly before his death, Gillis stated that in the 1970s he'd wanted his ashes to be scattered in Times Square, but years later he changed his mind as "clean Times Square would contaminate them".[2]

Filmography

As an actor, selected

As a director, selected

Awards

See also

Sources

References

  1. ↑ "Porn Star Jamie Gillis Remembered by Non-Porn-Star Friends". NY Magazine. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jamie Gillis: New York Beginnings, audio interview with Jamie Gillis, The Rialto Report, November 17, 2013"
  3. ↑ "SCREW Interview with Jamie Gillis: The Hamlet of Hard-Core," SCREW, May 17, 1976, pp. 4-9, https://41.media.tumblr.com/6344d69219434aa52838a3585497c038/tumblr_n3zx8xXbcv1sbtct0o2_1280.jpg, retrieved 1/15/2015.
  4. ↑ "The Underboss". Gay Erotic Video Index. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
  5. ↑ "SCREW Interview with Jamie Gillis: The Hamlet of Hard-Core," SCREW, May 17, 1976, pp. 4-9, https://41.media.tumblr.com/93510f3d02be61cbf5974dae36c11fde/tumblr_n3zx8xXbcv1sbtct0o1_1280.jpg, retrieved 1/15/2015.
  6. ↑ Sloan, Will. "The Godfather of Gonzo Porn". Random House. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  7. ↑ XBIZ (2007-09-25). "The Godfathers of Gonzo". XBIZ.com. Retrieved 2013-09-24.
  8. ↑ Peter Warren (2010-02-19). "Jamie Gillis Passes Away". business.avn.com. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 "rame awards list". Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  10. ↑ MayorDefacto. "Transcript of the video A Night of Legends: First Annual XRCO Adult Film Awards". Retrieved 2008-08-09.
  11. ↑ "Academy Awards of XXX Convene in 'the Valley of Lust': Uptight Undercurrent Mars Atmosphere of Kinky Abandon in Era of Challenges From Law". 19 February 1988. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 "Past AVN Award Winners". Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  13. ↑ "AVN Hall of Fame". Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  14. ↑ / "Legends of Erotica". Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  15. ↑ "XRCO Hall of Fame". Retrieved 2007-12-27.

External links