Jamie Gillis (born Jamey Ira Gurman; April 20, 1943 – February 19, 2010) was an American

pornographic actor A pornographic film actor or actress, pornographic performer, adult entertainer, or porn star is a person who performs sex acts in video that is usually characterized as a pornographic movie. Such videos tend to be made in a number of dis ...

, director and member of the

AVN Hall of Fame The ''AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') Hall of Fame has honored people for their work in the adult entertainment industry since 1995.Serena.

Early life

Gillis was born Jamey Ira Gurman in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. He was named after the

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James (193 ...

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.Jamie Gillis: New York Beginnings
audio interview with Jamie Gillis
The Rialto Report
November 17, 2013" Gillis later attended

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

and graduated

magna cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...

. While supporting himself driving a cab, he answered an ad in ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...

''."''SCREW'' Interview with Jamie Gillis: The Hamlet of Hard-Core," ''SCREW'', May 17, 1976, pp. 4-9
41.media
retrieved 1/15/2015.

Career

He appeared in more than 470 movies as an actor." He also directed several adult movies. Openly

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whic ...

, he appeared in many gay porn films, including a sex scene with

Zebedy Colt Edward Earle Marsh (December 20, 1929 – May 29, 2004) was an American actor, musician, adult film director and star. He is principally known by his stage name Zebedy Colt. Early years Born in California, Marsh began his career as a child act ...

in the 1975 Gerard Damiano BDSM-themed film ''

The Story of Joanna ''The Story of Joanna'' is a 1975 pornographic film directed by Gerard Damiano and starring Jamie Gillis and Terri Hall. The film has a sado-masochism theme influenced by '' Story of O'' (1954). It is considered one of the classics of the Golden ...

''. Gillis appeared in the mainstream Hollywood film '' Nighthawks'' (1981) as the boss of

Lindsay Wagner Lindsay Jean Wagner (born June 22, 1949) is an American film and television actress, model, author, singer, and acting coach. Wagner is best known for her leading role in the American science-fiction television series '' The Bionic Woman'' (197 ...

's character (he's credited as 'Designer'). He also made his name in two

Radley Metzger Radley Metzger (also known as Radley Henry Metzger, Radley H. Metzger and by the pseudonyms, "Jake Barnes", "Erich Farina" and "Henry Paris") (January 21, 1929 – March 31, 2017) was an American pioneering filmmaker and film distributor, mos ...

films, ''

The Opening of Misty Beethoven ''The Opening of Misty Beethoven'' is an American pornographic comedy film released in 1976. It was produced with a relatively high budget and filmed on elaborate locations in Paris, New York City and Rome with a musical score, and owes much to ...

'' (1976) and ''

Barbara Broadcast ''Barbara Broadcast'' is an American adult erotic film released in 1977. The film was directed by Radley Metzger (as "Henry Paris") and filmed in several elaborate locations in New York City, including the Olympia ballroom and restaurant in the ...

'' (1977); the former is considered, by award-winning author Toni Bentley, the "crown jewel" of the

Golden Age of Porn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MediaWiki_talk:Spam-whitelist/Archives/2018/01#Another_Worthy_Journal_Article_on_Wordpress ---> The term "Golden Age of Porn", or "porno chic", refers to a 15-year period (1969–1984) in commercial American porno ...

. According to

Al Goldstein Alvin "Al" Goldstein (January 10, 1936December 19, 2013) was an American pornographer. He is known for helping normalize hardcore pornography in the United States. Background Goldstein was born in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to a Jewish family. He ...

, Gillis was always described as "sexually the wildest, most decadent, off-the-wall guy in the business." His scene with Brooke Fields was emblematic in this regard. He was a pioneer in the pornographic style known as

Gonzo Gonzo may refer to: People * Gonzo (nickname), a list of people with the nickname * Radislav Jovanov Gonzo (born 1964), Croatian music video director Radislav Jovanov, also known as Gonzo * Matthias Röhr (born 1962), German musician whose sta ...

. In addition to starring in the first ''

Buttman John Stagliano (born November 29, 1951), also known as Buttman, is an American entrepreneur, former pornographic film actor, producer and director who founded and owns the Evil Angel pornographic film studio. Early life and career Stagliano gr ...

'' 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 ''Boogie Nights'' is a 1997 American period comedy-drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It is set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley and focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic fi ...

''. He also co-produced the popular ''Dirty Debutante'' series with fellow director and performer

Ed Powers Mark Arnold Krinsky (born October 25, 1954), better known as Ed Powers, is an American pornographic film director, producer, actor, and radio host. He is the owner of the porn production company Ed Powers Productions. Early life Powers was born ...

, as well as the ''Walking Toilet Bowl'' series of films that focused on

golden showers Urolagnia (also urophilia, and, more colloquially, a golden shower or watersports) associates sexual excitement with the sight or thought of urine or urination, and may also refer to such behaviours or acts. It is a paraphilia. The term has o ...

and

coprophilia Coprophilia (from Greek κόπρος, ''kópros'' 'excrement' and φιλία, ''philía'' 'liking, fondness'), also called scatophilia or scat (Greek: σκατά, ''skatá'' 'feces'), is the paraphilia involving sexual arousal and pleasure from ...

Death

Gillis died on February 19, 2010 in New York City from

melanoma Melanoma, also redundantly known as malignant melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that develops from the pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. Melanomas typically occur in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye ( ...

, which was diagnosed four to five months earlier. In an audio interview given to ''

The Rialto Report ''The Rialto Report'' is a podcast and article series documenting the Golden Age of Porn (1969–1984). It consists of oral history, audio, photo, and documentary archives. It is hosted by Ashley West and April Hall as well as guest contributors ...

'' shortly before his death, Gillis stated that in the 1970s he had wanted his ashes to be scattered in

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...

, but years later he changed his mind, stating that the cleaned up Times Square that emerged in the 1990s would contaminate his ashes.

Filmography

As an actor, incomplete

* '' Die You Zombie Bastards!'' (2005) * ''Potty Mouth'' (2004) * ''Luv Generation'' (2004) * ''Sunset Stripped'' (2002) * ''New Wave Hookers 5'' (1997) * ''Bobby Sox'' (1996) * ''Play My Flute'' (1991) * ''Uncle Jamie's Double Trouble'' (1991) * ''Playin' Dirty'' (1990) * ''Jamie Gillis and Africa'' (1990) * ''Alien Space Avenger'' (1989) * ''Adventures of Buttman'' (1989) * ''Head Lock'' (1989) * ''Taboo IV'' (1985) * '' New Wave Hookers'' (1984) * ''A Little Bit of Hanky Panky (1984) * ''

Night of the Zombies ''Night of the Zombies'' (alternate title: ''Battalion of the Living Dead'') is a 1981 American zombie horror war film directed by Joel M. Reed. The film was produced by Lorin E. Price. The film was distributed on VHS by InterGlobal Video Prom ...

'' (1981) * ''Roommates'' (1981) * '' Wanda Whips Wall Street'' (1981) * '' Nighthawks'' (1981) * ''Dracula Exotica'' (1980) * ''The Ecstasy Girls'' (1979) * ''Sensual Fire'' (1979) * ''

Dracula Sucks ''Dracula Sucks'' is a 1978 American pornographic horror film directed and co-written by Philip Marshak. The film is based on the 1931 film ''Dracula'', and the 1897 novel of the same name by Bram Stoker. It stars Jamie Gillis as Count Dracula, a ...

'' (aka ''Lust At First Bite'') (1978) * ''A Coming of Angels'' (1977) * ''

'' (1977) * '' Obsessed'' (1977) * ''Captain Lust and the Pirate Women'' (1977) *''

Through the Looking Glass ''Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There'' (also known as ''Alice Through the Looking-Glass'' or simply ''Through the Looking-Glass'') is a novel published on 27 December 1871 (though indicated as 1872) by Lewis Carroll and the ...

'' (1976) * ''

Water Power Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of a ...

'' (1976) * ''

'' (1976) * ''Oriental Blue '' (1976) * ''Boy Napped'' (1975) * '' Deep Throat Part II'' (1974)

As a director, incomplete

* ''Devious Old Gillis'' (1998) * ''Back on the Prowl 2'' (1998) * ''Back on the Prowl'' (1998) * ''Punished Sex Offenders'' (1990) * ''Takeout Torture'' (1990) * '' On the Prowl'' (1989)

Awards

* 1976 AFAA Award – Best Actor (''

'') * 1977 AAFA Award – Best Actor (''Coming of Angels'') * 1979 AAFA Award – Best Actor (''Ecstasy Girls'') * 1982 AFAA Award – Best Supporting Actor (''Roommates'') * 1984

XRCO Award The XRCO Awards are given by the American X-Rated Critics Organization annually to people working in adult entertainment and it is the only adult industry awards show reserved exclusively for industry members. Once every calendar year, XRCO ...

– Best Kinky Scene (''Insatiable II'') * 1985

– Best Kinky Scene (''Nasty'') * 1987

– Best Actor (''Deep Throat 2'') * 1987

– Best Supporting Actor (''Babyface 2'') * 1987

– Best Kinky Scene (''Let's Get It On With Amber Lynn'') * 1989

AVN Award The AVN Awards are film awards sponsored and presented by the American adult video industry trade magazine '' AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') to recognize achievement in various aspects of the creation and marketing of American pornographic fi ...

– Best Supporting Actor – (''Pretty Peaches 2'') * 1989

– Best Actor (''Second Skin'') * 1997

–

Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...

– Film (''Bobby Sox'') * 1999

– Best Supporting Actor – Video (''Forever Night'') *

AVN Hall of Fame The ''AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') Hall of Fame has honored people for their work in the adult entertainment industry since 1995. *

XRCO Hall of Fame The XRCO Hall of Fame lists well-known adult entertainment works and workers. The list is managed by X-Rated Critics Organization and inducted annually during the XRCO Award The XRCO Awards are given by the American X-Rated Critics Organizat ...

Sources

* Nicolas Barbano: ''Verdens 25 hotteste pornostjerner'' (Rosinante, Denmark 1999) : Features a chapter on him.
The Rialto ReportJamie Gillis: New York Beginnings
audio interview with Jamie Gillis, November 17, 2013 *

References

SCREW magazine ''Screw'' is a pornographic online magazine published in the United States aimed at heterosexual men; it was originally published as a weekly tabloid newspaper. The publication, which was described as "raunchy, obnoxious, usually disgusting, a ...

'', July 9, 1973, pp. 5–8. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gillis, Jamie 1943 births 2010 deaths 21st-century American male actors American film directors American people of Dutch-Jewish descent American male pornographic film actors American pornographic film directors American pornographic film producers Bisexual male pornographic film actors Deaths from cancer in New York (state) Deaths from melanoma LGBT film directors LGBT Jews American LGBT actors LGBT people from New York (state) Male actors from New York City Pornographic film actors from New York (state) Columbia University alumni American taxi drivers