Mr Skin Remembers Director of Deep Throat
Gerard Damiano, the man behind Golden Age classics Deep Throat and The Devil in Miss Jones and the mainstreaming of hardcore in the early 1970s dubbed “porn chic,” passed away this past Saturday from complications caused by a stroke.
Over his time in the industry, Damiano worked with stars like Linda Lovelace, Gloria Leonard, Harry Reems, Jamie Gillis, Peter North, George Payne, Sharon Mitchell, Annie Sprinkle, and Sharon Kane.
The director had retired in 1994 after making a total of 47 movies, including the BDSM-themed The Story of Joanna, Let My Puppets Come, and Splendor in the Ass with early anal queen Rachel Ryan.
Damiano’s death came just weeks after his porn star-studded surprise 80th birthday party. Among the guests who came out to pay tribute to the director was Georgina Spelvin, star of The Devil in Miss Jones.
Georgina spoke to MrSkin.com recently in an interview to promote her new autobiography The Devil Made Me Do It.
“He was personable, considerate, funny, fun, and very capable,” Georgina recalls, “I’d also workednot always as an actress, but sometimes as the clientwith quite a few directors. I never saw a better one than Jerry.”
Remarking on his later years in South Florida, Stephanie Davis, a columnist for The Fort Meyers News-Press, comments, "He was just a fixture at all the cultural events - always very charming and dapper and suave, always there with a kiss and a 'Hello, Gorgeous.' He just made you feel like you were the only girl in the room."
Damiano is survived by his ex-wife, porn actress and Domination Blue star Paula Morton, and his two children. Gerard Jr. and Christar.
Mr Skin recognizes that all lovers of nudity in film owe a debt of gratitude to Gerard Damiano, a great filmmaker, a sexual pioneer, and a true gentleman.
