Jeanne Silver: Scrapbooks of an AVN Hall of Famer

Jeanne Silver: Scrapbooks of an AVN Hall of Famer

Pioneering adult actress Jeanne Silver has just been inducted to the AVN Hall of Fame.

Each year, AVN picks performers who have made significant contributions to the adult industry over a career of a decade of more.

In choosing Jeanne Silver, AVN wrote:

“I was born with a handicap but I turned it into an asset.” So screamed the tagline on posters for Alex deRenzy’s Long Jeanne Silver. It was the movie that put Arizona girl Jeanne Silver on the porn map and it’s still the one she’s most identified with. As a result of a congenital birth defect, Silver had her left foot and part of her lower leg amputated at an early age. A prosthesis disguised the fact that she was an amputee.

In a 2013 podcast with The Rialto Report she disclosed that she had been a wild child. “I got into drug use really early.” She left home at 17 for the bright lights of New York City, then the capital of porn production. Waterpower — known notoriously as “the enema movie” — was her adult debut, albeit in a non-sex role. She’d never seen porn before.

The name she took was a nod to the legendary one-legged pirate Long John Silver. The Mitchell Brothers flew her to San Francisco for a stint onstage at their O’Farrell St. Theater. Then they turned her over to director deRenzy, who made the movie most associated with her.

Silver’s filmography is short, fewer than 20 titles. She was featured in the Mitchell Brothers’ Desire for Men, a Carol Connors showcase, in a boy-girl with Herschel Savage and a tussle with Serena (doubling for Carol). She did mostly girl-girl scenes, and never anal. By her mid-twenties she had quit the business. As she told Rialto Report, she didn’t worry about acting, she just enjoyed the sex.

At the Rialto Report, we couldn’t be happier to see Jeanne honored for her work in the industry. But it’s a long way from when we first tried to contact Jeanne for an interview.

As shared in our 100th podcast episode, when we first tried to find her years ago, those that knew Jeanne discouraged us from contacting her. They said she had a teenage daughter who didn’t know about her mom’s history, and Jeanne was determined to keep it that way.

When we finally tracked Jeanne down in Arizona, she agreed to speak with us about her time in the business but said people were right – she absolutely did not want her daughter exposed to her adult industry past.

Fast forward a few years to today, and you’ll find Jeanne daily on Facebook, posting loud and proud about her years in the business. And that daughter Jeanne was so desperate to protect? She’s a drop-dead gorgeous fetish model that proudly promotes her mom’s X-rated past.

To celebrate her AVN honor, we’re pleased to share a selection of photos from Jeanne’s private scrapbooks.

All photographs are the property of Jeanne Silver.

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Jeanne Silver: Scrapbook

Jeanne SilverJeanne with her biological father and her baby cast

 

Baby JeanneLeg brace and a big smile

 

Met by the Shriners when she returned from a trip to England to get a prosthetic

Jeanne SilverMaking trouble in her brother’s toy chest

 

Teen JeanCrazy for music from an early age

 

Ready to take on New York

 

Sharon MitchellStriking up a friendship with Sharon Mitchell

 

Sharon MitchellSharon Mitchell: how New York punk was done

 

Sue NeroJeanne with new friends (from left): Dixie Dew, Marlene Willoughby, Sue Nero and Lisa Be

 

JeanJeanne wondering what she’s gotten herself into

 

Joey CarsonFriend Joey Karson

 

Candy SamplesJoey Karson with Candy Samples

 

Sparky VascFriend Sparky Vasc

 

Sparky VascSparky Vasc bares her wears

 

JeanReady for a night on the town

 

Jean

 

Jean

 

Sue NeroSue Nero enjoys New York living

 

Tiffany ClarkAt Bernards with Tiffany Clark and Fred Lincoln

 

Tiffany ClarkGetting a kiss from Tiffany

 

Joanna StormAnd some tongue from Joanna Storm

 

BabbetteMelody Burlesk dancer Babbette (left)

 

BernardsBernards employees horsing around

 

JeanGirls who wear glasses…

 

Alan AdrianTaunting Alan Adrian

 

Melody BurleskDancing at the Melody

 

JeanA much needed break (with a haphazardly tossed prosthetic on the floor on left)

 

JeanAlways an animal lover

 

Iron HorseBadass covergirl

 

Annette HeinzFriend Annette Heinz at Bernards

 

Anna TurnerTemporary roommate Anna Turner

 

Fred LincolnHanging (and performing BDSM live shows) with Fred Lincoln’s brother

 

Tish AmbroseTish and Dave Ambrose

 

Candida RoyalleWith friend Candida Royalle

 

Peter WolfeA pregnant Jeanne being thrown a shower by (from left) mens magazine publisher Peter Wolff, Lisa Be and Rocco de Rico

 

Lisa BeLisa Be at Bernards

 

 

Shannon IrelandAnd along comes baby – with Lisa Be (left) and Melody performer Shannon Ireland

 

JeanYou can take the girl out of Max’s Kansas City but…

 

JeanA proud mom

 

 

JeanBut still tough

 

JeanAnd still a wild child

 

JeanneAnd now an AVN Hall of Fame inductee

*

  • Posted On: 24th January 2021
  • By: Ashley West
  • Under: Photos

26 Comments

  1. Tom · January 24, 2021 Reply

    Jeanne Silver IS a legend…. but not just for her XXX past.
    You could never hope to meet a sweeter person.

  2. James T. · January 24, 2021 Reply

    The only question is what took AVN so long….??!?!

    • Jeanne Silver · January 24, 2021 Reply

      My only guess was the question of disability and the way the community might react.
      I’m hoping that this opens some doors for others with disabilities who want to be in adult entertainment.

  3. Jeanne fan 1 · January 24, 2021 Reply

    Great tribute to a great lady. The Rialto interview with Jeanne is legendary.

  4. Jeff Robertson · January 24, 2021 Reply

    Awesome scrapbook of x-rated actress Jeanne Silver from the 80s and early 90s keep up the good work that’s really interesting article

  5. Scott · January 24, 2021 Reply

    Congrats Jeanne! You’re a beauty! From Mr. Silver-Heinz

  6. Jeanne Silver · January 24, 2021 Reply

    Thanks shared hubby!
    Sending some love back!

  7. Mike Coldwell · January 24, 2021 Reply

    These photos are wonderful. Congratulations Jeanne!! I’m going to go back and listen to the podcast interview😀

  8. Roger Sirk · January 24, 2021 Reply

    Always such a beautifully sexy lady!!!

  9. Mike Adamson · January 24, 2021 Reply

    Congrats Jeanne!

  10. Cathy Gigante-Brown · January 24, 2021 Reply

    Loved this photo tribute. Congratulations to Jeanne.

  11. Isaac · January 24, 2021 Reply

    Gorgeous then and Gorgeous Now . Love all of the candids from Bernard’s , what an era to be in . Congrats on the induction Jeanne ! What

    • Anon · July 17, 2023 Reply

      It was great to listen to this because it made me realize I had objectified you because I have the kink of enjoying being “pegged” by my partner. I had never considered really how you felt about this or what your career in the industry did to your life. Also, I’m in the PT field and I think now you’d be very, very welcome in the field. You can do a physical therapist assistant degree in two years!! Live your dream!

  12. Gonzalo Valdez · January 25, 2021 Reply

    I truly can’t think of anybody who deserves it More! A true Legend of the Golden Age. I recently donated to her Go Fund Me & got in trouble with the wife for it. Thank u for the Joy u have given us Jeanne & for those amazing pics. Ciao.

  13. Eric Edwards · January 25, 2021 Reply

    From that first time I met you in that NY loft just before shooting our scene in Waterpower, and me making that silly comment about your being late, I’ve loved you! Congratulations, my Snuggle Bunny! Ya finally got what you deserved all along. Great shots, too, btw. I miss those good ol’ days at Bernard’s.

  14. Jose verschaffel · January 25, 2021 Reply

    About time that AVN remember you ,i am so glad to be in touch with you , keep mein a good mode , loveyou

  15. Heather Drain · January 25, 2021 Reply

    A sweet tribute to a woman who is beautiful, vibrant, and a 24 Karat heart! Love Jeanne and while she should have been inducted years ago, better late than never!

  16. Don · February 2, 2021 Reply

    A very overdue award and still looking gorgeous

  17. Christian McLaughlin · February 3, 2021 Reply

    Late spring 2015, around the same time as Jean chose to step back into the public eye, I’d just converted my massive, out-of-control original movie poster collection to a webstore called Westgate Gallery, and downtown Los Angeles gallery Lethal Amounts was featuring several hundred of my coolest posters in an exclusive art show, among them an assortment of 1-sheets for Jean’s XXX hits. Jean was kind of enough to serve (with Mink Stole) as a special celebrity guest at the show’s gala opening, and soon after she was booked, Serena and Annie Sprinkle joined the VIP guest list, which would ultimately include Eric Edwards, Karen Summer, Kelly Nichols and more. For the event, I hired an artist friend to transform some QVC Limited Edition-type cute blonde pirate doll into the world’s first-ever anatomically correct Long Jean Silver doll, which I hoped to have Jean sign so before we auctioned it off at the end of the weekend. Jean was SO adorable, warm and funny she became a wonderful instant friend — and despite great demand for the LJS doll, I knew the person who truly deserved to have it was Jean herself. So I gave it to her and we’ve remained in touch via Facebook ever since. I know Jean and her family members, human and animal, have faced some tough challenges the last couple of years, and in the spirit of other Rialto Report fundraisers, I’d like to implement one on behalf of WestgateGallery.com: for the next 3 months, half of the purchase price for any poster for one of her movies will go directly to Jean. Maybe TRR’s Ashley West & April Hall can help promote this — Westgate Gallery will do the same for this amazing woman, a maverick and true survivor whose life-story (as recorded in TRR’s legendary podcast with her) is one of the most remarkable of the Golden Age.

  18. J. Walter Puppybreath · February 21, 2021 Reply

    Fantastic!
    Also digging the Italian poster for ‘Where Eagles Dare’ in one pic.

  19. Gary S. · April 7, 2021 Reply

    Hi Jeanne!
    Gary from the old days at Bernards, just saying Hi!

  20. Donny Dingus · June 21, 2021 Reply

    AND she liked the Pixies? It just gets better and better. Great article.

  21. Philip Cramer · October 18, 2021 Reply

    Congradulations and thanks to Jeanne so much for sharing these photos

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