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In the first part of ‘The Secret Life of Dolly Sharp’, I went in search for the enigmatic Deep Throat actor with the mysterious past, who seemed to disappear from the face of the earth back in 1972.
I spoke to Gerry Damiano and Harry Reems who worked with Dolly on ‘Deep Throat’, to actors who appeared in other films with her like Fred Lincoln and Jamie Gillis, even one of the first porn agents, Tallie Cochrane.
And what I found about her was surprising and remarkable. It turned out that Dolly had had a long and successful career on stage and in movies long before she entered the adult film industry.
This is the second part of our mini-series, The Secret Life of Dolly Sharp – Part 2: Who Is Helen Wood?
This podcast is 31 minutes long.
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Helen with Kurt Karzner, in Give a Girl a Break (1953)
Helen Wood, in the musical ‘Seventeen’
Helen Wood, in the musical ‘Seventeen’
Helen, in Give a Girl a Break (1953)
Helen at the Frontier in Las Vegas (late 1950s)
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I’ve been waiting all week for this….. all week long..!
The first episode was so good. I want to congratulate you on the high standards, and your interviews, and research.
Every episode is a complete joy, and I wish there were sites like this covering other areas of popular culture. The only problem is that I’d to share its brilliance more widely, but due to the subject matter, it is sometimes difficult to explain to people just how much they NEED to listen or read this content!
Thanks for all you do.
Thank you Pete!
Awesome site….you guys are superstars!
This Dolly Sharp series has been next level – the use of found audio of phone calls etc is just stunning. And yet again, a story of how the adult industry of the 70s in the pre-internet era was like hiding in plain sight.
Thanks so much Steve!
I didn’t know Helen wood did Las Vegas Frontier Hotel from the 1950s thanks for my interesting article and podcast
Thanks Jeff!
What inspired the serialization of this saga?
Utterly fascinating!!!
OMG – You keep outgoing yourself. What an incredible story. Worthy of a biopic. To some degree parts of her story remind me of Asia Carrera who had a demanding parent with a foreign background and undertook professional music training. As a side note, the woman who did casting out of her apt., sounds ALOT like the famous west coast casting agent Jim South – literally right down to her smoky southern drawl. Can’t wait for episode 3.
Wow! Another stranger than fiction story.
Thanks so much Zack!
Amazing. As always.
We appreciate that Harry!
Amazing story. Amazing research. Ashley and April, you do have a streak of cruelty in making us wait for a THIRD segment to find out the conclusion to this. I guess I’ll survive…
I second Pete Hoolahan’s sentiment about how difficult it is sometimes to convey to others the importance of what you do here. The golden age of adult cinema? They either turn away because of the subject or dismiss it with cliches about porn star moustaches. But without you moving, human stories like this would be lost to time. Like tears in the rain.
Totally agree Ron. The stories of the people in that age are just as important as any offered up in the mainstream as role models or whatever. The Rialto report does an incredible job of honouring and remembering the time and the people who made it what is was with respect and dignity. Their treatment of Helen Wood’s life is a fantastic example of how it should be done. I can’t imagine it being done better.
Thanks so much to you as well Don!
Thank you so much Ron!
Thank you so much for this beautifully made and respectful piece on her life. It is sad to reflect that despite her commitment, talent and incredibly hard work that she did not achieve the success that she wanted. I am hoping that the third instalment contains some sign that she found some respite and peace and found people who loved her from what sounds like an incredibly hard life. RIP Helen.
Whatever happened to her son? Her ex-husband?
Maybe it will be discussed in Part 3 but no mention of her hooker days in NY prior to porn? I believe Tina Russell mentioned it in her autobiography.
Be nice to see video of the people, now long gone, commenting on this.
Excellent reporting, as always!
I missed episode 3 last week. I hope you can publish it this week (today!).
Awesome pictures, Awesome series, Awesome podcast!
Thank you Cary!
is part 3 going to be published anytime soon? Or did I miss it?
It is about a month since Part 3 was promised but they have published 5 articles since and still no part 3- does it even exist?!
You fucking dildo. Can’t you wait for a few weeks???
You idiotic Charlton-supporting spoon.
This great, thanks !