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It all started over thirty years ago. I thought it would be interesting to track down people who’d been involved in the very first adult films because I was intrigued to learn what they remembered about the time – and find out how the experience had affected their lives afterwards.
Bear in mind, this was over 30 years ago, before the era of social media, search tools, and online databases, so I had no idea how difficult this endeavor would be.
But I also didn’t know how unwelcome my inquiries would prove – even if I did manage to find anyone to talk to. After all, most of the early pioneers used different names to conceal their identities, and therefore protect their future lives.
A few of them – people like Annie Sprinkle, Jamie Gillis, or Ron Jeremy for example – were still around, quasi-public figures who’d been interviewed many times about their history. But I was more interested in finding the bit-part players, lesser-known figures, people whose involvement had been short, before disappearing, presumably blending back into more conventional 9-5 existences. What did they think about their involvement in such a salacious, unprecedented activity years earlier?
One of these was the actor, Jeffrey Hurst. He’d been a handsome, friendly-looking, more-than-competent actor back in early films, always entertaining and engaging, and not just because of his standard-issue, best-in-class, 1970s porno mustache. Who was he, and what was his story?
Well, his name wasn’t Jeffrey Hurst for a start: I met a director who’d known him and who reluctantly told me that his real name was Jeff Eagle. I misheard him – and so for the next five years, I searched high and low – and unsuccessfully – for an ex-sex film actor called ‘Jeff Feagle.’ Not my proudest moment, and a lot a wasted effort ensued.
And then I met someone who was still in touch with Jeff, and who told me that Jeff was now a massage therapist living a quiet life in Tucson, Arizona. What’s more, apparently Jeff loved talking about his semi-scandalous past. I contacted him, and quickly became friends with one of the sweetest people I’ve ever come across. And so, when I started The Rialto Report, my interview with Jeff was one of the first that I put out as a podcast.
Jeff died last November. He is much missed. This is our conversation.
This episode running time is 61 minutes.
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Jeffrey Hurst photographs:
Definitely could’ve been a contender. Hurst had all the chops to be a legit, mainstream acting success. It just seems down to luck as to who makes it big much of the time, which is. a shame, because he should/could have been a star.
Sad to hear this.
Nice episode, I learned a lot about performer I had seen years ago, but didn’t anything about. I would like to see a podcast about Pat Manning. According to IMDB she was born in 1940 so she is not getting any younger.
Sad to hear this. Hurst brighten many films with his sunny presence and he seemed to have been a good man.
He sure knew how to use his face, the photos above show that much, lol! But from the one posted just below the title – that smile, those eyes! That push-broom mustache!
But seeing I was too young and honestly didn’t know anyone during my teen years who had porn films, and the only printed matter that I had access to was Playboy, Penthouse and Hustler. (look, my parents had been born in the 1920s and I was born in 1964, lol). So TRR is really an educational website for me. I’ve always loved the motion-picture medium as well as the printed one; it’s cultural history, all of it.
Good to hear your voice again, Ashley; you’d be a great obstetrician because you never fail to deliver! (same for April, lol!)
Thank you so much as always LA!
Awesome Article And Podcast Keep Up Good Work
I wasn’t aware of Jeffrey to be honest…When I saw his picture here I thought it was of Tony Musante at first. It’s refreshing to hear someone who has no regrets about his history in the biz. As always I look forward to the next weeks installment.
One of the reasons I feel more of a connection with ’70s adult films is because they have the highest quota of men who are genuinely good actors and interesting presences – sort of the “New Hollywood” of porn. Jeffrey is one I knew less about until I began reading the content on him at Rialto Report, especially the excerpts from his book, which had so many great moments – his talking about working with Glenn Close, when relatives ended up seeing one of his films, how he lost out on a part in Slap Shot, the review he got for having a small cock because he was in a scene with John Holmes and Tony Perez, etc.
I can’t remember the title, but he did a movie with Jamie Gillis and Kim Pope, among others, where he and Kim were married and he and Jamie were good friends. There were the usual detours, but the main story was about Jeffrey agreeing to wife swap with Jamie due to being bored in his marriage. At the end, after the deed is done, it’s clear he regrets the choice. Hurst does such a good job with the more dramatic turn closing the film out. His work never feels unearned compared to the lighter tone earlier in the film.
I easily could have seen him making it in films or TV – in some of those shots he looks like Seth Rogen, in others Avery Schreiber. Yet he also managed to make it in porn, yes with some of the trademark goofy comedy of that decade, but he was also a very charismatic, sensual man with a great body. He was a little bit of everything, Often people who are a little bit of everything don’t go as far in the industry. I’m glad he was able to find a happy life outside of it. And I’m glad you helped him tell his story.
Jeff mentioned the play he did with Rue McClanahan called Dylan. Also in that play was Karen Gorney who went on to star in Saturday Night Fever.
Here’s the Charlie’s Angels episode Jeff was in. He appears as the waiter at about 4 mins in then again at 12:30. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6tpv0a
R.L.P. Jeff
You said not sure if Ganja Expess was ever released
Ganja Expess:
https://xhamster.com/videos/the-ganja-express-2777254
I’ve got to look him up. I remember being on a stairmaster next to taja rae, and n a aerobics class next to Kitten Nativadad and Roxanne Rollan and others. Had probably 3 or 4 as next door neighbors (it’s LA folks). Never the ones I crushed on.
But doesn’t it seem that most of the real ACTORS were based out of NYC? Marlene W; yes, Jaime G., Sharon M., Jack Wrangler, Samantha Fox, Bobby A., and a slew of others.