Apr
4
Erotica Legend John Holmes Gets the Bio Treatment
April 4, 2008 | 12 Comments
This week I came across a press release on AVN.com noting the upcoming release of John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches from BearManor Media and co-authors Jennifer Sugar and Jill C. Nelson. The August 8 publication date coincides with what would have been the late erotica legend’s 64th birthday (he was only 43 when he passed from AIDS in 1988). Fans of adult entertainment are familiar with the broad strokes (no pun intended) of Mr. Holmes’ tumultuous life and career√¢‚Ǩ‚Äùhis gigantically famous (or famously gigantic) penis, the “Johnny Wadd” persona and supposed 20,000-strong list of conquests, his prodigious coke habit, and alleged entanglement in the “Wonderland murders” (which became the basis of the 2003 indie film Wonderland). Call me jaded, but I instantly assumed that John Holmes’ work in gay adult would be ignored or glossed over or characterized as some kind of sign of his descent into a seedy underworld, blah blah. Nope, not the case. I tracked down Ms. Nelson and briefly spoke with her yesterday via email. Look for an early chapter titled “Getting It Up,” I’m told, which discusses JUST GOOD FRIENDS (1969), POOL PARTY (a late ’70s Falcon loop) and SINGLEHANDED (1984). “We have also provided details about the film THE PRIVATE PLEASURES OF JOHN HOLMES,” Ms. Nelson says, “including a full film review. Our book contains over 100 movie reviews in addition to a filmography.” Keep an eye on JohnHolmesInches.com, as well as online retailers like Amazon later this summer.
Comments
12 Comments so far
I actually met John Holmes in person when he appeared at an Adult Film Theater in Michigan in the late 70′s. As proof, I could show you an autographed photo I got from him. I can also tell you that John Holmes was far more delicate looking in person than he looked in his photos and in films. It really is amazing how HARDCORE the guy photographed when he was actually a fairly attractive guy in person.
The movie Boogie Nights did appear to do a reference to Holmes being arrested in relation to the Wonderland murder.
There is a straight video that has a three-way scene with John Holmes, Marc Wallace and some female pornstar. Holmes of course died of AIDS and there was a scandal a few years back alleging that Marc Wallace became HIV+ and continued to do condomless straight videos.
NEWS TIP: There is a new movie called Shelter about gay surfers. We found the gay video Surf’s Up (Bijou Video) and Southern California Surfers (The BodyShoppe) that explore the gay surfers genre http://www.tempcity.com/bitchless/index.php?showtopic=22973
Thanks for sharing Marion,,John Holmes was of course the first male porn star people talked about in “polite society”
Marc Wallace he was my first fav porn star along with Kip Knoll. I still remember the 3 way in Getting It in front of the fireplace with Bryan Michaels (I believe) directing the action.
Marc Wallace did very little gay porn.
Surfs UP I loved your review at Bitchless and I agree we rarely find a model like Kurt Bateman today!
I remember his Falcon loops (weren’t there more than one?) It’s not like the life and times of John Holmes has been ignored or neglected by biographers (I think his wife published one?) and documentarians, certainly, but I’m interested in this new take on him. Hopefully they will have some kind of cultural perspective rather than simply a recitation of his accomplishments.
A book? You want me to read a book???? Can I buy it and let you read it for me??? LOL.
Bill in S.F. — Wouldn’t a “recitation of his accomplishments” be rather long and, um, repetitive?
I remember an autobiography on John Holmes -’Porn King’ and now a decade later we have a biography. Unfortunately, the title says little about the late pornstar apart from his measurements. It sounds like a paperback vanity publisher!
I remember an autobiography on John Holmes -’Porn King’ and now a decade later we have a biography. Unfortunately, the title says little about the late pornstar apart from his measurements. It sounds like a paperback vanity publisher!
Hi all!
The title is a play on words, and as a co-author of this project, I can assure you that our biography is a definitive and unbiased account of the life of Mr. Holmes – and far more reaching than Porn King. Yes, there have been several documentaries fashioned about John over the years, but none of them have highlighted his almost 20 year career in adult entertainment, which is one of the many engaging facets of our book. We haven’t prioritized the Wonderland events, or his death from AIDS, rather, we have decidedly placed an equal amount of focus on all elements of his tumultuous and duplicitious life, including allowing the four key women he allowed into his private world to share the spotlight.
We will be adding more text and images to our website in the weeks and months to come, so do keep an eye out. Our publisher is a small press, but we commend him for taking on a controversial and counterculture personality like John Holmes.
Thank you.
Jill Nelson
Jill
Thank you for putting me/us all in the picture. Your publisher Bear Manor Media is not available in the UK so will watch out for it, as JC says, on Amazon in the summer.
Jill
Thank you for putting me/us all in the picture. Your publisher Bear Manor Media is not available in the UK so will watch out for it, as JC says, on Amazon in the summer.
Yes I will be looking forward to the book as well.
Hello, all. I am the originator and co-author of the first biography about John Holmes. I began the project while a junior in college, after seeing WONDERLAND and noting that there had been no biography devoted to John’s entire life. I found that the documentaries have been limited due to the constraints of time, who will agree to go on camera, and making “good” television/film.
The primary reason that this book is not yet through a major publisher is because we are first-time authors. It is difficult to break through to that market without having already been published.
I can guarantee that we’ve gone into more depth about Holmes than you can currently find anywhere else. If this book is successful, there will be opportunities for future John Holmes projects.
Through talking with Bob Chinn, we learned of an unfinished JOHNNY WADD film, which he believes would have been the best of the series. There are book excerpts available at the website where you can pre-order the book. In addition to including John’s work for his gay and bisexual fans, we have interviewed two detectives involved in the Wondlerland murder case (Detectives Frank Tomlinson and Tom Lange). We have included an excerpt with former Detective Tomlinson at the website as well.
http://www.johnholmesinches.com
Amazon sales will begin this summer before its publishing on 8/8/08.
NOTE: There is a link for international orders. Please contact us for alternate shipping options. jennifer.sugar@yahoo.com