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Casey Donovan: Blond Bombshell: Gay Porn's Pioneering Megastar
“I think my greatest accomplishment so far is something that doesn't show up in lights or get reviewed - and that's simply the sexual sanity that I have tried to contribute to over the last twenty years.”
This was Casey Donovan, speaking in 1983, four years before his untimely death.
Born John Calvin Culver, he was a pioneer and will eternally remain amongst the elite of the adult film industry. Yet he was more than just a porn star. As a hustler par excellence his clients included movie stars, senators, European royalty, and ordinary fans. The love of his life was the tough-guy actor Tom Tryon, who treated him badly. His other famous lovers included Rock Hudson, Paul Newman, and Superman actor Christopher Reeve.
Casey scored successes on the legitimate stage—Tubstrip toured for two years and packed theatres across North America. He acted opposite Ingrid Bergman, and played Jesus Christ in an avant-garde production of Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. As a “tour guide” he escorted well-heeled clients to exotic locations. As an “agony uncle”, he eloquently responded to fans’ letters for four years in Stallion magazine. It is for his contribution to the cinema, however, that he was revered. He shot to fame in Boys in the Sand in 1971, the very first gay porno feature film as opposed to the tawdry “loops” of the day. He triumphed in Radley Metzger’s Score, made heterosexual porn films, and remained at the top of his profession for fifteen years, a long time in the world of adult film.
Away from the screen, Casey was the unassuming boy-next-door. On film nothing was too exhibitionist or outrageous for him to tackle. Published to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of his death, this is his amazing story. It includes full details of his twenty-seven films and ten theatrical runs, and more than fifty photographs.
This biography contains adult themes of a sexual nature.
This was Casey Donovan, speaking in 1983, four years before his untimely death.
Born John Calvin Culver, he was a pioneer and will eternally remain amongst the elite of the adult film industry. Yet he was more than just a porn star. As a hustler par excellence his clients included movie stars, senators, European royalty, and ordinary fans. The love of his life was the tough-guy actor Tom Tryon, who treated him badly. His other famous lovers included Rock Hudson, Paul Newman, and Superman actor Christopher Reeve.
Casey scored successes on the legitimate stage—Tubstrip toured for two years and packed theatres across North America. He acted opposite Ingrid Bergman, and played Jesus Christ in an avant-garde production of Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. As a “tour guide” he escorted well-heeled clients to exotic locations. As an “agony uncle”, he eloquently responded to fans’ letters for four years in Stallion magazine. It is for his contribution to the cinema, however, that he was revered. He shot to fame in Boys in the Sand in 1971, the very first gay porno feature film as opposed to the tawdry “loops” of the day. He triumphed in Radley Metzger’s Score, made heterosexual porn films, and remained at the top of his profession for fifteen years, a long time in the world of adult film.
Away from the screen, Casey was the unassuming boy-next-door. On film nothing was too exhibitionist or outrageous for him to tackle. Published to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of his death, this is his amazing story. It includes full details of his twenty-seven films and ten theatrical runs, and more than fifty photographs.
This biography contains adult themes of a sexual nature.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2017
23 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
David Bret
182 books14 followersDavid Bret is a French-born British author of showbiz biographies. He chiefly writes on the private life of film stars and singers.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 27, 2022
Casey Donovan was one of the most influential gay porn stars in the gay adult film industry. He was not just sexy and hot, but also very passionate about his work because it all showed on the screen. This book delves deeply into both his professional and personal lives. He was not just a pioneer but also one of the very few gay porn stars who appeared in Hollywood productions. Casey Donovan was the name he went by in his pornographic career, and Calvin Culver in his broadway shows and mainstream film roles.
“I’m very proud of Boys in the Sand, because I think it’s a very beautiful film and one of the best of its kind that’s ever been made. It’s kind of a classic.”
I appreciate the author’s thorough discussion of Casey’s career and industry standards for film production. He provides a great deal of details regarding his movies, his interactions with his co-stars, and his personal history before becoming the Casey Donovan. The good thing is that the author provides citations from many sources, as well as all Casey’s filmography at the end of the book if someone plans to track and watch them all. I personally have only watched a handful of his movies like Boys in the Sand, Score, Moving, and Split/Image. After reading this book, I plan to watch whatever is available out there.
There is a ton of intriguing material in this biography. The one that may have drawn my attention the most was Casey’s brief affair with Superman actor Christopher Reeve. Because Casey was openly gay and doing porn, the Superman actor ended the alleged relationship. The making of Boys in the Sand 2 is another remarkable aspect that I enjoyed reading about. I find Casey’s perspective on the first movie and its sequel to be quite compelling.
“Perhaps I was naïve, but it was a rude awakening for me to find out that Hollywood is one of the most closeted and hypocritical cultural centres in the world. I learned that an openly gay actor like myself was not welcome to gay directors and producers who believe it is essential to keep their sexuality a secret. Once an actor has made a porn movie, it’s very difficult to cross over. And it has nothing to do with how much talent one has.”
I believe this book will be very helpful if you are interested in learning more about Mr. Donovan. It does a fantastic job of giving captivating details about the superstar that any fan would want to know. However, due to the numerous images, this is best read on a tablet rather than an e-ink reader.
The Review
“I’m very proud of Boys in the Sand, because I think it’s a very beautiful film and one of the best of its kind that’s ever been made. It’s kind of a classic.”
I appreciate the author’s thorough discussion of Casey’s career and industry standards for film production. He provides a great deal of details regarding his movies, his interactions with his co-stars, and his personal history before becoming the Casey Donovan. The good thing is that the author provides citations from many sources, as well as all Casey’s filmography at the end of the book if someone plans to track and watch them all. I personally have only watched a handful of his movies like Boys in the Sand, Score, Moving, and Split/Image. After reading this book, I plan to watch whatever is available out there.
There is a ton of intriguing material in this biography. The one that may have drawn my attention the most was Casey’s brief affair with Superman actor Christopher Reeve. Because Casey was openly gay and doing porn, the Superman actor ended the alleged relationship. The making of Boys in the Sand 2 is another remarkable aspect that I enjoyed reading about. I find Casey’s perspective on the first movie and its sequel to be quite compelling.
“Perhaps I was naïve, but it was a rude awakening for me to find out that Hollywood is one of the most closeted and hypocritical cultural centres in the world. I learned that an openly gay actor like myself was not welcome to gay directors and producers who believe it is essential to keep their sexuality a secret. Once an actor has made a porn movie, it’s very difficult to cross over. And it has nothing to do with how much talent one has.”
I believe this book will be very helpful if you are interested in learning more about Mr. Donovan. It does a fantastic job of giving captivating details about the superstar that any fan would want to know. However, due to the numerous images, this is best read on a tablet rather than an e-ink reader.
The Review
Displaying 1 of 1 review