Biography
He was born to an Italian American Catholic family in the Bronx. When he was 6, his father died; his mother never remarried. The day he turned 17, he joined the United States Navy for 4 years. Before this, he was a shoeshine boy in Times Square and worked in an automat. Afterwards, he studied X-ray technology on the G.I. Bill and was an x-ray technician at Jamaica Hospital in Queens NY, then opened a hairdressing salon with a friend in New York City. Frequently overhearing sexual gossip at the salon convinced him that pornographic films made to appeal to couples would be a commercial success.
Damiano took an interest in film-making after his accountant introduced him to a producer who was making a low-budget horror film. Intrigued, Damiano began helping out as he could on the set.
He directed the famous film Deep Throat (1972) starring Linda Lovelace and Harry Reems. The film is regarded as pioneering, and its success is credited with helping to launch the modern adult-entertainment industry. Damiano was surprised that the film attracted such attention. Other notable films made by Damiano include The Devil in Miss Jones (1973) and the sadomasochistic classic The Story of Joanna (1975). He often appeared in his films in small non-sexual side roles, and used the names "Albert Gork", "Al Gork", "Jerry Gerard", or "D. Furred". He directed more than 50 adult films during his career.
He married three times; with his second wife, Barbara Walton, he had two children, Christar and Gerard, Jr.
He was interviewed for the 2005 documentary Inside Deep Throat.
Damiano died on October 25, 2008 in a Fort Myers, Fl hospital, aged 80, following complications from a stroke he had suffered in September.
Read more about this topic: Gerard Damiano
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