Herschel Savage
American pornographic actor, director and stage actor (1952–2023) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Herschel Savage (born Harvey Cohen, November 25, 1952 – October 8, 2023) was an American pornographic actor, director, and stage actor who appeared in over 1,000 adult films.[2] In 2002, AVN ranked him 46th on their list of The Top 50 Porn Stars of All Time.[3] He was also inducted into the AVN and XRCO Halls of Fame.[4][5]
Herschel Savage | |
|---|---|
Savage in 2010 | |
| Born | Harvey Cohen[1] November 25, 1952 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | October 8, 2023 (aged 70) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Harvey Cowen, Harvey Joel Coen, Herschel Cohen, Jack Black, Max Cohen |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Early life
Herschel Savage was born as Harvey Cohen on November 25, 1952, in New York City, to Russian-Jewish parents.[6][7][8] His mother battled with obsessive-compulsive disorder.[9] Growing up, he attended a Conservative synagogue.[10] Savage saw his first adult film The Nun's Bad Habit at a movie theater in Times Square.[9]
Savage began studying acting under Broadway theatre actress Uta Hagen and renowned acting teacher Stella Adler.[11][12] Savage initially sought a mainstream stage and screen career.[8] However, he became disillusioned by the constant auditioning and competition for roles.[11] He also worked for an exercise company.[9]
Career
Summarize
Perspective
Savage was introduced to the adult film industry via the actor R. Bolla in 1976.[11] He went on to become one of the biggest stars of the "Golden Age of Porn" in the 1970s and 1980s.[11] Savage appeared in the 1978 classic Debbie Does Dallas, for which he was paid about $150 a day.[12] The film was a financial success, becoming one of the top five highest grossing adult films of all time.[7] Some of the other films he appeared in include Expose Me Now, Bodies in Heat, and Rambone Does Hollywood.[12] He created the stage name "Herschel Savage" with adult actor Jamie Gillis in an attempt to combine a 'nerdy Jewish identity' with that of a stud.[11]
During the mid-1980s, Savage helped to organize sex workers in San Francisco to fight for better wages.[2] The initiative was ultimately abandoned after production studios threatened to blacklist performers.[2] In 1986, Savage appeared in a cameo for the neo-noir crime film 52 Pick-Up starring Roy Scheider and Ann-Margret.[6] He was credited as "Harvey Cowen". In 1988, Savage was inducted into the XRCO Hall of Fame.[5][13] That same year, he left pornography to work in sales and video distribution.[8] He returned to performing in 1997.[8]
Savage appeared as a guest during the fifth season of the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me, with Ron Jeremy, which aired on February 1, 2001.[14] In 2003, he performed a stand-up routine on an episode of the reality television series Family Business. Savage portrayed a detective in the 2008 parody film The Texas Vibrator Massacre.[15] He appeared alongside other adult performers in the documentary series After Porn Ends 3 in 2018.[16] Savage appeared in more than 1000 adult films.[2] He was also inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame.[4]
Stage
Savage performed under the name "Max Cohen" in a 2006 production of Neil Simon's The Prisoner of Second Avenue.[6][8] In January 2013, he portrayed pornographic film director Gerard Damiano in the Los Angeles production of The Deep Throat Sex Scandal, a play described as the "theatrical telling of the back story of Deep Throat."[10][17] His performance drew positive reviews.[18] Writing for The Los Angeles Times, Charlotte Stoudt called Savage's portrayal of Damiano "surprisingly cogent".[19] Myron Meisel from The Hollywood Reporter remarked that he "engenders endearing empathy as the amiably deluded director Damiano."[20] Steven Leigh Morris from LA Weekly deemed his performance "dramatic comedy terra firma".[21] Savage credited the play with "renewing [his] love for performing on stage."[9]
Savage appeared as himself in Pretty Filthy, a musical about the adult film industry.[22] He also performed in the interactive dinner show Joni and Gina's Wedding.[23] In July 2016, Savage premiered Porn Star: My Life In The Sex Industry, an autobiographical one-man show, which he successfully funded through a Kickstarter campaign.[24]
Personal life and death
Savage was a practicing Buddhist.[18] He resided in California.[18]
Herschel Savage died on October 8, 2023, at the age of 70.[25]
Select performances
Film
| Title | Year | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debbie Does Dallas | 1978 | Tim | [7] | |
| The Satisfiers of Alpha Blue | 1980 | Griffin | [26] | |
| Memphis Cathouse Blues | 1982 | Deacon Davis | ||
| What Gets Me Hot! | 1984 | Mrs. Radner's Boyfriend | ||
| 52 Pick-Up | 1986 | Party Goer | Credited as Harvey Cowen | |
| Droid | 1988 | Turk | ||
| The Texas Vibrator Massacre | 2008 | Detective Mike Roe | [27] | |
| 30 Rock: A XXX Parody | 2009 | Jake | [28] | |
| After Porn Ends 3 | 2018 | Himself | Documentary | [29] |
Television
| Title | Year | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex Court | 1999-00 | Tommy Rawlings / Nick Palos / Tony Tornelli | 3 episodes | |
| Just Shoot Me! | 2001 | Ron | Episode: "The Proposal" | [14] |
| Family Business | 2003 | Himself | Episode: "Casa De Butts" | |
| Are You There, Chelsea? | 2012 | Guard | Episode: "Pilot" (credited as Harvey Joel Coen) | |
| Dave's Old Porn | 2012 | Himself | Episode: "Lisa Lampanelli / Herschel Savage" |
Theater
| Title | Year | Venue | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Prisoner of Second Avenue | 2006 | Mel Edison | Lead role (credited as Max Cohen) | [8] | |
| The Deep Throat Sex Scandal | 2013 | Zephyr Theater | Gerard Damiano | Los Angeles run | [10] |
| Pretty Filthy | 2015 | Abrons Arts Center | Himself | Musical | [22] |
| Porn Star: My Life In The Sex Industry | 2016 | Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center | Himself | One-man show | [24] |
Awards
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| Totals | 9 | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Year | Nominated work and artist | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | If Only Mother Knew | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | [30] |
| 1989 | Amanda by Night II | Best Sex Scene - Feature Film (with Nina Hartley) | Won | [31] |
| 1992 | Herschel Savage | AVN Hall of Fame Inductee | Won | [32] |
| 2000 | The Devil Made Her Do It | Most Outrageous Sex Scene (with Mila & Dave Hardman) | Won | [33] |
| Herschel Savage | Male Performer of the Year | Nominated | [34] | |
| The Kissing Game | Best Couples Sex Scene - Video (with Missy) | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor - Video | Nominated | |||
| Nothing to Hide 3 & 4 | Best Actor - Film | Nominated | ||
| Trial by Copulation | Best Group Sex Scene - Film (with Temptress, Azlea Antistia, and Chris Cannon) | Nominated | ||
| The Trophy | Best Supporting Actor - Film | Nominated | ||
| Tushy Con Carne | Best Anal Sex Scene - Video (with Alisha Klass) | Nominated | ||
| 2001 | Dream Quest | Best Actor - Film | Nominated | [35] |
| Exhibitionist Part 1 | Best Supporting Actor - Video | Nominated | ||
| The Gapes of Wrath | Best Anal Sex Scene - Video (with McKayla Matthews, Tyce Bune, and Mark Davis) | Nominated | ||
| Screamers | Best Couples Sex Scene - Film (with Dee) | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor - Film | Nominated | |||
| Sodomania: Gangbang Edition | Best Group Sex Scene - Video (with Sabrina Johnson, Tyce Bune, Lexington Steele, and Mark Anthony) | Nominated | ||
| Spellbound | Best Actor - Video | Nominated | ||
| White Trash Whore 17 | Best Anal Sex Scene - Video (with Allysin Embers & Dave Hardman) | Nominated | ||
| 2002 | Bad Wives 2 | Best Group Sex Scene - Film (with Kylie Ireland & Jason McCain) | Nominated | [36] |
| Infidelity | Best Supporting Actor - Video | Nominated | ||
| Mafioso | Best Actor - Film | Nominated | ||
| Pussy Face | Most Outrageous Sex Scene (with Kristen Kane and Rafe) | Won | [37] | |
| Succubus | Best Group Sex Scene - Video (with Ava Vincent, Bridgette Kerkove, Nikita Denise, and Trevor) | Won | ||
| Taken | Best Anal Sex Scene - Film | Nominated | [36] | |
| Best Supporting Actor - Film | Won | [37] | ||
| 2003 | Big Bottom Sadie | Best Supporting Actor - Video | Nominated | [38] |
| 2004 | Roommate From Hell | Best Actor - Video | Nominated | [39] |
| The Contortionist | Best Supporting Actor - Video | Nominated | ||
| 2005 | The Hitman | Nominated | [40] | |
| Love and Bullets | Best Actor - Video | Nominated | ||
| 2006 | Dark Side | Best Actor - Film | Nominated | [41] |
| Best Couples Sex Scene - Film (with Penny Flame) | Won | [42] | ||
| House of Ass | Best Three-Way Sex Scene (with Mari Possa & Barbara Summer) | Nominated | [41] | |
| 2007 | Butt Pirates of the Caribbean | Best Group Sex Scene - Video (with Mari Possa, Amber Peach, Samantha Ryan, and Kurt Lockwood) | Nominated | [43] |
| ClusterFuck 5 | Best Group Sex Scene - Video (with Mayhem, Tory Lane, Jay Lassiter, Dirty Harry, Scott Lyons, Jenner, Rick Masters, Chris Mountain, Steve james, Trevor Thompson, and Alec Knight) | Nominated | ||
| Game | Best Non-Sex Performance | Nominated | ||
| Rumour Had 'Em | Best Supporting Actor - Video | Nominated | ||
| 2008 | Delilah | Best Actor - Video | Nominated | [44] |
| Spunk'd the Movie | Best Supporting Actor - Video | Nominated | ||
| 2009 | The Texas Vibrator Massacre | Best Non-Sex Performance | Nominated | [45] |
| 2010 | 30 Rock: A XXX Parody | Best Actor | Nominated | [46] |
| 2013 | Dallas: A XXX Parody | Best Non-Sex Performance | Nominated | [47] |
| Year | Nominated artist | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Herschel Savage | Best Actor | Nominated | [48] |
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 30 Rock: A XXX Parody | Acting Performance of the Year - Male | Nominated | [49] |
| 2019 | Fallen II: Angels & Demons | Best Non-Sex Performance | Nominated | [50] |
| Year | Nominated work and artist | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Herschel Savage | XRCO Hall of Fame Inductee | Won | [13] |
| 2000 | Nothing to Hide 3 & 4 | Actor (Single Performance) | Nominated | [51] |
| 2006 | Dark Side (with Penny Flame) | Best Onscreen Couple | Won | [52] |
References
External links
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