From AVN.com
MILL VALLEY, Calif.—John Leslie, award-winning director and AVN Hall of Fame performer, passed away yesterday of an apparent massive heart attack at his home at the age of 65. He was discovered by his wife of 23 years, Kathleen, when she returned from grocery shopping.
His close friend Joey Silvera, who had been travelling to New York on business, returned to Northern California to be with Kathleen.
“It is with regret that the Evil Angel family announces the passing of John Leslie,” said Christian Mann, general manager of Evil Angel. “This is very shocking, sad and unexpected news. Everyone in the Evil Angel family is deeply saddened and our thoughts are with Kathleen at this difficult time.”
Beginning with 1973’s Sensuous Delights, Leslie was a performer in almost 300 adult films. He won numerous awards during his days as a performer. He appeared with some of the era’s most noted porn stars, including; Seka, Kay Parker, and Annette Haven. His most noteworthy roles were in Talk Dirty To Me (1980), Nothing To Hide (1981), and Talk Dirty To Me, Part II (1982).
He was one of the first porn actors to make the transition from performing to directing, beginning with 1987’s Nightshift Nurses. Since then he has directed more than 90 adult movies, including The Chameleon (1989), Curse of the Catwoman (1992), Dog Walker (1994), and Drop Sex (1997), along with the Voyeur, Fresh Meat and Crack Her Jack series. He won many awards for his work behind the cameras as well. Though much of his recent work, in keeping with current trends in adult video, has been in the gonzo genre—such as the "Fresh Meat" and "Crack Her Jack" series—Leslie has continued to make feature films, or "sex dramas"; most recently, in 2007 he directed the film "Brianna Love, Her Fine, Sexy Self," a star vehicle for the up-and-coming performer Brianna Love.
In the early 1970s, he was a vocalist and harmonica player for the The Brooklyn Blues Busters, a southeastern Michigan-based musical group sometimes accompanying John Lee Hooker[citation needed]. The Brooklyn Blues Busters were the backing band for Victoria Spivey during the 1973 Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival[citation needed]. Nuzzo also worked as a bartender in the early 1970s at Mr. Flood’s Party, in Ann Arbor, Michigan[citation needed].
He is a member of the AVN[1], Legends of Erotica[2] and XRCO[3] Halls of Fame.
Sad, they tend to die a bit early. One of the greatest.
Sensuous Delights couldn’t have been Leslie’s first movie, since it was done in the early ’80s. Just FYI. I’ve written a longer piece of remembrances of Leslie, which is up on AVN.com this afternoon.
A very nice person that will be greatly missed.
A sad day for the industry.
Hall of Famer performer, director and person!
RIP.
🙁
65. Time flies. One of the best I worked for.
Kernes….
His first movie was most like a little known title called “Black on White” filmed in 74 and released in 75
Truly sad news. My condolences to Kathleen and the rest of John’s family. He was a good man and a great filmmaker who will be missed.
This guy was a class act. Dogwalker was a great movie. John made some of the best single act porn ever. John was also a great actor, an honest to good actor like Gillis, Joey Silvera, Pacheco, Eric Edwards and the underappreciated(in my mind) Mike Horner. Testament to John’s talent, he made a sex scene with Jack Hammer & Holly Body that was hot, considering the “talent” there that’s a miracle. Condolences to his family. Another Great Porner gone.
This is truly sad and shocking news. They’re really dropping like flies.
Hey !!! I’m just finding out the news and I’m really saddened to hear this about John Leslie passing! Kathleen and to all at Evil Angel my condolences to you. What a crummy time of the year to have someone everybody liked pass away.
Public memorial for John Leslie tonight (Wed. 12/15)at the Sportmen’s lodge on Ventura Blvd at 7pm.
I will be there…and buy any other LIB poster in attendance a beverage….so stop being uptight and lets remember John and the goods times…and party.
Twain’s is right across the street if you get hungry
Hey, sorry I could not make it. Thanks Goatlord.
(Hey, what word caused this short comment to go into moderation?)
Maybe next time Jeremy.
I attended the John Leslie memorial at the Sportsmen lodge…and it was surreal. There were so many old school performers walking around the room. Richard Pacheco, Eric Edwards, Hershel Savage, Peter North, Staglanio, Joey Silvera, Don Fernando, etc, etc,…but the one guy that was there (and who was never mentioned in any of the post-memorial press releases) was Blake Palmer. Blake fucking Palmer. I spoke with him for a few minutes and he was super cool.
Some of the performers looked a little on the frail side. Eric Edwards was walking around the room gingerly. When Nina Hartley took the stage and said “Its tough getting old,” you got the sense the towel had been thrown in.
darker days ahead
I saw a pic of all of them together, Kay Parker was there along with Veronica Hart & Kelly Nichols. Wonder if Selena Steele was there, Leslie helped make her a star. I did see Margold’s fat ass there, what a leech, I know he’s a contemporary of John but Margold couldnt carry John’s jockstrap.