Herschel Savage


Herschel Savage is a former American pornographic actor, director and stage actor who has appeared in over 1,000 adult films. In 2002, AVN ranked him 46th on their list of The Top 50 Porn Stars of All Time. He has also been inducted into the AVN and XRCO Halls of Fame.

Early life

Savage was born to Russian-Jewish parents on November 25, 1952 in New York City. His mother battled with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Growing up, he attended a conservative synagogue. Savage saw his first adult film The Nun's Bad Habit at a movie theater in Times Square.
Savage began studying acting under Broadway theatre actress Uta Hagen and renowned acting teacher Stella Adler. Savage initially sought a mainstream stage and screen career. However, he became disillusioned by the constant auditioning and competition for roles. He also worked for an exercise company.

Career

Savage was introduced to the adult film industry via the actor R. Bolla in 1976, He went on to become one of the biggest stars of the "Golden Age of Porn" in the 1970s and 1980s. Savage appeared in the 1978 classic Debbie Does Dallas, for which he was paid about $150 a day. The film was a financial success, becoming one of the top five highest grossing adult films of all time. Some of the other films he has appeared in include Expose Me Now, Bodies in Heat, and Rambone Does Hollywood. 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.
During the mid-1980s, Savage helped to organize sex workers in San Francisco to fight for better wages. The initiative was ultimately abandoned after production studios threatened to blacklist performers. In 1986, Savage appeared in a cameo for the neo-noir crime film 52 Pick-Up starring Roy Scheider and Ann-Margret. He was credited as "Harvey Cowen". In 1988, Savage was inducted into the XRCO Hall of Fame. That same year, he left pornography to work in sales and video distribution. He returned to performing in 1997.
Savage appeared as a guest during the fifth season of the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me, which aired on February 1, 2001. 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. He appeared alongside other adult performers in the documentary series After Porn Ends 3 in 2018. To date, Savage has appeared in more than 1000 adult films. He has also been inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame.

Stage

Savage performed under the name "Max Cohen" in a 2006 production of Neil Simon's The Prisoner of Second Avenue. 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." His performance drew positive reviews. Writing for The Los Angeles Times, Charlotte Stoudt called Savage's portrayal of Damiano "surprisingly cogent". Myron Meisel from The Hollywood Reporter remarked that he "engenders endearing empathy as the amiably deluded director Damiano." Steven Leigh Morris from LA Weekly deemed his performance "dramatic comedy ". Savage credited the play with "renewing love for performing on stage."
Savage appeared as himself in Pretty Filthy, a musical about the adult film industry. He also performed in the interactive dinner show Joni and Gina's Wedding. In July 2016, Savage premiered Porn Star: My Life In The Sex Industry, an autobiographical one-man show; he successfully funded the project through a Kickstarter campaign.

Personal life

Savage is a practicing Buddhist. He resides in California.

Select performances

Film

Television

Theater

Awards

YearNominated work and artistCategoryResult
1987If Only Mother KnewBest Supporting Actor
1989Amanda by Night IIBest Sex Scene - Feature Film
1992Herschel SavageAVN Hall of Fame Inductee
2000The Devil Made Her Do ItMost Outrageous Sex Scene
2000Herschel SavageMale Performer of the Year
2000The Kissing GameBest Couples Sex Scene - Video
2000The Kissing GameBest Supporting Actor - Video
2000Nothing to Hide 3 & 4Best Actor - Film
2000Trial by CopulationBest Group Sex Scene - Film
2000The TrophyBest Supporting Actor - Film
2000Tushy Con CarneBest Anal Sex Scene - Video
2001Dream QuestBest Actor - Film
2001Exhibitionist Part 1Best Supporting Actor - Video
2001The Gapes of WrathBest Anal Sex Scene - Video
2001ScreamersBest Couples Sex Scene - Film
2001ScreamersBest Supporting Actor - Film
2001Sodomania: Gangbang EditionBest Group Sex Scene - Video
2001SpellboundBest Actor - Video
2001White Trash Whore 17Best Anal Sex Scene - Video
2002Bad Wives 2Best Group Sex Scene - Film
2002InfidelityBest Supporting Actor - Video
2002MafiosoBest Actor - Film
2002Pussy FaceMost Outrageous Sex Scene
2002SuccubusBest Group Sex Scene - Video
2002TakenBest Anal Sex Scene - Film
2002TakenBest Supporting Actor - Film
2003Big Bottom SadieBest Supporting Actor - Video
2004Roommate From HellBest Actor - Video
2004The ContortionistBest Supporting Actor - Video
2005The HitmanBest Supporting Actor - Video
2005Love and BulletsBest Actor - Video
2006Dark SideBest Actor - Film
2006Dark SideBest Couples Sex Scene - Film
2006House of AssBest Three-Way Sex Scene
2007Butt Pirates of the CaribbeanBest Group Sex Scene - Video
2007ClusterFuck 5Best Group Sex Scene - Video
2007GameBest Non-Sex Performance
2007Rumour Had 'EmBest Supporting Actor - Video
2008DelilahBest Actor - Video
2008Spunk'd the MovieBest Supporting Actor - Video
2009The Texas Vibrator MassacreBest Non-Sex Performance
201030 Rock: A XXX ParodyBest Actor
2013Dallas: A XXX ParodyBest Non-Sex Performance

YearNominated workCategoryResult
201030 Rock: A XXX ParodyActing Performance of the Year - Male
2019Fallen II: Angels & DemonsBest Non-Sex Performance