LOS ANGELES — Savage entered the adult business in 1976 and continued performing until well into the 2010s, making him one of the longest-serving male talents in the industry.
Savage’s IAFD entry lists a staggering 2,000-plus scene and feature credits in his storied career.
Originally from Brooklyn, Savage joined the military in 1969 and served in Vietnam, reportedly as a Navy SEAL. He then became a stage actor in the 1970s before transitioning to porn. However, his passion for theater continued throughout his life.
Savage starred in several undisputed film classics of the Golden Age of Porn, including 1978’s “Debbie Does Dallas.” He co-starred with an innumerable array of major female performers from the 1970s until the 2010s.
Other titles Savage starred in include “Expose Me Now,” “Bodies in Heat,” “Rambone Does Hollywood” and cult favorite “White Fire,” before he took a hiatus between 1988 and 1997 to work in video distribution and concentrate on his theater career.
Over the course of his decades-long career, Savage worked under a plethora of pseudonyms, including Dick Bogart, William Lux, Harvey Wilden, Harvey Hanson, Bill Barry, Bill Berry, Billy Bell, Cornell Hayes, Dan Hues, Gerald Graystone, Greg Falcon, H. Savage, Harvey Cowan, Harvey Kane, Harvy Cowen, Hubert Savage, Jack Baron, Jack Black, Jack Blake, Jack Sin, Jack Soft, Joel Black, Joel Caine, Joel Kane, Little Soft, Norman Vain, Paul Hues, Skip Brooks, Van Ayasit, Vic Falcone and William Berry.
Later in life, Savage lived in California, where he continued his long-held practice as a Buddhist. In 2006, he starred in the play “The Prisoner of Second Avenue” by Neil Simon, under the stage name “Max Cohen,” at Santa Monica’s Morgan-Wixson Theater.
More recently, Savage participated in the documentary series “After Porn Ends.”
In the 2010s, Savage wrote and performed a one-man show, “Porn Star — My Life in the Sex Industry.”
When asked by an interviewer in 2009 why he originally decided to do porn, Savage explained, “I needed money. I kept getting involved with girls, but I wasn’t really a confident guy, but I wanted to find hotter girls and money. Non-committal sex. I was a Buddhist then, as I am now. So I’d chant ‘Nam myoho renge kyo’ [a pledge to oneself to never yield to difficulties and to win over one’s suffering] and hope for the best. The idea, of course, is to be a happy person. Can’t blame anyone else for your misfortune.”
Industry Reminiscences
Fellow adult industry pioneer Nina Hartley told XBIZ, “I was saddened to hear of the untimely passing of one of my all-time favorite scene partners, Hershel Savage. I saw him recently at the 50th anniversary showing of ‘Deep Throat’ and it was good to catch up. My memories of working with him remain, after 40 years, some of my fondest of my career.
“From my earliest days on screen, Herschel was always a true pleasure,” Hartley added. “He was one of the few who could have sex as his character, which made working with him the most fun. He was always charming, self-effacing and never failed to deliver. He was beloved by many and will be deeply missed.”
“I’m shocked and devastated to wake up to hear about Herschel Savage’s passing,” wrote iconic 1980s performer Amber Lynn. “We have been in touch quite a bit recently. I thank goodness for our continued kindness and friendship over the years. He was one of my very most favorite co-stars to work with, always. May he rest in peace.”
Frequent co-star Jessica Drake told XBIZ, “Herschel was an absolute legend. He was really one of a kind. He was so talented, with his professional acting background, and as a practicing Buddhist, so kind and compassionate. I met Herschel when I was quite new to the industry and immediately fell in love with the way he brought characters to life. He took acting in porn very seriously, and when I decided I wanted to do the same, he was so supportive and spent time on set giving me advice. He’d patiently run dialogue with me until it was perfect.
“As a performer, he was great with me — we had great chemistry, he always respected me and my boundaries, I was always requesting him, and he was on my ‘yes’ list for as long as he performed,” Drake continued. “My absolute favorite roles to see him in were those where he played a mafia boss or some kind of ‘tough guy.’ We could really tell he had a lot of inspiration for those.
“When I directed my first feature ever, he played a big role in it, and I will always be so grateful for the role he played in my career,” Drake concluded. “I look back on my biggest movies, and he’s almost always there. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends, and my appreciation forever to Herschel for the level of talent he brought to our industry.”
Fellow Golden Age performer “Long” Jeanne Silver posted on Facebook about Savage, “He was one of the sweetest souls I ever worked with and was proud to have been able to call him my friend. You will be deeply missed and I’ll hold your memory close to my heart.”
“I have known Herschel my entire career,” APAG President and co-star Alana Evans told XBIZ. “I was lucky enough to work with him multiple times. He was an incredible actor, hilarious joker, with a heart of gold. Herschel was a legendary performer in this industry, and he will be missed.”
‘A Class Act’
“Very saddened to learn about the passing of Herschel Savage,” fellow male talent Jack Lawrence posted on X.com. “I was making mistakes left and right when I started in porn, he pulled me aside — gave me tips, Always the nicest guy in the room — will be missed.”
Director and fellow performer Brad Armstrong wrote on Facebook, “Herschel was a great guy and one of the few real pro actors in the biz. He, Randy Spears, Mike Horner and a few other legends from back in the day made my kind of movies a reality. Without their amazing talent, they just wouldn’t have been a possibility.
“I got the opportunity to work with Herschel on a ton of shows over the years,” Armstrong added, “starting when he made his comeback in the late 1990s. The first movie I got to direct him in was ‘Heartache’ opposite Missy (1998). It was an amazing experience, but now tragically they’re both gone.
“Herschel was a master of his craft and it was an honor working with him for all those years, right up until our last project ‘Fallen II’ (2018). 20 years of working together in the trenches. I will never again hear his signature bellow “Braaaaad.” He will be missed,” Armstrong concluded.
In a sentiment shared by many of the veteran performer’s colleagues, Kayla Paige called Savage “a class act.”
“He was so kind and professional,” she posted on X.com.
