Debbie Does Dallas
Encyclopedia
Debbie Does Dallas is a 1978 pornographic film starring Bambi Woods
. The plot of the film focuses on a team of cheerleaders
attempting to earn enough money to send the title character to Dallas, Texas
, to try out for the famous “Texas Cowgirls” cheerleading squad. The fictional name "Texas Cowgirls" was seen as a take on the real-life Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
. Woods had previously tried out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in real-life, but was rejected. The film was highly successful, is regarded as one of the most important releases during the so-called "Golden Age of Porn
", and remains one of the best-known pornographic films.
Contrary to the title, the film is not set in Dallas nor does the eponymous Debbie "do" anyone in or from Dallas. The movie spawned a number of sequels and spin-offs including Debbie Does New Orleans, Debbie Does Wall Street and Debbie Does Dallas Again.
) is the captain of her high school cheerleading squad, and has been accepted to try out for the Texas Cowgirls. Her parents disapprove, though, and refuse to pay the fare to Texas. In a bid to help Debbie, her cheerleader friends Lisa (Georgette Sanders), Roberta (Misty Winter), Tammy (Arcadia Lake), Pat (Kasey Rodgers), and Annie (Jenny Cole) decide to accompany her to Texas. They have two weeks to raise the money, and swear off any sexual activity with their boyfriends and form a company, called "Teen Services", offering help.
Tammy takes a job in the local record store run by Tony (Tony Mansfield). Debbie gets a job at a sports store run by Mr. Greenfield (Richard Balla
). Roberta convinces Mr. Hardwick (Eric Edwards) to give her a job at the candle store with Mrs. Hardwick (Robyn Bird
). Rikki (Sherri Tart) and Annie agree to wash Mr. Bradly's car.
The football team is annoyed with its lack of sex. Roberta's boyfriend Rick (David Morris) and his teammates join Roberta and Pat in the showers where they have group sex. While working for Mr. Greenfield at the sports store, Debbie is talked in to allowing Mr Greenfield to see her breasts for $10, fondle her breasts for another $10, then he sucks them for an additional $20.
Realising that they will not be able to raise enough money by legitimate means, Debbie convinces the other girls to engage in sexual activities for more money. They agree but only if it is on their terms.
Roberta is caught masturbating
by Mrs. Hardwick. She engages in sexual activity with both Mr and Mrs Hardwick, earning extra money. Rikki and Annie go to see Mr. Bradly (David Suton), to wash his car. Mr. Bradly is not home, but they wash the car anyway. When Mr. Bradly arrives home he asks them in to dry off their wet clothes. They undress for him for $10 each. He performs oral sex
on them, then has anal sex
with Annie.
At the library Donna (Merril Townsend) flirts with Mr Biddle, the librarian. Her boyfriend Tim (Bill Barry
) visits her attempting to have sex with her. She fellates
him but is caught by Mr Biddle (Jack Teague). She allows him to spank her to prevent him from telling her parents. Hamilton (Peter Lerman) and his friend Ashly (Ben Pierce) are in the tennis club sauna after a tennis game, and Hamilton convinces Lisa to fellate him while Ashly penetrates her.
At the record store, Tammy has been avoiding Tony's advances; she calls Lisa who joins them at the record store. Lisa offers Tony "anything" and she begins to fellate him, then Tammy joins in, and he ejaculates
on Tammy's breasts.
Debbie dresses as a "Texas Cowgirl" and goes to see Mr. Greenfield after hours at the store. She fellates him, he then penetrates her vagina with his finger and performs cunnilingus on her. Then they engage in sex, first in the missionary position
, then doggy style
, and then with Debbie on top. They finish in the missionary position before Mr. Greenfield ejaculates on Debbie.
athletic field, and the Pratt Institute
library in Brooklyn, New York
, without the administration's knowledge or approval. There is an unfounded internet rumor that certain scenes were shot at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, including the library scene. However, that was found to be unlikely after an investigation with alumni, and the president of the Debbie Does Dallas production company said such a claim "was purely inconclusive".
(trademark
). The case was The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders v. Pussycat Cinema. Judge Van Graafeiland of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Southern New York described the movie as "a gross and revolting sex film". The Cheerleaders successfully argued that their uniforms were mimicked by the film's producers and used in advertising. The theater argued that uniforms are strictly functional items, but in affirming the district court, the Second Circuit explained "It is well established that, if the design of an item is nonfunctional and has acquired secondary meaning, the design may become a trademark even if the item itself is functional." The decision has been criticized on free speech grounds, but the Seventh Circuit has cited it for the proposition that "confusion about sponsorship or approval, even when the mark does not mislead consumers about the source of the goods," may be sufficient to state a claim under Lanham Act 43(a).
In another 1983 court case in New York, United States v. Various Articles of Obscene Merchandise found the film not to be obscene.
The 1986 publication of the Meese Report
contained graphic descriptions of the film's sex scenes and uncensored excerpts of dialogue, which may have contributed to the report becoming a best-seller.
By 1995. 50,000 videocassette copies had been sold.
In 2001, Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical
was created by Susan L. Schwartz for the New York International Fringe Festival
. In 2002 it was made into an Off-Broadway
musical comedy
of the same name
. Unlike the original movie, the musical did not contain any actual sex
or nudity
, which caused some disappointment among people, as false hype had been made and the musical's producers did nothing to dismiss it. Since then, the show has been performed around the world, often with racier direction and more explicit choreography. The story, dialogue and characters are fairly faithful to the original film, with musical numbers standing in for sex scenes or added for comic effect.
In 2005 a documentary called Debbie Does Dallas Uncovered
was produced and shown on British television.
In 2006, VCX
employed Media Blasters
to digitally re-master the movie from the original 35mm film into a "Definitive Collectors Edition" 2-Disc set on DVD.
On April 11, 2007, Vivid Entertainment Group
began including the original Debbie Does Dallas with a new release titled Debbie Does Dallas ... Again
in DVD
, Blu-ray, and HD DVD
formats. It has also been remade with contemporary porn stars
.
Bambi Woods
Bambi Woods is a former pornographic actress best known for her appearance as the title character in the 1978 film Debbie Does Dallas. She was advertised on theater marquees and in advertising as a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, although this was not actually the case.Woods appeared in only a...
. The plot of the film focuses on a team of cheerleaders
Cheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
attempting to earn enough money to send the title character to Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, to try out for the famous “Texas Cowgirls” cheerleading squad. The fictional name "Texas Cowgirls" was seen as a take on the real-life Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is the National Football League cheerleading squad representing the Dallas Cowboys.- 1960s :The original cheerleading squad was a made up of a male-female group called the CowBelles & Beaux. The group made its sidelines debut in 1960 during the Cowboys' inaugural...
. Woods had previously tried out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in real-life, but was rejected. The film was highly successful, is regarded as one of the most important releases during the so-called "Golden Age of Porn
Golden Age of Porn
The Golden Age of Porn or porno chic refers to a period in the history of pornography, approximately from the late-1960s to the early-to-mid-1980s. The period is idealized as a time in history where the difficulty to treat STDs had not achieved wide public notice...
", and remains one of the best-known pornographic films.
Contrary to the title, the film is not set in Dallas nor does the eponymous Debbie "do" anyone in or from Dallas. The movie spawned a number of sequels and spin-offs including Debbie Does New Orleans, Debbie Does Wall Street and Debbie Does Dallas Again.
Plot
Debbie Benton (Bambi WoodsBambi Woods
Bambi Woods is a former pornographic actress best known for her appearance as the title character in the 1978 film Debbie Does Dallas. She was advertised on theater marquees and in advertising as a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, although this was not actually the case.Woods appeared in only a...
) is the captain of her high school cheerleading squad, and has been accepted to try out for the Texas Cowgirls. Her parents disapprove, though, and refuse to pay the fare to Texas. In a bid to help Debbie, her cheerleader friends Lisa (Georgette Sanders), Roberta (Misty Winter), Tammy (Arcadia Lake), Pat (Kasey Rodgers), and Annie (Jenny Cole) decide to accompany her to Texas. They have two weeks to raise the money, and swear off any sexual activity with their boyfriends and form a company, called "Teen Services", offering help.
Tammy takes a job in the local record store run by Tony (Tony Mansfield). Debbie gets a job at a sports store run by Mr. Greenfield (Richard Balla
Robert Kerman
Robert Charles Kerman , also known as R. Bolla, or Richard Bolla, is an American actor. As R. Bolla, he appeared in well over 100 pornographic films, most famously Debbie Does Dallas...
). Roberta convinces Mr. Hardwick (Eric Edwards) to give her a job at the candle store with Mrs. Hardwick (Robyn Bird
Robin Byrd
Robin Byrd is an American former porn actress and the host of The Robin Byrd Show, which has appeared on Leased access cable television in New York City for close to thirty years.-Background:...
). Rikki (Sherri Tart) and Annie agree to wash Mr. Bradly's car.
The football team is annoyed with its lack of sex. Roberta's boyfriend Rick (David Morris) and his teammates join Roberta and Pat in the showers where they have group sex. While working for Mr. Greenfield at the sports store, Debbie is talked in to allowing Mr Greenfield to see her breasts for $10, fondle her breasts for another $10, then he sucks them for an additional $20.
Realising that they will not be able to raise enough money by legitimate means, Debbie convinces the other girls to engage in sexual activities for more money. They agree but only if it is on their terms.
Roberta is caught masturbating
Masturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
by Mrs. Hardwick. She engages in sexual activity with both Mr and Mrs Hardwick, earning extra money. Rikki and Annie go to see Mr. Bradly (David Suton), to wash his car. Mr. Bradly is not home, but they wash the car anyway. When Mr. Bradly arrives home he asks them in to dry off their wet clothes. They undress for him for $10 each. He performs oral sex
Cunnilingus
Cunnilingus is an oral sex act performed on a female. It involves the use by a sex partner of the mouth, lips and tongue to stimulate the female's clitoris, vulva, or vagina...
on them, then has anal sex
Anal sex
Anal sex is the sex act in which the penis is inserted into the anus of a sexual partner. The term can also include other sexual acts involving the anus, including pegging, anilingus , fingering, and object insertion.Common misconception describes anal sex as practiced almost exclusively by gay men...
with Annie.
At the library Donna (Merril Townsend) flirts with Mr Biddle, the librarian. Her boyfriend Tim (Bill Barry
Herschel Savage
Herschel Savage is an American pornographic actor and porn movie director.He was born Herschel Cohen to Russian Jewish parents in New York City....
) visits her attempting to have sex with her. She fellates
Fellatio
Fellatio is an act of oral stimulation of a male's penis by a sexual partner. It involves the stimulation of the penis by the use of the mouth, tongue, or throat. The person who performs fellatio can be referred to as the giving partner, and the other person is the receiving partner...
him but is caught by Mr Biddle (Jack Teague). She allows him to spank her to prevent him from telling her parents. Hamilton (Peter Lerman) and his friend Ashly (Ben Pierce) are in the tennis club sauna after a tennis game, and Hamilton convinces Lisa to fellate him while Ashly penetrates her.
At the record store, Tammy has been avoiding Tony's advances; she calls Lisa who joins them at the record store. Lisa offers Tony "anything" and she begins to fellate him, then Tammy joins in, and he ejaculates
Ejaculation
Ejaculation is the ejecting of semen from the male reproductory tract, and is usually accompanied by orgasm. It is usually the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural conception. In rare cases ejaculation occurs because of prostatic disease...
on Tammy's breasts.
Debbie dresses as a "Texas Cowgirl" and goes to see Mr. Greenfield after hours at the store. She fellates him, he then penetrates her vagina with his finger and performs cunnilingus on her. Then they engage in sex, first in the missionary position
Missionary position
The missionary position is a "man-on-top" sex position usually described as the act in which the woman lies on her back and the partners face each other. Though often acted on and applied by heterosexual pairings, it may also be used by gay and lesbian couples.The missionary position is an example...
, then doggy style
Doggy style
Doggy style is a group of sex positions in which the receiving partner crouches on all fours with the legs slightly apart...
, and then with Debbie on top. They finish in the missionary position before Mr. Greenfield ejaculates on Debbie.
Cast
- Bambi WoodsBambi WoodsBambi Woods is a former pornographic actress best known for her appearance as the title character in the 1978 film Debbie Does Dallas. She was advertised on theater marquees and in advertising as a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, although this was not actually the case.Woods appeared in only a...
as Debbie Benton - Richard BallaRobert KermanRobert Charles Kerman , also known as R. Bolla, or Richard Bolla, is an American actor. As R. Bolla, he appeared in well over 100 pornographic films, most famously Debbie Does Dallas...
as Mr. Greenfeld - Christie Ford (as Misty Winter) as Roberta
- Robin ByrdRobin ByrdRobin Byrd is an American former porn actress and the host of The Robin Byrd Show, which has appeared on Leased access cable television in New York City for close to thirty years.-Background:...
as Mrs. Hardwick - Eric Edwards as Mr. Hardwick
- Rikki O'Neal (as Sherri Tart) as Rikki
- Jenny Cole as Annie
- David Pierce (as David Suton) as Mr. Bradly
- Merle Michaels (as Merril Townsend) as Donna
- Jack Teague (as Jake Teague) as Mr. Biddle
- Bill BarryHerschel SavageHerschel Savage is an American pornographic actor and porn movie director.He was born Herschel Cohen to Russian Jewish parents in New York City....
as Tim - Georgette Sanders as Lisa
- Peter Lerman as Hamilton
- Ben Pierce as Ashly
- Arcadia Lake as Tammy
- Tony Mansfield as Tony
- David Morris as Tim
- Kasey Rodgers as Pat
- Debbie Lewis as Girl in Shower
- Steve Marshall as Boy in Shower
Production
The movie was produced and directed by Jim Clark. Some scenes were shot at the Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
athletic field, and the Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
library in Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, without the administration's knowledge or approval. There is an unfounded internet rumor that certain scenes were shot at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, including the library scene. However, that was found to be unlikely after an investigation with alumni, and the president of the Debbie Does Dallas production company said such a claim "was purely inconclusive".
Reception
In New York, an adult theater showing the films was successfully enjoined from showing the film by the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders under the Lanham ActLanham Act
The Lanham Act is a piece of legislation that contains the federal statutes of trademark law in the United States. The Act prohibits a number of activities, including trademark infringement, trademark dilution, and false advertising.-History:Named for Representative Fritz G...
(trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
). The case was The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders v. Pussycat Cinema. Judge Van Graafeiland of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Southern New York described the movie as "a gross and revolting sex film". The Cheerleaders successfully argued that their uniforms were mimicked by the film's producers and used in advertising. The theater argued that uniforms are strictly functional items, but in affirming the district court, the Second Circuit explained "It is well established that, if the design of an item is nonfunctional and has acquired secondary meaning, the design may become a trademark even if the item itself is functional." The decision has been criticized on free speech grounds, but the Seventh Circuit has cited it for the proposition that "confusion about sponsorship or approval, even when the mark does not mislead consumers about the source of the goods," may be sufficient to state a claim under Lanham Act 43(a).
In another 1983 court case in New York, United States v. Various Articles of Obscene Merchandise found the film not to be obscene.
The 1986 publication of the Meese Report
Meese Report
The final report of the Attorney General's Commission on Pornography is the result of a comprehensive investigation into pornography ordered by U.S. President Ronald Reagan...
contained graphic descriptions of the film's sex scenes and uncensored excerpts of dialogue, which may have contributed to the report becoming a best-seller.
By 1995. 50,000 videocassette copies had been sold.
Parodies and remakes
The film spawned the sequels, remakes and imitations Debbie Does Dallas 2, 3 and 4, Debbie Does Dallas 99, Debbie Does Dallas:The Next Generation, Debbie Does Iowa, Debbie Goes to College, Debbie Does 'Em All, Night of the Living Debbies, Debbie Duz Dishes 1, 2 and 3, Bang the Debbie Slowly and Debbie Does the Devil in Dallas.In 2001, Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical
Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical
Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical is an Off-Broadway musical with a book by Susan L. Schwartz, composed by Andrew Sherman, with Tom Kitt and Jonathan Callicutt providing additional music and lyrics. It is based on the 1978 pornographic film Debbie Does Dallas...
was created by Susan L. Schwartz for the New York International Fringe Festival
New York International Fringe Festival
The New York International Fringe Festival, or FringeNYC, is a Fringe theater festival and one of the largest multi-arts events in North America. It takes place over the course of two weeks every August, spread across several neighborhoods in downtown Manhattan, notably the Lower East Side, the...
. In 2002 it was made into an Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
musical comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
of the same name
Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical
Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical is an Off-Broadway musical with a book by Susan L. Schwartz, composed by Andrew Sherman, with Tom Kitt and Jonathan Callicutt providing additional music and lyrics. It is based on the 1978 pornographic film Debbie Does Dallas...
. Unlike the original movie, the musical did not contain any actual sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
or nudity
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
, which caused some disappointment among people, as false hype had been made and the musical's producers did nothing to dismiss it. Since then, the show has been performed around the world, often with racier direction and more explicit choreography. The story, dialogue and characters are fairly faithful to the original film, with musical numbers standing in for sex scenes or added for comic effect.
In 2005 a documentary called Debbie Does Dallas Uncovered
Debbie Does Dallas Uncovered
Debbie Does Dallas Uncovered, also known as The Curse of Debbie Does Dallas, is a TV documentary shown as part of Channel 4s The Dark Side of Porn series. In the vein of Inside Deep Throat, it examines the history of the production and marketing of the 1978 cult pornographic hit, Debbie Does Dallas...
was produced and shown on British television.
In 2006, VCX
VCX
Variable charge X-linked protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the VCX gene.-Further reading:...
employed Media Blasters
Media Blasters
Media Blasters is an entertainment corporation founded by John Sirabella and Sam Liebowitz, based in New York City. They are in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American market manga compilations and anime and live-action movies and television series to home-video...
to digitally re-master the movie from the original 35mm film into a "Definitive Collectors Edition" 2-Disc set on DVD.
On April 11, 2007, Vivid Entertainment Group
Vivid Entertainment
Vivid Entertainment Group is an adult video producer, featuring a catalog of VHS and DVD titles and internet content. In 2006 it was described by Reuters as one of the handful of studios that dominate the U.S. porn industry....
began including the original Debbie Does Dallas with a new release titled Debbie Does Dallas ... Again
Debbie Does Dallas ... Again
Debbie Does Dallas ... Again is a 2007 Vivid Entertainment sequel to Debbie Does Dallas featuring Monique Alexander, Savanna Samson, Hillary Scott, Stefani Morgan, and Sunny Leone...
in DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, Blu-ray, and HD DVD
HD DVD
HD DVD is a discontinued high-density optical disc format for storing data and high-definition video.Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD was envisioned to be the successor to the standard DVD format...
formats. It has also been remade with contemporary porn stars
Porn Stars
Porn Stars is the second studio album by the band Pretty Boy Floyd. It features re-recordings of five tracks from their debut album Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz, a re-recording of one track from Tonight Belongs To The Young, and a re-recording of one track from their EP A Tale of Sex, Designer...
.
External links
- Debbie Does Dallas at the Adult Film DatabaseAdult Film DatabaseThe Adult Film Database is a website that attempts to keep records of all pornographic movies and adult film stars. This includes filmographies, partial biographies, reviews, labeled and categorized adult film stills, as well as a regularly updated adult industry blog which features the latest news...
- Debbie Does Dallas: Where are they now?
- `Comic at comics.org