Hyapatia Lee
Encyclopedia
Hyapatia Lee of Cherokee
and Irish
descent, is a former American
exotic dancer
and pornographic actress
. As the only (one quarter Cherokee
) Native American in the business, during her tenure, she was one of the most prolific pornographic actresses
of the Golden Age of Porn
.
in her teenage years, following reported sexual abuse from her stepfather. She views Hyapatia as a particular personality that allowed her to perform. She met and married Bud Lee
, with whom she bought land in rural southern Indiana
, where she has lived since. The couple had two children, who were homeschooled by their mother at their Indiana home.
After winning the 1979 Miss Nude Galaxy contest in Roselawn, Indiana
, its owner cast Lee in The Young Like It Hot (1983). In 1984 she appeared in a second movie Sweet Young Foxes. In 1984, she appeared in Penthouse, in the same September 1984 record breaking bestselling issue that exposed Miss America
1984, Vanessa Williams
(although it became illegal to own since its Penthouse Pet was minor
Traci Lords
).
With time, her husband Bud joined the cast and crew of her films. Together they created the second most expensive pornographic film, The Ribald Tales of Canterbury (1985), with Bud Lee directing and Hyapatia Lee starring and screenwriting a version of Geoffrey Chaucer's
classic The Canterbury Tales
.
Lee had difficulties coping with the fame and recognition she received, and had increasing problems with mental illness. She was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, and in 1993, blacked out after having left the set of Native Tongue following a confrontation with the director. She retired from the industry and separated from Bud the same year. She has since remarried and had another child.
Also in 1993, she was inducted into the XRCO and AVN
Halls of Fame. She was also given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Free Speech Coalition
in 1995.
In 1998, members of her fan club had received word of her death due to diabetes. It was later revealed by the work of porn journalist Luke Ford
that Hyapatia herself fixed the hoax in an effort to sell merchandise.
In 1999, one of Lee's tracks from her 1994 release appeared on the music CD Porn to Rock. In 2000, she self-published an autobiography
, but has largely tried to distance herself from her past career. Like many performers, she retained no rights to her films, and does not earn royalties, but chose not to sue to reclaim cybersquatting
entities that use her alias in their domain names.
Under her birth name, Lee has made a return to the mainstream stage. She currently is a member of the Coachlight Musical Theater in Nashville, Indiana
.
Double Euphoric has been rereleased in September 2010 both as physical and digital versions via outlets such as CD Baby
, Amazon
and Apple iTunes.
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
and Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
descent, is a former American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
exotic dancer
Exotic dancer
The terms exotic dancer and exotic dance can have different meanings in different parts of the world and depending on context. In the erotic sense, "exotic dance" is a often used to refer to practitioners of striptease...
and pornographic actress
Pornographic actor
A pornographic actor/actress or a porn star is a person who appears in pornographic film. Most actors appear nude in films...
. As the only (one quarter Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
) Native American in the business, during her tenure, she was one of the most prolific pornographic actresses
Pornographic actor
A pornographic actor/actress or a porn star is a person who appears in pornographic film. Most actors appear nude in films...
of the 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...
.
Life
Lee was born as Victoria (Vicki) Lynch in Haughville, Indianapolis, to teenaged parents. She attended the local high school, where she performed in several musicals. She developed dissociative identity disorderDissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis and describes a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities , each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment....
in her teenage years, following reported sexual abuse from her stepfather. She views Hyapatia as a particular personality that allowed her to perform. She met and married Bud Lee
Bud Lee
Bud Lee is an adult film director. He is an AVN Hall of Fame member and also works as an agent for LA Direct Models.Lee has been married to adult film actresses Asia Carrera and Hyapatia Lee.-External links:* *...
, with whom she bought land in rural southern Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, where she has lived since. The couple had two children, who were homeschooled by their mother at their Indiana home.
After winning the 1979 Miss Nude Galaxy contest in Roselawn, Indiana
Roselawn, Indiana
Roselawn is a census-designated place in Newton and Jasper counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 4,131 at the 2010 census....
, its owner cast Lee in The Young Like It Hot (1983). In 1984 she appeared in a second movie Sweet Young Foxes. In 1984, she appeared in Penthouse, in the same September 1984 record breaking bestselling issue that exposed Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
1984, Vanessa Williams
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
(although it became illegal to own since its Penthouse Pet was minor
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
Traci Lords
Traci Lords
Traci Lords , also known as Traci Elizabeth Lords and Tracy Lords, is an American film actress, producer, film director, writer and singer...
).
With time, her husband Bud joined the cast and crew of her films. Together they created the second most expensive pornographic film, The Ribald Tales of Canterbury (1985), with Bud Lee directing and Hyapatia Lee starring and screenwriting a version of Geoffrey Chaucer's
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
classic The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. The tales are told as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at...
.
Lee had difficulties coping with the fame and recognition she received, and had increasing problems with mental illness. She was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, and in 1993, blacked out after having left the set of Native Tongue following a confrontation with the director. She retired from the industry and separated from Bud the same year. She has since remarried and had another child.
Also in 1993, she was inducted into the XRCO and AVN
AVN Awards
The AVN Awards are movie awards sponsored and presented by the American adult video industry trade magazine AVN to honor exceptional performance in various aspects of the creation and marketing of American pornographic movies. They are called the "Oscars of porn"...
Halls of Fame. She was also given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Free Speech Coalition
Free Speech Coalition
The Free Speech Coalition is a non-profit trade association of the pornography and adult entertainment industry in the United States...
in 1995.
In 1998, members of her fan club had received word of her death due to diabetes. It was later revealed by the work of porn journalist Luke Ford
Luke Ford
Luke Ford is an American writer, blogger, and former pornography gossip columnist known for his disclosures and traditionalist Jewish religious views.-Personal:Ford moved to California in 1977...
that Hyapatia herself fixed the hoax in an effort to sell merchandise.
Music
In 1994, Lee recorded the album Double Euphoric with her band W4IK. She toured with the same band (which was based in Los Angeles) and also with another band based in Indiana, called Vision Quest.In 1999, one of Lee's tracks from her 1994 release appeared on the music CD Porn to Rock. In 2000, she self-published an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, but has largely tried to distance herself from her past career. Like many performers, she retained no rights to her films, and does not earn royalties, but chose not to sue to reclaim cybersquatting
Cybersquatting
Cybersquatting , according to the United States federal law known as the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, is registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else...
entities that use her alias in their domain names.
Under her birth name, Lee has made a return to the mainstream stage. She currently is a member of the Coachlight Musical Theater in Nashville, Indiana
Nashville, Indiana
Nashville is a town in Washington Township, Brown County, Indiana, United States. The population was 803 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Brown County and is the county's only incorporated town...
.
Double Euphoric has been rereleased in September 2010 both as physical and digital versions via outlets such as CD Baby
CD Baby
CD Baby is an online music store specializing in the sale of CDs and digital music downloads from independent musicians to consumers. The company is also a digital aggregator of independent music recordings, distributing content to several online digital music retailers.CD Baby has achieved recent...
, Amazon
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
and Apple iTunes.
Awards
- 1991 AVN Best Actress - Film for The Masseuse
- 1993 F.O.X.E Female Fan Favorite
- AVN Hall of Fame Inductee
Source
External links
- Official Website
- Hyapatia Lee at Twitter http://twitter.com/hyapatialee