Scott O'Hara
Encyclopedia
Scott O'Hara was an American pornographic performer, author, poet, editor and publisher. Rising to prominence during the mid 1980s for his work in such gay adult films as Winner Takes All, Ramcharger, The Other Side Of Aspen 2, Below The Belt and In Your Wildest Dreams, O'Hara went on to write three books, Do It Yourself Piston Polishing (for Non-Mechanics), Autopornography: A Memoir of Life in the Lust Lane, and Rarely Pure and Never Simple: Selected Essays of Scott O'Hara, as well as editing and publishing the quarterly men's journal, Steam.
. He was known professionally as "Scott O'Hara" or "Spunk" and always used his professional name throughout his adult life. In an essay titled "A Dick by Any Other Name", O'Hara wrote: "I knew from an early age that I was a changeling. I spent the next eighteen years looking for my real name, and since I found it I have not pretended to be anyone else."
He first came to prominence when he was awarded the title "The Man With The Biggest Dick in San Francisco" in a contest in the early 1980s. That title became his trademark for the rest of his porn and professional career. Published measurement of his penis varies from 9.5 to 11 inches. From 1983-88, he appeared in over twenty gay and bisexual-themed films and videos, several of which demonstrate his rare ability of auto-fellatio
.
O'Hara was a cautious proponent of barebacking
, praising the freedom from fear of risk it gave him, yet he had "HIV+" tattooed on his shoulder back in 1994. Four years later, he died of AIDS-related complications (Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
) in San Francisco. He left his personal papers (consisting of 39 boxes of journals, correspondences, notes, and manuscripts) with the John Hay Library
of Brown University
.
Biography
O'Hara was born John R. Scott on October 16, 1961 in Grants Pass, OregonGrants Pass, Oregon
-Rogue River:The Rogue River runs through Grants Pass.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,003 people, 9,376 households, and 5,925 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,885 housing units at an average density of 1,303.3 per square mile . By 2008,...
. He was known professionally as "Scott O'Hara" or "Spunk" and always used his professional name throughout his adult life. In an essay titled "A Dick by Any Other Name", O'Hara wrote: "I knew from an early age that I was a changeling. I spent the next eighteen years looking for my real name, and since I found it I have not pretended to be anyone else."
He first came to prominence when he was awarded the title "The Man With The Biggest Dick in San Francisco" in a contest in the early 1980s. That title became his trademark for the rest of his porn and professional career. Published measurement of his penis varies from 9.5 to 11 inches. From 1983-88, he appeared in over twenty gay and bisexual-themed films and videos, several of which demonstrate his rare ability of auto-fellatio
Autofellatio
Autofellatio is the act of oral stimulation of one's own penis as a form of masturbation. It is physically possible for men who have sufficient flexibility, penis size or a combination of the two to perform autofellatio...
.
O'Hara was a cautious proponent of barebacking
Barebacking
Bareback is a slang term to describe acts of sexual penetration without the use of a condom.The term comes from the equestrian term bareback, which refers to the practice of riding a horse without a saddle...
, praising the freedom from fear of risk it gave him, yet he had "HIV+" tattooed on his shoulder back in 1994. Four years later, he died of AIDS-related complications (Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
The non-Hodgkin lymphomas are a diverse group of blood cancers that include any kind of lymphoma except Hodgkin's lymphomas. Types of NHL vary significantly in their severity, from indolent to very aggressive....
) in San Francisco. He left his personal papers (consisting of 39 boxes of journals, correspondences, notes, and manuscripts) with the John Hay Library
John Hay Library
The John Hay Library is the second oldest library on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Located on Prospect Street, opposite the Van Wickle Gates, it replaced the outgrown former library, now Robinson Hall, as the main library on the campus...
of Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
.
Filmography
- Winner Takes All (1982)
- California Blue (1983)
- Ramcharger (1984)
- Slaves for Sale 2 (1984)
- The Joys of Self-Abuse (1985)
- The Other Side Of Aspen 2 (1985)
- Sgt. Swann's Private Files (1985)
- Sighs (1985)
- Advocate Men Live! 1 (1986)
- Below the Belt (1986)
- The Guy Next Door (1986)
- Hung and Horny (1986)
- Oversized Load (1986)
- Sex-Hunt (1986)
- Strict Shift (1986)
- In Your Wildest Dreams (1987)
- Switch Hitters 2 (1987)
- Advocate Men Live! 4 (1988)
- Double Standards (1988)
- Head Over Heels 1 (1988)
- New Recruits (1988)
- The Sex Party (1992)
Published works
- Do It Yourself Piston Polishing (for Non-Mechanics) (Badboy, 1996)
- Autopornography: A Memoir of Life in the Lust Lane (New York: Haworth Press, 1997)
- Rarely Pure and Never Simple: Selected Essays of Scott O'Hara (New York: Haworth Press, 1999)
- Steam: A Quarterly Journal for Men (editor, 1993–1995)
External links
- Scott O'Hara Papers, 1979-1998 at the Brown University Library
- 1997 Scott O'Hara Interview by Owen Keehnen at the Queer Cultural Center
- "Sex Positive" (article about O'Hara in June, 1995, issue of POZ)
- "Full of Spunk" (obituary for O'Hara in June, 1998, issue of POZ)
- Scott O'Hara Tribute Site