The 2022 Academy Awards ceremony takes place this evening, with the event being broadcast live on television all over the world.
But rather than tune in to see ‘West Side Story’ compete with ‘The Power of the Dog’, we prefer to travel back 38 years and watch the 1984 Adult Film Association of America (AFAA) awards – when films like The Devil in Miss Jones Part II, Little Girls Lost, Naughty Girls Need Love Too, Reel People, and Suzie Superstar battled it out.
It was the eighth annual ceremony, and was just as glitzy as its mainstream counterpart, featuring a full orchestra, musical numbers, live performances of the nominated songs, comedy segments, and clips of the nominees. Attendees included all the XXX stars of the time – from John Leslie, Seka, Richard Pacheco, Kay Parker, Jamie Gillis, Eric Edwards, Fred Lincoln and Tiffany Clark… plus Francis Ford Coppola, who Henri Pachard called out during the Best Director award.
The event itself was billed as ‘Adult Movies Have Come of Age’. With hindsight, the title is bittersweet: the evening now feels like the last gasp of the golden age, the eleventh hour before the takeover of the shot-on-video productions that would dominate from the following year. The 1984 awards make little reference to the next generation’s new breed of star, such as Ginger Lynn, Christy Canyon, and Traci Lords, who would take over proceedings in future years (though video-porn starlet Angel can be seen handing out each of the awards.)
A note of melancholy is provided by the performer Shauna Grant, who features prominently with three nominations and a presenting role. She committed suicide weeks later.
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1. AFAA Preview
Kay Parker introduces the evening’s celebrations.
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2. Red Carpet
The stars arrive for the big AFAA night out – including Hyapatia Lee with husband Bud, John Leslie, Kelly Nichols and partner Tim Connolly, Eric Edwards, Juliet Anderson, Luis ‘Short Stud’ De Jesus, Anthony Spinelli, and Al Goldstein.
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3. Opening Musical Number
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4. Opening Remarks
David Friedman, Chairman of the Board of the Adult Film Association of America (AFAA) opens the ceremony, and introduces his co-host, Seka.
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5. Best Song Nominee – 1
‘Sexy Faces’ from Flesh and Laces, Part I and II, sung by Carolyn Gardner.
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6. Best Supporting Actress
Presented by Harry Reems.
Nominees:
Vanessa del Rio – Aphrodesia’s Diary
Kay Parker – Sweet Young Foxes
Georgina Spelvin – Between Lovers
Samantha Fox – The Devil in Miss Jones Part II
Shauna Grant – Flesh and Laces, Part I and II
Anna Ventura – That’s Outrageous
And the winner is…
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7. Best Song Nominee – 2
‘It’s Just The Devil In Miss Jones’ from The Devil in Miss Jones Part II, sung by Reggie Leon – actor, choreographer and member of throwback rock ‘n’ roll group Sha Na Na for more than two decades.
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8. Best Supporting Actor
Presented by Richard Pacheco and Lee Carroll.
Nominees:
Eric Edwards – Bodies in Heat
R. Bolla – The Devil in Miss Jones Part II
Ron Jeremy – Suzie Superstar
John Leslie – Naughty Girls Need Love Too
Bill Margold – Sweet Alice
Billy Dee – Virginia
And the winner is…
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9. Best Song Nominee – 3
‘If I Love You Tonight’ from Suzie Superstar, sung by Julie Christensen.
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10. Best Song
Presented by Hyapatia Lee and Ron Sullivan.
Nominees:
‘If I Love You Tonight’ from Suzie Superstar
‘Sexy Faces’ from Flesh and Laces, Part I and II
‘It’s Just The Devil In Miss Jones’ from The Devil in Miss Jones Part II
‘Little Girls Lost’ from Little Girls Lost
‘That First Love’ from In Love
‘A Woman In Love’ from Between Lovers
‘The Young Like It Hot’ from The Young Like It Hot
‘Outrageous’ from That’s Outrageous
And the winner is…
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11. Best Actor
Presented by Kay Parker and Eric Edwards
Nominees:
Paul Thomas – Virginia
Jack Wrangler – The Devil in Miss Jones Part II
Jamie Gillis – Flesh and Laces, Part I and II
Richard Pacheco – Naughty Girls Need Love Too
John Leslie – Suzie Superstar
And the winner is…
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12. Comedy Interlude
Performed by Jackie Gayle – ex Frank Sinatra warm-up man and Dean Martin Celebrity Roast comedian, whose acting credits include Barry Levinson’s Tin Men (1987) and Woody Allen’s Broadway Danny Rose (1984).
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13. Best Actress
Presented by Jamie Gillis.
Nominees:
Arlene Manhattan – Aphrodesia’s Diary
Jessie St. James – Between Lovers
Kelly Nichols – In Love
Georgina Spelvin – The Devil in Miss Jones Part II
Veronica Hart – Little Girls Lost
Shauna Grant – Virginia
Shauna Grant – Suzie Superstar
And the winner is…
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14. Best Director
Presented by Sidney Niekirk, Cal Vista Films.
Henri Pachard – The Devil in Miss Jones Part II
Troy Benny – Flesh and Laces, Part I and II
Ted Roter – Little Girls Lost
Anthony Spinelli – Reel People
Cecil Howard – Scoundrels
F. J. Lincoln – That’s Outrageous
Vinnie Rossi – Too Much Too Soon
John Seeman – Virginia
And the winner is…
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15. Best Erotic Scene
Presented by Fred Lincoln and Tiffany Clark.
Virginia – John Seeman
Aphrodesia’s Diary – Serge Lincoln
Flesh and Laces, Part I and II – Hollywood International
Hot Dreams – Warren Evans
Reel People – Richard Frazzini
Sexcapades – David Stone
Suzie Superstar – Cal Vista International
And the winner is…
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16. Dance Interlude
‘Ladies of the 80s’ performed by the Michael Darrin Dancers – choreographed by Michael Darrin, veteran of more than 50 Broadway and stock musicals, who worked with Cyd Charisse, Elizabeth Taylor, Bob Hope, Diana Ross, Cher, Paula Abdul, and Lucille Ball, among others.
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17. Best Art Direction
Presented by John Leslie and Shauna Grant.
The Devil in Miss Jones Part II – Eddie Heath
Scoundrels – Lynn Jefferies
…In The Pink – Andre Nichipolodas
Suzie Superstar – Robert McCallum
Virginia – Karen Fields
And the winner is…
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18. Award of Merit
Presented by Jimmie Johnson, President of the AFAA.
Awarded to Dr. Lois Lee, founder of Children of the Night, a privately funded non-profit organization established in 1979 with the specific purpose of rescuing children and young people from prostitution and sexual exploitation.
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19. Best Picture
Presented by Georgina Spelvin and Jimmie Johnson.
Nominees:
Flesh and Laces, Part I and II – Hollywood International
The Devil in Miss Jones Part II – James George
Little Girls Lost – Ted Roter
Naughty Girls Need Love Too – Essex
Reel People – Richard Frazzini
Suzie Superstar – Cal Vista International
That’s Outrageous – P.R.P. Inc.
And the winner is…
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20. Closing Remarks
Dave Friedman brings the AFAA ceremony to a close.
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