Kurt Marshall
Encyclopedia
Kurt Marshall (November 13, 1965 - October 10, 1988) was an actor who performed in gay pornographic films
in the mid-1980s. Although he appeared in only four films, the gay pornographic industry trade publication Unzipped named him one of the top 100 gay porn stars of all time in 2006, author Leigh Rutledge listed him as the ninth most influential gay porn star of all time in 2000, and adult film magazine editor John Erich called him one of the "most beautiful" gay adult film stars of the 1980s.
, one of 15 children. After high school (he graduated after lettering
in swimming
and track and field), he attended San Francisco State University
, but never finished. He said in several interviews that he performed in adult film in order to earn money for college.
[a] gay porn video which make[s] gay men visible in places where they have mostly been invisible..." He made three films the following year, all for Falcon Studios: The highly influential The Other Side of Aspen II, Splash Shots, and Night Flight. The Other Side of Aspen II was Falcon's first film which was shot entirely on video, and Marshall worked with legendary gay adult film performer Scott O'Hara
. O'Hara later wrote in his autobiography
that he was not in the least attracted to Marshall, although much of the film was later edited to make it appear as if he was having an intense sexual experience with him and two other blond men. Adult Video News
(AVN), the adult film industry trade publication, later rated the film as the ninth most innovative and influential gay porn film of all time in 2005. His second film, Splash Shots, was credited with making sex around the swimming pool a gay porn trope
.
Assessing his career, Unzipped magazine editorialized that "the films he appeared in were noteworthy."
Marshall was an advocate for gay rights
, once telling an interviewer: "I think to be gay is to be blessed. We have so much freedom, so many choices. This isn't our moment to party or to think we're going to stay young forever...maybe it's our time to find someone to be safe with...to be happy with..."
, tested positive for HIV in 1986. He came out
to his family that same year and entered a drug rehabilitation
program. He moved to San Diego, California
in 1987, but returned to Los Angeles
in 1987 and worked in the construction industry. He died on October 10, 1988, at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center
. The official cause of death was kidney failure
due to substance abuse and AIDS
.
Gay pornography
Gay pornography is the representation of sexual intercourse between men with the primary goal of sexual arousal in its audience. There is also a tradition, and continuing considerable output, of lesbian pornography....
in the mid-1980s. Although he appeared in only four films, the gay pornographic industry trade publication Unzipped named him one of the top 100 gay porn stars of all time in 2006, author Leigh Rutledge listed him as the ninth most influential gay porn star of all time in 2000, and adult film magazine editor John Erich called him one of the "most beautiful" gay adult film stars of the 1980s.
Early life
Kurt Marshall was born James Rideout, Jr. in Waterville, MaineWaterville, Maine
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
, one of 15 children. After high school (he graduated after lettering
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
in swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and track and field), he attended San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
, but never finished. He said in several interviews that he performed in adult film in order to earn money for college.
Adult film career
In 1984, at the age of 18, he starred in his first film, Matt Sterling's Sizing Up, with fellow gay adult film star Mark Miller. His role was that of a star track and field athlete, which echoed his high school sports experiences. A historian of gay erotic film called Sizing Up a "superior example ofScott O'Hara
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...
. O'Hara later wrote in his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
that he was not in the least attracted to Marshall, although much of the film was later edited to make it appear as if he was having an intense sexual experience with him and two other blond men. Adult Video News
AVN (magazine)
Adult Video News is an American trade journal that covers the adult video industry. The New York Times notes that AVN is to pornographic films what Billboard is to records...
(AVN), the adult film industry trade publication, later rated the film as the ninth most innovative and influential gay porn film of all time in 2005. His second film, Splash Shots, was credited with making sex around the swimming pool a gay porn trope
Trope (literature)
A literary trope is the usage of figurative language in literature, or a figure of speech in which words are used in a sense different from their literal meaning...
.
Assessing his career, Unzipped magazine editorialized that "the films he appeared in were noteworthy."
Marshall was an advocate for gay rights
LGBT social movements
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender social movements share inter-related goals of social acceptance of sexual and gender minorities. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies have a long history of campaigning for what is generally called LGBT rights, also called gay...
, once telling an interviewer: "I think to be gay is to be blessed. We have so much freedom, so many choices. This isn't our moment to party or to think we're going to stay young forever...maybe it's our time to find someone to be safe with...to be happy with..."
Death
Marshall, an admitted drug userDrug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
, tested positive for HIV in 1986. He came out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
to his family that same year and entered a drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
program. He moved to San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
in 1987, but returned to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1987 and worked in the construction industry. He died on October 10, 1988, at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, formerly known as Queen of Angels-Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, is a private hospital located at 1300 North Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles, California. The hospital has 434 beds.-History:...
. The official cause of death was kidney failure
Renal failure
Renal failure or kidney failure describes a medical condition in which the kidneys fail to adequately filter toxins and waste products from the blood...
due to substance abuse and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.
Videography
- Sizing Up: Before Your Very Eyes (1984)
- Splash Shots: Memories of Summer (1984)
- Night Flight (1985)
- The Other Side of Aspen 2 (1985)