BijouBlog

By Will Seagers

Hi folks. Will here! And, in the spirit of the season, this week's "Booth Adventure" deals with the brightly colored and festive lights of club life and the party scene. I thought I was done with my "Booth Memories." But, they wouldn't be complete without recalling some of my "light-man escapades!"

My attraction to lighting in general started at a very early age... we're talking three or four years old! My mom used to tell me tales of when she and my father would take me on nighttime outings with them in the car. "See-da-light, see-da-light" were some of the very first words out of my young mouth! They were accompanied by my excitement and pointing, as well. Truth was, I do remember looking at intensely colored lights, such as those red lights atop radio towers and their blue counterparts. Knowing they were coming, I sat prepared to stare at some of these travel markers whose locations I memorized from regular trips that we made to visit relatives and the like. I remember being transfixed by my friends, the deep cobalt blue lights - which would appear later in my life.

Fast forward a decade and a half to my late teens and my experimenting with smoking pot. I wasn't that fond of smoking. But, I did like that the experience lent itself to color appreciation! Also at that late teen stage were a few dablings with the more potent LSD. Once again, not so much a heavy hitter with the frequency of use, but those times I tried it were very visual - particularly in the world of colors!

Moving further down the timeline, I was a young gay man who frequented New York's dance bars and party halls. Lighting was just starting to be taken as a serious accompaniment to the pulsing music of the day. Luckily, I happened upon some of New York City's most tasteful gay private clubs. I took mental notes on the lighting and what I had experienced. It wasn't so much the animation of the lighting - but, the sophisticated palette of hues that I was seeing.

I also noticed from better lighting technicians that I had the ability to "see what I was hearing!" The changes in light both in the instruments and the colors seemed to transition perfectly with the music. Something inside me told me I wanted to do this myself at some point in the future.

That came in my middle twenties when I moved to San Francisco. From the moment I arrived in town, I was enthralled with the ability to take on new projects and be successful at them. Although I had never attempted it before, the time was ripe for me to become a light-man!

I am right now searching through fifty years of "memory fog" to place where and when my first lighting gig was. But it is to no avail. Suffice it to say, I remember playing at some pretty big San Francisco clubs and discos like the Music Hall, Trocadero Transfer and Dreamland on established lighting systems. Not being of my own design, I quickly got bored and moved onto designing lights. It was at private parties-at-large where I got to assemble the gear and gels myself. I also thought it was very important to play up the architecture of a room as well as the dance floor.

Once again, my friend and mentor Bruce Trondson (primarily my audio engineer) welcomed me to ply my talents and imagination at a couple of rather large San Francisco party venues such as at the Long Shoreman's Hall and at The Peoples Temple (YES, of Jim Jones fame!). I was also summoned by Bruce to do the lights for the original party at the Russian River resort, "The Woods!" My design was kept in tack for future use when it transitioned into a permanent club! Both in town and at the River, I designed the lights and did all of the labor-intensive setup. This included cabling, setting up lighting instruments and other special effects and, finally, placing the color gels. Bruce was my godsend in that he could always figure out how to connect the scrimmers (lighting control boards) to power supplies of the various buildings. I was scared to do that (LOL).

 

Last but not least were the crowning events that I lit at San Francisco's Kabuki Theater. Rod Roderick, a famed S.F. showman and entrepreneur, was the MC of the whole affair. He invited me to work as operator and co-designer with John Tadesco of Industrial Light and Magic (yes, that arm of the Lucas film group!).

I was invited several times to Mr. Tadesco's private warehouse. There, I let my imagination go into full gear as we assembled some of the most impressive gear ever to be flown from the ceiling of that great Kabuki Theater.

With the glorious music of Frank Corr filling the Kabuki Theater, I instinctively followed him with my version of synesthesia (seeing what you are hearing). It was during the popular Gino Soccio tune "Oh What a Night" that I pulled out all of the stops and set off on a trail of my own. I had left some "tempo lighting" still engaged so as not to disrupt the energy of the dance floor. But, with defiant glee, I fired up eight emergency halide cans (the size of garbage cans!). These were a type of utility lamp most frequently used in parking lots! I had these gelled with Dark Urban Blue - a very deep cobalt shade (that color that was burned into my childhood memory). They took almost five minutes to come to full intensity. During the build-up time, the whole theater was turned so blue that you could almost taste it. At the peak of the aforementioned song, I shot teal-colored pin spots through this room of blue and then killed the massive blue lights, leaving just the pin spots. The crowd went nuts!!!! Soon, there was a line to my lighting booth with "thank you party favors."

That was a moment I will never forget. And like L.A. Tool & Die in my movies, the Kabuki Theater was the pinnacle in my lighting game, and I moved on from both shortly afterwards.

So, later in life when my mom used to tease me about "See-da-light, See-da-light," I would just nod and grin! If she only knew what came of that! From the folks at Bijou and myself, we wish you safe and happy holidays! XO!

Bio of Will Seagers:

Will Seagers (also credited as Matt Harper), within his multifaceted careers and participation in numerous gay communities across the country in the '70s and '80s and beyond, worked as a print model, film performer, and DJ, just to name a few. He made iconic appearances in releases from Falcon, Hand in Hand, Joe Gage, Target (Bullet), J. Brian, Steve Scott, and more, including in lead roles in major classics like Gage's L.A. Tool & Die (1979) and Scott's Wanted (1980). He brought strong screen presence and exceptional acting to his roles and was scene partners with many fellow legends of classic porn.

Will Seagers, recent photo

As the winter holidays approach, I can’t help but get nostalgic as I find myself re-watching movies from the past that I desperately want to see again. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen All About Eve (1950), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), Francis (1982), for Jessica Lange’s performance alone, and even Carrie (1976), to name a few. There’s something about watching a movie that you love that transports you back to the time when you first viewed it. I’m starting a new recurring blog called “I Just Watched.” At first it was going to be a one-off, but then I started thinking about all of the movies I love and want to re-watch, as well as the movies I remember seeing advertised but never got a chance to see.

In addition to all the great remastered DVDs for sale through BijouWorld, Bijou's VOD website streams more content than you could ever watch in a lifetime! They have an amazing library of movies, and when I breezed through the movies, I found myself drawn to those from director Steve Scott. During the 2+ decades I worked at Catalina Video, I found myself as a young director influenced by my mentor John Travis. In hindsight, I wish I would have also looked upon the work of directors from previous generations to inspire me, as well. It’s not like I didn’t have access; the Bijou Video Catalog (Bijou's print catalog in the '80s/'90s) was always a staple in the Catalina offices, and I would frequently breeze through it to get information on new releases, check out the new and seasoned models on the scene and read the write ups on all the movies. Recently, I just so happened to find a copy of the Fall/Winter ’88-’89 catalog for sale online, so I quickly purchased it. Director Steve Scott was featured in, what one might call, the “full color centerfold” of this edition, and was the subject of a special dedication:

“This catalog is in memory of STEVE SCOTT, a great filmmaker and friend and STANLEY SARGOY, a great friend. At peace and with God.”

This passage confirmed to me that choosing a Steve Scott film for the first viewing in this series is more than appropriate. Steve Scott’s movie Screenplay, currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, won the Best Gay Film Award in 1984 from the Gay Critics Association, and even though I’d never seen it, I will treat myself by streaming it now.

The opening titles incorporate the same design as was used on the original VHS box cover, which I thought was cool. It then fades into a stagnate shot of Lee Ryder walking down a desert road towards the camera, free balling in a pair of gray sweat short-shorts. It appears as though it was shot in Joshua Tree National Park. Harmonica music is playing as he sits roadside to take a rest, as the camera peeks in to see his large endowment hanging out of both sides of his shorts, balls one side, schlong the other. The music stops when the movie cuts to Robert Vega and Danny Combs having sex in a movie studio’s grip truck, parked somewhere out in the desert. In fact, there will be no further music until the closing credits, which really helps to make this movie feel very realistic. It has the look of a major motion picture in regard to lighting, camera work and style. The harsh desert light and shadows are always perfectly blended for a fantastic viewing experience, and the restoration is second to none. Lee Ryder walks up on the pair and befriends Vega, who is a production assistant on the Western-themed porno movie that is being shot. Vega also doubles as a limousine driver for the lead actor in the movie, Cody Jackson, played perfectly by Eric Ryan. We now realize that the production team and actors are staying at The New Lost World Resort, which the movie also acknowledges was shot there.

***Side Note*** The Lost World Resort was originally homesteaded as a guest ranch in 1925. After major additions, it became the White Sun Ranch in the 1940’s, whose visitors over the years included Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. In 1981, it officially became a gay resort and was renamed “The New Lost World Country Club and Resort.” Many guests described it as run-down with cloudy pools. The resort had several news-worthy events: a guest setting himself on fire, another male guest found drowned in one of the pools and a fire that broke out in the parking lot, engulfing ten cars. The resort closed its doors in 1986 and, after getting condemned by the city, it was sold to a developer in 1988. I became slightly obsessed with it, so I tracked down the exact location through LGBTQ+ Desert Archives and took a drive to find it. In the photo below, I stand in the exact spot Lee Ryder was, just outside the gates, forty years later. The property is now a gated community called the White Sun Estates. ***

The movie treats us to some amazing rural and picturesque shots of the Rancho Mirage area near Palm Springs in the early 1980’s. The film cuts to Eric Ryan’s room at the resort as the wardrobe stylist played by Jon King enters to show the actor his costumes. Ryan takes no time in getting King on his knees worshiping his fat cock and eventually switches places. Both are rock hard throughout and director Steve Scott shoots some perfectly framed shots, including King puckering his butthole just before Ryan inserts into him. The two have some great chemistry as Ryan lays on top of King who is on his stomach and really drives it home, eventually shooting his load smack dab on that puckering butthole.

We then join Lee Ryder and Robert Vega, who is on his knees working Ryder’s giant piece. When Vega pops his own uncut dick out of his 501’s while sucking off Ryder, the pre-cum is already dripping and director Scott covers that nicely. Ryder unloads on Vega’s tongue, Vega blows a super-sized load and then licks up every drop of Ryder’s cum.

They then go to pick up Cody Jackson from the set, and it is at this point where Lee Ryder meets Eric Ryan (Cody Jackson). The two are smitten from the word go, and Ryan arranges with his PA to have Lee Ryder sent to his suite. Ryder, still in those gray sexy short-shorts, is looking so fine that Eric Ryan is literally pulling his dick out of them seconds after he enters the room. You can tell that Eric Ryan was totally into Ryder, because when he is sucking him he looks totally mesmerized by his dick. Yet again, rock hard madness ensues in this scorching scene where Eric Ryan gets plowed by Lee Ryder and again with just the real sound and no music you can see that Ryan is having a hard time taking the giant piece. You can hear Eric whispering to Lee to take it easy; Lee tells him to just relax then picks up the speed of the fucking before he shoots on Eric’s bubble butt. Some great camerawork with Eric still on his stomach blowing his load, yet the camera has just enough space to get in there and catch it beautifully. Eric invites Lee to stay with him and the drifter agrees.

The next day, the two are having breakfast at Sebastian’s, the Lost World Resort’s restaurant. Here, we see a packed room with many other actors and crew members enjoying breakfast. Included in that room are crew members Champ Larue and super-duper cutie-pie Michael Carr. They both are eating breakfast when they notice Eric Ryan jerking off Lee Ryder under the table next to them, a scene that is very sexy and well shot.

Next, we are treated to Larue and Carr in their room later that evening. Carr is naked on his stomach, sound asleep, while Larue is drinking beer in the bed next to him. Larue starts jacking off while slowly walking over and hovering over different parts of Carr’s hot body, inches away from his balls, then sniffing his pits and eventually blowing his load once Carr, still sleeping, rolls over, exposing his dick. This scene is very cool and so interestingly shot; I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it. My only disappointment is that hot little fucker Michael Carr does not have sex in this one. I guess I’ll have to watch him in Tony’s Initiation.

Back in Hollywood, the producer/partner of Eric Ryan gets a phone call from PA Vega letting him know that Ryan is getting pretty serious with the hot and horny young drifter. Before we know it, the pissed off partner, played by Michael Braun, arrives at the resort and has a bit of a tit for tat with Ryan. Braun, questionably one of the best blowjob performers of that time, tries to reason with Ryan by working his magic on him with his mouth. Ryan prematurely ejaculates and pisses off Braun, but impresses the audience with a really thick and creamy load.

To release his anger, Braun leaves the room and heads out to the courtyard, jumping in the pool. It doesn’t take long before he notices resort guest Brian Palmer stripping down in front of the window of his poolside suite. As the two lock eyes and start masturbating, we are treated to some cool underwater shots of Braun’s dick that shoots streams of seamen floating in the water while fat-dicked, handsome blond Palmer leaves his load of cream dripping down the picture window.

Braun has a brainstorm and arranges for wardrobe manager Jon King to get naked with the pesky drifter in order to show Eric Ryan that he is just being played. In what turns out to be the hottest scene in the movie, the chemistry that follows between Lee Ryder and Jon King is just sick! Jon King is hungry as hell once he gets Ryder's long fat mega bone in his mouth, and Lee is all about it! Again, cocks so hard it looks like they hurt. Jon sits on Ryder’s dick and is obviously in pain, yet ride up and down he does. Doggystyle is even more of a treat, and Ryder is rock hard and loving the fact he is inflicting this hot sexy pain upon Jon. At one point, you even hear Jon say, “Oh Lee,” which makes it feel even more real between them! Lee pulls out and blows his biggest and best load in the whole movie. Did I mention that during that terrific sex scene, Michael Braun escorts Eric Ryan up to their window, with a partially opened curtain, to witness it?

Harmonica music begins to play again, signaling the end of the movie, which I’ll leave as a mystery for you, because I’m sure you’ll want to stream it or buy it. This one is the real deal, with a cast I grew up with and fantasized about (Eric Ryan) in the 80’s, showcased in a great film. Will Cody Jackson, played by Eric Ryan dump the drifter Lee Ryder after seeing him boning wardrobe stylist Jon King? Or will the film’s star Eric Ryan blow off his boyfriend Michael Braun and choose to leave with the drifter? This Steve Scott movie is defiantly worthy of it’s Best Picture Award and your time. I’m no film critic, but I do know a hot fucking movie when I see one, and that movie is Screenplay!

Bio of Josh Eliot:

At the age of 25 in 1987, Josh Eliot was hired by Catalina Video by John Travis (Brentwood Video) and Scott Masters (Nova Video). Travis trained Eliot on his style of videography and mentored him on the art of directing. Josh directed his first movie, Runaways, in 1987. By 2009 when Josh parted ways with Catalina Video, he'd produced and directed hundreds of features and won numerous awards for Best Screenplay, Videography, Editing, and Directing. He was entered into the GayVN Hall of fame in 2002.

By Will Seagers

Hi folks! Will here! With a title like that, you know I'm headed for uncharted territories... but parts well known! Tee hee hee!

For the most part, I have left a lot of my own personal sexual life out of these blogs. BUTT, there is a time and a place for everything. This last installment has to do with my meeting, having a torrid summer affair with and ultimately working for a lovely gentleman and friend named Michael.

The year was 1978. It was the third and final year of my working at The Boatel in the Pines, Fire Island. I started early in the season. I had to get the pool and accompanying bar and deck in order as I was the lifeguard, bartender and food server. I shouldn't leave out the "new poolside gym" that I created under one of the tents in my domain. John Whyte, the owner and my boss just left me a pile of weights and dumbbells and said, "See what you can do with this!"

Although my days were filled with activity, I always had a nice workout followed by a swim. I think it was the best shape that I was ever in. Of course, after dinner and a "disco nap," I would head back down to the marina to The Sandpiper for drinks and the great music of Robbie Leslie.

It was here one night that I caught my first glimpse of Michael. He was working in the Sandpiper Restaurant as a waiter for the summer. We locked gazes and drifted toward each other on that lovely hardwood dance floor. With his being medium in height and stature, I wrapped myself around him, literally having sex on the dance floor. I, being taller, got to see his full head of beautiful sandy blond hair that was streaked with lighter shades due to his afternoons at the beach. His body was firm and muscular. Butt, butt, butt I don't remember ever seeing a more appealing ass. Now, mind you, this was at the bar with our clothes on!

After drinks and dancing, we literally fled to his place to shed our clothes and get down to business. I was pleased that amid all of this heat and passion he managed to remain a gentleman. He sort of cooled my jets and made me slow down so we could enjoy all of the passion of foreplay. At one point, I was actually trembling with anticipation. Then the clothes were shed!

My imagination was not good enough to compete with just how beautiful he was - especially his butt! I poured myself all over him, stopping to lick and playfully bite that ass. One of the things that I found extraordinarily sexy about his butt was a fairly large scar squarely in the middle of his right cheek. It was like a birth or beauty mark. I was not bothered by the scar in the least. It was his trademark!

All of this took place right after Memorial Day. So, the season was young. Although we didn't really have a formal relationship, we sure did become regular fuck buddies. Throughout the rest of the summer, we enjoyed many encounters. In late August when he was getting ready to leave, we had the heartbreak of not knowing whether we would meet again. Like I said, it had been a casual and comfortable affair. But, that would not be the last I would see of Michael.

That fall, I came back to San Francisco to start up the other part of my bi-coastal life. It was a wonderful life that I could hardly believe I was living! This time, I found out that I was not the only one to leave the Pines and come to San Francisco. In October, I received a party invitation from none other than Michael! I was really surprised, and pleasantly so. He had never mentioned to me that he was headed west after the season on The Island.

The party was an outdoor event held in his backyard in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood just below The Castro. It was a great gathering with a live DJ, dancing, food and drinks! It turned out that the DJ was Vincent Carleo, a good friend who originally came from NYC to SF to open Trocadero Transfer. Michael was with a new beau, so we couldn't pick up where we left off! (Wink, wink.)

It was at this party that Michael told me his intentions to open a new and major dance club. He soon found out that I was well connected with the party scene in S.F. We frequently gathered at my tiny apartment on 10th St. near Mission to have meetings and bring investors into the picture. It didn't take many people to fill my living room. But, that's where we gathered. My mirror-topped coffee table was where the blueprints were laid out (as well as many lines of "party favors!").

Dreamland was the name of the project. And, it came together very quickly once sufficient funds were acquired. It was a unique showplace, all white with arches and walkways that reminded me of an Italian piazza. It opened to great acclaim and fanfare. I remember the very first night and the very first tune: "The Land of Make Believe" by Chuck Mangione. The huge five-foot mirror ball was resting in a static position right in the middle of the dance floor. Although I was hired to be a light man, my first night was as an usher to protect the mirror ball from overzealous attendees. As the music started, so did the mirror ball, slowly starting to spin and then rising to the lofty two-story height of the ceiling. The lighting and music were fantastic and the crowd reveled!

The next night, I worked the lights. It was a whole weekend extravaganza! The club was a success. It should be mentioned that it was one of only a handful of Graebar Sound Systems... one of two on the West Coast. The others were at clubs like 12 West and, of course, The Blue Whale (Boatel) on Fire Island.

I did finally make my transition from light man to DJ at Dreamland with the help of its owner, Michael. My friend Roy, the main light man, had given Michael several cassettes of my recent music. I had a business where I made tapes for individuals, bars and restaurants. Michael thrilled me with the request of playing Easter Sunday Tea Dance 1980!

Although I had played several at large parties like the gym opening I mentioned in chapter two of this series, I had never played a huge dance floor like Dreamland. For over two weeks, I had assembled my very favorite tunes and ones that I thought the crowd would like. Regardless of practice, I was still a nervous wreck. Then, the fun began! There was a huge line to the booth to give me "party favors" to help me over my "nerves!" LOL. One friend slipped me a rather large green football-shaped capsule (a Placidyl)... and, that's all I remembered. The crowd yelled and screamed with joy over my selections (and my terrible mixing!). The mixing didn't seem to matter much to the crowd, as I was slamming them with hard hitting dance anthems! After the dust had settled, I was hired for tea dances. It was a helluva place for a debut! But, I guess the stars were in my favor!

From there, I moved to play in the Castro district - first at the Phoenix, then at The Badlands and finally at Moby Dick Bar. I loved those six years. I could hardly call it work - having a great time with exceptional people at the crossroads of the Gay World! So, in keeping with the season, I give "thanks" for the wonderful adventure that I call my life!

Bio of Will Seagers:

Will Seagers (also credited as Matt Harper), within his multifaceted careers and participation in numerous gay communities across the country in the '70s and '80s and beyond, worked as a print model, film performer, and DJ, just to name a few. He made iconic appearances in releases from Falcon, Hand in Hand, Joe Gage, Target (Bullet), J. Brian, Steve Scott, and more, including in lead roles in major classics like Gage's L.A. Tool & Die (1979) and Scott's Wanted (1980). He brought strong screen presence and exceptional acting to his roles and was scene partners with many fellow legends of classic porn.

Will Seagers, recent photo

Model Mike Radcliffe was on his knees getting hungry for anyone wanting to stick their dick into his mouth. This college professor and somewhat of a “Midnight Cowboy” would be the first to tell anyone that he was cock hungry. He wore it as a badge of honor, and when he starred in the movie The Slutty Professor it couldn’t be any closer to the actual truth. Mike came to us in 1999 and I’m not exactly sure, but I think he “cold-called” us and I just so happened to pick up the phone at the Catalina offices. He only had very minimal experience in front of the camera in a movie for BG Enterprises in 1997 called Private Punishments 7. He is a big guy with a “Herculean” body and a personality that is completely unintimidating.

When we met and took pictures, I knew right away that I could get him in front of the camera within a very short time. I told him about a movie that I was currently shooting called Score, starring Ray Harley and about eighteen other stars of the era. With the big budget movies, I was always afraid to take a risk on what I considered a video virgin. However, I had a role - still un-cast - for someone to play a cop who, while patrolling a local cruising area, throws himself into the action. With his build and stature, I instantly knew that I wanted him in that part. When I told him about it, he got very excited and I think I remember him saying that he wanted to be in the movie so badly that he would even do it for free. Although his mentioning that intrigued the “producer” in me, there was no way I was going to let that happen. Since it was only an oral scene, I felt that hiring him was a risk I was willing to take. He wanted to get into the business so badly that I wouldn’t have had the heart to turn him down.

We shot the park scene on the large property of a rural estate in the Laurel Canyon, above Hollywood. The cruisers in the park were seasoned stars Andrew Lennox, Tuck Johnson, Leo Masters and Scott Davis. The cop, Mike Radcliffe, jacked off while watching Andrew, Leo and Tuck working each other’s dicks with their mouths. Unexpectedly, Scott Davis walked up behind the horned up officer and, before I could even say “action,” Radcliffe was down on his knees sucking his dick like a mad man. I had to yell cut and school him on the fact that we actually needed to be rolling the cameras to shoot the transition and he had to wait until I called “action” - he couldn’t just “jump on it!” We had a good laugh about it.

Once we covered the oral, he politely asked me if it would be okay if Scott Davis shot his load all over his face. I said, “Oh, would you like that?” He told me he would, and that he would really love it if all the guys in the scene did, as well. I hadn’t really thought of that scenario when planning out the scene, but suddenly I realized that having this cop totally give into the moment would really make this scene shine. “Okay, but you can’t be a hungry guzzler, you have to keep your mouth shut when they blow their load on you.” He said, “Whatever you say, I’m just excited about having them all shoot on my face.”

Who was this hungry cum receptacle I just hired? The crew was like, “Is this that guy’s first movie?” His naivety was actually kind of cute when he came up to me at one point to say that it was okay if I wanted to have the guys fuck him. I explained that it was an oral scene, but he didn’t really get it and replied, “That’s okay, I don’t mind, I would really like them to fuck me.” Once I told him that Catalina was only paying everyone to do oral, but not oral and anal, he finally understood.

As expected, he worked every last one of them right up to their explosive loads, which naturally landed all over his face. For some reason, Andrew Lennox shot a load from hell, and as you might imagine I had to keep repeating to Mike, “Close your mouth!” Lennox’s load was going on and on and on and I felt like I was getting laryngitis repeating to “Hungry Hilda” to shut her fucking mouth. It was actually pretty impressive to see this new model give 110% and still ask for more! It was after shooting this scene and when I got through paying everyone that I got an idea that came to me out of the blue, obviously from what we just shot. I went to the still photographer to tell him about the idea I had and he was up for it. I then walked over to Mike Radcliffe who, believe it or not, was helping the crew pack up the equipment and load it into the van. I asked him if he would like to make another $100 by posing for some still photos that we would use for an ad to promote the movie. He said yes, so we stopped loading the van and set up for it.

I envisioned an ad for the gay porn magazines that might tease the imagination and be a little jarring at the same time. At home I had (and still have) the original movie posters for Mark of the Devil and Last House on the Left. These two 1970’s posters were made for shock value, piqued your imagination and demanded your attention. The Mark of the Devil movie poster shows a girl with her tongue being pulled out. I obviously couldn’t emulate that one, even though I wanted to pull out Mike Radcliffe’s tongue every time it popped out of his mouth looking to lick up a drop or two during the cum shots. The Last House on the Left poster, however, had had some potential. A girl slouched over, against a tree, obviously distraught from being put through the mill by a bunch of guys in the park. The poster featured a warning line that said, “To Avoid Fainting, Keep Repeating: It’s Only A Movie … Only A Movie” - written over and over.

Having that image in my mind, I propped Mike Radcliffe, in full cop uniform, up against a tree and we dripped soft soap all over his uniform and chest to appear like loads of cum. In hindsight, I should have slouched him over in the photo as well, looking exhausted like he had just been worked over. It would have worked better with my tag line that would say something about “sucking everybody off.” But instead, we had to make it a wee bit more sexy. I left the set a happy camper, knowing this would be a cool ad that would make the viewer’s imagination run wild and hopefully hook them into purchasing the movie. We went back and forth at the offices and settled on the slogan. A few weeks later, the art department had the ad completed and I thought it looked great.

Unfortunately, not one magazine would accept the ad with the fake cum all over him - not one of them! I was very disappointed, and we had to re-design the ad with a photograph in his clean, “un-seasoned” uniform. I’d say that Mike Radcliffe’s performance in Score opened the doors for him to have a pretty damned good career shooting fourteen more movies somewhat exclusively for Catalina Video from 1999 and 2002. Some movies include: Walk on the Wild Side (1999), Day Trade (1999), Escape to Echo Beach (2000), Voyager (2000), The Slutty Professor (2000) and Ride ‘Em Cowboy (2002). The Slutty Professor was, in fact, written by Mike Radcliffe, as he based the movie on actual sexual “experimental research” he did with his real-life students. Once he finished his tenure with Catalina, he went on to work for All Worlds, Oh Man! Studios and Pacific Sun, and performed in what I believe was his last movie for Bacchus Releasing in 2011. I hear that he is well and living in New York City; I wish him the best and loved the period of time that we worked together.

Bio of Josh Eliot:

At the age of 25 in 1987, Josh Eliot was hired by Catalina Video by John Travis (Brentwood Video) and Scott Masters (Nova Video). Travis trained Eliot on his style of videography and mentored him on the art of directing. Josh directed his first movie, Runaways, in 1987. By 2009 when Josh parted ways with Catalina Video, he'd produced and directed hundreds of features and won numerous awards for Best Screenplay, Videography, Editing, and Directing. He was entered into the GayVN Hall of fame in 2002.

By Will Seagers

Hi Folks, Will here! As this blog's title might imply, it wasn't my foot that got me in many booths! It might have been some other body parts! Regardless, over the years they have worked their charms.

Back to the story. If my memory serves me, the year was 1979 and the place was Cherry Grove, Fire Island. My partner Tommy and I were on "The Island" having a ball on vacation... a slightly different experience for me, as I had worked the prior three years in The Pines as a waiter, bartender and lifeguard.

We started off our vacation in Cherry Grove at The Belvedere - that landmark Victorian guest house situated on the Bay. Our accommodations were acceptable. But, not being air conditioned and with unusually high heat and humidity as I remember, it was uncomfortable to say the least.

A friend in need! While out one night, we ran into a dear buddy that I made during my three years working on the "Island" - Dr. Bob. We mentioned our Belvedere predicament and he generously offered his guest room to us. We snapped up his offer! Bob was a legend on the Island and in New York's gay scene in general. People would drop by his place in the city and on the Island routinely for a quick "pick me up" B-12 shot to help with endurance through the long sleepless NYC and Fire Island weekends.

It was here that I met another of my sound engineer legends and best buds - Lew. Although he was a good-looking and very intelligent guy, the sparks never flew from my side. Although I knew for the first couple of years he wanted to terrorize me with his sizeable appendage! Our first encounter was an orgy that took place in Dr. Bob's bay-facing backyard. There were four or five of us, naked and aroused, watching a slightly younger guy sucking the daylights out of Lew's ten-pounder! The next thing I heard was Lew's request - "Why don't you suck it?" That was directed at me. I liked Lew but I didn't feel any chemistry. Plus, I was in the early stages of a relationship with my partner who was right there next to me... It was awkward. However, the rest of the guys all lined up, so Lew was fine!

That chance backyard encounter started a friendship. At the time, I lived in San Francisco. Lew flew out from N.Y. frequently to San Francisco for mini-vacations and also to ply his trade as a sound engineer. It was this part of him that I really took to. He soon found out that I had aspirations to be a "sound man." We spoke frequently and at great lengths about the principles of the audio world.

I visited Lew in N.Y. at his fourth story walk up apartment in Chelsea frequently. Being at one of the high points of my porn career, he loved taking me to many of the clubs whose sound systems he designed to "show me off." Although it was not one of his clubs, we visited Paradise Garage! Here, after a tour of the dance area, he took me to the booth to see its wonders and meet the legendary Larry Levan. Larry was cordial but totally preoccupied with his music. The booth was a technical marvel with its hydraulically-mounted platform upon which the three Thorens turntables were mounted. This platform not only served to isolate the gear from vibrations, but could be custom tailored to the height of each performing DJ! The sound was legendary and I soon made it to the dance floor to take part in the Saturday night ritual!

Although not "In Bed" with Lew - so to speak - that whole situation changed with with my next "beau" from the Pines, Michael. Our dreamy encounters in the Pines solidified into a real brick and mortar dance palace called Dreamland. That will be the topic of the next chapter! Keep those Capezios on and ready to dance!

Bio of Will Seagers:

Will Seagers (also credited as Matt Harper), within his multifaceted careers and participation in numerous gay communities across the country in the '70s and '80s and beyond, worked as a print model, film performer, and DJ, just to name a few. He made iconic appearances in releases from Falcon, Hand in Hand, Joe Gage, Target (Bullet), J. Brian, Steve Scott, and more, including in lead roles in major classics like Gage's L.A. Tool & Die (1979) and Scott's Wanted (1980). He brought strong screen presence and exceptional acting to his roles and was scene partners with many fellow legends of classic porn.

Will Seagers, recent photo