Background
West grew up in New York City and moved to southern Florida in the late 1960s.
film producer pornographic actor
West grew up in New York City and moved to southern Florida in the late 1960s.
He originally aspired to play professional baseball and actually played at the University of Miami on a baseball scholarship. He then changed directions and decided to pursue a career in music, performing in several unsuccessful rock bands over the course of the next decade. West also worked as a nude art model during this period.
West"s pornographic career began in 1978 with an appearance in the film Mystique while still living in Florida.
In August 1980 he garnered attention when he became the first model to appear in the centerfold of Playgirl magazine with an erection. Later in his career he was cast as Robert Redford"s body double in the 1993 Paramount Pictures film Indecent Proposal.
He has performed with numerous porn actresses early on in their careers, including Seka, Jenna Jameson and Tera Patrick. In fact, West has been given cr for bringing future superstars Jameson and Patrick into the adult business.
Additionally, he was the first male performer to work with future stars Victoria Paris and Ashlyn Gere.
West"s on-screen sexual performance has been referred to by observers a being like that of a "human pile driver". He has appeared as a performer in over 1,300 pornographic films, alongside an estimated 2,500 female co-stars. West appeared in the 2010 documentary film After Porn Ends, in which his life since retiring as a porn performer is discussed.
1993 – Lifetime Achievement Award from the Free Speech Coalition FOXE Award for Fan Favourite (Male) in "94, "95, "96 and "97 XRCO 1994 – Best Pro-Am Series, Up and Cummers XRCO 1995 – Best Pro-Am Series, Up and Cummers AVN 1995 – Best Pro-Am Tape, Up and Cummers 7 AVN 1997 – Best Pro-Am Tape, Up and Cummers 33 AVN 1999 – Best Ethnic-Themed Series, Up and Cummers AVN 1999 – Best Pro-Am or Amateur Series, Up and Cummers AVN 2001 – Best Pro-Am or Amateur Series, Up and Cummers AVN 2002 – Best Pro-Am or Amateur Series, Up and Cummers AVN 2008 – Silverback of the Porn Industry, "He eats first" Listed at number 29 on the "List of Top 50 Porn Stars of All Time" by Adult Video News. Member of the AVN, FOXE and XRCO Halls of Fame Nominated in the AVN "Best Actor" category 15 times.
He then moved to California in 1979 where he became a member of Chippendale"s dance company, working as a stripper at private events between 1980 and 1992.
