Steven Hirsch

Background

Hirsch was born on May 25, 1961, in Lyndhurst, Ohio. His father, Fred Hirsch, had worked as a stockbroker before entering the adult-film distribution business, and the family later moved from Ohio to Los Angeles. Hirsch was exposed to the family's business during his youth and worked in his father's warehouse and sales operation.

He attended California State University, Northridge, and the University of California, Los Angeles, but left college before completing a degree. In the early 1980s he worked in sales for Cal Vista, an adult-video distributor, where he gained experience in the commercial side of the industry before establishing Vivid Entertainment.

Education

Hirsch attended California State University, Northridge, and the University of California, Los Angeles, studying without completing a degree. Both institutions were major public universities in California during the period, with broad programs serving the state's expanding postwar population and professional economy.

Career

Hirsch began his professional career in adult-video sales, working for Cal Vista in the early 1980s. The position gave him experience in distribution and retail marketing before he entered production and branding.

In 1984, Hirsch and David James founded Vivid Entertainment. Hirsch became the company's co-chairman and chief executive, later working alongside Bill Asher. Vivid distinguished itself through high-production-value erotic films, exclusive contracts with performers marketed as the Vivid Girls, glossy packaging, and advertising designed to give the company a more polished and recognizable identity. Its first contract performer was Ginger Lynn, who starred in the studio's first film, Ginger, in December 1984.

Under Hirsch's leadership, Vivid expanded beyond film production into DVD and internet distribution, television, radio, licensing, apparel, clubs, celebrity-related releases, book publishing, comics, graphic novels, and erotic fiction. Vivid Girls appeared on prominent billboards in locations including Sunset Boulevard and Times Square, while the company developed television projects such as Porno Valley, Deeper Throat, and Debbie Does Dallas Again.

Hirsch publicly opposed Los Angeles County Measure B, approved by voters on November 5, 2012, which required performers in adult films to use condoms during filmed sex scenes. He argued that the measure interfered with filmmakers' First Amendment rights and said Vivid might move production outside the county if the law remained in force. In 2013 he also hosted CEO Roundtable, a Vivid Radio program examining business and policy issues affecting the adult-entertainment industry.

Achievements

• Hirsch helped establish Vivid Entertainment as a highly recognizable adult-entertainment brand by combining exclusive performer contracts, high production values, polished packaging, mainstream advertising, and extensive licensing.

• He expanded Vivid's activities beyond filmed entertainment into television, radio, internet distribution, publishing, comics, graphic novels, erotic fiction, apparel, clubs, and celebrity-related media.

Works

• guide

  • How to Have a XXX Sex Life: The Ultimate Vivid Guide

    (Hirsch helped develop this HarperCollins book connected w...)

    2005

Views

Hirsch's documented business philosophy emphasizes treating adult entertainment as a professionally managed media and branding enterprise. His strategy joined high production values, exclusive talent arrangements, recognizable packaging, outdoor advertising, licensing, and new distribution technologies. His public opposition to Measure B reflected a broader view that adult filmmaking should be protected as expressive activity under the First Amendment.

Personality

Hirsch has described his approach to the business as emphasizing innovation, reinvention, mainstream-style marketing, and a high standard of presentation. His public comments also show a willingness to share credit with colleagues and the employees who contributed to Vivid's development.

Quotes from others about the person

• AVN founder Paul Fishbein described Hirsch and Vivid as especially innovative in bringing mainstream-style branding and visibility to the adult-entertainment business.

Interests

• Collecting presidential autographs and Bruce Springsteen memorabilia.

• Music & Bands

  Hirsch has been reported to collect Bruce Springsteen memorabilia.

Connections

Hirsch founded Vivid Entertainment with David James and later operated the company with Bill Asher. His sister, Marci Hirsch, worked in Vivid's production operations and was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame in 2015.

Hirsch has two children, Alexa Hirsch and Jack Hirsch, with his former wife.

Collegue :

David James

Co-founded Vivid Entertainment with Hirsch in 1984.

Collegue :

Bill Asher

Joined Hirsch and David James as a co-owner and co-chairman of Vivid Entertainment.

Sister:

Marci Hirsch

Worked in Vivid Entertainment's production operations and was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame in 2015.

Daughter:

Alexa Hirsch

Son:

Jack Hirsch

References

• Family Guy Profiles Hirsch's early exposure to his family's adult-video business, departure from college, work at Cal Vista, founding of Vivid Entertainment, and personal interests.
  2007
• Hirsch Receives Visionary Award Documents the announcement that Hirsch would receive the first AVN Visionary Award and describes his role in Vivid's development.
  2011
• Vivid Founder Steven Hirsch Named Icon Keynote Speaker for XBIZ 2016 Describes Hirsch's leadership of Vivid, the company's contract-performer strategy, marketing, technological development, licensing, and expansion into other media.
  2015
• Raw Profit On The Printed Page Documents Hirsch's role in developing How to Have a XXX Sex Life: The Ultimate Vivid Guide with publisher Judith Regan and Vivid performers.
  2005
• Vivid Chief Steven Hirsch Debuts SiriusXM Radio Show Reports Hirsch's launch of CEO Roundtable on Vivid Radio and describes the program's focus on business and policy issues in adult entertainment.
  2013