Harry Reems R.I.P. (1947-2013)

Harry Reems died age 65, on Tuesday, 19 March, at the veterans' hospital in Salt Lake City. He was reported to have been battling multiple health issues, including pancreatic cancer.

Reems was born in New York on 27 August 1947 as Herbert Streicher. He served briefly in the U.S. Marine Corps and received an honorable discharge before moving into acting, mostly in off-Broadway theater. Unable to support himself he began appearing in 8mm porn loops in 1970, establishing himself as part of New York's original inner core of adult perfomers. His first experience on camera was with legendary porn actress Tina Russell.

Reems would later recall: “Tina was dressed like a hooker – in a short, short ribbed maroon miniskirt and a black pullover jersey and high heels. And no bra. Then a handsome bearded young man joined us. ‘Hi,’ he said, ‘I’m Jason. Tina’s husband.’ My erection dropped like an express elevator… I was confused and embarrassed… Jason laughed. ‘Relax, man! You’re trying to ask me if it’s okay to fuck my wife. Of course you can fuck my wife.’ It started out with Tina kissing me… She was trying to tell me, ‘Don’t be scared. I’m going to help you all I can’… Tina did a deliriously good job on me, and I erupted right on schedule.”

Reems eventually went on to appear in more than 130 feature-length adult films, including Deep Throat (1972) opposite Linda Lovelace and the classic, The Devil in Miss Jones (1973), with Georgina Spelvin. He originally retired from the porn industry in the 1970s, before briefly returning again in the mid-1980s to star in movies such as Ten Little Maidens (1984) with Ginger Lynn and Love Bites (1985) with Traci Lords.

After years of alchohol abuse he sobered up in 1989, converted to Christianity, married and became a real estate agent in Utah.