Lost Boys: Vintage Images of Jon King

Lost Boys

Vintage Images of Jon King

Real Name: John Nelson Gaines

Years active: 1981-1995

Well, there is no shortage of information on Jon King. That is, perhaps, because Jon was proud to be a porn star. In fact, at the age of twelve, after finding a Playboy magazine that belonged to his father, it became his dream - one that he achieved spectacularly.

Born on January 12, 1963 in Jacksonville, Florida, Jon would become of the most popular gay adult film stars of the 1980's. 

When questioned in interviews, Jon rarely discussed his life in Florida in much detail, except that it involved quite a bit of "getting into trouble". At some point in his teens, he had read about Jack Deveau, owner of Hand In Hand Films, and sent the producer some dark, fuzzy pictures of himself. Deveau politely turned him down.

In 1980, after graduating from high school in Atlanta, Georgia, he and his then-lover Daniel, decided to visit Los Angeles. The plan was to have fun and then return to school in Florida. This changed when Daniel got a job and the two decided to make L.A. their home. 

One day, while cruising, Jon picked up a guy who was a model and had an appointment later that day with a photographer. Jon tagged along and was soon on his way as an adult film performer. Well, that's one of the stories of how he got started. The other? That his career began after a Catalina Production Company rep discovered him at a car wash in L.A. Either way, later in his career, Jon would claim that the man who discovered him screwed him out of a lot of money, claiming he was a "psycho". But, we're getting ahead of ourselves...

In 1980, at the age of nineteen, Jon attained overnight stardom in his first movie, Brothers Should Do It, opposite J.W. King to whom he bore a striking resemblance (although they were not related). The film was a huge success and led to Jon being cast in several more films. 

However, just as Jon's career in gay porn seemed a sure bet, things came to a screeching halt. While visiting Gainesville, Florida in 1982, Jon would steal a Corvette after test driving it and then proceeded to wreck it after robbing a Burger King! Sentenced to eleven months, Jon celebrated his 20th birthday behind bars. When asked about  his time in prison, Jon was reluctant to discuss it, only saying that "it wasn't fun".

Making a comeback in 1983, Jon continued to appear in films and videos throughout the eighties. Among these were the classics The Biggest One I Ever Saw (with Lee Ryder and Rick Donovan),  Hot Off The Press, and Hotel Hell. Among his most memorable scenes: a hot tub scene with veteran adult star Kip Noll in 1984's Kip Noll - Superstar.

Jon's tight, boyishly muscular body, combined with his thick black hair, deep dark eyes, and a youthful innocence and vulnerability made him very popular with almost everyone who saw him. He was often described as a gentle, loving person, who sadly spent his whole life searching for a lasting happiness which he never found. When asked about his popularity, he said that being recognized and approached in public as Jon King actually made him uncomfortable, and that he'd even quit going to gay bars for that reason. "It's not that I don't appreciate it," he once said of the admiration he received, "I just want to be myself."

Around 1989, Jon retired from the business and moved to Atlanta, where he attended culinary school for two years while working in restaurants there, thus satisfying a lifelong interest in gourmet cooking. He returned to film in 1993, appearing in Wild Country and a sequel, These Bases are Loaded II for Chi Chi LaRue. 

After a  final video, 1995's Pumping Iron, Jon again retired. He moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and soon after became extremely ill. He'd been living with HIV for a number of years and died from AIDS complications on March 8, 1995. His body was cremated and his ashes mixed and scattered with those of his beloved dog, Bucky who had been hit by a car two weeks before Jon passed.

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I saw him in print (in a magazine) long before I'd ever see him on film. He had a softness about him, sort of a puppy dog quality that I think many found appealing, especially in light of how hard and hyper-masculine porn can sometimes be. He seemed very approachable. I thought he was very pretty and envied his thick black hair. What became of him, I had no idea, until I started the research for this post. 

But then, as we continue to take a look at other 'Lost Boys'? 

I have a feeling a lot of stories are going end in on a similar note.

Boy Blue - Cyndi Lauper