Lost Boys: Vintage Images of Christopher Lance

Lost Boys: 

Vintage Images of Christopher Lance

Today, we take a look at yet another example of someone whose time in the limelight was brief, but made for a lasting impression on the canons of classic gay porn. 

Christopher Lance embodied the preppy look that dominated all forms of media during the mid to late 1980's. 

Though he would appear in only four films, they were of such quality and proved so popular, that by 1986, his photos would dominate the male magazines of the time. 

But longevity was not in the cards for Lance. 

His life itself would mirror his career - impressive, but brief. 

His story is a sad one, reminding us that the gay community is not immune to the tragic consequences of  domestic violence.

Let's take a brief peek and see what we can discover about the man behind the iconic images.  

Christopher Lance

AKA: Robert Lance Slacke, 'Bobby', 'Bob', Chris Lance

Birthday: November 26, 1966

Birthplace: Fort Dix, NJ

Death: April 24, 1994

Hair: Bleach Blonde/Brown

Height: 5'10"

Eyes: Hazel

Endowment: 7"

Years Active: 1985-1986

Films: 4

Compilations: 11

Studios: Falcon, HIS, Catalina Video, Huge

Directors: William Higgins, Matt Sterling

Robert Lance Slacke came into the world on November 26, 1966. At the time, his father was an active member of the U.S. Air Force. He, along with his wife, Pati, was stationed at Fort Dix in New Jersey.

After graduating high school in 1984, Slacke relocated to the Dallas area, where he worked as an exotic dancer, adopting the stage name of Chris Lance, at the clubs, The Blue Parrot and Big Daddy's. He also waited tables at a French restaurant called The Enclave.

In 1985, he began making occasional trips to the west coast to appear in gay porn or do a magazine shoot. Though he would only appear in four films, all four are considered classics of the genre, making a lasting impression.

1985
Inch By Inch
Other Side of Aspen 2
Young and the Hung

1986 

Dynastud

While primarily remembered for his "spirited portrayal" of Steve Harrington in the Dynasty spoof Dynastud (1986), his breakout role was actually in William Higgins' The Young and The Hung (1985), a film that "arguably ranks as one of the best pornos ever." A versatile performer, he both topped and bottomed in films.

Due to his boyish good looks, the heat generated by his film appearances, and relative 'freshness' on the scene, he became a highly sought after model for magazine photo spreads, appearing in many of the popular men's magazines of the time. These photos would prove invaluable in cementing his place in the lore of vintage gay porn, for they far outnumbered his film appearances.

In Touch, #107, October 1985

Inches,  January 1986 

Jock, June 1986

Jock, August 1986

Torso,  August 1986

Jock, September 1986

Inches, December 1986

Inches, January 1987
Torso, February 1987

Male Insider, February 1987
Stars, April 1987

Manshots, April 1992

Manshots, November 1996

Skinflicks January 1997

Just Men, v2 n03, v2n06, v04 n04
Skinflicks,  v07 n06
Studflix,  v05 n02
Stroke, v09 n06

Sadly, Lance's life and career were cut short on Sunday, April 24, 1994, in Oak Park, a suburb of Dallas. Lance and his boyfriend/roommate engaged in a heated argument which began at approximately 7:25 pm at their shared apartment on the 2600 block of Douglas which then escalated into a knife fight. Both men sustained injuries and were rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital for treatment. 

There, Chris Lance/Robert Lance Slacke died of his injuries on April 24, 1994 at approximately 10:00 pm. He was 27 years old.

His partner, Ryan Bordener, then age 35, was admitted in fair condition and was subsequently released the following Tuesday. He was then taken into custody by police and charged with murder. 

The incident was treated as a case of domestic violence. Bordener's bond was set at $25,000 and the suspect was released on his own recognizance. 

A grand jury was convened and, contrary to what was reported in a belated obituary in the November 1996 issue of Manshot magazine, Bordener was not charged or convicted of manslaughter. According to a May 27th, 1994 report in The Dallas Voice, the grand jury refused to bring charges against him, citing that Bordener had acted in self defense. 

On May 15, 1994. a celebration of life was held in Lance's honor, in Dallas.

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It's funny how a single image of someone can cement that person's face in one's memory. Such is the case of porn star Christopher Lance. His face on the cover of a film called Dynastud would be permanently imprinted on my mind after shelving it countless times at US Video on Lake Street in the late 80's - so much so, that I actually purchased a copy of the VHS via eBay many, many years later. 

No, I've never watched the film; I think I just wanted to 'own' the memory. 

I also remember his February 1987 photo spread in Torso magazine. That was the year I 'came out' and I remember lifting the magazine from the racks of the convenience store where I was working at the time. 

He was pretty. Not my thing. Though I did appreciate the preppy wholesomeness he represented. It was an aesthetic that escaped me and remained foreign to me, but prevalent at the time. 

I wish I'd found more information about his life. He certainly was well-loved, but other than a photo tribute, I found no personal recollections shared on-line about him. 

So, he remains an image, preserved in a time. Gone... but not forgotten. 

 

That's all for today.

Thank you for reading.

Love You To Death - Type O Negative

Bring Me To Life - Evanescence