Lost Boys: Vintage Images of Joe Simmons

Lost Boys: Vintage Images of Joe Simmons

"The texture of black skin is something that excites me photographically maybe as well as other ways... There was a reason that bronzes are bronze. The subtleties of skin tone somehow are more refined."

- Robert Mapplethorpe

He is one of the most well-known African American gay porn stars of all time. Known for his great looks, athletic body, and versatility, the man did it all on film with no shame and with much abandon. His enthusiasm for his work is what made him a consistent draw. 

Joe Simmon's career begins at the cut-off of the classic era of porn, but I thought to include him because his story is so unique and much is known about the man. I believe the golden era ended once the AIDS crisis was in full swing and gaining acknowledgement. Simmons entered the industry just as that was happening, so, perhaps it's not surprising that he would meet the fate of so many others before him. 

But there was so much more to Simmons than his films and porn career. Your typical porn star, he was not. 

So, let's take a bit of time to celebrate and explore the story of this multi-faceted man. 

Joe Simmons

AKA: Buck, Preston, Thomas Williams, Anthony Williams

Birthdate: July, 11, 1959

Birthplace: Yonkers, Westchester County, New York
Death: October 2, 1995

Hair: Black

Eyes: Brown
Height: 6' 2" or 6' 4"

Years Active: 1985-1995

Films: 30

Compilations: 17

Studios: French Connection, Satellite Video, PM Productions, WET, Live Video, Catalina Video, Filmco, Stallion, Venus

Thomas Williams was born on July 11, 1959 in Yonkers, NY. One of twelve children, he spent much of his childhood in reform school due to what he described as "emotional disturbances." That said, he would remain close to his family throughout his life. 

As an adult, Simmons settled in New York City, where he studied acting for two years. During this time he developed a number of his talents, including: dancing, singing, and playing the piano and guitar. These skills served him well. During his career, he appeared in five Off-Broadway musicals. He augmented his income by working construction and building props and stage sets.  

While pursuing his dreams of a career on the stage, Simmons took up bodybuilding and pursued it very seriously, working out for 90 minutes, four days a week. His sculpted physique garnered him all sorts of attention, eventually landing him between the pages of Playgirl and Playguy magazine.

Throughout his career, he would serve as a popular centerfold model, appearing in many of the mens magazines of the time. Photographer Fred Bisonnes, who conducted a photo session with him for LPI, recalls that during this time period, Simmons was also ''a master's candidate in anthropology at NYU (or was it Columbia?)" 

PLAYGIRL

PLAYGUY

NUMBERS Aug 1986

INTERVIEW March 1987
ADVOCATE MEN / MEN Oct 1988

MEN OF ADVOCATE MEN Nov 1988

INCHES Jan 1989

HONCHO Jan 1989

MEN OF ADVOCATE MEN May 1989

MANSHOTS Sept 1989 

MEN OF ADVOCATE MEN Sept 1989 

STALLION Nov 1989 (as: Preston)

MEN OF ADVOCATE MEN Dec 1989

STALLION Jan 1990 (interview)

INCHES Sept 1990

OBSESSIONS May 1991

MANDATE May 1992
ADVOCATE MEN XXX SPECIAL Issue #2 1992

STALLION April 1996
INCHES Nov 1996 (as: Buck)

INCHES Jan 1999

One night, at a club, Simmons met famed photographer Robert Mapplethorpe (1946 – 1989), Mapplethorpe became transfixed by Simmon's physical beauty, producing a series of photos that revolved around the young man which later appeared in Interview magazine, museum exhibitions and travelling displays, and are now referred to as the controversial 'Black Book' series.  

On October 3, 2016, Pete Sigal wrote about Simmons' work with Mapplethorpe for The Getty Museum:

 

"The beautiful, muscled ass of pornography star Thomas Williams greeted the readers of the March 1987 issue of Interview magazine. In a fashion spread advertising the clothes worn by fashion model Tara Shannon, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe challenged the magazine’s readers to see the black man’s ass as a sexual object. 

In doing so, Mapplethorpe not only emphasized the backside of the nude black man in comparison with the clothed white woman, but he also... symbolically decapitated Williams by hiding his head behind Shannon’s hat. The grainy image certainly would be seen by far more people than the fine art connoisseurs who would see the image of Williams and Shannon in a Mapplethorpe exhibit, allowing us to relate both commerce and history to Mapplethorpe’s vision.

Some critics have taken Mapplethorpe to task for cutting off the heads of many black men, objectifying them by picturing just the cock or the ass. Mapplethorpe, though, considered the buttocks, the genitals, and other body parts as effective representatives of the subject in portraiture. Still, his portraits, mostly of white people, were quite traditional, emphasizing the face. One may say that the images of black men that emphasized genitals, buttocks, and even many other body parts, like the images of gay sadomasochism, were intended to objectify. They force us to face the process of objectification."

(A selection of Mapplethorpe's photography featuring Simmons can be seen in the gallery below.)

This new found fame and association with Mapplethorpe led to the birth of Joe Simmons and a stunning career in gay porn. From the mid-eighties to early nineties, he appeared in 30 films, working with famed directors such as Frank Ross, Christopher Rage, among others - frequently appearing on the cover of the video box - a rarity for a black man during this time period. 

On film, Simmons proved himself incredibly versatile, both topping and bottoming, as well as appearing in bi-sexual and niche-kink films. 

1985 

Cousin Buck

Made in the Shade 1
Oriental Dick
Safe Sex
Screen Test

1986 

Black Delivery
Colored Boys
I Know What Girls Like
Made in the Shade 2
My Masters
Raunch 2
They All Came!

1987 

Bad Ass
Kiss It

1988 

Black Magic
Black Pack
Blackmates
Sizzling Joe Simmons
Slaves

1989 

Bi And Large
Black Book

Return Of Indiana Joan
Soul And Salsa 2

1990 

Advocate Men Live 6
Black Alley: South of the Border
Custom 9: Best Fist
Black Workout 3

1991 

Easy Assplay
Sizzling Joe Simmons 2
Soul Dad

Simmons' notoriety in the industry would lead to an appearance on The Phil Donahue Show, where he appeared nude, as part of a panel of other porn actors and actresses.

In his personal life, Simmons had sex with both men and women, enjoying a relationship, briefly, with Mapplethorpe model, Veronica Vera.

However, he was unable to escape the fate of many of his gay porn contemporaries. Some time after 1991, Simmons discovered he was HIV positive.

At a Thanksgiving gathering (frequently incorrectly reported as 1994), he informed his mother and eleven siblings of his diagnosis. It's said that it brought the family closer together. For the remainder of his life, his family would be there for him, providing constant support and were with him during his final days. 

In July 1993, suffering from the effects of AIDS, Simmons spoke to New York Magazine about his frustration with The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. The foundation, set up by Mapplethorpe in 1988, was created in order to help fund AIDS research, as well as related photography projects. Simmons complained, “I don’t think the foundation has turned out the way Robert envisioned. Images of me sell for as much as $40,000 each, so in some ways, I feel I made the foundation possible.”

The foundation's president, Michael Ward Stout, responded to Simmons' comments, saying “By law we are unable to provide funds to individuals, but we have provided millions of dollars to institutions in order to provide results and the most advantages to the greatest number of people affected by this epidemic. When I heard Thomas Williams was ill and having difficulty, I immediately contacted him and arranged for him to have access to medical care at St. Vincent’s AIDS Center.”

Simmons died of AIDS complications at St. Vincent's Medical Center in NYC on October 2, 1995. A memorial service was held at Redkin's Funeral Home in Manhattan on October 6th. 

He was 36 years old.

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Such a unique story... with such a familiar end.

I was not acquainted with Simmons or his work, though I do remember the Mapplethorpe photos - but for all that time, he was merely a figure without a name. 

In his New York Magazine interview, Simmons raises an interesting problem unique to photography... does a model, the subject of a photo, have any rights when it comes to the selling of that photo? Performers routinely receive residuals from past work... why doesn't that extend to models? Certainly, they are integral to the creative process and eventual success of a photo, so why aren't they rewarded on-going? Why don't they receive full credit? A one-time fee and a model release hardly seems fair. 

As for the controversy over the Mapplethorpe photos of black males? The art of photography is all about objectification. Do photographers sometimes cross the line? Yes. And they should. That's what art is all about, don't you think? It's to give us pause. It's to make us think and confront our own and society's preconceived notions or nonchalant acceptance of things unacceptable. 

As for Simmons? He's a warrior. He made the best of his lot in life. He was talented and driven and successful. That it ended badly?

A sign of the times.

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That's all for now. Until next time...

Thanks for reading.

Sign O' The Times - Prince

Sign Of The Times - Harry Styles