Page 23 - AVN May 2015

Bill Amerson, Mentor to
John Holmes, 1938-2015
Bill Amerson, best known
for his partnership with
adult actor John Holmes, but
who was also an actor and
producer, died of a stroke at
his home in Los Angeles. He
was 76.
Amerson had a storied
career, beginning in the late
1960s when he and a partner
(not Holmes) had offices in
Hollywood where they would
take sexually explicit photos
of women and sell them to
magazines like Adam and
Adam Film World.
During the period when
Amerson represented
Holmes, and eventually
took Holmes as his partner
in Penguin Productions,
Amerson also owned several
bookstores and theaters in
Southern California and
Arizona, and was constantly
targeted by the L.A. Vice
Squad.
In Holmes’ later years,
the actor became addicted to
cocaine and heroin, which
may have led to Amerson
opening a “sober living
house” after Holmes died of
complications from AIDS.
It has been said that
Amerson was the first
producer to require his
performers to be tested for
HIV before filming them—
and to prove how serious he
was, both he and Holmes
got the first HIV tests in the
industry, which showed that
both were negative. However,
six months later, Holmes
came up positive for HIV and
died less than three years
later.
“Bill was like the
psychologist of the club,”
said Brad Barnes, owner of
the Exposed Gentlemen’s
Club on Canoga Avenue.
“The girls would go to cry
on Bill’s shoulder. He was
sort of the older figure at
the club, so he was more a
psychologist figure, and he
would help out the girls. He
got some kind of degree to be
a sober living doctor, and he
opened a sober living house,
facility. He had it even while
he was working at the club.
He would work with the
girls when they had issues.
He would get them set up at
the sober living house, and
they would continue to work
here; he’d get them a place
to live and try to guide them
through the speed bumps of
life.”
In fact, Amerson got
Barnes his first job in adult,
where he performed as “Brick
Majors.”
“Bill’s been working
security/reception at Exposed
for the past ten years,”
Barnes told AVN. “This was
like Bill’s retirement job,” he
continued, “because he liked
to be around all the girls,
and he actually wound up
marrying one of the dancers.
He was 76 when he died, and
she’s like 25.”
“Bill hadn’t been feeling
well for the past few months,
so when my brother Brian
[Surewood] got out of
prison, he took over running
security at the club,” Barnes
added.”But the last I saw of
him, he seemed happy, all the
way till the end.”
What few knew was that
Amerson had been an actor
and producer in his own
right, mostly in the mid-
1980s, though his credits
read “Bill Williams” (not
to be confused with the
actor who played Kit Carson
on 1950s TV). Amerson
produced a number of movies
including Girls on Fire and The
Divorcee (in both of which he
also acted), I Love L.A. and
Lottery Lu$t. He also appeared
as non-sex talent in several
adult movies, including Henri
Pachard’s Taboo American Style
series.
— Mark Kernes
IN MEMORIAM
Colleagues Remember Drew Kennedy
Drew Kennedy, who took over
have my spot at ArchAngel if it
as president of longstanding
wasn’t for Drew. Drew had so
adult distribution outfit
Premiere Sales Group in 2013,
was found dead March 27 in
his home. He was 32.
Kennedy began his career
in the industry in the year
2000 at the age of 18, when he
went to work in the Premiere
warehouse for his brother-in-
law and Premiere owner Keith
Repult. Climbing his way up
into sales, Kennedy built such
a strong account portfolio
that he was eventually able to
purchase the company from
Repult.
In the summer of 2014, Kennedy was briefly
appointed by Elegant Angel Productions founder
Patrick Collins as the studio’s new president—a
deal that collapsed almost immediately due to
legal complications on Collins’ end. Kennedy
would go on, however, to help get new studio
ArchAngel Productions up and running with
Elegant director MimeFreak at its head and
Girlfriends Films handling distribution.
Girlfriends president Moose told AVN, “Drew
was a person you could count on, as a friend
and doing business deals. He would always be
a straight shooter and a man of his word. Over
the years I have seen so many different ways
that he grew in different deals.
“Sorry to his family and friends,” Moose added.
“We have lost a true friend.”
Reflected MimeFreak, “Drew Kennedy was a
down to earth guy. I first met Drew at Elegant
and we immediately became close. I wouldn’t
much life and would give you
the shirt off his back. He will
be missed by so many of us. It’s
surreal to know that he’s gone.”
Devil’s Film production
and sales vice president Steve
Volponi, who explained that
Repult also owned Devil’s for
a period while he still presided
over Premiere, commented,
“Drew was the head sales guy
[at Premiere] and would buy
from me. Premiere was our
sister company. Drew was by
far one of the best sales guys I
ever was in contact with. The kid knew how to
close a deal.”
He continued, “I spoke with him two days
ago, and we had a great conversation about our
respect and love for each other and how great
he was doing as new owner of Premiere. We
had some great laughs the other day too. I’m
absolutely floored he is gone.
“He was a good guy, and I don’t think there’s
a person in this business that could say anything
bad about him. Good, bad or indifferent, he was
like family to me, and others in this industry.
He will truly be missed.”
Exile Distribution owner Howard Levine,
another close friend of Kennedy’s, offered,
“Drew was a big guy with a bigger heart. He
always gave 100 percent, and everyone loved
him. I spoke with him on Wednesday for about
an hour. He loved our industry and was very
much at home being a part of it. He will be
sorely missed.”
Dell Williams, 1922-2015
Dell Williams, the founder of Eve’s Garden—widely acknowledged as the first sex boutique in the
United States that catered to women—died March 11 at her home in Manhattan at age 92.
Williams founded the store in 1974 on New York’s Westside. Eve’s Garden provided a discreet,
comfortable atmosphere where female clients looking to “expand and celebrate” their sexuality
could shop for quality products.
Prior to taking on a revolutionary role in the pleasure products industry, Williams was an actress,
advertising executive and Women’s Army Corps soldier.
When Williams started Eve’s Garden, the majority of stores selling sex toys were designed for and
frequented by men. Eve’s Garden originally operated as a mail-order business before a storefront
was opened on the upper floor of a Manhattan office building on West 57th Street. Eventually, the
store began operating a website, EvesGarden.com, as well.
Williams was born Dell Zetlin on August 5, 1922. She was the daughter of Isaac and Sarah
Bronstein Zetlin. She reportedly adopted the surname Williams because it was a variant on the
name of a man to whom she was married for a short time.
Williams, in her memoir Revolution in the Garden, said she got the idea to open Eve’s Garden after
participating in a workshop conducted by Betty Dodson. When Dodson recommended female
masturbation, she suggested those in attendance purchase the Magic Wand. After an uncomfortable
experience purchasing the device at Macy’s, Williams decided women needed a place where they
could purchase similar items free from judgment.
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