Al Parker - June 25, 1952 - August 17, 1992
Al Parker was one of the superstars of classic gay porn of the '70s and '80s, with his handsome clone style, enthusiastic and skilled sex scenes highlighting oral performance, and versatile roles in front of and behind the camera, acting in, directing, and producing films. Born Andrew "Drew" Okun in Natick, Massachusetts, Parker moved to Los Angeles as a young man and worked as Hugh Hefner's butler at the Playboy Mansion West. Parker was discovered (and re-named) by Colt Studios and was signed by Brentwood Studios, shooting 8mm loops for both. You can see one of these early loop appearances in Brentwood's Challenger (1977), one of the few times Parker appeared on film with only a mustache and no beard. One of his early breakout starring roles was in a feature, Inches (1979), by director Steve Scott, which highlighted Parker's good looks, convincing acting ability, and sexual charisma. Scott and Parker worked together for years on many more films. Parker and Steve Taylor (co-star in Inches, Wanted, and Flashback) met in 1973 and had a long-term open relationship for nearly 14 years until Taylor's death in 1986. Parker and Taylor formed Surge Studios together, and the studio produced well-made, large budget gay adult features like Hard Disk Drive, Therapy, Flashback, and High Tech, often shot at their home in Hermosa Beach, California. Parker was extremely critical of gay porn studios that ignored the AIDS crisis and Surge was one of the first porn studios to mandate safe sex practices in the '80s (illustrated in Turbo Charge).

Selected Filmography - Performer:
Challenger (1977)
Inches (1979)
Wanted (1980)
Flashback (1981)
Performance (1981) (cameo)
Turned On! (1982)
Games (1982)
Rangers (1984)
Head Trips (1984)
Oversize Load (1986) (cameo)
Turbo Charge (1988)

Selected Filmography - Director/Producer (Surge Studios):
Flashback (1981)
Rangers (1984)
One in a Billion (1984)
Head Trips (1984)
Therapy (1985)
Hard Disk Drive (1985)
Century Mining (1985)
Strange Places, Strange Things (1985)
Oversize Load (1986)
High Tech (1986)
Turbo Charge (1988)