Scott O'Hara

Scott O’Hara (October 16, 1961 - February 18, 1998) was an American pornographic performer, poet, editor/publisher, and author.

Born in Grants Pass, Oregon, O'Hara's given name was John R. Scott, O'Hara always used his professional name throughout his adult life. He was known as "Scott O'Hara" or "Spunk". In an essay titled "A Dick by Any Other Name," O'Hara wrote: "I knew from an early age that I was a changeling. I spent the next eighteen years looking for my real name, and since I found it I have not pretended to be anyone else." (O'Hara 1999)

O'Hara had the notoriety of receiving the title "The Biggest Dick in San Francisco" in a contest in the early 1980s. That title became his trademark for the rest of his porn and professional career. Published measurement of his penis varies from 9.5 to 11 inches. From 1983 to 1988, he appeared in over twenty gay and bisexual-themed films and videos, several of which demonstrate his rare ability of auto-fellatio.

After leaving the porn industry behind, O'Hara tried his hand at publishing and editing a journal ("Steam") and a magazine ("Wilde"). He also wrote numerous poems, plays, and three books. He was an active and committed libertarian as well.

O'Hara died of AIDS-related complications (non-Hodgkins lymphoma) in San Francisco. O'Hara left his personal papers (consisting of 39 boxes of journals, correspondences, notes, and manuscripts) with the John Hay Library of Brown University.

elected filmography

* "Below the Belt"
* "Hung and Horny"
* "The Joys of Self-Abuse"
* "Oversized Load"
* "Ramcharger"
* "Sgt. Swann's Private Files"
* "Slaves for Sale"

Published works

* "Do It Yourself Piston Polishing (for Non-Mechanics)" (Badboy, 1996)
* "Autopornography: A Memoir of Life in the Lust Lane" (New York: Haworth Press, 1997)
* "Rarely Pure and Never Simple: Selected Essays of Scott O'Hara" (New York: Haworth Press, 1999)
* "Steam: A Quarterly Journal for Men" (editor, 1993-1995)

See also

*List of gay porn stars

External links

* [http://library.brown.edu/record=b3650724 Scott O'Hara Papers] at the Brown University Library
* [http://www.queerculturalcenter.org/Pages/Keehnen/OHara.html 1997 Scott O'Hara Interview] by Owen Keehnen at the Queer Cultural Center
* [http://www.scottohara.com/ Scott O'Hara Tribute Site]
* [http://www.poz.com/articles/257_1842.shtml "Sex Positive"] (article about O'Hara in June, 1995, issue of "POZ")
* [http://www.poz.com/articles/228_7134.shtml "Full of Spunk"] (obituary for O'Hara in June, 1998, issue of "POZ")