Arcadia Lake (porn star)

female adult bio
name= Arcadia Lake
photo=
caption= Arcadia Lake in her signature role as Tammy in "Debbie Does Dallas"
birthname= Michelle Carpenter
birth=
location=
death= 1990
height= 5 ft. 3 in. (1.6 m)
weight=
measurements= 32-22-32
eye color= Brown
hair color= Black
natural bust= Yes
ethnicity= Caucasian
alias= Arcadia, Arcadia Blue, Michele Lake, Michelle Lake, Arcadia Small
homepage=
iafd=ALake
imdb=0482120
afdb=1027|

: "For other articles with the name Arcadia Lake, see the Arcadia Lake disambiguation."

Michelle Carpenter better known by her screen name of Arcadia Lake (died 1990) was a pornographic actress, best known for her portrayal of Tammy in the 1978 film "Debbie Does Dallas".

Early life

Little is known about the non-adult film life of Arcadia Lake. As with most pornographic movie stars, she chose a pseudonym, partially to protect her real identity, also to foster a more memorable identity for herself and her career. Most sources generally agree, however, that her birth name was Michelle Carpenter. [http://www.lukeisback.com/stars/stars/stars/female/arcadia_lake.html Luke is Back profile for Arcadia Lake] ] [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0482120/bio Arcadia Lake's IMDb Biography] ] [http://www.cinebizarre.com/xstar_lake.asp Atomic Cinema's Feature on Arcadia Lake] ]

Before her adult film career, Lake had been a drug addict. She met porn star Eric Edwards in the late-1970s, who later claimed that she "was the first person I thought I really loved." Feeling that the government was not doing enough to help her, Edwards guided her through a detox program for methadone. Her resolve to get clean from drugs impressed and enamored Edwards and, after a year in the program, she managed to overcome, at least temporarily, her addictions.

For a time in the late-1970s and early-1980s, Edwards and Lake were married and she presumably took his legitimate last name of Everett, although the details of her marriage, as with much of her life, remain unknown.

Pornographic career

Having gotten her clean from drugs, Edwards next goal was to get her steady work. Edwards, who had been working in the pornographic industry since at least the late-1960s [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0249982/bio Eric Edwards Biography on IMDb] ] naturally saw her most promising future in pornography. Some biographies claim that her first film was the 1978 classic"Summertime Blue". [http://www.excaliburfilms.com/pornlist/starpgs/Arcadia.htm Biography from Excalibur Films] ] The Internet Movie Database, however, lists her as performing in several other films before the release of "Summertime Blue", including "Small Change", "Pussycat Ranch" and "Insane Desires". [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0482120/ Arcadia Lake on the Internet Movie Database] ]

No matter what the case, "Summertime Blue" was her first important hardcore pornography performance. In the film she plays a high school girl who gets introduced to sex by actors Edwards and Jean Jennings. It was in this film that she developed her classic look, the innocent teenager who, when she finally got to her action scene, turned out to have considerable skill. [http://www.kayparker.net/product.php?menuid=&productid=52 Kay Parker's Personal Site] ] She took the name Arcadia Lake from a resort of the same name.

Lake quickly built on this reputation, appearing any numerous films after 1978. The Internet Movie Database lists a total forty-one films but does not, however, differentiate between compilations and original productions. The Internet Adult Film Database lists 52 titles, of which eight are identified as compilations. Often paired with then-husband Eric Edwards, her scenes encompassed all facets of the pornography industry including anal sex, lesbian sex, facials and her "de facto" specialty, oral sex. [http://www.iafd.com/person.rme/perfid=ALake/gender=f Arcadia Lake's profile on the Internet Adult Film Database] ]

Reputation as an Actress

Kay Parker described Lake as "one of the all-time [...] most beautiful sex kittens to ever appear in" pornography adding that she had been "destined to become one of porn's all time greats." Atomic Cinema described her as "the most intriguing star of 1980 – 1981." Excalibur Films called her a "starlet in the making" and claimed that her "fresh-faced beauty and school-girl figure helped her become one of the top choices to play innocent young ladies drawn into the world of sexuality."

Despite these reviews, her personal life was not as promising as her career. Despite her scenes with husband Edwards being described as "wonderfully sincere", there were serious marital problems. Lake quickly relapsed back into drug use while working in the industry and Edwards blames her for his own addiction to hard drugs, especially cocaine. Edwards claimed that he was so addicted to cocaine that he "struggled to stay alive." In the end, Edwards believes that Lake left him after he ran out of money and headed out to find another sugar daddy.

Role in Debbie Does Dallas

Lake was well-known for several scenes, including a threesome with Edwards and Kandi Barbour in the 1981 film "Young Wild and Wonderful".. She also demonstrated her considerable oral sex skills in the special feature "Honey Throat" in 1980. Many consider her finest film to be 1983's "Arcadia's Fantasies", which showcase her in five separate scenes including a final, four-way sex orgy.

Her most famous role, however, came in 1978. In one of her earlier roles, Lake played the most innocent of all the cheerleaders, Tammy, in the iconic pornographic movie "Debbie Does Dallas". Lake plays her classical role, the innocent girl who is most resistant to the rapidly blossoming sexuality of the rest of her friends. Taking a job at a record store, she resists the advances of store owner Tony (played by actor Tony Mansfield [http://www.yesbutnobutyes.com/archives/2005/08/where_are_they_33.html Where Are They Now? Debbie Does Dallas] ] ) until convinced by her friend Lisa (played by Georgette Sanders) to try what the other girls are trying. True to form, Tammy is reluctant at first, but eventually joins Lisa in performing oral sex on Tony. Although she does not perform intercourse in this scene, she is seen, briefly, fully nude in a shower scene in a locker room at the beginning of the film. [http://www.411mania.com/movies/columns/9748/Misunderstood-Masterpieces:-Debbie-Does-Dallas.htm Plot Summary of Debbie Does Dallas from 411mania] ]

After Adult Films

Lake reportedly appeared, apparently uncredited, in one non-pornographic film, "The Story of O". Most sources cite Lake's final year in the pornographic industry as 1984. Both the Internet Movie and Adult Film Databases, however, have her final non-compilation film listed as "Behind the Brown Door" in 1986. Whatever the case, little is known about her life after adult films, much like her life before it. Having left Eric Edwards, she returned to being a drug addict and reportedly died of an accidental drug overdose in 1990.

References