MIAMI (Oct. 28) - Gerard Damiano, director of the pioneering pornographic film that lent its name to the Watergate whistleblower known as "Deep Throat," has died. He was 80.
Damiano died Saturday at a Fort Myers hospital, his son, Gerard Damiano Jr., said Monday. He had suffered a stroke in September.
"He was a filmmaker and an artist and we thought of him as such," the younger Damiano said. "Even though we weren't allowed to see his movies, we knew he was a moviemaker, and we were proud of that."
Karl Malden, July 1: The Academy Award-winning actor, known for roles his in cinematic milestones 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and 'On the Waterfront' not to mention his jump to TV in the 1970s with 'The Streets of San Francisco,' died of natural causes at his home in California. He was 97.
Karl Malden, July 1: The Oscar-winning actor, best known for roles in cinematic milestones like 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and 'On the Waterfront,' died of natural causes. He was 97.
Barry King, WireImage
Mia Farrow's brother, sculptor Patrick Farrow, was found dead in his Vermont art gallery after an unnamed woman made an emergency call. Police have called the death "suspicious."
Getty Images / AP
Shih Kien, June 3: The Hong Kong movie legend, who spent decades playing the enemy in dozens of martial arts films including the Bruce Lee classic 'Enter the Dragon,' has died at age 96.
Television Broadcasts Limited / AP
David Carradine, June 4: The kung fu cult hero with more than 200 movies and TV shows to his credit passed away in his Bangkok hotel room. The 'Kill Bill' actor was 72 years old.
Getty Images
Lucy Gordon, May 20: The British actress who has had roles in films like 'Spider-Man 3' and 'Serendipity' took her own life by hanging herself in her Paris apartment just two days shy of her 29th birthday.
Evan Agostini, Getty Images
Wayne Allwine, May 18: The actor, was only the third man behind Mickey Mouse's falsetto, died of complications of diabetes at age 62. At his side was wife Russi Taylor, who for years voiced Minnie Mouse. If you heard Mickey after 1977, there's a good chance it was Allwine.
Stephen Shugerman, Getty Images
Mickey Caroll, May 7: One of the last remaining munchkins from 'The Wizard of Oz,' passed away at the age of 89, just two months short of his 90th birthday.
Chris Pizzello, Reuters
Kate Tucci, May 2009: Kate Tucci, wife of 'The Devil Wears Prada' star Stanley Tucci, died of cancer, leaving behind three children with the actor.
Bryan Bedder, Getty Images
Dom DeLuise, May 4: The actor-director-producer died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 75. He is best known for his roles in several Mel Brook's comedies as well as a frequent onscreen partner of Burt Reynolds.
Frank Capri, Getty Images
Danny Gans, May 1: The Las Vegas performer who earned the nickname 'The Man of 1000 Voices' passed away suddenly in his sleep. He was 52 years old.
Getty Images
Damiano's "Deep Throat" was a mainstream box-office success and helped launch the modern hardcore adult-entertainment industry. Shot in six days for just $25,000, the 1972 flick became a cultural must-see for Americans who had just lived through the sexual liberation of the 1960s.
The film's title also became associated with one of the most famous anonymous sources in journalism.
While investigating the Watergate scandal, Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein used it as a nickname for their source, former FBI official W. Mark Felt. Information from Felt helped bring down Richard Nixon's presidency.
Born in New York in 1928, Damiano worked as a hairdresser, spent time in the Navy and directed several adult films. The younger Damiano said he would often accompany his father on film sets as a child, but would be ushered out during "nitty-gritty" scenes.
"We weren't allowed to see certain parts of it," the son said. "But my parents always felt that it was nothing to be ashamed of, what he did."
After "Deep Throat" opened in Times Square, attention from media critics and outraged conservatives ? including repeated legal challenges ? helped turn it into a hit.
"My father never dreamed that it would get that kind of attention," the younger Damiano said.
But despite the attention, the son said the film was not his father's favorite.
"He was fond of it for what it was, but in terms of filmmaking, he would never call it a great film," he said.
Gerard Damiano is survived by his son and daughter. No formal services are planned.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
