Celebrating An Adult Movie Queen!
My “2022 Sex Kitten Countdown” looks at the careers of some of cult cinema’s greatest stars, and in this case, an Icon!
Annette Haven was one of the biggest stars in the “golden age” of adult cinema, and here’s why!
She was born Annette Robinson on December 1, 1954 in Las Vegas, Nevada. She grew up in a conservative Mormon family.
According to wikipedia, she got married when she was 17, but was divorced only two years later – and moved to San Francisco.
Ken Severson has a great bio on IMDB.com – he writes that while there, “she had worked in a variety of fields: nurse’s aide, exotic dancer, massage parlor employee in the San Francisco area.”
IMDB lists 87 film credits in her legendary career, beginning in 1974 – as the adult film industry was exploding on the west coast.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular films in Annette’s illustrious career:
“Autobiography Of A Flea” in 1976 starred Jean Jennings, who was also married to character Actor Joe Spinell!
I will share more on her career at the end of this story. As for Annette, she worked with some of the biggest names in the adult film industry – at a time when these films were striving to be much more than just “porn”:
Adult films were also “art films” in many cases, and for a brief time the concept of adult films becoming mainstream was possible…films like “The Devil IN Miss Jones” and “Memories Within Miss Aggie”…and Annette appeared in several of the higher quality films like these:
“Desires Within Young Girls” in 1977 also starred Georgina Spelvin from “Devil IN Miss Jones”.
Annette received critical acclaim and was awarded Best Actress in 1977 for “A Coming Of Angels”.
Also that year was this adult classic:
“Barbara Broadcast”
Acclaimed Adult Film Director Radley Metzger also made films under the credit Henry Paris, and Annette starred in several of his biggest hits.
“Maraschino Cherry” in 1977 for for Metzger as well.
Haven was hugely popular, with films and magazine photo shoots along with public appearances:
She was in “SexWorld” in 1978 – another big hit.
“Dracula Sucks” was the adult take on the classic vampire story, and she also appeared in what was promoted as the first million dollar porn film!
“Thousand And One Erotic Nights” also starred Lisa DeLeeuw – as I’ve noted, many of the same names show up in a number of these films…here are more of Annette’s biggest hits:
She was adamantly against violence in her films, especially violence against women. She left the adult film industry at the end of the 80’s.
According to IMDB, she almost got the lead role in Brian DePalma’s “Body Double” in 1984.
According to her wikipedia bio, De Palma commented, “I’m already thinking of casting. I don’t know if there’s any good young porno stars out here, but the older ones—Annette Haven, Seka – some of them can really act. And Annette Haven has a terrific body.”
Ultimately, the role went to Melanie Griffith but Haven worked on the film as an advisor!
She also directed films as well:
Haven left the business at the end of the 80’s, and was ultimately inducted into the “AVN” and “XRCO” Hall of Fames – deservedly so!
DePalma was right about Annette – and Seka as well:
She was also a serious Actress with “star quality” – you can see all of her best work here:
One of Annette’s co-stars in “Maraschino Cherry” was C.J. Laing:
She had a great career in adult film as well – and some wild San Francisco stories, and you can see her greatest hits by clicking on my story here:
Actress Lisa DeLeeuw also worked with Annette several times:
She had a great adult film career as well – here is her story:
As I mentioned, her co-star in “Flea” was Jean Jennings, who had a fascinating yet troubled life:
You can see more of her life and career by clicking here:
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Let me know your favorite Annette Haven film!
Categories: 70's Films, Artsploitation, Cult Classics, Exploitation Films, Extreme Cinema, Grindhouse, JRsploitation, Nudity, sex kittens, Sexploitation Films, Talent / Celebrites
JR-Sploitation! 
Annette always came off as being too good for the X business.
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It’s interesting the the “golden age of adult film” attracted Actresses who may have expected the adult industry to move mainstream, as some of the films were justifiably acclaimed…never happened of course and when VHS took over, it became glossy “porn”
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I had never heard of her, (as usual) but you are right about that ‘Golden age’ of the Porn industry, John.
Talking of which, John Holmes must never have ben unemployed at that time!
Best wishes, Pete.
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Pete, he was the hardest working man in the business to be sure! #nudgenudgewinkwink
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Annette was one of the classiest and certainly most beautiful women working in X-rated movies in the days when they really did act. Apart from the above I really liked her in Co-ed Fever and Female Athletes where she was in several scenes.
Have you thought of doing an article on the star of Maraschino Cherry, the great Gloria Leonard, whom as well as appearing in movies edited High Society magazine and campaigned against censorship and for the right of adults to watch porn?
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Thanks for you comment and that’s a great suggestion! I Willa dd her immediately!
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