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When people talk about the early pioneers of adult film in New York, names like Jamie Gillis, Harry Reems and Tina Russell spring to mind. But in January 2013, the industry lost someone who was there at the beginning, and remained there pretty much until his passing – and that’s Fred Lincoln.
Fred was born to a traditional Italian family in 1930s Hells Kitchen, New York. He was smart, but preferred the streets and petty crime to church and school, maybe influenced by family connections to local mobsters. After a time in the marines, Fred tried the quiet life; he settled down, got married and worked at a regular job, but the bright lights of the city were calling. He started acting, and before long became one of the very first adult film performers in loops and early features.
Fred made loops with all the early characters like Sam Menning, Teddy Snyder and Smitty. He starred with Harry Reems in ‘Sex USA‘ (1971), Gerard Damiano’s pre-‘Deep Throat‘ (1972) hit that paved the way for porno chic. He acted regularly before turning his hand to directing and following the industry out to the west coast.
Along the way, he was married seven times, counting adult star Tiffany Clark and porn director Patti Rhodes among his wives. He helped Larry Levenson manage Plato’s Retreat and started the notorious Hellfire Club. He even found time to regularly work in mainstream movies as a stuntman, and to star in one of the most influential horror films of the early 1970s, ‘Last House on the Left‘ (1972).
I wanted to know how Fred remembered the early days of the porn industry when loops were king, porno was chic and New York was the center of it all, so in 2007, I sat down with him to discuss his New York years.
This episode running time is 46 minutes.
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Fred Lincoln – Rare pictures:
Fred Lincoln (right)
Fred Lincoln in ‘Millie’s Homecoming‘ (1971)
Fred Lincoln in ‘Millie’s Homecoming‘ (1971)
Fred Lincoln in ‘The Weirdos and the Oddballs‘ (1971)
Fred Lincoln in ‘The Weirdos and the Oddballs‘ (1971)
Fred Lincoln (1937-2013)
Beautiful, emotional (as usual..), and unexpected.
Fred was a philosopher, and a good man. This is a rare pleasure of a listen.
Wow – I never expected to hear a podcast with Freddie – given that he’s been gone almost 2 years, so this is a quite lyrical holiday gift.
Happy holidays to everyone on this fine site – and I echo Fred’s final comments in the podcast… true, true..
No photos of Fred and his ex wife Tiffany Clark? It seemed like any porn mag you picked up in the early 80’s had a picture of Fred and Tiffany together at some party or gossip about them and their swinging lifestyle. Tiffany came from a rough childhood, you don’t have to be a psychologist to see she saw Fred Lincoln as a father figure. But after finding out that ole Freddie was married 7 times he was probably a better father figure to Tiff than a husband!
Good point J.D!
We wanted this interview to focus just on the early years of the industry – and before Fred and Tiffany became such an item on the New York scene.
We hope to cover Tiffany soon – so stay tuned… and thanks for the comments.
I understand, yea, I figured Tiffany was such a big part of the NY scene in the early 80’s and being married to Fred we would see some pics of them together. But it will be worth the wait to see a separate piece on her. About 15 years ago I remember seeing some kind of porn documentary that featured her, she was in her backyard in FL and married to a guy I think was named Ron. I think she was working for a porn company taking orders on the phone for the VHS tapes?
Another stupendous podcast. In his last few years, Fred was editing for a couple of directors at the company I work for. I loved talking to Fred on the phone and seeing him when he’d stop by the office. It went like this: he’d call asking for tech support, even though he knew way more than I about Final Cut, we’d go in circles and I’d wanna scream at him-then he’d solve the issue without my help. More than once these calls would last until it was quitting time. I’d punch out, call him back and we’d talk for two more hours – this time he’d be telling me stories about the old days and answering my porn film geek questions in minute detail. Everything in the podcast I’d heard several times before.
Nicest guy ever. A blue movie sweetheart. I miss him. Thanks for another brilliant piece, RR.
Maybe my favorite podcast so far. Fascinating man!
Love everything about this site – brings back the long dead city and helps me ignore the disney fake that replaced it. Thank you all!
Put tons of smiles of my face and a few of tears too. What a treat!
Fred was straight talking, intelligent, very funny, called a spade a spade, a sweetheart, and I was esp. moved by the last bit and where he tells his friend “sorry I was a coward”.
This podcast is such a rich listening experience.
May he rest in peace, he deserves it.
Errata: Put tons of smiles on my face and a few tears too. What a treat!
I did some cameos in Fred’s movies in my day and I had never known he was the in The Last House On The Left. Of all the pioneers, he exhibits the most positive reflections and healthiest attitude about the biz. There was a joie de vivre in this man’s story that is missing in many other RR portraits. And he was indeed, The Happy Pornographer!
I was lamenting to a friend and mutual fan of the Rialto that it is a pity that it is a shame that you couldn’t be around to record the history of people like Harry Reems, John Leslie, Jamie Gillis and Fred Lincoln before they passed… and since then you’ve delivered superlative interviews with Jamie and now Fred…!!
Do you have any more surprises on the way?
And by the way, this was one of the best.
amazing interview. i don’t know how you guys manage to get such heartwarming and sensitive moments from people- maybe it’s because you interview real class acts.
thanks again
All the podcasts are amazing. Desiree anyone?? Please….
Fred Lincoln was just amazing. I mean, I was hooked listening to every word. Such experiences.
Anyone else think he looks a bit like Charlie Sheen in the first picture?
He was born in 1936 not in ’37 tho. Wikipedia is wrong. Shocking…
LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT was a huge movie in the way that movies can’t be huge anymore. It played the drive-in-circuit for YEARS. You would see that “LAST HOUSE” was back again, and again there would be a crowd. I re-watched it a few years ago and the cruelty brutality didn’t phase me a bit. It just seems like run-of-the-mill stuff now because it set the trend for going over-the-top in that genre.
Sorry Fred is gone..so much more needed to be asked……
Yet another corner rounded by RR in the Big Search…..
There is no end to the quest OR the questions…..
Looking forward to more insight into the past….
Yeah I was so sorry to hear about Fred’s passing last year. Although I did not know him very well I shot some scenes with him as a director in the mid 70’s. We shot some scenes for loops but mostly for private collectors. I do remember him to be quite jovial and approachable. Although I was very much his junior in age he treated me with respect and treated me as an equal. I can say the same for our female co-stars. It wasn’t so much he respected women in the cast as he seemed to be protective of them. The pornography business really lost a great pioneer and a mensch among men.
Hi Ben – thanks very much for stopping by and leaving your comment. We’d love to hear from you if you’d like to contact us through our email address: info@TheRialtoReport.com
Thanks!
The late great F.J. Lincoln has given a 7h(!) interview a year or so before he passed away. It’s similar to the one given for the rialto report: humane, classy, revealing and very funny. If you liked this you are really going to enjoy the full monty.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSonDJgYMxc
Worked with Fred and Leslie bovee live soho soho 1978