Your Ad Here | PeekPort | TrafficFish | Freebies | Universities | Free Websites | Mod Fashion | HairDos | Travel | Games | geoglebay | MP3s ADD YOUR LINK Make Money with Our Turnkey System. You don't even have to do anything, unless you want to! | Sell Domain Names and Hosting - We'll do everything for you!

Rod Philips (1960 - 1993)

Rod Philips (or Phillips, depending on which video box one consults) only did a few movies in the eighties and a few more in the nineties, but remains one of the more popular stars of vintage gay adult films.  He was born Gregory Leslie Patton in El Centro, California on 23 August.  Greg's next door neighbors were jewelers, and by the age of twelve he had begun making his own jewelry as a hobby.  After graduating from Santa Barbara High School, he studied gemology and jewelry repair at Paris College in Texas while working for the Kruger Jewelry Company in Midland.  Returning to Santa Barbara in 1980, he began working for Olivier and Espig Jewelers.  It was sometime after this that he met and began a lover relationship with Robert Pyron, later to be known as Lee Ryder.  In 1982 Greg was introduced by Robert / Lee to the world of gay adult films, and made his debut as Rod Philips in "Winner Takes All," a movie which co-starred Lee, Bill Henson, and Scott O'Hara. That same year, as Ron Greer, he appeared with Lee, Leo Ford, and Dick Fisk in "Spokes."  Both became instant classics and continue to garner a cult following.  As Rod Philips he appeared in more films which included "Biggest One I Ever Saw" (again with Lee, plus Rick Donovan and Jon King), "Giants," "Bare Tales," "Boys Town," and "Plunge" (with Joey Stefano and Lonn Flexx).  Rod's relationship with Lee Ryder, which in time came to include physical fights, ended in 1984, and the two last appeared together in a Valentine's Day photo shoot in "Torso" magazine in 1985.  In 1986 Rod retired from adult films and moved  to Pennsylvania, where he continued to work in the jewelry industry.  Four years later he returned to California and gay adult films, appearing in John Travis' "Hard Steal."  During the last three years of his life, Rod was a frequent sight in West Hollywood, where he worked at the Gauntlet.  Possessing an athletic and muscular build, he worked out at the gym regularly and was often seen walking his dog or biking down the streets.  Although he was HIV positive, Rod remained physically active and in high spirits.  His death on 24 May of 1993 was thus an even greater shock than one might expect, occurring just three days after he had seen his doctor and mere months after appearing in his last movie, Chi Chi LaRue's "Hologram."  Although his death was ruled the result of AIDS complications, speculations and rumor persist that his death was in fact a suicide, instigated by recent revelations that his HIV infection had developed into AIDS.  At any rate, his passing was a blow to both the West Hollywood community and the gay adult film industry. Rod Philips' credits include Spokes (1983);  Giants (1983);  Winner Takes All (1984);  Windows (1985);  The Biggest One I Ever Saw! (1985);  Boys Town - Going West Hollywood (1986);  Bare Tales (1988);  Plunge (1989);  Hard Steal (1990); Guess Who's Coming? (1990);  The Best Of Joey Stefano (1992); and Hologram (1993). Links: Rod Philips Videography Rod Philips' Obituary/Rydergifs@aol.com Rod Philips Yahoo Group (Adult Content) MouseArt: In Memoriam Stills from Spokes (WARNING: Adult Content) KeywordTitleAuthor