Samantha Fox was a New York City girl. Born and raised in the Big Apple, she came under the Broadway influence and studied dance throughout her childhood and teens. These young years of continuous practice resulted in a dancer’s taut, slim body, which was fashionable at that time.
She began dancing professionally before graduating from high school. The exposure led her into the entertainment business, and soon she was co-hosting a New York City television show. After that she began getting small parts in the adult film industry.
Her break came when she was noticed by porn director/producer Chuck Vincent, who cast her in the starring role of Bad Penny (1978). This established her as a leading-role actress and resulted in her starring in several more adult films.
In 1980 she won the Erotica Award for her work with Jack Wrangler in Jack+Jill (1979). The following year she was recognized with the Erotica Award again for her role in Tramp (1980). With these honors she established herself as one of the leading stars in adult films of the day, capable of a full range of roles from sweet innocence to hard domination.
However, when the adult industry went from shooting on film to shooting on video, Samantha did not come off well. Women with slim, natural bodies like Samantha’s lost favor with the public, which turned to the larger, silicon-enhanced actresses who became prominent in the late 1980s on into the 1990s. Her integrity preventing her from jumping on that particular bandwagon (her pronounced “Noo Yawk” accent didn’t help matters, either).
Consequently, roles became more and more difficult to find. However, her long-time friendship with Chuck Vincent and a few others in the industry, such as Gloria Leonard and Veronica Hart, brought her numerous small roles and walk-ons in the late 1980s, but we saw very little of her since.
Her stage name has resulted in her often being confused with British pop-rock singer Samantha Fox (which is her real name). However, only the name, the suggestive lyrics of several of the singer’s recordings and a sultry modeling career launch as a Page Three Girl come close to resembling what the actress Samantha Fox had done to forward the human right of self-decision, sexual expression and freedom, acceptance of alternative lifestyles, and offering of love.
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Articulate, cosmopolitan and a multi-faceted actress, Samantha Fox was a perpetual award-winner. Popular on the dance circuit and a “self-confessed ex-hooker,” she began her X-rated film career in 1978 with BAD PENNY. An instant fan favorite, petite, sultry Samantha was a New York sophisticate who frequently hobnobbed with the upper crust of East Coast society. But she was also quite accessible and had a great sense of humor-which made her believable in any role. Sam’s talent and screen presence quickly landed her in top features, like the classic BABYLON PINK.
It can be argued that over a five-year period (1978-1983), she starred in more landmark productions than any other performer. Just check out the titles for that time frame: JACK & JILL, SATIN SUITE, TRAMP DRACULA EROTICA, COED FEVER, PINK LADIES, OUTLAW LADIES, AMANDA BY NIGHT, FOXTROT, ROOMMATES and IN LOVE. With these and other memorable appearances (many co-starring her long-time lover, Bobby Astyr), she rightfully enjoyed huge success. The apex of Samantha’s career was HER NAME WAS LISA, and anyone who has seen the movie will always remember her incredible portrayal of a tortured heroin addict. After working in nearly 100 hardcore flicks, she retired in 1985 following a brief comeback.