Rene Bond – Inducted – 1998
Rene Bond, and that was her real name, was born in San Diego, California on October 11, 1950. She got into the porn scene in San Francisco in the late 60′s and early 70’s. She had some friends who did sex films and loops and decided to give it a try. Rene began doing soft core sexploitation films and some bondage style loops in 1969 before she decided to do real hardcore sex. She was very up front about her reason for doing porn and it was all about the money to be made. Rene wasted no time being a hit with producers because of her youthful, girl next door look.
That persona would allow her to play roles of teens or young daughters with a lot of believability. In addition she did have one other quality that made her stand out and become so popular. That quality was her truly unbelievable, jaw dropping oral talents. They were on display in every film but when she took on John Holmes in 1977’s “Teenage Fantasies 2” that elevated her as one of porn’s premier oralists.
She also quickly became a regular fixture in the early days of southern California’s porn movement. In addition to her incredible sexual talents Rene also was blessed with natural acting talent and could handle dramatic roles as well as light comedy. Those acting skills in front of the camera added a very big dose of realism and believability to every role she played. Rather than just being a good looking sexual performer, she was a very competent actress.
By the mid 70’s porn had gained quite a foothold with adults and I remember seeing “Teenage Fantasies 2” at a Times Square adult theater in New York City one afternoon and watching Rene’s oral talents on Holmes and could not believe what I was seeing! You could hear several “OMG’s!” in the theater as well. The talent she possessed orally was simply awesome and probably one of the major reasons I’ve had a thing for redheads all these years!
During the ten years she spent in the business Ms. Bond did a total of about 300 loops and features while also managing a couple of firsts along the way. One was getting a breast enhancement done and was the first porn actresses to have her breasts enlarged at a time when the look was all natural. She said she had it done because men preferred women with large breasts which she did not have naturally. While she mostly went by her real name of Rene Bond in the majority of her films, she did use several others names that included Lily Lovetree, Karen Small, Mindy Brandt and Mary Lee.
Rene Bond was also way ahead of the times in the 70’s when she made the very smart decision to incorporate herself. She was among the first porn stars to sign autographs and pose for photos at an appearance for a fee. She then went about setting up a mail order business so fans could purchase her photos, a move that became quite lucrative. In addition to porn she was an excellent feature dancer and one of the first female porn stars to go on the road and feature dance at various clubs around the country. She also appeared regularly at the Ibar Burlesque Theater in Hollywood with a well choreographed and designed singing, dancing and stripping show. Ms. Bond was not only a top performer when it came to porn films and live shows, but she also knew how to market and promote herself as well.
Among the classic Rene Bond films are “The Dicktator”, “Fantasm”, “Do You Wanna Be Loved” and “Sex Asylum”. Thanks to that youthful, just out of school look, she also starred in titles like “Hot Teenage Lovers” and “Teenage Sex Kitten” along with many others. There were also many of the early loops and those can be found on Blue Vanities series and a number of compilations discs as well.
In 1980 she decided the time had come to retire. She had done well financially, left the business, moved to Las Vegas to raise a family and lead a much more normal life. She stayed in touch with a few friends in the industry and would occasionally make an appearance at a trade show. She left behind quite a library of great films to a large fan base that still exists today along with many new fans through a website www.renebondonline.com Today, 40 years after she left the adult scene, many of Rene Bond’s films are available on DVD. In the ten years she was part of the industry, the firsts she created as a pioneer would pave the way in years to come for many other female performers.
Unfortunately Rene Bond, who was just 46 at the time, passed away on June 2, 1996 due to complications from cirrhosis of the liver which she had been battling for several years. For all she gave to the industry and fans during the golden age of porn Ms. Bond was inducted in to the XRCO Hall of Fame in 1985. Then in1998 she was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame. Then in 1999 she was inducted into the famed Legends of Erotica Hall of Fame. Be sure to check out some of the film titles we have mentioned and enjoy the talents and performances of Rene Bond, who brought adult film lovers many memorable hours of pleasure, enjoyment and entertainment.
Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN
