Tom Byron

Last updated
Tom Byron
Tom Byron 2012.jpg
Byron in 2012
Born
Thomas Bryan Taliaferro Jr.

(1961-04-04) April 4, 1961 (age 63)
Orange, Texas, U.S.
Other namesTom Byrom, Tim Byron, Tom Bryon, Tom Byran, Tommy Byron
Years active1982–1993, 1996-present (as performer) [1]
1996–2013 (as director) [1]

Tom Byron (born Thomas Bryan Taliaferro Jr.; April 4, 1961) is an American former pornographic actor, director, and producer. A member of the XRCO [2] and the AVN Halls of Fame, [3] he was voted #20 in AVN's list of top 50 pornstars of all time. [4] Byron is also co-founder of Xtreme Professional Wrestling, a wrestling promotion that began in Los Angeles in 1999 and was resurrected in 2019 in Rochester, New York. He continues to work as an editor for XPW TV.

Contents

Early life

Byron is of Italian descent and was raised in Orange, Texas. He attended Stark High School and later West Orange-Stark high school where he graduated in 1979. He attended Houston Baptist University on a full scholarship, but dropped out after a semester and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of appearing in adult films.

Acting

Byron first started acting in hardcore films in May 1982, [5] and continued to perform mostly in roles portraying doctors or "coming of age" scenarios, as he resembled a teenager even though he was in his early to mid-20s. He starred alongside the underage Traci Lords in many films including her porn debut in early 1984, What Gets Me Hot!. He performed with porn legend Ginger Lynn in her second-ever scene, and claims that experience convinced the actress to remain in porn after her first scene with Ron Jeremy had her contemplating quitting the business. "America, you have me to thank for Ginger Lynn", Byron has said. [6]

In porn's 1980s heyday, Byron says that pills such as Viagra didn't yet exist to help male performers, and many including himself regularly smoked cannabis before filming as a means of getting in the mood. Byron did, however, begin to turn to pills for help later in his career. "Viagra kept me in the game for at least ten years after my due date", he says. [6]

He was rumored to have had an ongoing off-screen relationship with Lords in the mid-80s, though in the years since he has alternately downplayed their relationship and admitted that he had been in love with her. He says he "fell hard" in love with porn actress Jill Kelly in the early 90s after the suicide of her estranged husband Cal Jammer. Byron also dated porn actress Tera Patrick early in her career. [7]

He has changed his image several times throughout his career, frequently portraying a clean-shaven, adolescent virgin in his early years in porn. His late 1980s long-haired hard rock persona was no pretense, as Byron was at that time moonlighting as a struggling hard rock musician in Hollywood with hopes of a legitimate career in music. In 1986, he released a music video for his song "Cat Alley". [8] [9] By the early 1990s, Byron again changed his persona and appearance to that of a clean-cut "businessman" type.

Near the end of his career, Byron also acted under the “dirty old man” persona.

Byron says Jamie Summers was his all-time favorite co-star, citing her "amazing pussy". He lists Jada Stevens and Gia Derza as his favorite current performers, though he retired before he had an opportunity to work with either of them. [6]

In August 2003, Byron announced his retirement from performing to focus on his directing career. However, in the fall of 2006, after just three years, he returned to performing in numerous scenes, most notably his House of Ass series for his own company, Evolution Erotica.

In February 2007, he founded Tom Byron Pictures, which produced award-winning series such as Seasoned Players, Asseaters Unanimous and Big Ass Fixation. Byron left the company in 2013 after a disagreement with his distributor.

Post-retirement

Byron currently resides in upstate New York. He says that a return to performing in porn is extremely unlikely, as age has caught up with him and he currently has problems maintaining an erection. "What am I... 59 now? I'm done! It's all over with," he said. [6]

In 2020, Byron revealed that he is busy writing his autobiography with the help of author Mike Sager, whose work inspired the award-winning 1997 motion picture Boogie Nights . Byron has said there is already interest in turning his story into a major motion picture. [6]

Filmography

Byron appeared in about 3,200 videos in his pornographic career, [1] making him the most credited actor in the Internet Adult Film Database. [10]

His earliest video that can be dated with certainty is Anything Goes from 1982.

Awards

Byron at the AVN Awards in 2006 Tom Byron 46.JPG
Byron at the AVN Awards in 2006
List of accolades received by Tom Byron
Total number of wins
Totals42
AVN Awards
YearCategoryNominated work
1985 [11] Best Couples Sex Scene - FilmKinky Business
1990 [11] The ChameleonBest Couples Sex Scene - Video
1992 [11] Best Actor - VideoSizzle
1998 [11] Indigo Delta
Best Gonzo SeriesCumback Pussy
Male Performer of the Year —
1999 [11]
Best Gonzo ReleaseWhack Attack 2
2000 [11] Best Supporting Actor - VideoLA 399
2008 [12] Best ActorLayout
Best Couples Sex Scene - Film
2010 [13] Best Supporting Actor - VideoThroat: A Cautionary Tale
2011 [14] Best ActorThe Big Lebowski: A XXX Parody
Best Big Butt SeriesBig Ass Fixation
2013 [15] Best Supporting ActorStar Wars XXX: A Porn Parody
CAFA Awards
YearCategoryNominated work
1984 [16] Best ActorPrivate Teacher
Best Couples Sex Scene
Best Supporting ActorSister Dearest
XBIZ Awards
YearCategoryNominated work
2010 [17] Male Porn Star of the Year (People's Choice)—
2017 [18] Best Non-Sex PerformanceNot Traci Lords XXX: '80s Superstars Reborn
AFAA Awards
YearCategoryNominated work
1986 [19] Best Erotic Scene New Wave Hookers
F.O.X.E. Awards [20]
YearCategory
1991Male Fan Favorite
1992
1999
2012
FSCLA Awards
YearCategory
2002Lifetime Achievement Award - Actor
XRCO Awards
YearCategoryNominated work
1985 [21] Stud of the Year—
XRCO Video Stallion
1986 [22] XRCO Best Group Grope SceneNew Wave Hookers
1989 [22] XRCO Best Male-Female Sex SceneNaked Stranger
Male Performer Of The Year—
1990 [23] XRCO Best Couples Sex Scene - VideoThe Chameleon
1992 [22] Best Anal SceneBend Over Babes II
1993 [24] XRCO Hall of Fame inductee—
1996 [23] Best Actor (Single Performance)Flesh
Best Anal or DP SceneCar Wash Angels
1997 [23] Best ActorIndigo Delta
Best Anal SceneBehind the Sphinc Door
Male Performer of the Year—
1998 [23] Best Gonzo SeriesWhack Attack

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Tom Byron". Internet Adult Film Database . Retrieved October 12, 2008.
  2. ↑ "XRCO Hall of Fame" . Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  3. ↑ "AVN Hall of Fame" . Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  4. ↑ "AVN's Top 50 Porn Stars of All Time [January 2002]". AmIAnnoying.com. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
  5. ↑ "Tom Byron May 2000 interview". Archived from the original on 2007-12-26. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Grillo, Steve. "ADULT FILM STAR TOM BYRON!". YouTube. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  7. ↑ Grillo, Steve. "ADULT FILM STAR TOM BYRON!". YouTube. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  8. ↑ "Cat Alley (1986 Video)". imdb.com. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "Tom Byron - "Cat Alley"". YouTube. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "Deep Inside : A Study of 10,000 Porn Stars and Their Careers" . Retrieved 2013-01-19.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Past AVN Award Winners" . Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  12. ↑ "2008 AVN Award Winners Announced". Archived from the original on 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  13. ↑ "2010 AVN Award Winners Announced". AVN.com. 2010-01-10. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  14. ↑ "AVN Announces the Winners of the 2011 AVN Awards". AVN.com. 2011-01-09. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
  15. ↑ "And Now... The 2013 AVN Award Winners!". AVN.com. 2013-01-23. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
  16. ↑ "rame awards list" . Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  17. ↑ Lyla Katz (2010-02-11). "XBIZ Awards 2010 Winners Announced". XBiz.com. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
  18. ↑ XBIZ Award Winners, XBIZ , January, 2016
  19. ↑ "10th Annual Erotic Awards," Adam Film World, January 1987, p. 7
  20. ↑ "Adult Video Awards", CanBest.com. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
  21. ↑ MayorDefacto. "Transcript of the video A Night of Legends: First Annual XRCO Adult Film Awards". Archived from the original on 2011-08-12. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
  22. 1 2 3 "Tom Byron Awards" . Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  23. 1 2 3 4 "XRCO past winners" . Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  24. ↑ "The XRCO Hall of Fame", Adam Film World Guide 1994 Directory of Adult Films, p. 57
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