Veronica Hart
American pornographic actress
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jane Hamilton (born 1956 or 1957[1]) is an American film director and former pornographic film actress who performed under the stage name Veronica Hart.[1][2][3] Described by columnist Frank Rich as "a leading porn star of the late '70s and early '80s",[4] Hart is a member of the AVN Hall of Fame.[5][6] Director Paul Thomas Anderson has called her "the Meryl Streep of porn."[7]
1956 or 1957 (age 69–70)
- Film director
- pornographic film actress
Veronica Hart | |
|---|---|
Hart in 2002 | |
| Born | Jane Hamilton 1956 or 1957 (age 69–70) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Children | 2 |
| Website | Veronicahart.biz |
Early life and education
Hart was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada.[8] She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1976[2] with a bachelor's degree in theater arts.[1] After school she worked in England before returning to the United States and moving to New York City.[8]
Career
Hart began appearing in pornographic films in the 1970s, becoming a major star by the 1980s.[1][4] According to film scholar Chuck Kleinhans, she portrayed the "stylish 'native New Yorker'" type.[9] She is best known for her performances in Amanda by Night, Wanda Whips Wall Street, Roommates and A Scent of Heather.[8]
Around 1984, Hart began directing segments on the Playboy TV series Electric Blue, appearing in B movies and working as a stripper.[4] After retiring from performing in pornographic films, Hart became an executive at film distributor VCA Pictures.[4] With the sale of VCA to Hustler Video in 2003, and the direction of the company moving from feature, storyline-driven films to gonzo, she left the company when her existing contract expired.[10] Afterwards, Hart moved on to other work, including working as a tour guide at the Erotic Heritage Museum in Las Vegas.[11]
Hart has acted in off-Broadway theater productions such as The House of Bernarda Alba,[2] A Thurber Carnival,[2] The Dyke And The Porn Star,[12][13] and The Deep Throat Sex Scandal.[14][15]
She has also made appearances in non-pornographic films. She played "Telephone Trixie" in Ruby[16] and a judge in the film Boogie Nights (1997), directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.[2]
As of 2014 Hart had become a sex educator in China. An article in AVN magazine stated that she has been instructing women through an arrangement with a chain of adult retail stores and clubs called Sediva Maison.[11]
Personal life
Hart has two sons who attended magnet schools for highly gifted students.[17]
Selected TV appearances
- Six Feet Under, Jean Louise Macarthur a.k.a. Viveca St. John - in season 1's episode "An Open Book" (2001)
- Lady Chatterly's Stories, Amy (as Jane Hamilton) - in the episode "The Manuscript" (2001)
- First Years, Lola - in the episode "Porn in the USA" (2001)
Awards
Wins
- 1981
AFAA for Best Actress – Amanda by Night
- 1982
AFAA Award for Best Actress – Roommates
AFAA Award for Best Supporting Actress – Foxtrot
- 1991
- 1994
Free Speech Coalition Lifetime Achievement Award[19]
- 1996
AVN Award for Best Non-Sex Performance – Nylon[20]
- 1999
XRCO Award for Best Video - Torn (directed and produced by Hart)[21]
- 2004
XRCO Award for Best Comedy or Parody - Misty Beethoven: The Musical (directed, edited and produced by Hart)[22]
- 2006
Nominations
- 2001
AVN Best Director – Video for White Lightning[24]
- 2002
AVN Best Director – Film for Taken[25]
- 2003
AVN Best Director – Video for Crime and Passion[26]
- 2004
AVN Best Director – Film for Barbara Broadcast Too[27]
- 2005
AVN Best Director – Film for Misty Beethoven: The Musical[28]
- 2006
AVN Best Non-Sex Performance for Eternity[29]
- 2007
AVN Best Non-Sex Performance for Sex Pix[30]
- 2008
AVN Best Non-Sex Performance for Delilah[31]
- 2009
AVN Best Non-Sex Performance for Roller Dollz[32]
