Joseph W. Sarno
Director

Joseph W. Sarno Net Worth

Joseph W. Sarno is a pioneering director of the sex-exploitation genre, known for his economical style and interest in character development. He is remembered for his pre-pornographic classics such as Sin in the Suburbs (1964), Moonlighting Wives (1966), The Bed and How to Make It! (1966) and Jag - en oskuld (1968). His work has been the subject of retrospectives at various film festivals, including the New York Underground Film Festival, the Torino Film Festival in Turin, Italy, and the Cinémathèque française in Paris.
Joseph W. Sarno is a member of Director

Age, Biography and Wiki

Who is it? Director, Writer, Editor
Birth Day March 15, 1921
Birth Place  Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
Age 99 YEARS OLD
Died On April 26, 2010(2010-04-26) (aged 89)\nManhattan, New York City, New York, United States
Birth Sign Aries
Occupation Film director, screenwriter
Notable work Inga (1968), Laura's Toys (1975), Abigail Lesley Is Back in Town (1975)
Spouse(s) Peggy Steffans (m. 1970)

💰 Net worth

Joseph W. Sarno, a multi-talented individual recognized as a director, writer, and editor in the United States, is projected to have a net worth ranging between $100,000 to $1,000,000 in 2024. With an extensive career in the film industry, Sarno has showcased his exceptional skills in various roles, leaving an indelible mark on cinema. His creative contributions have not only earned him critical acclaim but also financial success, placing him among the esteemed professionals in his field. As a versatile filmmaker, Sarno has undoubtedly left a lasting legacy within the industry and continues to inspire aspiring filmmakers around the world.

Biography/Timeline

1921

Sarno was born in 1921 and grew up in Amityville on Long Island.

1950

Sarno emerged from the proto-pornographic sexploitation film genre of the 1950s & 1960s; he had written and directed approximately 75 theatrically released feature films in the sexploitation, softcore and hardcore genres as well as a number of shot-on-video features for the 1980s hardcore video market.

1961

Sarno, a pioneer of the sexploitation film genre, completed his first adult-oriented feature, Nude in Charcoal, in 1961. Among his best-known films in the genre are Sin in the Suburbs (1964, which was about wife swapping), Flesh and Lace, The Swap and How They Made It (1966, in which his wife appeared), and Moonlighting Wives (1966). Sarno's work of the sexploitation period was typified by stark chiaroscuro lighting, long takes, and rigorous staging. He was also well known for scenarios centering on issues of psycho-sexual anxiety and sexual identity development.

1968

After 1968, Sarno's soft-core work was divided between films produced in the United States and films produced in Europe, principally Sweden, Germany, and Denmark. Many of Sarno's European features were made with American backing. In Europe, he was known for having worked with actresses Marie Liljedahl, Christina Lindberg, Helli Louise, and Marie Forså.

1970

Singled out for praise by critic Andrew Sarris during the 1970s, Sarno's work has been acknowledged in recent years by tributes at the New York Underground Film Festival, the Torino Film Festival in Turin, Italy, the Cinémathèque Française in Paris, and The Andy Warhol Museum.

1973

Sarno's first hardcore feature was Sleepyhead (1973) featuring Georgina Spelvin and Tina Russell. Reluctant to be associated with the hardcore genre, Sarno began directing explicit films under various pseudonyms, like "Karl Andersson" in Touch of Genie (1974). He acknowledges being the uncredited Director of such adult features as Inside Jennifer Welles (1977) starring Jennifer Welles and Deep Inside Annie Sprinkle (1981) starring Annie Sprinkle. Over the course of his hardcore career, Sarno worked with such adult film stars as Harry Reems, Eric Edwards, Jamie Gillis, Marc Stevens, Marlene Willoughby, Gloria Leonard, Sonny Landham, Seka, and Ron Jeremy.

2010

Virgile Iscan interviewed Joe Sarno and his wife shortly before Sarno's death in 2010. The interviews appear in Iscan's documentary The Divine Joe Sarno.

2013

A Life in Dirty Movies is a 2013 Swedish documentary about Sarno and his wife, and their attempt to make one last film.

Some Joseph W. Sarno images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.