John Curtis Estes, better known as John Holmes, was born on August 8, 1944, in rural Pickaway County, Ohio, to a religious fanatic mother and an abusive alcoholic stepfather. He was the youngest of four children and grew up to be a bible student, but dropped out of school at 16 and enlisted in the US Army, where he was stationed in West Germany for three years.
After his discharge, Holmes moved to Los Angeles in 1964 and worked various odd jobs before gravitating to the underground porno industry in the late 1960s. His tall, slim build, curly light brown hair, and bright blue eyes made him an instantly recognizable star, and he went on to star in over 2,000 loops, stag films, and adult features throughout his nearly 20-year career.
Holmes developed a reputation for his enormous endowment, which was reportedly 12-5/8 inches long, and his lucrative off-screen penis-for-hire business took him around the world. He also played the role of Johnny Wadd, a lusty private detective, in several films, and co-starred with some of the adult film industry's top leading ladies.
However, Holmes' life was marked by addiction and crime. He developed a serious drug habit, particularly cocaine, which prevented him from performing in the on-screen sex he was famous for. He was implicated in the notorious Wonderland Murders, in which four people were killed in a drug-related torture and murder, and was acquitted of the charges after a public trial.
After his release from prison, Holmes tried to clean up his act and continue his porno career, but his addiction continued off-and-on, and he was eventually diagnosed with AIDS. He continued working in the porn industry until 1986, when his increasingly gaunt and frail physical appearance made it difficult for him to find work.
Holmes died on March 13, 1988, at the age of 43, from AIDS-related complications, with his second wife, Misty Dawn, by his side. His life was the basis for the film Boogie Nights (1997) and he was portrayed by Val Kilmer in Wonderland (2003),a film about the Wonderland Murders.
