John Jesnor Lindsay, a trailblazing figure in the world of blue movies, was born in Scotland in 1939. Initially, he pursued a career as a legitimate fashion photographer and photojournalist, but his endeavors eventually led him to the lucrative world of sexploitation. In 1969, Lindsay worked as the still photographer for Derek Ford's film "The Swappers," and by the early 1970s, he began producing 8mm hardcore loops, or "blue movies," with titles such as "White Hunter" and "Jolly Hockey Sticks."
Throughout his career, Lindsay claimed to have directed over 100 titles within a four-year span and a staggering 4,000 films overall. Unlike many of his peers, Lindsay was unapologetic about his work and became a public figure, appearing on "The David Frost Show" in 1969 and participating in the sex documentary "Naughty!" in 1974. His bold approach even earned him a dedication in the UK edition of the novelization of "Deep Throat" in 1972.
However, the production and distribution of hardcore content were illegal and socially unacceptable in early 1970s Britain, leading to frequent arrests and trials for Lindsay. His first obscenity trial took place in Birmingham in 1974, during which his film "Classroom Lover" raised eyebrows due to its production at Aston Manor, a secondary school in Birmingham, and its use of a 19-year-old former headboy, a school caretaker, and young actresses dressed as schoolgirls.
Despite being found not guilty, Lindsay continued to push the boundaries of what was deemed acceptable, opening the first hardcore "membership-only" sex cinemas in London. He also produced two soft-core features, "The Love Pill" in 1972 and "The Hot Girls" in 1974, which was later shot in a hardcore version for overseas distribution.
Many of Lindsay's hardcore loops opened with a written statement, which read: "I, John Lindsay, was prosecuted at Birmingham Crown Court in 1974, and at the Old Bailey, London in 1977, under the Obscene Publications Act 1959 and 1964. I was acquitted in both cases, and the jury found my films not to be obscene under the aforementioned act."
However, by the 1980s, the crackdown on pornographers intensified, forcing Lindsay to abandon his business and go into hiding. For the past twenty years, he has lived a reclusive life in Kent, running a marine broking company. Recently, Lindsay has been lured out of retirement to discuss his past for two documentaries: "Sex and Fame: The Mary Millington Story" in 1996 and "The History of Hardcore" in 2002.
