Herschel Savage

Herschel Savage (born Herschel Cohen on November 25, 1952) is an American pornographic film actor and pornographic film director.

Early life
Savage was born to Russian Jewish parents in New York City.

After graduating from high school, at age 18, Savage entered the military in 1969, the United States Navy Branch, where he attended United States Navy SEALs training (BUDs) in Coronado, California. He was then deployed to Vietnam where he worked in a platoon in SEAL TEAM 2. His team SEAL platoons carried out day and night ambushes (but much preferred night operations), hit-and-run raids, reconnaissance patrols, and special intelligence collection operations. Savage was part of an elite force. Calling them the “men with green faces” because of the face camouflage they used, the VC feared SEALs and often put bounties on their heads. During a nighttime raid, Savage and his team encountered a Viet Cong ambush, where several SEALs were wounded, but none killed.

After an intense nighttime battle, the SEALS along with their Marine counterparts killed 22 VC, and disabled a number of bunkers and tunnels hidden in the jungle. Savage took a bullet to his buttock and was hospitalized where infection set in. Doctors worked feverishly over a number of weeks to control the infection and eventually Savage was sent home, and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star medal for his actions during the firefight. He returned to New York City, discharged from the Navy and began to look for work in acting, which was his passion. He spoke little of his Navy SEAL experience, as the discontent for the war in the United States was palpable at the time, so he chose to remain quiet about his service.

Acting career
Savage began to study acting under Broadway actress Uta Hagen and renowned acting teacher Stella Adler. Savage initially sought a mainstream stage and screen career. However, he became disillusioned by the constant auditioning and competition for roles.

Career in porn
Savage was introduced to the pornographic film industry via the actor R. Bolla in 1976, and he went on to become one of the biggest stars of the "Golden Age of Porn" in the 1970s and 1980s. He appeared in the 1978 classic Debbie Does Dallas, for which he was paid about $150 a day. Some of the other films he has appeared in include Expose Me Now, Bodies in Heat, and Rambone Does Hollywood. He left pornography in 1988 and worked in sales and video distribution, also playing a few roles in local theater productions. He then returned to the industry in 1997.

The name "Herschel Savage" was created with Jamie Gillis in an attempt to combine a 'nerdy Jewish identity' with that of a stud.

Savage also launched a fledgling career as a stand up comedian and appeared frequently on the reality TV series Family Business (one episode features a stand-up performance by Savage). He appeared as a guest during the fifth season of the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me, on an episode called The Proposal (2,) which aired on February 1, 2001. In 2006, he starred in Neil Simon's play The Prisoner of 2nd Avenue, under the stage name "Max Cohen", at the Morgan-Wixson Theater in Santa Monica.

Herschel is a member of the XRCO, and AVN Halls of Fame, and he has appeared in more than 1000 films.

Awards

 * 1987 AVN Award - Best Couples Sex Scene (Amanda’s Diary) with Nina Hartley
 * 1988 AVN Award - Best Couples Sex Scene, Film (Amanda by Night 2)
 * 2000 AVN Award - Most Outrageous Sex Scene (Perverted Stories 22)
 * 2002 AVN Award - Best Supporting Actor, Film (Taken)
 * 2002 AVN Award - Best Group Sex Scene, Video (Succubus)
 * 2002 AVN Award - Most Outrageous Sex Scene (Perverted Stories 31)
 * 2006 XRCO Award - Best Onscreen Couple (Dark Side - Red Light) with Penny Flame
 * 2006 AVN Award - Best Couples Sex Scene, Film (Dark Side)