John Stagliano Biography

John Stagliano is an American entrepreneur, best known as a former adult actor and the owner of the film studio ‘Evil Angel.’ Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, he graduated with degrees in engineering, journalism, and English. Aspiring to become an economics professor, John attended the ‘University of California, Los Angeles’ (UCLA). Around that time, he developed an interest in performance arts and studied theater, dancing, and playwriting. In the 1970s, he began working as a model and an erotic fiction writer. He made his debut as an adult film actor in 1974. Also a stripper, he founded a magazine named ‘Evil Angel’ in the early 1980s. He also produced and acted in many adult films and popularized the “gonzo” genre of adult films. By the late 1980s, he had become one of the most influential figures in the American adult film industry. He also earned critical acclaim for many of his films. In January 1997, John was diagnosed with HIV. Adult film actor Katie Summers alleged that John had not informed her about his HIV status when she had agreed to work with him in a 2010 adult film. She thus filed a lawsuit. However, in September 2014, Katie officially dropped her lawsuit.