Savannah (actress)

Career

Wilsey was introduced to the adult film industry by actor and director Rex Cabo. She signed an exclusive contract with Vivid Entertainment in 1991 and became one of the earliest Vivid Girls. Wilsey began using drugs and spending large amounts of money, and she reportedly had severe financial troubles despite her substantial income. She also garnered a reputation for being temperamental, leading Vivid to sever its association with her in 1992.

Wilsey also appeared in a variety of minor roles in B movies (mostly comedy, horror and/or scifi) wherein she was credited with her real name. These roles included The Invisible Maniac (1990) and Camp Fear (1991).

She also had a credit for her performance on a soundtrack in the video The Spectacle (1991).

Even after her death, Wilsey continued to appear via archival footage. She appeared as Santana on Joe Bob's Drive-In Theater when the show aired Sorority House Massacre II (October 1994).

Personal life

In a video interview for Vivid, Wilsey stated that the first time she saw "erotic material" was when she was "snooping through her parents' things" and found some magazines. She later stated that she used to watch porn videos with her boyfriend on his tour bus (presumably referring to Gregg Allman).

Wilsey became involved in a long-term relationship with fellow pornographic actress Jeanna Fine, with whom she later claimed to have fallen deeply in love. In a 1999 interview, following the airing of the E! True Hollywood Story about Wilsey's life and death, Fine commented: "We had an ongoing, on-again, off-again, volatile, loving relationship. At that time I was having a lot of problems myself. Between [male porn actor] Sikki Nixx and Savannah pushing and pulling, I pretty much at one point ran away from them both. I couldn't take it any longer. But I feel I left her behind when she needed me most. It's very sad."

Savannah also had relationships with singer Billy Idol, Mötley Crüe member Vince Neil, bassist Billy Sheehan, comedian Pauly Shore, guitarist Slash, and actor Mark Wahlberg, According to an interview with Adult Video News, Wilsey stated: "I love sex and I love sex with rockers more than anything else..."

Death

Wilsey committed suicide in 1994 by shooting herself after a car accident. On the evening of July 11, 1994, Wilsey was involved in an auto accident with her Corvette, wherein she reportedly broke her nose and injured her face. Upset over the accident, she went home to Universal City, asked a friend to walk her dog, and then called her manager, Nancy Pera. It was Pera who later discovered Wilsey in the garage of Wilsey's home.

Wilsey did not die immediately; she died hours later in the hospital, after her father decided to shut down her life support systems once it became obvious that she would not survive her injury. Wilsey's ex-boyfriend, comedian Pauly Shore, stated that he was with her when she died in St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank.

Wilsey's funeral, two days later, was attended by friends, family, and limited numbers of adult industry associates. Shore was the only one of her ex-boyfriends to attend the service. Of Wilsey, Shore said, "She was the nicest, most beautiful girl I ever met ... [her death] was a very dramatic thing for me." When asked why she killed herself, he said, "She became Savannah. She became her character, who was into drugs, and needed reassurance all the time. She forgot who Shannon was ... I knew she wanted out [of the porn business]."

Wilsey's death was the third high-profile suicide in the adult industry. After her death, Bill Margold founded Protecting Adult Welfare (P.A.W.), a non-profit organization that provides counseling for adult performers in need.

Legacy

Film

After her death, Wilsey was profiled in two different documentaries:

Music

Songs that pay homage to Wilsey include:

Publications

Awards