Latter Day Lack of Girls

by Marcus Allen

In 1983 I decided, for reasons which are irrelevant here, to form a glamour model agency. Not knowing what I was doing, I advertised for potential glamour girls and was absolutely inundated with replies, indeed, at times we had girls standing out in the corridor waiting to be interviewed. They were indeed, heady times.

Throughout the eighties, my agency, Paramount International, became THE place to find your models: semi-nude, nude and downright naughty. My clients were all the major photographers of the day (many of whom reign today) and video producers of the time. They were great days when the magazine companies fell over themselves to buy sets of new and possibly famous girls - we even manufactured a few 'famous' ones.

The fees paid by the above mentioned companies were roughly the same then as they are now! In those days, �150-�250 per session was a lot of money, nowadays - not so hot.

Due to a sojourn at Her Majesty's Pleasure (nothing to do with this biz), I was out of the picture for the early 90's, but on my return I discovered two major concerns: (a) the fees to photographers/videographers had not changed and (b) there were many more so-called "Agencies" all attracted to the sex business for reasons ranging from easy sex to a quick and easy buck, few of whom had any real idea what they were doing. They told a girl it was one thing and when she arrived, it became something else, and consequently led newcomers to believe that everyone was tarred with the same brush. Recruitment started to go downhill, word gets around, and the killer was the advent of Table Dancing clubs. A girl would ask herself a question - "Should I get shagged silly for �2-300 occasionally, and be publicised anywhere/anytime or should I work harder, but in private with no publicity and get something like a grand a week?". The answer was self-evident.

At the time of my "Paramount" inception, I also started an escort agency. In those days it was alien to most girls' nature to "sell their bodies". There were no Channel 4 & 5 programmes enlightening the populace of this hypocritical Isle as to the joys and normality of sexual activities. However, in the late '90's, girls also realised a simple economic fact - "Why give it away? Why be publicised when I can get �2-300 per hour for it, in private?" Who the hell can argue with that.

There are today, well-known girls in this biz who would never take an escort job. The converse is true and who can argue, even assuming one would want to. To each her/his own. The choice is a very personal one in all interpretations of the expression.

The whole point of this potted history is an explanation, as I see it, for the lack of new UK talent in the porn business on a large scale.

"Marcus Allen"

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