Her first film appearance was as secondary role in Dream Lovers in 1980, directed by Kristy. This was supplemented by the magazine Sensuous Sulka and others which also emphasized her pre-op status.
Unlike other such porn actors Sulka had transgender surgery – which was actually featured in her next film The Transformation of Sulka, 1981. Her post-op extravaganza, Sulka's Wedding, 1983, features other trans porn stars and Paul Barresi (who later turned up in the Eddie Murphy transsexual scandal) and incidentally shows the success of her operation.
The cliché is that post-op porn stars are no longer in demand, but Sulka was a legend from being the first and went on to make Sulka and Candy (1982), Divine Atrocities (1983), Sulka's Daughter (1984) – where it is implied that the operation was so successful that Sulka has a daughter of her body.
She continued living in the Hollywood area, but became reclusive. At one time she was advertising in underground Hollywood papers that she did transvestite makeovers at $100 a go. It was reported a few times that she had been seen at Peanuts bar when they had a "queens' nite".
There are several Sulka look-alikes.
*Not the Finnish photographer, nor the New York haberdasher.
- New Female Mimics, 5,3, 1979: cover.
- Kim Kristy (dir). Dream Lovers, with Sulka. US 85 mins 1980
- The Transformation of Sulka, with Sulka. US 29 mins 1981.
- "Sulka! The before and after photos". Club International, April 1982.
- Mike Stringer (dir). Sulka’s Wedding. Scr: Joaquin Quinn & Kim Kristy, with Sulka, Paul Barresi. US 75 mins 1983.
- Kim Kristy (dir) Sulka's Daughter, with Sulka. US 86 mins 1984.
- Elizabeth Freeman. The Wedding Complex. Duke University Press, 2002: xii, xiii, 35, 37.
- Cal Y. Pygia. "Sulka: A Vintage Shemale". literotica.
- Jim Beaux. "Sulka". Hung Devils, 27 May 2013.
- "Sulka: DoesAnyoneKnow...??" IMDB Message Boards,. Online.
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IMDB tends not to have its usual reliability with regard to porn films, so I may not have the full list of her films.
The Transformation of Sulka is featured on many of the sites that give basic details of films, but for some reason none of them give a summary of the plot. The best evasion is found here at SynopsiTV: “This is probably about something. It is probably very interesting, with great character development, plot buildup, and a nail-biting climax with a twist that will blow your mind. We just don’t have the details.”
I don't understand this entry, as this woman was obviously not born in 1962. Where does that date come from?
ReplyDeleteMy name is Sookie Simone, I will be 66 in June 2024. Originally Sulka was Sylvia from Dallas. She was born in 1962. I am from Texas. I know. Thank you💄💋❤️🍒🌈😻🐈⬛🙏🏻😇👑🆓2️⃣🅱️MEMBERS
DeleteYour position is that a mature-looking 17-year-old trans woman would not have been recruited by Kim Christy into the sex industry in 1979. I suggest that you check on what Kim had done by the age of 17. Lots of things were done in the 1970s that could not be done now.
ReplyDeleteI think her age might be a little off. I remember being 19 in 1982...and Sulka's Wedding was out...hard to believe she was only 19 too....
DeleteI remember meeting sulka when I was 17 years old I met her at a bar somewhere in La I believe it was Hollywood she was sitting at the bar and looked quite beautiful and white column dress I was 17 years old and had already went through my transition I had started my transition at a very young age I was 12 when I started I had my surgery at 17..Salka was in the Ladies Room applying lip gloss we started talking I knew who she was and I told her I was transgender myself the look of her face of shocked when she found out that I was not biological she said oh wow you're flawless I remember us sitting there having drinks at the bar talking about makeup what it was like to be a transgender woman fashion plastic surgery and everything under the sun the conversation lasted for about an hour the whole time the music from the club is playing the lights were shining and I remember just sitting there thinking what a kind and sweet woman this was I hope she's doing alright I hope she's happy and I will always remember the kindness that she gave to me at seventeen
ReplyDeleteSounds like you got on very well with Sulka and enjoyed your time together. Also sounds like your 2 beautiful women. Well done going through with your transformation, respect sweetheart
DeleteXxx
I grew up in that era and remember her old so well and all the other Fabulous Girls of those times. Being in Hollywood and the late part of the 70s and 80s for transgender was actually a glamorous time I'm glad that I came about during that time it actually made me the woman I am today
ReplyDeleteHow can I contact her
ReplyDeleteI was 17 years old when I was down in the basement of my dad's and found AV.H.S videotape of shemale encounters and their sulka was I was very young and naive, but I've always known that I wanted to be a woman, and when I saw sok I was like I really wanna become a beautiful woman like sulko was I just didn't know how to do it. So I've gotten older 19 years old was when I started my transition and I got on hormones and. 2016 I got my boobs done and 2019. I got my gender reassignment surgery. I'm 43 now. I am living my life the way I want. And I'm just happy and I looked up till sulka. She was so beautiful and I consider her an icon. I would love to look Her app on Facebook if she has a Facebook. You know, she was an inspiration. Mesmerized by how beautiful she name is. Monica Mariah marachino, you can look me up on Facebook. My email is monicamariahcarey@gmail.com
DeleteIt is discourteous to ask for contact details while withholding your own name.
ReplyDeleteI dated Sulka for a couple of years in the early 90s. We were frequent patrons of "Peanuts". Equally a couple of other lower end neighborhood bars she called "gut bucket". She was, at that time, close friends with many of the cast of "Sulka's Nightclub". She was an "in-call" sex worker. She always used 2 condoms and rubber gloves. At that time in her personal life she went by the name "Rita Marlow" taken from the Jayne Mansfield film "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter". Though in public she was often recognized as Sulka. She lived on Mansfield St. in Hollywood half a block from "Hargitay's Florist". Towards the end of our relationship she, due to drugs, became reclusive, paranoid and obsessive compulsive. Despite rumors of her death, in 2016 last I heard from Monique Allan, AKA The Glamorous Monique, Sulka is alive, and living reclusively in the San Fernando Valley.
ReplyDeleteI saw Sulka hustling on Santa Monica back in the 80's. Is her stature such that she would make a good subject for a documentary? Was she ground-breaking or important in the culture?
ReplyDeleteThats would be something to ”the rialto report” crew to take notice! nice story ! what does Sulka doing today! Ron Jeremy said that she went to Mexico doing her job down there! Maybe cheeper! best regard Jerk Nilsson
ReplyDeleteSome of the links don't work
ReplyDeleteThat is because it was written seven years ago. Do you have the Wayback Machine Internet Archive extension installed in your browser? At least three of the links are available via the Wayback Machine.
ReplyDeleteI am the young trans girl who
ReplyDeleteMet Sulka at 17 in a dance club ....I want to tell more about the night we met and I wanted to inject how different it was in the 80s for trans people ...And how most fell through the crack or Society at that time people are not always kind and I’m psyched if you were a trans woman and you were hurt by somebody the police didn’t seem to really care if you were lucky and you were passable and beautiful like myself and like Sulka you had a much easier time but at the end of the day we all kinda had the thought in the back of are head we could be hurt ...At that time there was so many girls that were out that were quite beautiful inside possible some through hormones and Sam through hormones and also plastic surgery a lot of these girls are gone some of us have brief memories of them they’ve disappeared I hope that they went into society and found their place and that they’re happy and well but the sad fact is a lot of us were victimized and with the things that we know now about HIV and AIDS a lot of us died I’m not trying Make a political comment I’m just trying to tell you that things were not easy like they are in 2020 and even in 2020 with people like Laverne Cox and Janet mock and shows like pose on the air it’s still difficult for us we all had the fear that maybe we could lose our job or lose our life because our secrets were found out I want you to realize I was fortunate to meet wonderful people amazing creative people that were A part of this new movement people who were activist without even knowing it so I would like you all to remember that for everything that done by us we did what we had to do to survive and become the women we are today I will never forget the kindness of some of the transgender women I have met some of them the stories they told me still play in my head and some of them the kindness they showed me have helped me be a better person in life and I have went on to show that kindness to other people just remember life is not easy for anyone it’s not easy when you’re differentAnd we all have to make our place in this world and sometimes it’s not by beautiful measures or things that society would find appealing or attractive sometimes you do what you have to do to survive I applaud you my trans sisters for Paving the way and making it easier on all of us showing us grace and kindness and dignity and always telling me to hold my head up high and as for my friend Sulka who I met in a bar in the mid 80s I will remember your kindness and you made me smile and laugh and how a SMALL MOMENT I STILL CARRY WITH ME AS A TRUE REMINDER AS TRANS WOMAN WE ARE ALL SISTERS
I suspect the pre-op Sulka saved a lot of so-called "straight" men from the boring world of heterosexuality and lured them into the exciting gay lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteI met Sulka in Hollywood back in the late 1970's. She frequented a couple of clubs on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. She was definitely born before 1962 and wouln't have been allowed in the clubs if she was under 21 years old. I last saw her in the late 1980's at Peanuts in Hollywood. I would love to see her again and wonder what she's been up tp
ReplyDeleteI met Sulka in the mid 80s. I contacted her through a Hollywood "skin mag" and paid her to have sex. She had her full transition at that point and I was absolutely enthralled with her. She was gorgeous, seductive and absolutely amazing to be with. Her skin was so soft..and so sexy...she dressed in stiletto heels and a garter belt for me and let me stay because I came so fast...
ReplyDeleteIve had many sex workers in my life...and im currently trans (m to f)...she is a model for me and I would do just about anything for another night with her. I hope she is happy and content and knows she made a huge difference. in my life.
Just wanted to say thanks for having this blog - it's a treasure! Been looking for info on Sulka for ages, and found your page. She was my first TS-love, back when I was 15 - and now I have two T-girls of my own. Couldn't be happier! Great work!
ReplyDeleteYours,
Some dude way up North
An interesting piece.
ReplyDeleteWe have an incredible painting by Jamian Juliano-Villani that is a glamorous portrait of Sulka. It has been wonderful to see how beloved she was by the trans community.
ReplyDelete