Brief, but Oh so Memorable!
This may be one of the shorter segments of this series I’ve done since we began this feature almost 3 years ago. The reason being there simply not that much known about Constance Money, That being said make no mistake, though she was only a part of porn’s golden age for a relatively brief time, her impact on the screen was very strongly felt. Her quick rise to stardom and her lasting presence even today, all these years later is very well deserved.
She was born Susan Jensen in 1956 and at the age of 18 she would make her porn debut in a film that has been much forgotten, 1974’s ‘Confessions of a Teenage Peanut Butter Freak’. It would be a couple of years before stardom would come along after that rather quiet and little seen debut. But once she got the right film her career would take off. That “right” film came along when director Radley Metzger spotted her and asked her to be the lead in the film he was getting ready to make. That film was “The Opening of Misty Beethoven”. Because she was always asking about money, Metzger changed her name to Constance Money. In 1976 when “Misty” opened she literally exploded on the scene with her performance. Her scenes were packed smoldering eroticism and a sexual exuberance that had rarely been seen in most early 1970’s porn films It was this film that would turn her into a bona fide star. The film itself would also find its way to the XRCO Hall of Fame.
After that breakthrough film Constance Money followed up her success with several more top-notch films that would become classics. She would star in future porn film classics like “Mary! Mary!”, “Anna Obsessed” and “Barbara Broadcast” were among them. Due to her sudden popularity in porn, Constance Money would become the very first porn star to appear in a full, multi page pictorial spread in Playboy magazine. That first appearance would come about in the July 1978 issue. During her relatively short time in porn Ms. Money also had quite an off screen affair with porn stud Jamie Gillis.
Then in 1979, after less than two dozen films, Constance Money retired from the business. However, there were occasional outtakes that kept popping up in early 80’s in some compilation film releases. In 1983 Ms. Money did return to appear in front of the porn cameras once again with a scorching and memorable performance in “A Taste of Money”. She would also do a couple of other scenes before making the decision of retiring once again, only this time for good.
What has become of her since then, where she is living and doing today is unknown. Ms. Money would be 59 now and what is supposedly known is that she is still alive, but anything regarding her post porn life is shrouded in mystery. It is rare that a porn performer can be on the scene for such a short time, appear in several of what would become porn film classics, and still hold their popularity some thirty plus years later. Constance Money is one of those rare individuals who has accomplished just that. Further proof was her induction, in 1998, into the AVN Hall of Fame. Every one of her films is worth checking out and thanks to technology they are all out on DVD now. The re-issues are just as vibrant, meaningful and sexual today as they were back in the golden age. Constance Money was true porn star in every way, even for the brief time she graced the screen and brought plenty of enjoyment to the masses with her talent and presence.
Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN
