One of Porn’s Early Pioneers!
Darby was born somewhere in the midwest on November 30, 1948. Details about her early life are almost nonexistent. Ms. Rains found her way into the adult film business at the very beginning of the golden age of porn. She began by doing what were then called one reel loops as early as 1970. After doing quite a few of these and always coming across as very sexual she was asked about doing regular porn films. It didn’t take long for this lithesome blonde to make up her mind. So she was one the early females to get in on the ground floor of the new porn industry that was beginning to grow in New York.
Visually Ms. Rains was seductive, long legs, all natural, had a very sultry look and tremendous sexual prowess. In addition to the very inviting visual picture she presented, Darby also possessed some very serious acting chops that would serve her very well in the industry. Back in the beginning when porn was in it’s infancy, being able to deliver dialogue and carry a scene was a major plus for performers. Most of the 70′s porn films were very much story and plot driven. So Darby Lloyd Rains, along with the likes of Georgina Spelvin and others got in on the ground floor and gave porn some acting legitimacy.
Ms. Rains would become one of the more popular female performers of the 70′s. Because adult films were more concerned with story, plot and characterization, a good actress like Darby Lloyd Rains was a big plus and helped build her popularity along with her real sexuality. Her acting ability would also serve her well in mainstream as she was able to get some small roles in films, most notably 1971’s “The French Connection” with Gene Hackman. When it came to hardcore sex on camera, she was simply amazing, totally real and added plenty of sizzle and steam to the sex scenes she performed in.
While she only made about 50 films during her time through the decade of the 70’s, some are memorable and contain exceptional work by Ms. Rains not only as a voracious sexual animal, but as an accomplished actress. There were classic films like “Every Inch A Lady”, “Memories Within Miss Aggie”, “The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann” and “Bordello” among them. Despite all of those great films, many true classics, there was one film that really stood out and was, without question, her very best role, “Naked Came a Stranger”. This film is on every list ever assembled of the greatest porn films of all time. If there is one performance to measure her all around talents by it is this classic.
She left the adult business in 1980 just as video was becoming big and never looked back. From the time she left Darby Lloyd Rains, who is now 68, just went on with her life and while there have been rumors, where she is today and what she may be doing remains a mystery regarding one of the true pioneers and early stars of porn. She is a deserving member of the XRCO Hall of Fame, but it is puzzling as to why she has not yet been elected to the AVN Hall of Fame for all of her contributions to the industry. Hopefully that will be corrected in the future as she will always be remembered as one of the groundbreaking females in the very early days of porn.
Thanks to technology most of her films are now available on DVD. She was truly a very gifted performer who helped shape porn back in the day as one of its pioneers. Do yourself a favor and check out some of the films we mentioned. For porn aficionados, as well as new fans, Darby Lloyd Rains films revive many fond memories of the great early days of porn’s golden age.
Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN