C. Davis Smith

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"Somebody asked me to write a book about my experiences. I was gonna title it: "Twenty Years in the Porn Business, and I Never Got Laid." Sadly it's a true story!" Exploitation movie jack-of-all-trades Charles Davis Smith was born on June 18, 1930, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Following a tour of duty in the US Air Force, Smith began his cinematic career in the industrial film business in the 1950s. He went on to shoot, edit, direct, write, and even act in numerous low-budget softcore sexploitation features made throughout the 1960s. After a stint working in mainstream television, Smith returned to his trash film roots and shot a handful of hardcore porn movies made in and around New York City in the 1970s. He is perhaps best known for his work as a cinematographer on a string of films for legendary Do-It-Yourself maverick schlock cinema auteur Doris Wishman, among them Bad Girls Go to Hell (1965), Another Day, Another Man (1966), Deadly Weapons (1974), Double Agent 73 (1974), Satan Was a Lady (1975) and A Night to Dismember (1983). In addition, he also shot movies for such directors as Victor Milt, Cecil Howard, and Zebedy Colt. Moreover, Smith edited music videos for The Manhattans, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Run-D.M.C.. He provided lively, entertaining, and illuminating commentaries on DVD reissues of assorted enjoyably down'n'dirty grindhouse features that he worked on in various capacities during his colorful and impressive East Coast underground cinema career. Smith died at age 87 on September 20, 2017.

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

2025
Meet-Cute Fantasies Vol. 1
Movie Director
2025
I Prefer Romance
Movie Director
2018
Better than Sex! or: How to Make a Wishman Film
Movie Himself
2007
Each Time I Kill
Movie Director of Photography
1989
Step Into the Third Dimension
Movie Editor
1987
Babes in Joyland
Movie Director of Photography
1983
A Night to Dismember
Movie Director of Photography
1982
The Erotic Adventures of Lolita
Movie Director of Photography
1981
Neon Nights
Movie Director of Photography
1977
Unwilling Lovers
Movie Editor
1976
Come with Me My Love
Movie Director of Photography
1976
The Farmer's Daughters
Movie Director of Photography
1976
White Fire
Movie Director of Photography
1975
Satan Was a Lady
Movie Director of Photography
1975
Big Abner
Movie Sound
1975
The Immoral Three
Movie Director of Photography

More credits

1975
In-Flight Service
Movie Director
1974
Certified Mail
Movie Cinematography
1974
Deadly Weapons
Movie Cinematography
1974
Double Agent 73
Movie Cinematography
1974
Badge '69'
Movie Director of Photography
1973
The Young Nymphs Kitty and Kathy
Movie Narrator
1972
Rosebud
Movie
1972
Keyholes Are for Peeping
Movie Director of Photography
1971
The Altar of Lust
Movie Hans
1971
The Amazing Transplant
Movie Director of Photography
1970
Scorpio '70
Movie Editor
1969
The Ultimate Voyeur
Movie Writer
1969
Graffiti
Movie Director
1968
Too Much Too Often!
Movie Director of Photography
1968
Indecent Desires
Movie Director of Photography
1967
To Turn a Trick
Movie Director
1967
A Taste of Flesh
Movie Story
1967
File X for Sex: The Story of the Perverted
Movie Male Voyeur / Blindfolded Man
1966
My Brother's Wife
Movie Director of Photography
1966
Hot Nights on the Campus
Movie Director of Photography
1966
The Girl from S.I.N.
Movie Professor Drake
1966
Banned
Movie Cinematography
1966
All My Men
Movie Director
1965
Bad Girls Go to Hell
Movie Director of Photography