Born John Stillman in Beverly Hills, California, Wrangler was the product of a Hollywood upbringing. His father, Robert, was a film director and television producer, his mother, Ruth, a former Broadway dancer. Early in life, the acting bug bit and when Wrangler was still a child, he regularly appeared on a religious television program (Faith of our Fathers). Later on he attended Northwestern where he studied theater.
In spite of his talent, and good looks, Wrangler was finding it difficult to break in to legitimate show biz, so in the very early seventies he started appearing at seedy gay clubs around New York City doing strip numbers. It was during his tenure as a dancer that he was “discovered” by a producer and started appearing in gay pornography.
Due to his all-American good looks, his sexual prowess, and the fact that he could actually deliver lines with out sounding like he was reading off of cue-cards, Wrangler was a hit.
Inasmuch as Wrangler was a product of his time, he attributed the fact that he was doing gay porn because it was both “culturally subversive” as well as “politically liberating”. Furthermore, Wrangler claimed that the films were his own way of coming to grips with his own sexuality.
After completing almost forty gay porn films, Wrangler crossed over into straight porn in 1978, and had stated in interviews that he had lost his virginity to a woman on screen.
During all of this, Wrangler managed to appear in several off-Broadway productions, write a fitness column for a gay magazine, and lend his name to a string of sex toys and products.
Sometime in the mid 70's Wrangler met singer, Margret Whiting (some twenty years his senior), and the two immediately hit it off. Allegedly, when Wrangler told Whiting that he was gay, she replied, “Only around the edges, dear”. Whiting and Wrangler married in the early 80's and shortly thereafter he began writing and producing musical productions (most of which starred or featured his wife).
In 1984 Wrangler wrote his autobiography, “The Jack Wrangler Story -Or- What's a Nice Boy Like You Doing”.
Wrangler never denied his porn past, nor did he renounce his sexuality. He said in interviews that he loved his wife, but still enjoyed sex with men.
Jack Wrangler died on April 7th of 2009 in New York City. He passed away from complications caused by emphysema. He was still married to Margaret Whiting (Whiting passed away on 1.10.2011).
For those just catching up with the legend of Mr. Wrangler, I'd like to humbly suggest the following films from his oeuvre for your consideration:
A Night at the Adonis: From 1977 comes a sex drenched adventure that takes place in a gorgeous old theater in downtown Manhattan where we follow Jack,who plays Donald, a salesman who works in a clothing store by day, and cruises the elaborate grind house for sex at night. This is a must see not only for Wrangler's easy-going and comical performance, but for those interested in what sexual freedom was really like in a more unfettered time and place.
Killing Me Softly: 1979's darkly disturbing love story finds Wrangler playing an actor who falls in love with a sociopath. This is the film with the infamous Brooklyn Bridge fuck scene (two guys going at it, in broad daylight on the pathway of the bridge in clear sight of passing cars and bikers!). Not only are we treated to murder, mayhem and a double suicide – but Killing Me Softly also features some fascinating scenes of early gay pride parades in Manhattan. Wrangler shines in this one as an optimist who eventually comes to realize that he must make the ultimate sacrifice for love.
Navy Blue: 1981's romantic comedy finds our boy on shore leave lusting after a ship mate. Before the star crossed lovers hook up we get to see a blow job in a helicopter, sex with Santa, and a fantasy sequence that plays out like an ad for Sassoon Jeans circa 1978. Be that as it may when Jack and his object of desire (the wolf-like hunk of burning love, Giuseppe Welsh) finally do hook up, it is well worth the wait. Fucking and sucking to the strains of Bolero, the boys set the screen on fire.
Kansas City Trucking Company: Though he is only featured briefly in this 1976 homage to blue collar masculinity, Wrangler makes the most of his brief screen time as the horny manager of a loading dock. His scenes with hairy brute, Richard Locke and angel faced, Stephen Boyd are abbreviated but highly erotic.
Gemini: a film from 1980 is sex drenched, but thin on plot. Basically, Wrangler plays a guy with a split personality. On the one hand he loves his partner and enjoys having vanilla sex with him, on the other hand he loves donning a leather jacket and hooking up for some back alley rough stuff. Wrangler is all about the sex in this one, and he does not disappoint. My favorite scene is the fire side fuck played out to the strains of Pink Floyd's “Have a Cigar”.
Boots and Saddles: It's 1979, and a crazy Nazi (that little fuck machine, Scorpio) is screwing and killing gay men on the lower East side. Wrangler plays a guy whose latest trick discovers that he might have contracted syphilis from him (shades of Brian DePalma's Dressed to Kill). Nonetheless, when the chips are down, and the trick finds himself in the lair of the neo-Nazi, Wrangler comes to his rescue like an urban cowboy, kicking ass and taking names. Both Wrangler and Scorpio turn in some outstanding sex scenes in this peculiar little epic. Pay special attention to the wild fuck Wrangler throws in to Roy Garrett early on.
Jack and Jill: 1984 marked Wranglers first foray into straight porn, but don't let that put you off from seeing this one. This is a brilliant comedy that just happens to have a lot of straight sex in it. I mention it here, because it actually manages to show Wrangler's acting abilities. He is downright hysterical in this film, and his leading lady (Samantha Fox) is his perfect foil. In spite of everything, Jack and Jill is actually a sweet movie with some great acting and some decent heterosexual sex scenes … oh and yes, Jack delivers in that department as well.
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