Blast from the Past: Perry Lang

Actor Perry Lang got his start on television in the late 1979's on shows like The Fitzpatrick's, James at 15 and in ABC Afterschool Specials.  Quickly, Lang transitioned to feature films making his film debut in 1978's Big Wednesday.  Over the next decade plus, Lang appeared in over twenty films, including well known titles like Jennifer 8, The Big Red One and Eight Men Out.

Bay City Blues (1983)

During the eighties, in addition to a short stint on the television show Bay City Blues, (with Dennis Franz and Sharon Stone) Lang appeared in a string of teen coming of age films.  Some of the titles Teen Lust, Spring Break and Jocks) are indelibly linked with the genre during the time period.  When I came upon the title Teen Lust, I had to check it out to see if there was any male nudity.  With a title like that, there had to be something.... 

Teen Lust (1978)

'Two sexy young women move into a sleepy suburb and before long, every man in the vicinity falls for their charms.'

Although there was a fair share of 'lust' in the film, the bulk of the nudity came from the female cast members.  This wasn't really that strange, with the exception of a few films, like Porky's, it was rare to see the male cast members remove their clothing the way their female counterparts were expected to do. The only male nudity in Teen Lust, was just a flash of butt from the jock strap wearing Terry, played by Perry Lang.

Five years after Teen Lust, Lang went on to flash his cute little butt again, this time in 1983's Spring Break.  Just like Teen Lust, the few seconds of Lang's bute bum was the only scene in the movie featuring male skin.  We did however, get a hot shot of actor Paul Land in his tight black briefs.  That almost made up for it....

Spring Break (1983)

'Two sets of two college guys spend a spring break together in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There they have lots of fun in and out of the sun.'

Above:Actors  Paul Land, David Knell, Lang and Steve Bassett 

So many actors and actress in teen sex comedies seemed to get pigeon holed, and many seemed almost stuck in the genre.  If look back at some of the biggest sex comedies of the eighties and nineties, so many of the actors have disappeared.  When Lang's acting career began to slow down in the nineties, he skillfully transitioned to a career behind the camera, writing, producing and directing. 

Lang's time in teen teen comedies may have helped in his role as a director of young talent. Lang directed famous teen and young adult actors on television shows including; Jack & Bobby, North Shore, One Tree Hill, Everwood, Young Americans, Gilmore Girls and Dawson's Creek.  Lang also directed episodes of ER, Alias, Medium, Nash Bridges, NYPD Blue and Weeds.  Lang most recently directed the 2018 feature film An Interview with God starring  David Strathairn and Brenton Thwaites. 

Lang in 2003