FORT MYERS, Fla. — "Deep Throat" director Gerard Damiano died Saturday of complications following a stroke. A onetime hairdresser, Damiano was an active director in the adult industry into the early '90s, and was living in retirement when he was found and interviewed for the mainstream documentary, "Inside Deep Throat."

"I was just a nice guy, which is why I think I did pretty well," Damiano told the Fort Myers News-Press in 2005. "I mean, I'd meet an actress and have to say, 'Sit down, take your clothes off — I'm going to ask you to do some nasty things.' You have to be pretty nice."

Damiano's 47 productions included the films "The Devil in Miss Jones," "The Satisfiers of Alpha Blue" and "Never so Deep."

When he met "Deep Throat" star Linda Lovelace, "I thought, 'Stop the presses!'" he told the News-Press." I spent the next couple of days writing a film just for her." The film was shot in six days in Miami.

His stature in the adult industry was celebrated by an 80th-birthday surprise party in August.

One of those attending was "The Devil in Miss Jones" star Georgina Spelvin, who wrote afterwards in her online blog: "His former wife (and still good friend) Barbara, their daughter, Christar, and their son, (Gerard) G Rock threw the best birthday bash I've been to since my Italian mother-in-law's 90th ... When the lights came up and we all yelled 'Surprise,' I feared my favorite director was going to bolt. He later said, 'I haven't been that surprised since I was arrested.' He just couldn't believe his loving former performers and pals had traveled from New York and California just to nuzzle and hug and kiss him to pieces."

Damiano moved his family to Florida in the '70s.

"I'd work all week in New York. Then every Friday, I'd get on a plane, come down to Naples, then hop on one of those propeller puddle-jumpers and come home," Damiano told the News-Press.

He is survived by his ex-wife; a son, Gerard Jr.; and daughter Christar. There are no plans for a memorial service. "That 80th birthday party was a celebration of his life — while he was still alive," his son said.