British Porn King Paul Raymond Dead

LONDON — Paul Raymond, the so-called "King of Soho," has died at the age of 82 from an unspecified illness following a hospital stay.

Raymond, who was born Geoffrey Anthony Quinn in November, 1925, was reportedly worth in excess of $1.3 billion, and was remembered by the Times Online as a "Porn baron, impresario and property magnate who made his name with nude revues and died rich, lonely and embittered."

Raymond stepped onto the adult stage in 1951 with his launch of the Festival of Nudes, a topless vaudeville show featuring women that remained perfectly still in order to comply with regulations forbidding movement by nude performers on a theatrical stage.

Raymond's big break came after learning that private clubs were exempted from the "nude movements" regulation, leading to his opening of the Raymond Revuebar in 1958 — the only British venue to offer live striptease shows at the time.

Raymond also is credited with inventing high-quality glossy men's magazines with the 1971 launch of Men Only, followed a year later by Club International.

After a 1977 crackdown on London's sex shops, Raymond entered the real estate market, taking advantage of falling property prices to acquire an estimated 90 acres of downtown London and surrounding areas.

"He was a great mentor for me. He was always there to help me. He has been a close family friend for a very long time and he will be sadly missed," said Mark Fuller, a co-owner with Raymond of the Embassy Restaurant and Members Club. "He was an icon of Britain and he is proof that you can come from nothing and do something with your life."

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Blush Introduces 'Aqua Jet' Cleansing Douche

Blush has debuted the new Aqua Jet cleansing douche from its Anal Adventures collection.

Lovers Launches 2nd Phase of 'Feel Good, Do Good, Give Good' Campaign

Sexual wellness brand and retailer Lovers has launched the second phase of its philanthropic campaign for 2025, titled "Feel Good, Do Good, Give Good."

Bodispa Inks Distro Deal With Shunga

Bodispa has signed a distribution deal with Shunga Erotic Art.

EIS Acquires Willie.nl, Willie.be

German wellness group and Satisfyer parent company EIS has acquired Willie.nl and Willie.be.

Orion Expands Cottelli 'Fantasy' Line

Orion Wholesale has added four new lingerie sets to its Cottelli Fantasy collection.

Biird's 'Namii' Highlighted on Bustle

Bustle has featured Biird’s Namii in a roundup about clitoral stimulators.

Blush Expands 'Aria' Collection With 4 New Vibes

Blush has introduced four upgraded versions of vibrators from its Aria collection.

We-Vibe Debuts 'Melt 2' Vibrator, Air Pulse Massager

We-Vibe has introduced its new Melt 2 vibrator/air pulse massager.

Full Circle Expands 'Savage Me' Line of Male Torsos

Full Circle has expanded its line of Savage Me male torsos.

Nalpac, Entrenue Sign Distro Deal With Like A Kitten

Nalpac/Entrenue has inked a deal to distribute Like A Kitten pleasure products.

Show More