Performers in one film, The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empress, were Ilona 'Cicciolina' Staller, who later became a member of the Italian parliament, Tracey Adams, Christoph Clark, and Amber Lynn.

During the summer of 1986, Holmes, knowing his HIV status, agreed to perform in two pornographic films to be filmed in Italy, without informing the producers of his HIV status. Six months previously, he had tested negative. In February 1986, Holmes was diagnosed as HIV-positive. Parker died in 1992 from complications of AIDS, aged 40. When Nichols died in 1985, his fellow porn star Ron Jeremy denied that Nichols' death was AIDS-related.

Īccording to former pornographic actress Shelley Lubben, a 1980s outbreak of HIV led to the death of 27 porn stars between 19, including Wade Nichols (who died in 1985), John Holmes (1988), Marc Stevens (1989), and Al Parker (1992). Brooke Ashley became HIV positive in 1998 but returned to pornography in 2005 in a film with her boyfriend Eddie Wood, who was also HIV positive.