About Savannah
Shannon Michelle Wilsey (October 9, 1970 – July 11, 1994), better known by her stage name Savannah, was an American pornographic film actress who starred in over 100 videos during her career. One of the most prominent adult industry models of her time, she achieved notoriety within her short (1990–1994) career due to her onscreen presence and personal life. In January 2002, AVN ranked her at #19 on their list of the top 50 porn stars of all time.
Wilsey began her career as a model and had a few small roles in mainstream movies. Small time actor and porn director Rex Cabo spotted her on an audition and believed she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Ironically Cabo would die from suicide in 2005, nearly 10 years after Savannah's own suicide. He persuaded her to sign with an agent for nude modeling and was convinced she would have porn studios in a bidding war over her. After appearing in Penthouse and Hustler, he would be proven correct as she was offered nearly 10 times what a new actor would get to star in her first adult movie in 1990. As porn was entering the 1990s, it needed a new superstar, and Savannah would be it.
Savannah's movies would be the highest-grossing in 1990, and in 1991, Vivid offered her the largest deal ever for a pornstar to shoot for them while also being able to shoot for other companies. While she was at the top of her career, her personal life was chaotic. The fame and money she was making quickly went to her head and she earned the reputation as a diva who would often be late to shooting or would cancel at the last minute. She cared more about partying and was a frequent sight at various rock clubs on LA's Sunset Strip. She would develop a drug problem that would haunt her for the rest of her short life. This would carry over to her adult work and she often needed to be high and drunk to perform. Her drug and attitude problem would see her dropped from her Vivid contract in 1993 and her adult work became much less frequent in 1994 before her death. Fellow pornstar Teri Weigel said she never saw the sweet Savannah that others claim existed. "She was a massive bitch and had an ego the size of California. I was a Playboy Playmate of the Month, and had been in a movie with George Clooney, but she treated me and everyone else like we were beneath her. In order for her to shoot you needed to have some coke for her to snort, and a bottle of Jack Daniels on the set, or she wouldn't show up."
Savannah had relationships with singer Billy Idol, Mötley Crüe member Vince Neil, Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth, bassist Billy Sheehan who was in Roth's solo band, comedian Pauly Shore, guitarist Slash, and actor Mark Wahlberg. Openly bisexual, she also dated fellow pornstar Jeanna Fine in the early 90s although the relationship was not exclusive and Savannah and Fine both continued to see men while together. Fine would later describe Wilsey as someone searching for love.
Her last boyfriend Pauly Shore would say she was two people. The sweet and loving Shannon who hated doing porn and wanted a family, and the drug-addicted and over the top diva Savannah and both sides often battled over which would win that day.
Wilsey died by suicide in 1994 by shooting herself after a car accident. She received injuries to her face during the accident and panicked that her face would be scarred forever.
Freeones.com ranked her as the 6th greatest pornstar of the 1990s and she was ranked 19th most beautiful pornstar ever.
