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Zalman King

The ultimate impresario of a unique brand of glossy erotic fare, Zalman King started out as an actor, earning a Golden Globe nomination for his role on "The Young Lawyers" (ABC, 1970-71). His destiny lay behind the camera, however, and he produced and, with his wife, co-wrote "9½ Weeks" (1986). Directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger, the film broke new ground for its art-directed erotic set-pieces, becoming a cult hit. King wrote, directed and produced movies such as "Two Moon Junction" (1988), "Wild Orchid" (1990) and "Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue" (1991) that became enduringly popular favorites with audiences. The keystone of his empire, however, came with the immensely popular "Red Shoe Diaries" (Showtime, 1992-97). After a battle with cancer, he died on Feb. 3, 2012. Zalman King was responsible for helping change audiences' perceptions of sexuality, art and film, redefining the line between artistry and erotica.