In March 1974, Barresi was featured in
Playgirl magazine with
Cassandra Peterson. The following year he was selected by
Rip Colt as an early Colt model and featured on the cover of the November 1975 of
Mandate. In December 1978, Barresi was the first man ever to appear on the cover of
Hustler. The print modeling led to dozens of offers to star in adult film. Barresi's natural muscular build and unique persona on film made him into one the highest paid and most sought after adult film icons of the '70s, starring in adult film classics including
Co-ed Fever,
Bad Girls II,
All American Girls II and
Secret of Stage Five. Barresi wrote, produced and directed adult films. In 1992 Barresi, using the name "Joe Hammer", won the Gay Video Guide Award in the Best Specialty Release category for the fetish video
Razor Close. Barresi earned a 2003
GayVN Awards nomination for "Best Non-Sex Performance — Gay or Bi" for
Long Strokes. Barresi also won the 2007 GayVN award and a 2007
Grabby Award for "Best Non-Sex Performance" for his work in
Velvet Mafia (parts 1 and 2). And in 2008, Barresi was inducted into the GayVN Hall of Fame. Barresi was particularly noted for his military themes;
Adult Video News has said Barresi's directorial efforts make him "undisputedly the king of military-themed videos." Barresi toured in a 1980
summer stock suite of scenes from
Neil Simon plays, headlined by
Paul Lynde. He had several roles in mainstream film and television projects, including
Perfect,
Spontaneous Combustion,
JAG and
Father Dowling Mysteries. Barresi told
Entertainment Tonight of the difficulty crossing over into mainstream film: "No one really takes a porn actor seriously ... and no one really respects a porn actor." == References ==