Trivia

Founder of Femme Productions [us], through which she wrote, produced, and directed adult videos geared towards female renters.

Attended the High School of Art and Design, the Parsons School of Design and City University in New York.

Profiled in the book "Golden Goddesses: 25 Legendary Women of Classic Erotic Cinema, 1968-1985" by Jill C. Nelson.

Was a much sought after public speaker who gave lectures at such venues as the Smithsonian Institution, the American Psychiatric Association's national conference, and the World Congress of Sexology as well as at various colleges that include Princeton, Columbia, Wellesley College, and New York University.

Her father, Louis R. Vadala, was an accomplished professional jazz drummer who played with Louis Prima, Raymond Scott, Orrin Tucker, Paul Lavalle, Lester Lanin and Emil Coleman.

Received a Doctorate in Human Sexuality in 2014 for her life's work from the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality.

Co-founded the first porn star support group Club 90 in 1985 and remained an active core member of this group until her death at age 64 from ovarian cancer.

In 1997 Royalle became the first woman to win a lifetime achievement award for directing from the Free Speech Coalition Awards.

Was survived by a sister, Cinthea.

Graduated from the High School of Art and Design in New York, New York in 1968.

She died from ovarian cancer at her home in Mattituck, NY. Her biological mother, Margaret O'Bannon, also died from ovarian cancer.

In 2016 her archives were donated to Radcliffe College's Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America. Her archives consist of 106 file boxes, 109 folders of photographs, 209 videotapes, three archived websites and tens of thousands of emails, posters, costumes and more.

Has a sister Cynthia (now "Cinthea"), they were raised by their stepmother Helen Frances Duffy.

Louis Prima considered her father "one of the greatest, most promising young drummers on the swing horizon".

While living in San Francisco she performed with the avant-garde theater group The Cockettes.

After her father's discharge from the United States Army after World War II, he joined the Raymond Scott Orchestra.

Founding board member of Feminists for Free Expression.

Chose her stage name "Candida Royalle" in 1974 when she was working in San Francisco's underground theater scene.

Was a member of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists.

Wrote regular columns for adult magazines High Society and Cheri.

Wrote short scripts for High Society Live, the pioneering pay-per-call phone-sex line.

A five-track EP titled Candida Cosmica, a collaboration between Royalle and Patrick Cowley from the mid-1970s, was released in October 2016 by Dark Entries Records.

In 1980 she made live appearances at New York's Melody Burlesque, Pittsburgh's Casino Royale, Washington D.C.'s Gayety Theater and Benny's Rebel.

In 1975 she played Divine's daughter in the play "The Heartbreak of Psoriasis".

Lived in a brownstone on Sackett Street in Cobble Hill with her husband Per.

Has a half-brother Jimmy from her mother's first marriage.

Wrote an essay for Cat Fancy magazine under her married name Candice Vadala-Sjostedt.

Father Louis was a professional jazz drummer starting with Louis Prima jazz ensemble fresh out of high school. Mother Margaret "Peggy" June Thompson Hume abandoned the family when she was 18 months old, she never saw her again.

In early 1984 she co-founded Femme Productions together with Lauren Neimi (Cole).

In 2004 she authored the book "How To Tell A Naked Man What To Do".

In 1989 she signed the Post Porn Modernist Manifesto.

Two favorite songs to strip to were "Whatever Lola Wants" from the Broadway play Damn Yankees and Ian Dury & The Blockheads' "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick".

Porn star Veronica Vera is the executor of Candida Royalle's estate.

Graduated from PS 81 in Riverdale, The Bronx, New York, New York.

When she was 12 years old a sexual predator attacked her in Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx, New York, New York.

Attended the City University of New York.

Her first job after high school was with the elegant 5th Avenue department store Bergdorf Goodman.

Attended PS 122 in Astoria, Queens, New York, New York from kindergarten through the 4th grade.

Studied ballet at Miss Jeffrey's Dancing School in The Bronx, New York, New York starting in the 6th grade.

Attended Parsons School of Design but dropped out.

Experimented with marijuana the summer after high school.

From the 5th grade through high school she lived across from the northern end of Van Cortlandt Park in Riverdale, The Bronx, New York, New York.

Graduated from JHS 141 in Riverdale, The Bronx, New York, New York.

Member of the Women's Liberation Collective of the Bronx Coalition based in The Bronx, New York.

The first song she wrote was "The Little Tomato", a bluesy a capella number in the Peggy Lee style.

Met Disney animator Jules Engel (Fantasia) at the San Francisco Art Institute. He offered to nominate her for a scholarship to his division at CalArts.

Member of the theater troupe Warped Floors appearing in "Rickets: A Day In The Life Of The Counter Culture".

In San Francisco she was a member of the singing group Old Jazz under the direction of Scrumbly from the Cockettes.

A member of the Cockettes side project Humbug Cantina, a group of sixteen carolers who sang sendups of Christmas music.

In San Francisco she was a member of the Gospel Pearls under the direction of former Pentecostal singer Bobby Kent.