Very little is known about Peter. Blonde, muscular, and enigmatic, he
was truly his own invention. He cast himself in the real-life role of
the mythic leather stud--gorgeous, desirable, untouchable. Dressed in
revealing denim and motorcycle garb, he quickly became a fixture in
international street scenes, his appearance inciting shock and delight
from passers-by.
His greatest social success came in San Francisco, where he became one
of Polk Street's most beloved eccentrics. It was here that he took the
name Burian from an acquaintance; his real surname (which he claimed
was too difficult for Americans to pronounce) never came to light.
Eventually, he teamed with photographer friend Ignatio Rutkowski,
bringing his formidable sexual persona to the screen in
Nights in Black Leather (1973).
A visually arresting piece of hardcore male erotica, the film was a
box-office success, but Peter was denied residuals thanks to a bad
distribution deal.
Around this time, he discovered another actor by the name of Peter
Burian, and thereafter went by the name Peter Berlin. Another virtuoso
triple-X feature, That Boy (1974), was
released; this time, Peter controlled the rights to the picture and was
rewarded when the picture met considerable success (for its ultra-low
budget). Throughout the 1970s, Peter was a fixture at San Francisco's
Gay Pride Parades. Still iconic and always mysterious, his whereabouts
today remain unknown.
