// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Mike Davis an actor? No, he's a dramatist, but that's a different role.

Mike Davis
Born	Winson Owen Strickland (1945-04-12)April 12, 1945 Sacramento County, California, U.S.
Died	January 21, 1986(1986-01-21) (aged 40) West Hollywood, California, U.S.
Other names	Winn Strickland Wynn Strickland
Education	Sacramento High School
Occupations	Actor model director set designer
Years active	1972–1986
Agent	Colt Studios

Winson Owen Strickland (April 12, 1945 – January 21, 1986), known professionally as Winn Strickland and Mike Davis, was an American actor and model, art director, set designer. He was a prominent figure in the "Golden Age" of gay adult cinema, recognized for his artistic contributions behind the scenes at Surge Studios and his physical presence as a Colt Studios model. Before his work in adult film, he was a set designer for Las Vegas stage productions and television variety shows.

Early life and education

Strickland was born on April 12, 1945, in Sacramento County, California and he attended Sacramento High School, graduating with the Class of 1963. A carpenter by trade, he developed high-level technical skills in California before moving into professional set design.

Career

Mainstream career

Under the name Winn Strickland (sometimes credited as Wynn Strickland), he established a successful career in mainstream entertainment during the 1970s.

Television and Film

Strickland served as an art director for several high-profile Hollywood productions, including Sixteen (1972), he was the art director for the independent feature film. Later The Osmond Family Show (1979) and he was the art director for the musical variety series and Carol Burnett & Company (1979) for which he was the art director for four episodes of the comedy-variety program.

Las Vegas Stage Productions

Strickland was a highly regarded figure in the Las Vegas theater circuit. He won several prestigious awards for his set designs, most notably for the long-running Folies Bergère at the Tropicana and the production Fire and Ice.

Adult film career

In the late 1970s, Strickland was "discovered" by Colt Studios and began performing under the pseudonym Mike Davis.

Performance

Despite his popularity as a model and performer, Strickland was notably reluctant to take speaking roles due to a speech impediment about which he was deeply self-conscious. Consequently, the majority of his early work consisted of still photography and silent "loop" films. He was eventually persuaded by his close friend, director Al Parker, to perform in the 1982 film Games, which remains his only "talking" role.

Art direction at Surge Studios

Strickland's primary professional contribution to the industry was as the Art Director and master carpenter for Surge Studios, owned by Al Parker and Steve Taylor. Parker frequently remarked that Strickland had the unique ability to "make one dollar look like five" on screen. His notable art direction credits included Therapy, he created the "eerie alley" set, Strange Places, Strange Things and he designed a realistic sewer sequence later Century Mining (1985) it is considered his masterpiece; Strickland designed and constructed the film's massive, complex mine sets in just 72 hours despite being in the advanced stages of illness. Mike's other credits includes films such as Head Trips, Hard Disk Drive, and One in a Billion.

Death

Strickland died in his sleep from AIDS-related complications in West Hollywood on January 21, 1986, at the age of 40. Following his wishes, his ashes were released along the California coast.

Filmography

Film

Actor

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1977	Timberwolves Part 1	Mike	Debut
1977	Timberwolves Part 2	Mike
1978	The Bonus	Handsome Cowboy	Colt Films
1979	Service Entry	Mike	Colt Studios
1979	Moving Violations	Mike
1981	The Best Laid Plans	Bricklayer Worker
1982	Nighthawk In Leather	Leather Man
1982	Turned On!	Bartender
1983	Games	Coach	Surge Studios
1984	The Best of Colt Films, Part 3	Mike
1985	The Best of Colt: Part 4	Mike
1986	Driveshaf	Mike
1986	The Best of Colt Films	Mike
1991	The Best of Colt Films, Part 9	Mike	Posthumous release
1992	The Best of Colt Films, Part 11	Mike	Posthumous release
1993	The Best of Colt Films, Part 13	Mike	Posthumous release
1996	The Best of Colt Films, Part 14	Mike	Posthumous release
2000	Colt Couples I: Colt Men on the Make	Mike	Posthumous release
2000	Buckshot Collection: Lovers in Summer, Workload, and the COLT Classic Timberwolves	Mike	Posthumous release

Director

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1984	Head Trips	Designer	Surge Studios
1985	Hard Disk Drive	Designer of sets	Surge Studios
1985	Century Mining	Director	Surge Studios

Legacy

He is remembered by historians as a bridge between mainstream production quality and adult cinema. Director Al Parker credited Strickland as a primary influence on the "Surge look" and stated that his passion for the studio diminished significantly following Strickland's death.

External links

• Mike Davis at IMDb