Susano Melchor Rios (August 16, 1957 – June 27, 1995), known professionally by his screen names Melchor Diaz and Melchor, was an American adult film actor and model. He achieved significant popularity during the late 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s recognized as one of the earliest prominent Latino stars of the "Golden Age" of gay adult cinema.
Early life Rios was born in Kleberg County, Texas, into a traditional Mexican-American family. Rios had turbulent childhood shaped by profound religious indoctrination.
As an infant, Rios suffered an accidental fall, leaving his mother fearing he had died. Seeking spiritual intervention, she took him to the shrine of the Virgin of San Juan in San Juan, Texas, praying for his survival. In exchange, she vowed to God and the Virgin Mary to let his hair grow long. Rios recalled that his hair remained uncut until he entered elementary school, causing him severe childhood confusion regarding his gender identity. Throughout his youth, the cut hair was regularly returned to the shrine as an offering.
Career Modeling In tandem with his film work, Rios was a prominent print model for the premier gay erotic publications of the era. He was featured in numerous photo editorials and centerfolds for publications including, Honcho, Stallion, Skinflicks, Manshots, and Men of Advocate Men.
Film Industry Rios entered the adult film industry in 1976 at the age of 19. Billed predominantly as Melchor and Melchor Diaz, his striking, highly masculine Latino features and handsome appearance quickly made him a major box-office draw. His career successfully spanned the industry's technological transition from theatrical loops to the home VHS tape market.
Rios appeared in nearly 30 feature films for major East Coast and West Coast adult studios. He made his feature debut in the cult classic Mustang (1978). His most prolific era occurred in the mid-1980s, anchoring mainstream features such as Pieces of Eight (1980), Nighthawk in Leather (1982), Dynastud (1986), and Room for Rent (1986). He occasionally used variations of his name, appearing as "Mel Chor" in Starshots, Volume Four (1986) and "Melchor Agular" in Hunk (1985). Rios officially retired from screen acting following the releases of The Night Boys (1989) and Los Hombres! (1991).
Personal life In private life, Rios was noted by peers and community members for a deeply gentle and charitable disposition. Despite his aggressive on-screen persona, he frequently rescued stray animals and regularly bought hot meals for the homeless populations in his neighborhood.
Death Rios died from AIDS-related complications on June 27, 1995, at a hospital in Pineville, Rapides Parish, Louisiana. He was 37 years old. He was buried under his legal birth name, Susano Melchor Rios, in public cemetery registries.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1978 Raging Glory Melchor Diaz Debut 1979 Mustang Chris 1979 Room for Rent Lance 1980 Dinastud Melchor 1980 Pieces of Eight Ashton 1981 Performance Wyman 1982 Nighthawk in Leather Stefano 1983 Revenge of the Nighthawk in Leather Trevor 1983 Wrestling Meat 1 Diego 1985 Bondage Tease Mason 1985 Hunk Melchor Agular 1985 International Skin Albert 1985 Life Guard Melchor Diaz 1985 Night Flight Jeffery 1985 Room for Rent Melchor Diaz 1985 Strange Places... Strange Things! Peter 1985 Windows Williams 1986 Dock 9 Melchor Diaz 1986 Down to His Knee Melchor Diaz 1986 Dynastud 1 Ivan 1986 Hard Manny 1986 Hard to Believe! John 1986 Hollywood Gigolo Melchor Diaz 1986 Nightcrawler: A Leathersex Fantasy Matt 1986 Oral Orgy Melchor Diaz 1986 Social Studies Tom 1986 Star Shots 4: Melchor Diaz Melchor Diaz 1986 Stiff Sentence Melchor Diaz 1987 Daddy's Plaything Melchor Diaz 1987 The Best Stallions Melchor Diaz 1988 Beef Melchor 1988 Bottoms: Hot Shots 15 Melchor 1988 Foreskin: Stroke 10 Sexy Man 1989 Eagle Pack 8 Roman 1989 More Uncut Men Chad 1989 The Night Boys Ivan Cinderfella 1989 Sexy Billy Blue Bill 1991 Los Hombres! Handsome Guy 1991 Magnum Griffin Collection, Volume 7 Melchor Diaz 1991 Traffic School Was Never Like This! Latino Boy 1993 Bad Boys 24 Melchor 1993 I'm in the Palm of your Hand! Melchor Agular 1993 Uncut Club 5 Melchor 1994 Hot Chili Peppers 2 Melchor Diaz 1994 Peter Pepper 6: Disappearing Frank 1994 Sausage Suckers Ross 1994 Skin (Vivid) Steve 1995 Blond Bottoms: Hot Shots 18 Melchor 2004 Buttboys of the Barrio 1 Melchor Diaz Posthumous released 2004 The Filth and the Furry Melchor Diaz Posthumous released 2006 Pole Smokers Melchor Diaz Posthumous released 2011 Falcon 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition Melchor Diaz Posthumous released 2011 Fuck Me Raw 2 Melchor Diaz Posthumous released 2013 Deep Driving Dildos, Falcon Bareback 15 Melchor Diaz Posthumous released 2013 Massive Bareback Ballers Melchor Diaz Posthumous released 2021 Falcon Icons: The 1980s Melchor Diaz Posthumous released 2024 Custom Cock Commandos Melchor Diaz Posthumous released
Legacy Following his death, his life and contributions have been documented by LGBTQ+ preservation groups such as The AIDS Memorial and digital film historians. His niece later publicly reflected on his impact, noting that witnessing the cruelty directed toward him at the end of his life inspired her to pursue a career as an attorney fighting for justice.
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