John LaZar explained

John LaZar (born May 22, 1946) is an American actor of both stage and screen, best remembered for his lead role as Ronnie 'Z-man' Barzell in the Russ Meyer film Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970), co-written by Meyer and Roger Ebert.^[1]

LaZar grew up in San Francisco, California and is of Mediterranean and Native American heritage. He trained at the American Conservatory Theater and has studied acting with Uta Hagen. A veteran of many Shakespearean stage productions, Lazar is also a martial arts expert and fencer.

LaZar later appeared in Russ Meyer's Supervixens (1975) and Roger Corman's Deathstalker II (1987).

Selected credits

• Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970) (director Russ Meyer)
• Supervixens (1975) (director Russ Meyer)
• Every Girl Should Have One (1978)
• Greatest Heroes of the Bible (TV series) (1978)
• Up 'n' Coming (1983) (X-rated film starring Marilyn Chambers) (Non-sexual role)
• Scorpion (1986)
• Deathstalker II (1987) (producer Roger Corman)
• Eddie Presley (1992) (director Jeff Burr)
• Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold (1995) (director Fred Olen Ray)
• Stripteaser (1995)
• Night of the Scarecrow (1995) (director Jeff Burr)
• Over the Wire (1996)
• Click (TV series) (1997)
• Maximum Revenge (1997)
• Vic (2006) short film (director Sage Stallone)
• Alice Jacobs is Dead (2009) short film

Notes and References

1. https://archive.today/20130628021655/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/39810/John-LaZar The New York Times