Calvin Culver, professionally known as Casey Donovan, was born on November 2, 1943, in East Bloomfield, New York.
He graduated from teachers' college in 1965 and worked as a teacher in Peekskill and New York City, until he was fired from his job after an altercation with a student. This led him to pursue a career in escort services and acting.
Through one of his clients, Culver began a modeling career, appearing in off-Broadway and Broadway productions.
In 1971, he started his adult film career in the movie Ginger, followed by the film Casey, where he played the title role. The same year, he appeared in the film Boys in the Sand, which became a huge success and led to his growing fame in the adult film industry.
As his fame increased, he became a high-priced escort, but his connection to the adult film industry led to the loss of modeling opportunities. He appeared in the Broadway revival of Captain Brassbound's Conversion with Ingrid Bergman in 1972 and the 1973 Lincoln Center production of The Merchant of Venice.
He toured nationally in the play Tubstrip and in 1984 produced and appeared in an unsuccessful revival of the play The Ritz.
In 1973, Culver began a relationship with actor Tom Tryon, which lasted until 1977. In 1978, he purchased a guest house in Florida, but the business failed.
In 1982, he started writing an advice column, "Ask Casey", for the gay male magazine "Stallion", featuring nude pictorials.
Culver's health began to decline in 1985, and he died of an AIDS-related illness on August 10, 1987, in Inverness, Florida.
