Russ Meyer, whose soft core porn films earned him millions of dollars and the title of Hollywood's "King Leer", has died at 82, his film company said yesterday.

After a brief stint as a centrefold photographer for Playboy, Meyer used his own money to make The Immoral Mr Teas in 1959 for $24,000, and saw it gross $1m.

Meyer made 26 films, almost all self-financed and with titles like Wild Gals of the Naked West Mondo Topless, and Supervixens. Later, his films became cult and film festival favourites.