Joseph P. Mawra

Joseph W. Mawra grew up in Queens in New York. From 1956 to 1959 Mawra attended Hofstra University, where he took courses in such subjects as English and creative writing. Joseph got his start in show business as a freelance joke writer for talk show host Jack Paar. Mawra went on to edit advertising spots and trailers for motion pictures. Joseph eventually wound up working for Stan Borden, who owned the production and distribution outfit the American Film Distribution Corporation. Over a two year period Mawra made the four Olga movies starring Audrey Campbell as sadistic crime ring boss Olga for Borden and producer George Weiss: Olga's House of Shame (1964), White Slaves of Chinatown (1964), Olga's Girls (1964), and Mme. Olga's Massage Parlor (1965). Shot in black and white on an average of four to five days on extremely modest budgets, these gritty exploitation features have gone on to amass a substantial cult following.