Hyapatia Lee (pronounced "high-a-PAY-sha") was born Vickie Lynch. By 1980 she was performing regularly on stage as an actress at the Black Curtain Dinner Theatre, in the near north side of Indianapolis. By 1982 she had changed her name to Hyapatia (in honor of her Cherokee Indian ancestry). She was a regularly featured exotic dancer (house exotic) at the Red Garter Lounge, where owner John Najem would introduce her: "Here she is--the lovely and talented Miss Hyapatia Lee" to much applause from the audience. In early 1983 she went to Hollywood to become a movie star, and wound up becoming one of the most popular stars in the history of adult films. Beginning her film career in 1983, she made about 36 films until her retirement in 1993.