Opel was born in East Orange, New Jersey, in 1939. As a child, he lived in Canada, Kansas, and Kentucky before his family settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he attended grade school, high school, and college. Born Robert Oppel, he dropped the second "p" from his name after becoming an activist to distance himself from his family in Pittsburgh. Opel was concerned his activities would cause the family embarrassment.[1]
In college, Opel was elected to Student Congress, and served as chairman of a regional debate team. After graduation, he worked as a speechwriter for then-CaliforniaGovernorRonald Reagan. In 1974, Opel taught English as a second language for the Los Angeles Unified School District. He was fired from that job following the Oscars incident.
Opel owned his own photography business, Ideas Photographic. Among his clients were the LGBT publication The Advocate and Finger magazine, where he was also an editor.
In 1976, he announced his candidacy for the U.S. Presidency, using the slogans "Nothing to Hide" and "Not Just Another Crooked Dick", referring to the streaking incident and President Richard Nixon, respectively (Nixon had resigned from office in disgrace in 1974).
After breaking into laughter momentarily, Niven regained his composure, turned to the audience and quipped, "Well, ladies and gentlemen, that was almost bound to happen... But isn't it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings?"
Later, some evidence arose suggesting that Opel's appearance was facilitated by the show's producer, Jack Haley Jr., as a stunt. Robert Metzler, the show's business manager, believed that the incident had been planned in some way. He said that, during the dress rehearsal, Niven had asked Metzler's wife to borrow a pen so he could write down the famous ad-lib. Opel apparently had to cut through an expensive background curtain in order to reach the stage.[8]
The episode made Opel something of a celebrity. Producer Allan Carr even asked him to streak at a party for Rudolf Nureyev.
Death
Opel was hosting friends at his studio on July 7, 1979, when two armed men, Robert E. Kelly and Maurice Keenan, stormed the studio in an attempted robbery. They demanded drugs and money, to which Opel denied he had the former and proceeded to kick them out. Opel was shot at close range and was pronounced dead at 10:40 p.m.[9] He was 39 years old.[10] Kelly was sentenced to 25 years to life.[10] Keenan was sentenced to death, but the sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.[11] As of 2023[update], Keenan is still serving his life sentence for the murder.[12][13]
Legacy
The 2010 biographical documentary Uncle Bob was produced and directed by Opel's nephew, Robert Oppel. In addition to narration and reenactments by Oppel, the film includes interviews with John Waters, Divine, Daniel Nicoletta, Mark Thompson, Jack Fritscher, and others. Oppel attempted to interview the two men serving life in prison for his uncle's murder, but was denied by Pelican Bay State Prison.[14]
Robert Oppel and curator Rick Castro installed "Robert Opel: The Res-erection of Fey-Way Studios", a 2014 art show at Antebellum Gallery in Los Angeles, featuring original artworks, posters, and memorabilia from Fey-Way circa 1978–1979.[7]
^Okeeffe, Kevin (26 March 2014). "The Life, Death, and Legacy of the Oscar Streaker". Advocate. Retrieved 28 February 2016. ... the elder Robert dropped the second p from his last name to distance his family from his crazy antics ...
^Campbell, Andy (2019). "1970s". Queer Design. Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. p. 75.
^Fritscher, Jack (2006). Gay San Francisco – Eyewitness Drummer : a Memoir of the Sex, Art, Salon, Pop Culture War, and Gay History of Drummer Magazine, the Titanic 1970s to 1999. Vol. 1. Palm Drive Pub. ISBN9781890834388.
