Robert Joel McLane (August 4, 1944 in Macon, Georgia – September 30, 1992 in Riverside, California) was an American actor who is known for having starred in the early openly gay film ''

A Very Natural Thing ''A Very Natural Thing'' is a 1974 American film directed by Christopher Larkin and starring Robert Joel, Curt Gareth, Bo White, Anthony McKay, and Marilyn Meyers. The plot concerns a gay man named David who leaves a monastery to become a publ ...

'' in 1974.

Early life

He was born Robert Joel McLane, and was sometimes credited under the name Robert McLane. He was born in 1944 in Macon, Georgia. and grew up on a farm in Wagener, South Carolina. He graduated from

Furman University Furman University is a private liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1826 and named for the clergyman Richard Furman, Furman University is the oldest private institution of higher learning in South Carolina. It became ...

in 1965.

Acting career

Joel had various roles in theater. He was debuted on Broadway in 1969 as "He Who Hears Thunder" in Arthur Kopit's ''

Indians Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

'' in 1969. A year later, he had a leading role in the NET Playhouse television drama ''They Have Taken Over'' that was an adaptation of the novel by Marya Mannes. He had a minor role in the Alan Arkin-directed '' Little Murders'' (1971). He starred in ''Blue Summer'' (1973) with

Bo White Bo White is an American actor who appeared in Christopher Larkin's 1974 groundbreaking film, '' A Very Natural Thing,'' the gay alternative to '' Love Story'' (1970). He plays Jason, a divorced photographer, who meets a lonely English Literatu ...

and again with White in ''

'' (1974) under the name Robert Joel. Joel played the lead, David, a gay ex-monk, who finds love in New York City. The film has been viewed as being the first film to show gay love. His other co-stars were Curt Gareth, Jay Pierce, and Vito Russo, who went on to write '' The Celluloid Closet''. Joel also appeared in Russ Meyer's ''Up!'' (1976), ''Barbara'' (1970), and a 1971 PBS television drama, ''They''.

Playwright

He wrote one-act plays, one of which, ''Triptych'', was presented in 1990 at the Glenn Wallichs Theater at the University of the Redlands, and was directed by Kent Paul.

Later life and death

He moved to Riverside where he wrote plays and taught. He worked for the AIDS Project, coordinating the work of volunteer therapists who worked with persons with AIDS and their families. He died in 1992 of

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

. A panel honoring him appears on the AIDS memorial quil

External links

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joel, Robert 1944 births 1992 deaths Actors from Macon, Georgia Actors from South Carolina AIDS-related deaths in California Furman University alumni