March 2nd is the 86th Academy Awards

In honor of tonight's Academy Awards lets take  look back at the Oscar's of 1974 most famous moment when Robert Opel received his fifteen minutes of fame when he streaked during the live broadcast

Robert Opel (23 October 1939 – 7 July 1979) was a photographer and art gallery owner most famous as the man who streaked during the 46th Academy Awards in 1974. He sneaked backstage posing as a journalist (he had worked as a photographer for the well-known LGBT publication The Advocate, shortly before) and ran naked past David Niven flashing a peace sign while Niven was introducing Elizabeth Taylor.

Unfazed, Niven 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. 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 seamless background curtain in order to reach the stage.

The episode made Opel something of a celebrity. Producer Allan Carr even asked him to streak at a party for Rudolph Nureyev.

In March 1978, Opel opened "Fey-Way Studios," a gallery of gay male art, at 1287 Howard Street in San Francisco. The gallery helped bring such erotic gay artists as Tom of Finland and Robert Mapplethorpe to national attention. Opel was murdered on the night of July 7, 1979, during a robbery of the studio, by Robert E. Kelly and Maurice Keenan.

On February 14th, 2014, curator Rick Castro and Robert Oppel, (nephew) installed and premiered, Robert Opel: The Res~erection of Fey Way Studios, featuring original artworks, posters and memorabilia from Fey Way Studios circa 1978~ 79 at Antebellum gallery in Hollywood Ca.