ROBERT OPEL FILM

artist & filmmaker ROBERT OPPEL is the nephew of ROBERT OPEL~

activist, journalist, photographer, curator, artist, revolutionist & nudist.

after streaking the 1974 academy awards robert opel opened the first erotic/fetish art gallery called

FEY WAY STUDIOS at 1287 howard st, SF- 1978 thru 79.
 In 2011 nephew Robert Oppel released a documentary on the life of his uncle called simply; "Uncle Bob." 

rick castro & robert oppel are recreated FEY WAY STUDIOS @ ANTEBELLUM HOLLYWOOD!

 presents

ROBERT OPEL: 

THE RES~ERECTION OF FEY WAY STUDIOS

please join us opening night~

february 14th

6pm till 9pm

live performances by

clownalyn monroe

maxdarling

casey larios

$10 cover

on exhibit thru march 22nd

general hours

weds tea salon~ 5pm till 7pm~ $5 cover

thurs thru sat~ 1pm til 7pm~ $5 cover

"my inspiration for antebellum hollywood was based on my obsession of

 fey way studios and robert opel. i like to think of antebellum as the fey way of the 21st century "

~rick castro~

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?"

The episode made Opel something of a celebrity. 

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. 

some say it was drug related, other think it was related to opel's outspoken peformance related to the dan white "twinkie defense" of harvey milk and mayor moscone.

all images courtesy~ antebellum gallery- robert oppel archives