Actor. Robert La Turno, known under the stage name of Robert La Tourneaux, was an American actor best known for his role of Cowboy, the good-natured but dim hustler hired as a birthday present for a gay man, in the original Off-Broadway production and 1970 film version of "The Boys in the Band." He made his Broadway theatre debut in the 1967 musical "Illya Darling." In 1968, he was part of the ensemble for Mart Crowley's play "The Boys in the Band," which opened on April 14, 1968, at Theater Four in New York City. After the film version of "The Boys in the Band" was released La Tourneaux's career declined. His only other film performances were a supporting part in the Roger Corman film "Von Richthofen and Brown" (1971) and the independent film "Pilgrimage" (1972). He also had a small role in a 1974 made-for-television version of the Maxim Gorky play "Enemies." On stage, La Tourneaux appeared in a small role in a Broadway revival of The Merchant of Venice; he was slated to appear in the 1977 Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' "Vieux Carré," but was dropped from the cast prior to the show's opening. Unable to secure work as an actor La Tourneaux began nude modeling in gay men's magazines and in 1978 performed nude in a one-man cabaret act at the Ramrod, a New York City theater showing gay pornography films. He eventually became a prostitute. In the early 1980s, La Tourneaux contracted AIDS, and received news coverage when he sought legal channels to prevent being evicted from his apartment when his landlord objected to the presence of a live-in caregiver. La Tourneaux won the court case, but died in Metropolitan Hospital. Boys co-star Cliff Gorman and his wife cared for him during his illness until his death.
Actor. Robert La Turno, known under the stage name of Robert La Tourneaux, was an American actor best known for his role of Cowboy, the good-natured but dim hustler hired as a birthday present for a gay man, in the original Off-Broadway production and 1970 film version of "The Boys in the Band." He made his Broadway theatre debut in the 1967 musical "Illya Darling." In 1968, he was part of the ensemble for Mart Crowley's play "The Boys in the Band," which opened on April 14, 1968, at Theater Four in New York City. After the film version of "The Boys in the Band" was released La Tourneaux's career declined. His only other film performances were a supporting part in the Roger Corman film "Von Richthofen and Brown" (1971) and the independent film "Pilgrimage" (1972). He also had a small role in a 1974 made-for-television version of the Maxim Gorky play "Enemies." On stage, La Tourneaux appeared in a small role in a Broadway revival of The Merchant of Venice; he was slated to appear in the 1977 Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' "Vieux Carré," but was dropped from the cast prior to the show's opening. Unable to secure work as an actor La Tourneaux began nude modeling in gay men's magazines and in 1978 performed nude in a one-man cabaret act at the Ramrod, a New York City theater showing gay pornography films. He eventually became a prostitute. In the early 1980s, La Tourneaux contracted AIDS, and received news coverage when he sought legal channels to prevent being evicted from his apartment when his landlord objected to the presence of a live-in caregiver. La Tourneaux won the court case, but died in Metropolitan Hospital. Boys co-star Cliff Gorman and his wife cared for him during his illness until his death.
Bio by: Ola K Ase
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