A bold pioneer of gay awareness who exited the closet on national television in 1973 on the pre-reality television sensation An American Family, journalist and occasional actor Lance Loud was a frequent contributor to the Advocate in addition to appearing in such films as 1981's Subway Riders and 1993's Inside Monkey Zetterland.
Born Alanson Russel Loud in La Jolla, CA, in 1951, America's syndicated son was outspoken about the damaging effects An American Family had on his family, frequently quoted as stating, "In 1970, television ate my family." Though other family members attempted to create a lasting public image following the end of the show's run, it was Lance who procured the most enduring celebrity status in vocally embracing the gay community and taking the occasional film role. Moving to New York shortly after the end of An American Family, Loud played with a band named the Mumps before moving back to the left coast and studying journalism. Articles for Details and Interview in addition to the Advocate kept Loud busy in later years, right up to his AIDS and hepatitis C-related death in December of 2001.
