 From there, he went to another London import, "Half a Sixpence", in 1965.In 1968, Nelson accepted the lead in the controversial and groundbreaking off-Broadway production of "The Boys in the Band", the first play to explore the milieu of gay life in New York City in a verbally frank manner.He and the rest of the cast went on to appear in the 1970 film version directed by William Friedkin.