Perhaps the most widely seen streaker in history was 34-year-old Robert Opel , who streaked across the stage of The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles flashing a peace sign on national US television at the 46th Academy Awards in 1974 . Bemused host David Niven quipped , " Is n'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 , evidence arose suggesting that Opel 's appearance was facilitated as a publicity stunt by the show 's producer Jack Haley , Jr. . 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 line , which was thus not the ad-lib it appeared to be . Niven 's encounter with the streaker was voted the top Oscars moment by film fans in 2001
46th Academy Awards
46th Academy Awards
Streaking