Kenneth Nelson Dies At 63; American Actor Was London Hit

LONDON - Kenneth Nelson, 63, an American actor who came to London with the hit play "The Boys In the Band" and settled in Britain, died yesterday of AIDS, his agent said.

Born in Rocky Mount, N.C., Mr. Nelson was educated in Texas. He made his Broadway debut in 1951 in "Seventeen." Nine years later, he opened as The Boy in the original off-Broadway cast of "The Fantasticks," which became the world's longest-running musical.

He was Anthony Newley's standby in the musical "Stop the World, I Want To Get Off," subsequently playing the role of Littlechap on Broadway and on tour.

In 1968, he had his greatest success as Michael, the party host, in Mart Crowley's ground-breaking play about homosexual relationships, "The Boys in the Band." He recreated the part the next year on London's West End, and played Michael once again in William Friedkin's 1970 movie of the play.

Moving to England in 1971, he returned to the West End in "Showboat" and "Colette," both opposite Cleo Laine, "Annie," and "42nd Street," which he was in for four years.

He appeared in regional British productions of such American plays and musicals as "A Little Night Music," "Barefoot In the Park," "Lunch Hour," and "California Suite."

His last Broadway appearance was in the 1970 musical "Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen," based on "Teahouse of the August Moon."

In addition to "Boys In the Band," film and TV credits include "Lace," "Lost Empires," "Hold the Dream," "The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald" and "Hellraiser."

He is survived by a sister, Naomi Burns. The funeral will be Wednesday at Putney Vale Crematorium in southwest London, said Lindsay Granger of the Barry Burnett Organization, his agency.