Born in Ohio, when Strouth, at the age of 14, was sent to live with his father in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., he was left alone for weeks at a time and was forced into gay prostitution to feed himself.

Jeffrey Strouth became involved with drugs; he delivered in a movie a monologue about his life and times, and the experience of being homosexual in America. Proudly and flamboyantly gay, Strouth also learned how to tell, and perhaps how to embellish, a good yarn.

He died in Columbus, Ohio, of AIDS-related complications.