In 1968, White received critical acclaim for his role as Alan McCarthy in off-Broadway's The Boys in the Band.

White, and the rest of the original cast, appeared in the 1970 film version, directed by William Friedkin.

[3] He was touring in Barefoot in the Park with Myrna Loy when he was offered the part in Mart Crowley's controversial play about a group of gay friends in New York.

He told Soap Opera Digest: "Things were sort of really moving for me; I was doing so well, and I thought, 'I don't need this kind of risk.'

'"[4] White played Director of Central Intelligence John A. McCone in the film Thirteen Days.