John Lawrence Angel (1915–86) made key contributions to mid-twentieth-century physical anthropology through research about ancient peoples of the eastern Mediterranean and North America. He developed a problem-oriented research program that continues to influence skeletal biology today. In addition, his astute observations of behavioral correlates in skeletal structures advanced both forensic anthropology and human osteology. Born in England, Angel was educated in the United States. He taught both anatomy and anthropology before joining the staff of the United States National Museum of Natural History, where he worked for 24 years.