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70-500: His clients included Rock Hudson , Tab Hunter , Chad Everett , Robert Wagner , Nick Adams , Guy Madison , Kerwin Mathews , Troy Donahue , Mike Connors , Rory Calhoun , John Saxon , Yale Summers , Clint Walker , Doug McClure , Dack Rambo , Ty Hardin , and John Derek . Willson was born into a prominent show business family in Lansdowne , Pennsylvania . His father, Horace, was

140-408: A junior college , for two years and then worked briefly as a telephone lineman before joining the U.S. Navy in 1942 during World War II . He had three brothers, Wayne, Harold, and David, and a sister, Rosemary. Wayne Moseley was an actor, using the stage name Wayne Mallory. In 1944, Madison was visiting Hollywood on leave when his boyish good looks and physique caught the eye of Henry Willson ,

210-495: A Hollywood press conference, announcing the launch of her new cable TV show Doris Day's Best Friends , in which Hudson was videotaped visiting Day's ranch in Carmel, California, a few days earlier. He appeared gaunt and pale and spoke very little during the segment, most of which consisted of Day and Hudson walking around while Day's recording of " My Buddy " played in the background, Hudson saying he tired quickly. His emaciated appearance

280-465: A biography of Hudson's agent Henry Willson , titled The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson . He told The Village Voice that Phyllis Gates attempted to blackmail Hudson about his homosexual activities. The LGBTQ news magazine The Advocate published an article by Hofler, who claimed that Gates was actually a lesbian who believed from the beginning of their relationship that Hudson was gay. An urban legend states that Hudson "married" Jim Nabors in

350-636: A box-office disappointment. So too was his next film, a remake of A Farewell to Arms (1957). To make A Farewell to Arms , he reportedly turned down Marlon Brando 's role in Sayonara , William Holden 's role in The Bridge on the River Kwai , and Charlton Heston 's role in Ben-Hur . A Farewell to Arms received negative reviews, failed at the box office and became the last production by David O. Selznick . Hudson

420-493: A circulation of more than 2.8 million; as a result of this and other stories, Hudson's homosexuality became public. Hudson's revelation had an immediate impact on the visibility of AIDS and on the funding of medical research related to the disease. Shortly after Hudson's press release disclosing his infection, William M. Hoffman , the author of As Is , a play about AIDS that appeared on Broadway in 1985, stated: "If Rock Hudson can have it, nice people can have it. It's just

490-527: A continuous story. During its run, Madison also continued to make features: Red Snow (1952), a war movie for Columbia; The Charge at Feather River (1953), a Warner Brothers Western for Fox in 3-D and a huge hit; The Command (1954), another popular Western for Warner; 5 Against the House (1955), for Columbia; The Last Frontier (1955), supporting Victor Mature ; On the Threshold of Space (1955),

560-499: A disease, not a moral affliction." At the same time, Joan Rivers was quoted as saying: "Two years ago, when I hosted a benefit for AIDS, I couldn't get one major star to turn out. Rock's admission is a horrendous way to bring AIDS to the attention of the American public, but by doing so, Rock, in his life, has helped millions in the process. What Rock has done takes true courage." Morgan Fairchild said that "Rock Hudson's death gave AIDS

630-426: A face." In a telegram that Hudson sent to a September 1985 Hollywood AIDS benefit, Commitment to Life, which he was too ill to attend, Hudson said: "I am not happy that I am sick. I am not happy that I have AIDS. But if that is helping others, I can at least know that my own misfortune has had some positive worth." Guy Madison Guy Madison (born Robert Ozell Moseley ; January 19, 1922 – February 6, 1996)

700-559: A film on a similar theme. However, Madison's acting was criticized as wooden. Madison's second starring role paired him with fellow Selznick contract player Shirley Temple in Honeymoon (1947), which was a huge flop. His career began to suffer, in part because of his limited acting ability. Madison was borrowed by William Castle for Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven (1948). He also appeared in Massacre River (1949) and Drums in

770-490: A former Marine Corps officer whom young Roy despised. Roy was adopted by Fitzgerald without his consent, and his legal name then became Roy Harold Fitzgerald. The marriage eventually ended in a bitter divorce and produced no children. Hudson attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, the same high school as fellow movie stars Charlton Heston and Ann-Margret . At some point during his teenage years, he worked as an usher in

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840-565: A gay party in 1950 in exchange for the tabloid not printing the Hudson story. At his agent's urging, Hudson married Willson's secretary Phyllis Gates in order to put the rumors to rest and maintain a macho image, but the union dissolved after three years. In his later years, Willson struggled with drug addiction, alcoholism, paranoia, and weight problems. As his own homosexuality had become public knowledge, many of his clients, both gay and straight, distanced themselves from him for fear of being branded

910-483: A grain of truth to the vicious rumor that movie and TV star Rock Heman and singer Jim Nelly were secretly married! Rock and Jim are just good buddies! I repeat, they are not married! They are not even going steady!" Over the years, the rumor persisted and continued to spread. As a result, Hudson and Nabors never spoke to each other again. Although he was raised Roman Catholic , Hudson later identified as an atheist . A week before Hudson died, his publicist Tom Clark asked

980-584: A movie theater and developed an interest in acting. He tried out for a number of school plays, but failed to win any roles because he could not remember his lines, a problem that continued to occur through his early acting career. He graduated from high school in 1943, and the following year enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II. After training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station , he departed San Francisco aboard

1050-416: A priest to visit. Hudson made a deathbed confession , received communion , and was administered the last rites . Hudson also was visited by Shirley and Pat Boone . Politically, Hudson was a conservative Republican ; he campaigned and voted for Barry Goldwater in the 1964 United States presidential election . Unknown to the public, Hudson was diagnosed with AIDS on June 5, 1984, three years after

1120-671: A regular at Sunset Strip gay bars, where he wooed young men for both professional and personal reasons. One of his first clients was Junior Durkin , whose career was cut short when he died in an automobile accident on May 4, 1935. Willson joined the Zeppo Marx Agency, where he represented newcomers Marjorie Belcher , Jon Hall , and William T. Orr . He was introduced to Julia Turner, a Hollywood High School student, in 1937, whom he renamed " Lana Turner " and got cast in small roles, finally introducing her to Mervyn LeRoy at Warner Bros. In 1943, David O. Selznick hired Willson to head

1190-556: A science fiction film for Fox; Hilda Crane (1956), a melodrama for Fox; The Beast of Hollow Mountain (1957), shot in Mexico; The Hard Man (1957), a Western; and Bullwhip (1958), another Western. Madison went to Britain for Jet Over the Atlantic (1959) then went to Europe, where he found greater success in sword-and-sandal , spaghetti Western and macaroni combat films. He went to Italy for Slave of Rome (1961), Sword of

1260-426: A singular knack for discovering and renaming young actors whose visual appeal transcended any lack of ability. Under his tutelage, Robert Mosely became Guy Madison , Orison Whipple Hungerford Jr. was renamed Ty Hardin , Arthur Gelien was changed to Tab Hunter , and Roy Scherer turned into Rock Hudson . So successful was the beefcake aspect of this enterprise, and so widely recognized was Willson's sexuality, that it

1330-503: A truck driver. He applied to the University of Southern California's dramatics program, but was rejected because of poor grades. After he sent talent scout Henry Willson a picture of himself in 1947, Willson took him on as a client and changed the young actor's name to Rock Hudson; later in life, Hudson admitted that he hated the name. The name was coined by combining the Rock of Gibraltar and

1400-489: A wealthy horse breeder and a potential love interest for Krystle Carrington (played by Linda Evans ), and biological father of the character Sammy Jo Carrington ( Heather Locklear ). While Hudson had long been known to have difficulty memorizing lines, resulting in his use of cue cards, his speech began to visibly deteriorate on Dynasty. He was slated to appear for the duration of the second half of its fifth season; however because of his progressing ill health, his character

1470-674: A year, and the show was canceled in December 1982 soon after it aired. His health issues forced him to turn down the role of Col. Sam Trautman in First Blood . Hudson was the first to narrate for Disney's Candlelight Processional at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World for its opening year in 1971. His final appearance as narrator was in 1984. Hudson recovered from the heart surgery but did not quit smoking. He continued to work, appearing in several TV movies such as World War III (1982). He

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1540-620: A young, handsome actor had Henry Willson for an agent, 'it was almost assumed he was gay, like it was written across his forehead,' recalls Ann Doran , one of Willson's few female clients." His most prominent client was Rock Hudson, whom he transformed from a clumsy, naive, Chicago -born truck driver named Roy Scherer into one of Hollywood's most popular leading men. The two were teamed professionally until 1966. In 1955, Confidential magazine threatened to publish an exposé about Hudson's secret gay life, and Willson disclosed information about Rory Calhoun 's years in prison and Tab Hunter's arrest at

1610-653: The Best Actor category. Another hit was Written on the Wind (1957), directed by Sirk and produced by Albert Zugsmith . Sirk also directed Hudson in Battle Hymn (1957), produced by Hudson, playing Dean Hess . These films propelled Hudson to be voted the most popular actor in American cinemas in 1957. He stayed in the "top ten" until 1964. Hudson was borrowed by MGM to appear in Richard Brooks ' Something of Value (1957),

1680-690: The Hudson River . Hudson later named his independent film production company Gibraltar Productions. In 1948, Hudson made his acting debut with a small part in the Warner Bros. film Fighter Squadron directed by Raoul Walsh ; according to a 21st-century source, it took 38 takes for Hudson to successfully deliver his only line in the film. Hudson was signed to a long-term contract by Universal-International . There he received coaching in acting, singing, dancing, fencing and horseback riding, and began to be featured in film magazines where, being photogenic, he

1750-659: The Panama Canal . On board he cultivated a friendship with Bing Crosby 's wife, Dixie Lee , who introduced him to the Hollywood elite and secured him a job with Photoplay , where his first article was about the newborn Gary Crosby . He began writing for The Hollywood Reporter and the New Movie Magazine , became a junior agent at the Joyce & Polimer Agency, moved into a Beverly Hills home purchased by his father, and became

1820-564: The Ritz Hotel in Paris on July 21, his publicist Dale Olson released a statement claiming that Hudson had inoperable liver cancer . Olson denied reports that Hudson had AIDS and said only that he was undergoing tests for "everything" at the American Hospital of Paris. Four days later, on July 25, 1985, Hudson's French publicist Yanou Collart confirmed that Hudson did, in fact, have AIDS. He

1890-561: The San Francisco Chronicle and that he was annoyed that producer Ross Hunter , also gay, denied it. In its August 15, 1985, issue, People magazine published a story that discussed his disease in the context of his sexuality. The largely sympathetic article featured comments from show business colleagues, such as Angie Dickinson , Robert Stack , and Mamie Van Doren , who claimed they knew about Hudson's homosexuality and expressed their support for him. At that time, People had

1960-660: The Conqueror (1961), Women of Devil's Island (1962), and The Executioner of Venice (1963). Madison went to Germany for Old Shatterhand (1964) then made a spaghetti Western, Desafío en Río Bravo (1964). He did Kidnapped to Mystery Island (1964), Gentlemen of the Night (1964), The Adventurer of Tortuga (1964), Legacy of the Incas (1965), Renegade Riders (1967), and Son of Django (1967). He made Bang Bang Kid (1967), The Devil's Man (1967), Superargo and

2030-497: The Deep South (1951). Madison was eventually dropped by Selznick, along with most of Selznick's contract-players. In 1951 he was cast as the title character in the television series The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951–58), co-starring Andy Devine as his pal, Pete "Jingles" Jones. During the run of the show, between 1952 and 1955, sixteen feature films were released by Monogram Pictures consisting of episodes combined into

2100-889: The Faceless Giants (1968), Long Days of Hate (1968), Hell in Normandy (1968), Battle of the Last Panzer (1969), and Reverend's Colt (1970). Madison married the actress Gail Russell in 1949. They separated in 1953 and divorced in October 1954. Later that month, Madison married actress Sheila Connolly in Juarez , Mexico. They had three daughters: Bridget, Erin, and Dolly. They separated in November 1960 and divorced in April 1963. He had an affair with Gia Scala and, before her death, she made him

2170-428: The action genre with Tobruk (1967), directed by Arthur Hiller . After the comedy A Fine Pair (1968) with Claudia Cardinale , he starred in the action thriller Ice Station Zebra (1968) at MGM, a role which remained his personal favorite. The film was a hit but struggled to recoup its large cost. In November 1969, Andrew V. McLaglen 's The Undefeated , a western with Hudson starring opposite John Wayne ,

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2240-512: The age of 74. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cathedral City, California . His friend, actor turned stockbroker Don Burnett, spoke at his funeral. For his contribution to the radio and television industries, Madison has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . The star for his contributions to radio is located at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard; the star for his television contributions

2310-706: The arrest of Tab Hunter at a party in 1950. According to some colleagues, Hudson's homosexual activity was well known in Hollywood throughout his career, and former co-stars Julie Andrews , Mia Farrow , Elizabeth Taylor and Susan Saint James claimed that they knew of his homosexuality and kept Hudson's secret for him, as did friends Audrey Hepburn and Carol Burnett . Soon after the Confidential incident, Hudson married Willson's secretary Phyllis Gates . Gates later wrote that she dated Hudson for several months, lived with him for two months before his surprise marriage proposal, and married Hudson out of love and not (as it

2380-669: The beneficiary to her portion of the Screen Actors Pension Fund. He had a son, Robert Madison, who also became an actor. He was a Republican who supported Dwight Eisenhower in the 1952 presidential election . Following his retirement, Madison built a large ranch home in Morongo Valley, California . He died of emphysema at the Desert Hospital Hospice in Palm Springs, California , on February 6, 1996, at

2450-420: The channel between Wilmington, Los Angeles and Santa Catalina Island. The disclosure of Hudson's AIDS diagnosis provoked widespread public discussion of his homosexuality. In Logical Family: A Memoir (2017), gay author Armistead Maupin , who was a friend of Hudson, writes that he was the first person to confirm to the press that Hudson was gay in 1985. Maupin explains that he confirmed it to Randy Shilts of

2520-417: The early 1970s. Not only was same-sex marriage not legalized by any American state at the time, but, at least publicly, Hudson and Nabors were nothing more than friends. The joke was in the mainstream by this time. In the October 1972 edition of MAD magazine (issue no. 154), an article titled "When Watching Television, You Can be Sure of Seeing..." – gossip columnist 'Rona Boring' states: "And there isn't

2590-673: The elder Willson enrolled Henry in the Asheville School in North Carolina , where he hoped the school's many team sports and rugged weekend activities, such as rock climbing and backpacking, would have a positive influence on the boy. He later attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut , spending weekends in Manhattan , where he wrote weekly gossip columns for Variety . In 1933, Willson traveled to Hollywood by steamship via

2660-508: The emergence of the first cluster of symptomatic patients in the United States , and one year after the initial conclusion by scientists that HIV causes AIDS. Over the next several months, Hudson kept his illness a secret and continued to work while at the same time, traveling to France and other countries seeking a cure, or at least treatment to slow the progression of the disease. On July 16, 1985, Hudson joined his old friend Doris Day for

2730-426: The epitaph "Star - Star Maker". Willson is portrayed by Jim Parsons in the 2020 Netflix miniseries Hollywood , a counterfactual re-imagining of post World War II Hollywood. Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr. ; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades. He

2800-561: The head of talent at David O. Selznick 's newly formed Vanguard Pictures. Willson was widely known for his stable of good-looking young actors with unusual names that he had bestowed upon them, and he immediately rechristened Moseley as Madison and cast him in a bit part as a sailor in Selznick's Since You Went Away (1944). Although Madison was on the screen for only three minutes, the studio received thousands of letters from fans wanting to know more about him. He received extensive coverage in

2870-523: The influential fan magazines of the time, including Photoplay where his agent Henry Willson had once worked. Madison returned to military service. When he got out, Selznick assigned his contract to RKO Pictures . RKO gave him a starring role in Till the End of Time , a drama about veterans returning after World War II (1946). The film was a big hit, although it was overshadowed by The Best Years of Our Lives ,

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2940-469: The late 1960s, his films included Seconds (1966), Tobruk (1967), and Ice Station Zebra (1968). Unhappy with the film scripts he was offered, Hudson turned to television and was a hit, starring in the popular mystery series McMillan & Wife (1971–1977). His last role was as a guest star on the fifth season (1984–1985) of the primetime ABC soap opera Dynasty , until an AIDS-related illness made it impossible for him to continue. Although he

3010-684: The miniseries Wheels (1978) and The Martian Chronicles (1980). He was one of several stars in The Mirror Crack'd (reuniting him with Giant co-star Elizabeth Taylor) (1980) and co-starred in The Beatrice Arthur Special (1980). In the early 1980s, following years of heavy drinking and smoking, Hudson began having health problems which resulted in a heart attack in November 1981. Emergency quintuple heart bypass surgery sidelined Hudson and his new TV show The Devlin Connection for

3080-825: The most popular actor of the year. It made over $ 5 million at the box office. Hudson returned to adventure films with Bengal Brigade (1954), set during the Indian Mutiny, and Captain Lightfoot (1955), produced by Hunter and directed by Sirk. In 1954, exhibitors voted Hudson the 17th most popular star in the country. Hunter used him in the melodramas One Desire (1955) and All That Heaven Allows (1955), which reunited him with Sirk and Wyman. He next acted in Never Say Goodbye (1956). Hudson's popularity soared with George Stevens ' film Giant (1956). Hudson and his co-star James Dean were nominated for Oscars in

3150-444: The next three years. Less popular was The Last Sunset (1961), co-starring Kirk Douglas . Hudson then made two hugely popular comedies: Come September (1961) with Gina Lollobrigida , Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin , directed by Robert Mulligan ; and Lover Come Back (1961) with Day. He made two dramas: The Spiral Road (1962), directed by Mulligan, and A Gathering of Eagles (1963), directed by Delbert Mann . Hudson

3220-523: The only child of Katherine (née Wood), a homemaker and later telephone operator, and Roy Harold Scherer Sr., an auto mechanic. His father was of German and Swiss descent, while his mother had English and Irish ancestry. He was raised as a Roman Catholic. During the Great Depression , Hudson's father lost his job and abandoned the family. Hudson's parents divorced when he was four years old; a few years later, in 1932, his mother married Wallace Fitzgerald,

3290-602: The same. In 1974, the unemployed and destitute agent moved into the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital until his death from cirrhosis of the liver. He was 67 years old. With no money to cover the cost of a gravestone, he was interred in an unmarked grave in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, California . A headstone was eventually placed at his burial site with

3360-460: The show a hit. During the series, Rock Hudson appeared in Showdown (1973), a western with Dean Martin , and Embryo (1976), a science-fiction film. Hudson took a risk and surprised many by making a successful foray into live theater late in his career, and the best received of his efforts was I Do! I Do! in 1974. After McMillan ended, Hudson made the disaster movie Avalanche (1978) and

3430-706: The talent division of his newly formed Vanguard Pictures. The first film he cast was the World War II drama Since You Went Away (1944) with Claudette Colbert , Jennifer Jones , and Shirley Temple . He placed Guy Madison , Craig Stevens , and John Derek (billed as Dare Harris) in small supporting roles. Willson eventually opened his own talent agency, where he nurtured the careers of his young finds, frequently coercing them into sexual relationships in exchange for publicity and film roles. In his book, Screened Out: Playing Gay in Hollywood from Edison to Stonewall , Richard Barrios writes, "talent agent Henry Willson... had

3500-456: The title role in Taza, Son of Cochise (1954), directed by Sirk and produced by Ross Hunter . Hudson was by now firmly established as a leading man in adventure films. What turned him into a star was the romantic drama Magnificent Obsession (1954), co-starring Jane Wyman , produced by Hunter and directed by Sirk. The film received positive reviews, with Modern Screen Magazine citing Hudson as

3570-437: The troop transport SS Lew Wallace with orders to report to Aviation Repair and Overhaul Unit 2, then located on Samar , Philippines, as an aircraft mechanic. In 1946, he returned to San Francisco aboard an aircraft carrier, and was discharged the same year. Hudson then moved to Los Angeles to live with his biological father (who had remarried) and to pursue an acting career. Initially he worked at odd jobs, including as

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3640-558: The vice-president of the Columbia Phonograph Company and advanced to the presidency in 1922. Willson came in close contact with many Broadway theatre , opera , and vaudeville performers. Will Rogers , Fanny Brice , and Fred Stone numbered among the family's friends, after they moved to Forest Hills , an upscale neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens . Concerned about his son's interest in tap dance ,

3710-479: Was a box-office disappointment. So too was A Very Special Favor (1965), despite having the same writer and director as Pillow Talk . Hudson next appeared in Blindfold (1966). Then, working outside his usual range, he starred in the science-fiction thriller Seconds (1966), directed by John Frankenheimer and co-produced through his own film production company Gibraltar Productions. He also tried his hand in

3780-633: Was a prominent figure in the Golden Age of Hollywood . He achieved stardom with his role in Magnificent Obsession (1954), followed by All That Heaven Allows (1955), and Giant (1956), for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor . Hudson also found continued success with a string of romantic comedies co-starring Doris Day : Pillow Talk (1959), Lover Come Back (1961), and Send Me No Flowers (1964). During

3850-436: Was abruptly written out of the show and died off-screen. While his career developed, Hudson and his agent, Henry Willson , kept the actor's personal life out of the headlines. In 1955, Confidential magazine threatened to publish an exposé about Hudson's secret homosexuality . Willson stalled this by disclosing information about two of his other clients. Willson provided information about Rory Calhoun 's years in prison and

3920-461: Was among the earliest mainstream celebrities to have been diagnosed with the disease. Hudson flew back to Los Angeles on July 30. He was so weak that he was moved by stretcher from the Air France Boeing 747 he had chartered; he and his medical attendants were the only passengers. He was flown by helicopter to UCLA Medical Center, where he spent nearly a month undergoing further treatment. He

3990-554: Was an American film, television, and radio actor. He is best known for playing Wild Bill Hickok in the Western television series The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok from 1951 to 1958. During his career, Madison was given a special Golden Globe Award in 1954 and two stars (radio, television) on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Madison was born January 19, 1922, in Pumpkin Center, California . He attended Bakersfield College ,

4060-461: Was discreet regarding his sexual orientation, it was known among Hudson's colleagues in the film industry that he was gay . In 1984, Hudson was diagnosed with AIDS . The following year, he became one of the first celebrities to disclose his AIDS diagnosis. Hudson was the first major American celebrity to die from an AIDS-related illness, on October 2, 1985, at age 59. Hudson was born Roy Harold Scherer Jr. on November 17, 1925, in Winnetka, Illinois,

4130-402: Was good friends with novelist Armistead Maupin , who states that the two had a brief fling. The book also names some of Hudson's lovers, including Jack Coates; Tom Clark (who published the memoir Rock Hudson: Friend of Mine ), actor and stockbroker Lee Garlington, and Marc Christian (born Marc Christian MacGinnis), who later won a suit against the Hudson estate. In 2005, Bob Hofler published

4200-490: Was in ill health while filming the action-drama The Ambassador in Israel during the winter months from late 1983 to early 1984. He reportedly did not get along with his co-star Robert Mitchum , who had a serious drinking problem and often clashed off-camera with Hudson and other cast and crew members. From December 1984 to April 1985, Hudson appeared in a recurring role on the prime time soap opera Dynasty as Daniel Reece ,

4270-407: Was often, and often inaccurately, assumed that all of his clients were gay. In her book Natasha: The Biography of Natalie Wood , Suzanne Finstad confirms that "some of the would-be actors Willson represented were heterosexual, but a disproportionate number were homosexual, bisexual, or 'co-operated' with Willson 'to get gigs,' in the observation of Natalie [Wood]'s costar Bobby Hyatt . ..." "if

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4340-716: Was promoted to leading man for Scarlet Angel (1952), opposite Yvonne De Carlo . He co-starred with Piper Laurie in Has Anybody Seen My Gal? (1952), the first of his films directed by Douglas Sirk . He also appeared as a gambler in Bend of the River (1952). He supported the Nelson family in Here Come the Nelsons (1952). In Horizons West (1952) Hudson supported Robert Ryan , but he

4410-758: Was promoted. In 1949, Hudson received his first film credit, as Roc Hudson, in William Castle 's Undertow , made by Universal. In 1950, he acted in One Way Street , Shakedown , I Was a Shoplifter , Peggy , Winchester '73 , and The Desert Hawk . In 1951, Hudson was billed third in William Castle's The Fat Man . He played an important role as a boxer in Joseph Pevney 's Iron Man . Other acting credit in that period include Bright Victory , Tomahawk , and Air Cadet . Hudson

4480-606: Was released from the hospital in late August 1985 and returned to his home in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles for private hospice care. At around 9 a.m. on October 2, 1985, Hudson died in his sleep from AIDS-related complications at his home in Beverly Hills at the age of 59. Hudson requested that no funeral be held. His body was cremated hours after his death and a cenotaph later was established at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cathedral City, California. His ashes were scattered in

4550-572: Was released. He co-starred as a World War I flier opposite Julie Andrews in the Blake Edwards musical Darling Lili (1970), a film notorious for its bloated budget. During the 1970s and 1980s, he starred in a number of TV movies and series. His most successful television series was McMillan & Wife opposite Susan Saint James , which ran from 1971 to 1977. Hudson played police commissioner Stewart "Mac" McMillan, with Saint James as his wife Sally, and their on-screen chemistry helped make

4620-472: Was reported later) to prevent an exposé of Hudson's sexual past. Press coverage of the wedding quoted Hudson as saying: "When I count my blessings, my marriage tops the list." Gates filed for divorce after three years in April 1958, citing mental cruelty. Hudson did not contest the divorce and Gates received alimony of $ 250 per week for 10 years. She never remarried. According to the biography Rock Hudson: His Story (1986) by Hudson and Sara Davidson , Hudson

4690-426: Was reunited with the producer, director and two stars of Written on the Wind in The Tarnished Angels (1958), at Universal. He then made Twilight for the Gods (1958) and This Earth Is Mine (1959). Ross Hunter teamed Hudson with Doris Day in the romantic comedy Pillow Talk (1959), which was a massive hit. Hudson was voted the most popular star in the country for 1959 and was the second most popular for

4760-430: Was star again for The Lawless Breed (1953) and Seminole (1953). In 1953, he appeared in a Camel commercial that showed him on the set of Seminole . He and De Carlo were borrowed by RKO for Sea Devils (1953), an adventure set during the Napoleonic Wars. Back at Universal he played Harun al-Rashid in The Golden Blade (1953). There was Gun Fury (1953) and Back to God's Country (1953). Hudson had

4830-468: Was still voted the third most popular star in 1963. Hudson went back to comedy for Man's Favorite Sport? (1964), directed by Howard Hawks and the popular Send Me No Flowers (1964), his third and final film with Day. Along with Cary Grant , Hudson was regarded as one of the best-dressed male stars in Hollywood and received Top 10 Stars of the Year a record-setting eight times from 1957 to 1964. Strange Bedfellows (1965), with Gina Lollobrigida ,

4900-440: Was such a shock that the reunion was broadcast repeatedly over national news shows that night and for days to come, with media outlets speculating on Hudson's health. Day later acknowledged: "He was very sick. But I just brushed that off and I came out and put my arms around him and said 'Am I glad to see you. ' " Two days later, Hudson traveled to Paris, France, for another round of treatment. After Hudson collapsed in his room at

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