He was the son of an auto mechanic and a telephone operator who divorced when he was eight years old. He failed to obtain parts in school plays because he couldn't remember lines. After high school he was a postal employee and during WW II served as a Navy airplane mechanic. After the war he was a truck driver. His size and good looks got him into movies. His name was changed to Rock Hudson, his teeth were capped, he took lessons in acting, singing, fencing and riding. One line in his first picture, Fighter Squadron, needed 38 takes. In 1956 he received an Oscar nomination for Giant and two years later Look magazine named him Star of the Year. He starred in a number of bedroom comedies, many with Doris Day, and had his own popular TV series McMillan & Wife. He had a recurring role in TV's Dynasty (1984-5). He was the first major public figure to announce he had AIDS, and his worldwide search for a cure drew international attention. After his death his long-time lover Marc Christian successfully sued his estate, again calling attention to the homosexuality Rock had hidden from most throughout his career.


Giant (1956): $100,000

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#28). [1995] Ashes scattered at sea. Worked as a truck driver when he first moved to Los Angeles, but he spent his spare time idling outside of studio gates and sending photographs of himself to various producers. Although he tried out for roles in school plays, Hudson failed to win any because he could not remember lines. Before taking his first film role, he got his teeth capped and was coached intensively in acting, singing, dancing, fencing and riding. Still, it took no less than 38 takes before he could successfully complete one line in his first picture, Fighter Squadron (1948). By the time he had taken the role of a suave and stately horse breeder on "Dynasty" (1981), the AIDS virus was consuming him. Before long, he suffered memory loss and was forced to use cue cards. He also had difficulty speaking. His longtime boyfriend Marc Christian sued his estate and won because he continued to have sex with him without telling him he had the AIDS virus Underwent emergency quintuple heart bypass surgery to relieve severely clogged coronary arteries in November 1981 after suffering chest pains, and began smoking again at the hospital immediately after the operation. Consequently he was very frail during the filming of The Ambassador (1984), and did not get along with his co- star Robert Mitchum. Went to New Trier Township High School East in Winnetka, IL, as did Ralph Bellamy, Charlton Heston, Hugh O'Brien, Ann-Margret, Bruce Dern, Penelope Milford, Virginia Madsenand Liz Phair. Hudson and his partner Marc Christian went out of their way while traveling near downtown Los Angeles, so that the couple could meet Michael Jackson during the filming of his award-winning music video, Thriller (1983) (TV). Hudson was diagnosed with AIDS on 5 June 1984 but when the signs of illness became apparent, his publicity staff and doctors told the public that he had liver cancer. His favorite performances were in Giant (1956) and Seconds (1966). Became very close to Roman Gabriel while filming The Undefeated (1969). Less than a month after announcing he had AIDS, Hudson wrote a check for $250,000 to help get the then-fledgling National AIDS Research Foundation (NARF) off the ground. In 1977 he toured 13 cities as King Arthur in the musical "Camelot". A conservative Republican, Hudson joined Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, Irene Dunne and Raymond Massey in campaigning for Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election. His favorite of his films was the Cold War drama Ice Station Zebra (1968). Grew a mustache and sideburns for his role in The Undefeated (1969). Afterwards he decided to retain that look throughout the 1970s. He was the original choice to play Jason Colby in the "Dynasty" (1981) spin off "The Colbys" (1985), but had to turn it down due to his declining health. The part went to Charlton Heston instead. Was seriously considered for the male lead in Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie (1964), and actually met with Hitchcock, but was turned down in favor of Sean Connery. At the time of his death, his estate was valued at $22 million. He was very near-sighted and wore glasses all the time off screen. He would rarely allow himself to be photographed wearing glasses though. In the last eighteen months of his life, his weight dropped from 215 lbs to 140 lbs. He stood six foot by the time he was fourteen. He had always been critical of plastic surgery, although in 1981 he had surgery on his eyelids after a cameraman convinced him it would make him look better on screen. He was very disappointed by the box office failure of Seconds (1966), which he considered to be his best performance and had hoped would show the public that he could be a versatile film actor. Once said he knew had made it in Hollywood after he received more applause and cheers at the premiere of Bend of the River (1952) than the film's star, James Stewart. Along with Cary Grant, he was regarded as one of the best-dressed male stars in Hollywood.