Rock Hudson

Overview

Born
November 17, 1925 · Winnetka, Illinois, USA
Died
October 2, 1985 · Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA (AIDS)
Birth name
Roy Harold Scherer Jr.
Nicknames
- Roy
- Leroy
- Rock Pyle
- Fitz
- Mr Beefcake
- Ernie
Height
6′ 5″ (1.96 m)

Biography

Family

Spouse
Children
Parents

Trademarks

Deep, sensous voice
Thick black hair
Moved from westerns to sob stories to sosphisticated comedies
Towering height and sculpted frame
Ideal leading-man good looks

Trivia

In order to make A Farewell to Arms (1957), he turned down Marlon Brando's role in Sayonara (1957), William Holden's role in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), and Charlton Heston's role in Ben-Hur (1959). The three films he had turned down went on to become hugely successful and were critically acclaimed, while A Farewell to Arms (1957) proved to be one of the biggest flops in history.
Although commonly listed as 6'4", he is believed to have downplayed his height. His character is repeatedly referred to as being 6'6" in the film Pillow Talk (1959) and, upon co-starring with John Wayne and James Stewart, he was clearly taller than those very tall stars. Many sources list him 6'5", which would put him as equal to Vince Vaughn, Tim Robbins and, the tallest leading man per the Guinness Book of World Records, Christopher Lee as the tallest leading men.
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. 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. During the last 18 months of his life, Hudson's weight dropped from 215 lbs to 140 lbs. He weighed 126 lbs at the time of his death. He died the same day as George Savalas. He and Savalas' older brother, Telly Savalas, appeared in Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971). At the time of Hudson's death, his estate was valued at $22 million. He was cremated and his ashes are scattered into the sea. Pat Boone, an elder of The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California, was allowed inside Hudson's Hollywood mansion to pray for his soul as the actor lay dying. Ironically, according to his close friends, Hudson, although nominally raised a Catholic, had been a lifelong atheist. A private nurse told reporters that she "asked him would he like to know Jesus now, would he like to invite him into his heart, and he said, 'Well, I guess it's about time.'" As well, a Roman Catholic priest, Father Sweeney, prayed the "sinner's prayer" with Hudson.
Hudson 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. By the time he had taken the guest role of Daniel Reece on Dynasty (1981) in late 1984, the AIDS virus was consuming him. Before long, he was suffering from memory loss and was forced to use cue cards to read his lines. He also had difficulty speaking. When he went to Carmel, California, in July 1985 to help his Pillow Talk (1959) co-star Doris Day launch her cable series, Doris Day's Best Friends (1985), his gaunt appearance and obvious disorientation suddenly became the media focus of what was meant to be a joyous reunion of one of Hollywood's favorite on-screen couples. He died just three months later.
Was in talks, with Doris Day and Tony Randall, for a Pillow Talk (1959) sequel at the time he was diagnosed was AIDS. The story reportedly would have him and Doris Day's character being married and dealing with their daughter's upcoming marriage to Tony Randall's son.

Quotes

His legal name was Roy Fitzgerald. When meeting John F. Kennedy, the American president remarked: "They say all Fitzgeralds are related", to which Hudson replied, "I guess that would make Ella happy".
I had to overcome the name Rock. If I'd been as hip then as I am now, I would have never consented to be named Rock.
John Wayne was then the Hollywood legend, and I was on screen with him. The guy is an angel. He saved my life back then when no other film maker wanted to know me. - On The Undefeated (1969)
I did a movie [The Undefeated (1969)] with Duke Wayne [John Wayne] and was very surprised to find out he had small feet, wore lifts, and a corset. Hollywood is seldom what it seems.
I can't play a loser - I don't look like one.