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.

Although Hudson never publicly came out as gay during his lifetime, he did authorize a biography by Sara Davidson, "Rock Hudson: His Story" (1986), which discussed his private life in great detail.

After announcing he had AIDS in July 1985, Hudson received telegrams of support from Frank Sinatra, Gregory Peck, Marlene Dietrich, James Garner, Carol Burnett, Ali MacGraw, Jack Lemmon, Richard Dreyfuss, Ava Gardner, Mickey Rooney, Milton Berle and Madonna. President Ronald Reagan, who had recently undergone surgery for colon cancer, personally telephoned him at the hospital.

Involved with Marc Christian during the period he knew he had AIDS, but allegedly did not disclose it to Christian. Christian hired Marvin Mitchelson, and sued Hudson's estate for damages and emotional distress. He won a $21.7 million jury award in 1989, which was reduced to $5.5 million in 1991.

Early in his career he had surgery on his vocal chords to make his voice deeper, and had his teeth capped. The surgery had the unfortunate side effect of making it impossible for Hudson to learn to sing. Therefore when he played King Arthur in "Camelot" he had to talk his way through the songs, just as Rex Harrison did in My Fair Lady (1964).

Along with Cary Grant, he was regarded as one of the best-dressed male stars in Hollywood.

He stood six foot by the time he was fourteen.

He has appeared in five films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Winchester '73 (1950), All That Heaven Allows (1955), Giant (1956), Pillow Talk (1959) and Seconds (1966).

After Hudson had chosen his new name Rock, when it was suggested by agent Henry Willson, the actor objected when Universal tried to shorten the spelling to Roc.

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.

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.

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.

Grew a mustache and sideburns for his role in The Undefeated (1969). Afterwards he decided to retain that look throughout the 1970s.

Went to the same school, New Trier Township High School East (Winnetka, Illinois), as Ann-Margret, Charlton Heston, Ralph Bellamy, Hugh O'Brian, Bruce Dern, Penelope Milford, Virginia Madsen and Liz Phair.

Had a priceless record collection, which was taken by Marc Christian after his death.

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, Michael Jackson: Thriller (1983).

MGM offered Universal $750,000 for Hudson to play the starring role in Ben-Hur (1959) but the studio refused.

Was very close friends with singer Dusty Springfield.

Enamored of movies as a teenager, he worked as an usher. 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).

His agent subtracted two years from his date of birth--from 1925 to 1923--in order to get Hudson more mature roles.

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.

He was reportedly Universal Studio's first choice to play Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), but was rejected as being too youthful looking at age 36.

Talent scout Henry Willson coined the stage name, "Rock Hudson", by combining the Rock of Gibraltar and the Hudson River.

Underwent emergency quintuple heart bypass surgery to relieve severely clogged coronary arteries in November 1981 after suffering chest pains, and began smoking again soon after leaving the hospital. Consequently he was very frail during the filming of The Ambassador (1984), while in Israel during the winter of 1983-84, and he did not get along with his alcoholic co-star Robert Mitchum. Production on the television series The Devlin Connection (1982) was also suspended for a year while he was recovering from quintuple heart bypass surgery.

Hudson and co-star Doris Day struck up what became a lifelong friendship when they made their first (and most successful) film together, 1959's Pillow Talk. Despite their having known one another for more than 25 years, Day claimed to be surprised when Hudson was revealed to have been gay and died of AIDS in 1985. Day claimed she had "no idea he was homosexual!".

He was very near-sighted and wore glasses all the time off screen. He would rarely allow himself to be photographed wearing glasses though.

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.

Hollywood writer Sidney Skolsky reportedly coined the term "Beefcake" with Hudson in mind.

A conservative Republican, Hudson joined Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, Irene Dunne and Raymond Massey in campaigning for Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election. Hudson stayed at the White House in May 1984 as a guest of then President Ronald Reagan. First Lady Nancy Reagan wrote to Hudson saying how glad she and her husband were to see him looking well following his operation.

On August 2, 2020, he was honored with a day of his film-work during the Turner Classic Movies Summer Under the Stars Festival.

He started smoking when he was twelve years old.

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.

In the summer of 1966 he was released from his studio contract after filming Tobruk (1967). Five years later, he signed a contract with Universal Studios to do McMillan & Wife (1971) in 1971 for one of the largest salaries ever seen in television at the time.

In June 2014, he was honored as Turner Classic Movies' Star of the Month.

Following a right-shoulder injury in 1973, often used his left hand to write and pick up objects on McMillan & Wife (1971).

Made "Top 10 Stars of the Year" a record eight times, from 1957-1964.

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#28). (1995)

After Raoul Walsh sold Rock Hudson's contract to Universal, he retained the right to his services in one film. This was ultimately settled a decade later, when Walsh was assigned a percentage of the profits from Come September (1961).

His stepfather was Wallaca Fitzgerald, a Marine Corps officer whom he disliked intensely.

His mother once said that Roy Harold Scherer Sr. was not his real father.

He actively sought the leading role in Ice Station Zebra (1968), and after Laurence Harvey backed out of the project, Hudson was cast.

He applied to the University of Southern California's dramatics program, but was rejected due to poor grades.

In 1956, he starred in two movies that are often cited as major influences on television soap operas: Giant (1956) and Written on the Wind (1956).

He was measured as 6'3" when he joined the navy.

Despite playing their father in Giant (1956), Hudson was just 6 years older than Carroll Baker, 9 years older than Fran Bennett and 11 years older than Dennis Hopper.

Hudson was assigned to The Golden Blade (1953) only after Tony Curtis and Farley Granger turned it down.