Born
Roy Scherer Junior in Winnetka, Illinois on 7th November 1925,
he was the son of a motor mechanic. During World War II he
served in the Philippines as an aircraft mechanic for the
Navy.
After being discharged from the Navy, Roy became a truck
driver, although he dreamed of becoming an actor and sent many
photos of himself to acting agencies etc. in the hope of being
discovered.
Finally he was discovered, and his name
became Rock Hudson for his debut in the Warner Bros. picture,
"Fighter Squadron" in 1948.
The peak of his career was in the fifties and early sixties.
Films including, "Magnificent Obsession" (1954), "Giant" (1956
opposite Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean) brought him respect
as a film star, but it was the pictures where he starred
opposite everybody's home-made apple-pie, Doris Day, that made
him one of the industry's most popular leading men. Remember,
"Pillow Talk" (1959)?
It
is said that Rock Hudson's short-lived marriage to his agent's
secretary was arranged to quieten rumours of his
homosexuality. The rumours continued after the marriage and
Hudson decided to ignore them; keeping his private life as
quiet as possible and separate from his career.
Rock Hudson was the first Hollywood
star to let it be known that he had AIDS. He died in 1985 of
an AIDS related illness and his estate still contributes to
AIDS charities.
