Rock Hudson (1925-1985) was one of the most beloved actors of the 1950s and 1960s, shaping Hollywood’s golden era as a charismatic heartthrob. Over the course of his career, he appeared in more than 70 films and television productions and earned an Oscar nomination in 1957. Yet the actor lived a double life out of the spotlight. In July 1985, he made his HIV status public. On November 17, the Hollywood legend would have celebrated a centennial.
Rock Hudson was born Roy Harold Scherer Jr. on November 17, 1925, in Winnetka, a suburb of Chicago. He grew up amid difficult family circumstances: his father left the family when Hudson was a child. Right after leaving high school, the 18-year-old enlisted in the Navy in 1944. Two years later, he moved to Los Angeles to live with his biological father, pursuing a breakthrough as an actor.
But first he worked as a mail carrier and a truck driver. He didn’t let failure shake his resolve and clung to his dream. In 1947, he sent a photo to Hollywood agent Henry Wilson, who had an eye for talent and worked for the legendary producer David O. Selznick. Wilson was immediately interested in Hudson and would later explain the reason for the name change. Hudson made his film debut in Fighter Squadron in 1948.
Heartthrob and Leading Man
Shortly afterward, Universal Pictures signed the young actor to a contract. He received acting instruction, and singing and dancing were also taught to him. His new look, largely curated at Wilson’s expense, became his secret weapon, and Hudson began gracing the covers of numerous magazines. He accumulated screen experience in films like Deadly Current (1949) and The Fat Man (1951), but his big break came a few years later. With Magnificent Obsession (1954), Hudson established himself as a charismatic leading man in Hollywood.
The Modern Screen Magazine crowned him the year’s most popular actor. In the following years, he grew into one of Universal’s biggest stars. He took the lead in the hit All That Heaven Allows (1955). For the drama Giant (1956), he earned his sole Oscar nomination, portraying a role alongside Hollywood legends Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. Hudson often played the man others found irresistible to women. In Pillow Talk (1959), opposite Doris Day, he showcased his comedic talents, and the film became a box-office smash. He followed with two more comedies alongside the actress with whom he shared a close friendship.
The Actor Lived a Double Life
From the fans’ perspective, Hudson epitomized the quintessential ladies’ man. What they didn’t know was that the actor was gay. Hudson’s sexual orientation had long been an open secret in Hollywood—and back then, a major taboo. Studio executives went to great lengths to protect his public image. The gossip magazine Confidential threatened to out the actor in 1955.
However, Wilson offered the magazine other stories about two of his less successful clients if they would leave Hudson alone: he pitched Rory Calhoun’s years in prison and Tab Hunter’s arrest. Consequently, the Hudson story was dropped. Hudson then entered into an arranged marriage with Phyllis Gates, the secretary of his agent Henry Wilson, to put an end to the rumors about his sexuality. The marriage lasted just three years. He lived in constant fear of being outed. After his death, several of his relationships with men became public knowledge.
Death Becomes a Turning Point in the AIDS Era
In the 1970s, Hollywood was undergoing a transformation, and Hudson began to take on more television work. From 1971 to 1977, he acted in the crime drama series McMillan & Wife. He continued his television career into the 1980s, but his health deteriorated rapidly. He shed noticeable weight, and at a joint press conference with Doris Day in the summer of 1985, the public was shocked.
People at the time were largely unaware that Hudson had AIDS. While his publicist spoke of liver cancer, there were reports that he was receiving treatment for AIDS-related illness at a hospital in Paris. On July 25, Hudson publicly announced that he had AIDS, becoming the first globally prominent star to do so. His revelation helped shift the public conversation away from taboo and stigma and toward awareness and acceptance. Hudson’s close friends—First Lady Nancy Reagan, whose husband had previously downplayed the disease, and actress Elizabeth Taylor—further brought AIDS into the national spotlight. Taylor would later become a leading advocate for AIDS education. In September 1985, Hudson did not attend the first AIDS benefit event, Commitment to Life, because he was too ill. He sent a telegram that read: “I am not happy about being sick and having AIDS. But if my illness can help others, at least I know that my own tragedy has a positive purpose.” Hudson died on October 2, 1985, at the age of 59.
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Hudson was one of the first celebrities to die from AIDS, and his death sparked a reevaluation among leading politicians who had until then ignored the crisis, intensifying the fight against the disease across society.
