Rock Hudson was an American actor who was born on November 17, 1925, as Roy Harold Scherer Jr. He had a screen career that spanned more than three decades and was one of the most popular movie stars of his time. He rose to prominence during the Golden Age of Hollywood with his roles in Magnificent Obsession (1954), All That Heaven Allows (1955), and Giant (1956), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Hudson also had a streak of romantic comedies with Doris Day, including Pillow Talk (1959), Lover Come Back (1961), and Send Me No Flowers (1963). Hudson made his acting debut in the Warner Bros. picture Fighter Squadron (1948); according to a 21st-century source, Hudson’s single line in the film took 38 takes to deliver effectively.
Seconds (1966), Tobruk (1967), and Ice Station Zebra (1968) were among his films in the late 1960s (1968). Hudson switched to television after being dissatisfied with the film scripts he was offered, and became a hit, starring in the popular mystery series McMillan & Wife (1971–1977). His final performance was as a guest star on the primetime ABC serial opera Dynasty for the fifth season (1984–1985) until AIDS-related sickness made it difficult for him to continue.
Hudson’s sexual orientation was kept a secret from his colleagues in the film industry, but it was well known that he was gay. Hudson was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984. He was one of the first celebrities to reveal his AIDS diagnosis the following year. Hudson, who died on October 2, 1985, at the age of 59, was the first big celebrity to succumb to an AIDS-related disease.
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