You all know Rock Hudson right?
Did you know that for his entire movie, television and stage career, his public and fans thought him to be a heterosexual?
A straight man.
A breeder.
You may also know that once he contracted Aids, he came out to the world- before he died. It set a precedent and brought the plight of Aids victims and the “Aids Crisis” from obscurity to the forefront of headline news around the world. It was a good thing Mr. Hudson set himself free towards the end.
If he had of contracted Aids today, he would have lived a much longer, healthier life. It was sad that he had to live his life as a lie- at least to most of the world. Friends, family, the Hollywood studios and gossip mongers knew the truth however. They even covered for him. The studio married him to a woman no less, yet all the while he was having man-to-man sex. He would invite men- especially blonde men, to his Hollywood Mansion to parties- pool parties, if I remember correctly from reading his biography.
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| Randolph and Cary in their Pool |
He wasn’t the only actor to lead a double life back in those old Hollywood days- and nights. Cary Grant shared a home with Randolph Scott. They lived together, attended parties together, went on holidays together even swam in pools together.
Now, come on…I don’t have to tell you what else they did- do I?
Okay. I will.
They starred together in a movie back in1940 called “My Favourite Wife”.
Irene Dunn was the wife.
Guess who was the husband?
Cary Grant. Tah-Dah!
You see, in the mocie Randolph and Irene spend time together-shipwrecked or something, on a desert island. They return home unexpectedly.
When Irene finally tells Cary she wasn’t quite alone on the island, Cary goes to Randolph’s hotel and finds the strapping lad in the pool in a rather tight and skimpy bathing suit.
Yow!
Now, another cutie-patootie- Montgomery Clift, also wore his loafers rather lightly. It’s why I always have a difficult time buying into his character in the movie From Here to Eternity. Monty was a close friend of Liz Taylor who- like Doris Day and others, were female magnets for the Gay Boys in Hollywood.
Fag hags to be more specific.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
All Gay Men had and have their Fag Hags. It’s a right of passage that goes with the territory.
Getting back to Rock, I watched a Mr. Hudson movie recently. That’s why- in part, I have written this blog about Mr. Hudson and men of his”ilk”. The movie was All That Heaven Allows and was made in1955. Rock’s co-star was Jane Wyman. The movie was a schlocky bit of stuff that pulled at your heartstrings- especially the scene with the cute little deer that wanders into view through the window of an old mill that Rock has converted into a home with his own two, bare hands.
My, he was a handsome bit of man in that movie.
In a nutshell here’s a synopsis of the film.
Jane Wyman’s husband has died.
Rock is the gardener who prunes her bush.
Now, don’t get ahead of me!
Eventually, she falls in love with him.
Her cronies/friends at a cocktail party she attends with Rock are enraged and talk in front of as well as behind her back.
Skags!
Her grown children are even more put off and tell her so.
I would have “bitch-slapped both of them and returned their Christmas Gifts!
Finally- after Rock has an unfortunate accident- he falls off a snowy cliff, Jane comes to her senses, rushes to his bedside at Christmastime and-
Cue the deer at the window.
The End.
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| Rock holding Jane's Bush...er tree! |
Rock takes aim at a passing duck and misses!
His friend says: “Try putting bullets in that thing!”- pointing to his rifle.
Rock looks down at the gun in his strong, sun-kissed hands and says all sober-faced-
“I can’t shoot straight anymore- I guess.”
Hah! Hah! Hah!
When he says it, he is just so “dead-pan”.
I wonder what passed through his mind as he said the words?
I know what went through mine…
All those blonde boys with the golden tans and the bulging biceps, swimming naked across the shimmering water of his Hollywood Hills pool.
