The Original Rock (Hudson) Trivia Quiz

Answer:

Born on November 17, 1925, in Winnetka, Illinois, he was the only child of Katherine Wood and Roy Harold Scherer, Sr. and was named for his father. However, Roy Sr. deserted the family when Roy Jr. was only four. Katherine divorced Roy Sr. and married Wallace Fitzgerald, who adopted Roy, Jr., changing his name to Roy Harold Fitzgerald. Unfortunately, Wallace was an alcoholic who physically and verbally abused Roy. Rock Hudson would, in later years, state that his traumatic childhood environment taught him from an early age that he could not express his true feelings or desires, a pattern of secrecy that would continue throughout his life.

Roy enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944 and served in the Philippines as an aircraft mechanic during World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1946 before moving to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. There, he met Henry Wilson, an influential Hollywood talent agent known for his "beefcake factory" approach, discovering and promoting handsome young men. Wilson urged him to change his name to "Rock Hudson". He also helped him obtain his first screen test and subsequently a small, uncredited role as a pilot in the Warner Bros. film "Fighter Squadron". That story followed a maverick fighter pilot who is unexpectedly promoted to command a squadron in England. The character, played by Edmond O'Brien, must then struggle with the problems of leadership. Hudson had an uncredited role as a pilot with only one line: "You've got to get a bigger blackboard" . His Navy experience as an aircraft mechanic may have helped him get the part.

Ross Hunter was an influential producer at Universal-International and in 1954 he saw the star potential in Rock Hudson. He cast him in the movie "Magnificent Obsession" with Jane Wyman. The film is about a spoiled playboy (played by Hudson) who survived an accident. When he finds out that his saving was at the cost of another's life, he begins an "obsession" to help others, including the character played by Wyman. The movies climaxes with him saving not only her but also his own self-worth. The movie was a box office smash and garnered the studio lots of income while making Rock Hudson a star. In 1955, he starred again with Jane Wyman in "All That Heaven Allows" about a romance between a well-to-do widow and a younger poorer man. That same year he married Wilson's secretary named Phyllis Gates, who he had met the year earlier.

In 1956, Hudson starred in "Giant" where he shared billing with Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. In this film, Hudson played Jordan "Bick" Benedict Jr. who brings back a new bride (played by Taylor) to his family ranch. It then follows their relationship as they deal with family and ranch hands and unexpected wealth. Hudson and Taylor forged a friendship that would last the rest of their lives. Hudson's role in that movie as the Texas rancher earned him his only Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and cemented his status as a major Hollywood star.

In 1958, he was named "Star of the Year" by "Look" magazine. That year he also got divorced from Phyllis. She claimed he had an affair while he was on a trip to Italy and years later stated that the affair was with another man. In 1959, Hudson starred in the hugely successful romantic comedy called "Pillow Talk" with Doris Day. In that film, Hudson starred as a womanizing composer who shares a party telephone line with an interior decorator (played by Day). They hilariously fall in love through multiple ruses and mistakes until the happy ending. That movie marked their first on-screen pairing and created one of Hollywood's most iconic duos. Their genuine off-screen friendship contributed to the incredible on-screen chemistry they displayed in their romantic comedies through the 1960s.

Hudson transitioned to television in 1971 to star in "McMillan & Wife". The light-hearted mystery series, which ran from 1971 to 1977, featured Hudson as the San Francisco Police Commissioner and Susan Saint James as his wife, Sally, who often helped him solve cases. Hudson underwent emergency quintuple heart bypass surgery in November 1981 at the age of 55, after complaining of chest pains. The surgery was considered a success at the time. One of his final roles was when Hudson appeared on the popular soap opera "Dynasty" from late 1984 to early 1985 as Daniel Reece, a wealthy horse breeder and love interest for the character Krystle Carrington, played by Linda Evans.

In 1984, while on "Dynasty", Hudson began experiencing health problems, including significant weight loss. A doctor's visit in June revealed a diagnosis of AIDS. Fearing the impact on his "macho" public image and career due to the heavy stigma surrounding AIDS and homosexuality at the time, Hudson kept his condition secret from all but a few close friends and his personal physician. In July of 1985 he was on a television special with Doris Day and appeared very sick. Later that month, after collapsing in Paris while seeking an experimental treatment, Hudson's publicist issued a press release on July 25, 1985, confirming that the actor had AIDS. This made international headlines and put a human face on an epidemic that had largely been ignored.

Hudson died just a few months later, on October 2, 1985, at the age of 59. Hudson's diagnosis and death broke the silence surrounding AIDS. Actress Morgan Fairchild famously stated that "Rock Hudson gave AIDS a face". It spurred a massive increase in private donations for AIDS research, led by the advocacy of friends like Elizabeth Taylor. He left behind this profound impact on the world as well as some beloved movies that have lasted generations.