Rock Hudson

Rock Hudson
Hudson in c. 1955
Born	Roy Harold Scherer, Jr. (1925-11-17)November 17, 1925 Winnetka, Illinois, U.S.
Died	October 2, 1985(1985-10-02) (aged 59) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Cause of death	AIDS-related complications
Resting place	Forest Lawn Cemetery, Cathedral City, (cenotaph)
Residence	Beverly Hills, California, U.S. Studio City, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Nationality	United States
Other names	Roy Harold Fitzgerald Roc Hudson
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1947–1985
Agent	Henry Willson
Known for	Pillow Talk (1959), Giant (1956), Lover Come Back (1961), Seconds (1966), McMillan & Wife (1971–1977) and Dynasty (1981–1989)
Height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Spouse(s)	Phyllis Gates (m. 1955–58) (divorced)

Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer, Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. Hudson is generally known for his turns as a leading man in the 1950s and 1960s and is viewed as a prominent actor and 'heartthrob' of the Hollywood Golden Age. He achieved stardom with roles in films such as Magnificent Obsession (1954), All That Heaven Allows (1955) and Giant (1956), and found continued success with a string of romantic comedies co-starring Doris Day in Pillow Talk (1959), Lover Come Back (1961) and Send Me No Flowers (1964). After appearing in films like Seconds (1966), Tobruk (1967) and Ice Station Zebra (1968) in the late 1960s, Hudson began a second career in television through the 1970s and 1980s, starring in the popular mystery series McMillan & Wife and the soap opera Dynasty.

Hudson was voted Star of the Year, Favorite Leading Man, and similar titles by numerous film magazines. He completed nearly 70 films and starred in several television productions during a career that spanned more than four decades. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1956 (Giant). Hudson died from AIDS-related complications in 1985, becoming the first major celebrity to die from an AIDS-related illness.

Hudson was born in Winnetka, Illinois, the only child of telephone operator Katherine Wood (of English and Irish descent) and auto mechanic Roy Harold Scherer, Sr. (of German and Swiss descent), who abandoned the family during the depths of the Great Depression. His mother remarried and his stepfather, Wallace "Wally" Fitzgerald, adopted him and changed his surname to Fitzgerald. Hudson's years at New Trier High School were unremarkable, although he sang in the school's glee club and was remembered as a shy boy who delivered newspapers, ran errands, and worked as a golf caddy. Although he tried out for roles in many of his school plays, Hudson failed to win any because he could not remember his lines, a problem that continued to occur through his early acting career. Working as an usher in his teenage years, he developed an interest in film and stardom at a young age.