Rock Hudsons Classic Hollywood Image
Essay Preview: Rock Hudsons Classic Hollywood Image
Report this essay
While the Hollywood film industry faced a decline from 1946-1960, Rock Hudsons star was on the rise. In fact, by 1958, he had arrived. From then, until 1965 Rock Hudson was Hollywoods golden boy. In 1959 The Hollywood Foreign Press declared Rock Hudson Ðthe worlds most favorite male star (“Rock Hudson” 19). In the next five years, Rock would receive this honor four more times. It wasnt just the Hollywood Foreign Press that appreciated Rock, in one interview Rock accredited his fans for recognizing his talent far before the critics ever did (Hopper A5). While Rock was Ðbasking in his own starlight, Hollywood was struggling to find its place in an ever-changing world (Hopper D1). Postwar times found many Americans happily settled in the suburbs, content to be entertained in the comfort of their own living rooms by their brand-new televisions. Americas newly found domestic bliss left the big city life that consisted of theaters and Hollywood glamour behind. Still, Rock managed to find his way into the hearts of millions. Men wanted to be him, women wanted to be with him, he was the face of the American dream. One article in the Los Angeles Times refers to Rocks appeal, stating that “regardless of personal preferenceRock Hudson passes the standard test with flying colors” (Hopper D1). At a time when Hollywood was desperate to get the public into the theaters, Rock was precisely what the doctor ordered.
Hollywood capitalized on the ruggedly handsome actor, and carefully calculated each and every aspect of his persona. It all began when Hudson first arrived in Hollywood, and met talent scout Henry Wilson. Hudson, who was born Roy Scherer Jr., and later had his name legally changed to match his step fathers surname of Fitzgerald, was promptly renamed by Wilson when he arrived in Hollywood (IMDB). It is rumored that Wilson chose the name Rock Hudson after the Rock of Gibralter and the Hudson River, two very internationally powerful images, intended to create one very powerful international image (IMBD). After being renamed, Hudsons teeth were capped and he was given acting, riding, singing, dancing and fencing lessons; thus finalizing his aesthetic transformation into the American dream(IMDB). His image was twofold on and off-screen, he was a mans-man and a ladies-man all rolled into one. In films he most popularly debuted as either a hero or a romancer. In his most critically acclaimed role, Hudson was able to display both of the shining sides of his persona. This film was Giant, and in 1957 it earned him an Academy Award nomination. In one of his more masculine roles, Hudson was accompanied by the incredibly iconic talent of John Wayne, in the western ÐThe Undefeated. In two of his most popular films ÐPillow Talk and ÐLover Come Back, Hudson was paired up with Doris Day, whom the media had labeled Ðthe embodiment of the American girl next door (Scheuer C13). Days virginal image was perfect for accentuating the super smooth and ultra manly antics of Hudsons characters. The critics loved the films, and called Hudson and Days performances, “brisk and perceptive”(Scheuer C13). One review finished by asking, “what girl could resist” (Crowther 47). The two films helped to further establish Hudsons heart throb image, and raised his star even higher. Off the screen Hudson and his Agent worked very hard to ensure the public that he was everything that his lovable on screen persona was, and more. In interviews he spoke of how he loved the different women of the world and how he planned to maintain bachelorhood until at least his thirtieth birthday (Hopper D1). Then, just days before his thirtieth birthday, Hudson married his agents secretary, Phyllis Gates (Hopper 2). In his private life he had become all that everyone expected him to be, he was a respectful bachelor who loved women, and then became a happy family man who loved only one woman. He was the Hollywood dream.
The problem with all of this was that the ÐHollywood dream was a Hollywood lie. Rock Hudson was a Hollywood creation, intended to fulfill the expectations of an ever finicky audience, and to save a desperate Hollywood from drowning. Rock Hudson took away the life, dreams, and desires of Roy Fitzgerald, the man who originally claimed the face that made Rock Hudson a star. Roy Fitzgerald was forced to live his entire life in the shadow of Rock Hudson. Roy Fitzgerald was forced to live a lie. The one, literally fatal, difference between Rock Hudson and Roy Fitzgerald was that of their sexual preferences. Rock Hudson, whose image was based on good looks and the romancing of women, was undoubtedly straight. Roy Fitzgerald, on the other hand, who was forced to hide his true desires, was indeed homosexual. This is a fact that he would take with him to the grave. Were there signs? I suppose, yes, if you were looking for them, but back then nobody was. After all, to the fans, he embodied all that a straight man aught to be, and more. For example, just three years after he walked into the sunset with Phyllis Gates, Phyllis filed for divorce, citing neglect and cruelty. At the time, it appeared to be nothing but a marriage gone sour, but when given all the information, it is clearly a publicity stunt gone sour. The world would have to wait more than two decades to find out the truth about the man behind the star, but by then it would be too late. Even in late July of 1985, mere months before his death, when he announced to the public he had contracted AIDS, he remained faithful to his Rock Hudson persona (Hudson C3). In the eighties, when the public was just beginning to learn about the AIDS virus, most associated the