Rock Hudson

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Copyright 2007, Will Johnson, [mailto:wjhonson@aol.com wjhonson@aol.com], Professional Genealogist, All Rights Reserved. This page is locked, if you'd like to add or correct anything, please email me.
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'''Rock Hudson''', (1925-1985), US Actor
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<center>I am a professional genealogist. Contact me, if you'd like help in tracing your family tree, by clicking the below button.</center>
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This article should be cited as:<blockquote>"Rock Hudson", by Will Johnson, professional genealogist [mailto:wjhonson@aol.com wjhonson@aol.com], at CountyHistorian.com URL: http://www.countyhistorian.com/cecilweb/index.php/Rock_Hudson, copyright 2007-8, all rights reserved.</blockquote>
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This page is locked, if you'd like to add or correct anything, please email me.  I am available for hire to assist you to trace your family or create a biography of you or your relative.  I charge $25 per hour.
  
 
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If you enjoy the research done here, consider making a [http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&amp;business=wjhonson@aol.com&amp;amount=15.00&amp;item_name=Rock_Hudson_Fund financial contribution] to keep research like this going.
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==Biography==
 
==Biography==
 
===Childhood===
 
===Childhood===
Rock Hudson was an American actor, born as Roy Harold Scherer, Jr on [[Nov 17]], 1925 in Winnetka, Cook County, [[Illinois]], the son of [[Ancestry of Rock Hudson|Roy Harold Scherer, Sr]] an auto mechanic, and his wife [[Ancestry of Rock Hudson|Katherine "Kay" Wood]] (d. 1977), who had just married the year before.
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Rock Hudson was an American actor, born as Roy Harold Scherer, Jr on 17 Nov 1925 in Winnetka, Cook County, [[Illinois]], the son of [[Ancestry of Rock Hudson|Roy Harold Scherer, Sr]] an auto mechanic, and his wife [[Ancestry of Rock Hudson|Katherine "Kay" Wood]] (d. 1977), who had just married the year before.
  
 
Kay was the daughter of James Wood and Mary Ellen unknown.  Roy Sr left the family in 1932 and went to California. Rock's obit in the NYT states that Roy had lost his job during the Depression.  After Roy left, Kay started dating Wallace "Wally" FitzGerald who worked shoveling coal at the Winnetka Water Works.  Kay and Wally married when Rock was eight, and Wally adopted Roy who became Roy FitzGerald.
 
Kay was the daughter of James Wood and Mary Ellen unknown.  Roy Sr left the family in 1932 and went to California. Rock's obit in the NYT states that Roy had lost his job during the Depression.  After Roy left, Kay started dating Wallace "Wally" FitzGerald who worked shoveling coal at the Winnetka Water Works.  Kay and Wally married when Rock was eight, and Wally adopted Roy who became Roy FitzGerald.
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===To California===
 
===To California===
"Roy Fitzgerald enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and was shipped on the S.S. Lew Wallace, a Kaiser Liberty ship, to Samar, a sandy island in the Philippines." (''Rock Hudson: His Story'', p42) (His obit in the NYT says he enlisted in 1944.) He was shipped home in 1946 and decided to go to California because his father, was living in Long Beach, with a new wife and a daughter.  He lived with his father for a short time, but it didn't work out well.  He found a job driving for Budget Pack.  In Long Beach, for the first time, he met men who were open about being gay.  One of these was [[Kenneth G Hodge]].  "...Ken Hodge had worked in radio for many years, producing [[Lux Radio Theatre]].  Ken was thirty-six and Roy was twenty-one...he lived in a penthouse...in the [[Chateau Marmont]], a building owned by his Aunt Bernadette." (''His Story'', p 43)
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<table><tr><td>http://images.easyart.com/i/prints/rw/lg/2/2/Celebrity-Image-Rock-Hudson--small-Size--223228.jpg</td><td>
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"Roy Fitzgerald enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and was shipped on the S.S. Lew Wallace, a Kaiser Liberty ship, to Samar, a sandy island in the Philippines." (''Rock Hudson: His Story'', p42) (His obit in the NYT says he enlisted in 1944.) He was shipped home in 1946 and decided to go to California because his father, was living in Long Beach, with a new wife and a daughter.  He lived with his father for a short time, but it didn't work out well.  He found a job driving for Budget Pack.  In Long Beach, for the first time, he met men who were open about being gay.  One of these was [[Kenneth G Hodge]].  "...Ken Hodge had worked in radio for many years, producing [[Lux Radio Theatre]].  Ken was thirty-six and Roy was twenty-one...he lived in a penthouse...in the [[Chateau Marmont]], a building owned by his Aunt Bernadette." (''His Story'', p 43)</td></tr></table>
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Roy and Kenneth met in the Summer of 1947.  Davison relates a story told her by [[Herbert Millspaugh]], claiming to describe how the name "Rock Hudson" came about.<blockquote>"I received a letter from Herbert Millspaugh, a retired clerk in San Francisco, who said he had been present the day Roy Fitzgerald was named Rock Hudson.  He included names, dates and supporting photographs</blockquote><blockquote>In the summer of 1947, Millspaugh said, he was living in Long Beach, working for the Texas Oil Company, hanging out by the Villa Riviera and going to parties at the penthouse of Ken Hodge.  Ken introduced him to an extremely handsome young man he'd just met, Roy Fitzgerald, who wanted to be an actor.  One sunday, a group of Ken's friends walked back from the beach to Ken's apartment, fixed gin and tonics and started trying to think up a name for the actor.</blockquote><blockquote>"Ken wanted a name that suggested strength," Millspaugh said. "Someone came up with Rock.  Then we looked through the Long Beach phone book to find a second name that sounded right.  We came up with Hudson.  Everything you've read in the press duing the last forty years about the origin of the name is malarkey." (''His Story'', p 44)</blockquote>
  
<table><tr><td>http://vargen57.unblog.fr/files/2006/08/Rock%20Hudson.jpg</td><td>
 
Roy and Kenneth met in the Summer of 1947.  Davison relates a story told her by [[Herbert Millspaugh]], claiming to describe how the name "Rock Hudson" came about.<blockquote>I received a letter from Herbert Millspaugh, a retired clerk in San Francisco, who said he had been present the day Roy Fitzgerald was named Rock Hudson.  He included names, dates and supporting photographs</blockquote><blockquote>In the summer of 1947, Millspaugh said, he was living in Long Beach, working for the Texas Oil Company, hanging out by the Villa Riviera and going to parties at the penthouse of Ken Hodge.  Ken introduced him to an extremely handsome young man he'd just met, Roy Fitzgerald, who wanted to be an actor.  One sunday, a group of Ken's friends walked back from the beach to Ken's apartment, fixed gin and tonics and started trying to think up a name for the actor.</blockquote><blockquote>"Ken wanted a name that suggested strength," Millspaugh said. "Someone came up with Rock.  Then we looked through the Long Beach phone book to find a second name that sounded right.  We came up with Hudson.  Everything you've read in the press duing the last forty years about the origin of the name is malarkey." (''His Story'', p 44)</blockquote>
 
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Millspaugh also told this story on [http://www.tv.com/e!-true-hollywood-story/rock-hudson/episode/191177/summary.html The E! True Hollywood Story:Rock Hudson].  Robert Hefler claims that this Herbert died in 1999, however that Herbert A Millspaugh who died in Florida was born in 1917 in Indiana and more damning, his SSN was issued from Indiana.  The chance that he moved from Indiana to California by 1947 is diminished.  Checking the U.S. Public Records Index, I find a Herbert E Millspaugh, age 82, listed in San Francisco.  And I find him in the 1970 San Francisco Telephone directory at the same address.
 
Millspaugh also told this story on [http://www.tv.com/e!-true-hollywood-story/rock-hudson/episode/191177/summary.html The E! True Hollywood Story:Rock Hudson].  Robert Hefler claims that this Herbert died in 1999, however that Herbert A Millspaugh who died in Florida was born in 1917 in Indiana and more damning, his SSN was issued from Indiana.  The chance that he moved from Indiana to California by 1947 is diminished.  Checking the U.S. Public Records Index, I find a Herbert E Millspaugh, age 82, listed in San Francisco.  And I find him in the 1970 San Francisco Telephone directory at the same address.
  
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===Early Career===
 
===Early Career===
Rock appeared in the film ''Giant'' starring opposite [[Elizabeth Taylor]] and [[James Dean]].  It was Dean's last picture, he died in a car accident.  Phyllis Gates' in her autobiography relates that when Rock heard the news he start sobbing because he had wished Dean dead and now he was dead.
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Rock appeared in the film ''[[Giant]]'' starring opposite [[Elizabeth Taylor]] and [[James Dean]].  It was Dean's last picture, he died in a car accident.  Phyllis Gates' in her autobiography relates that when Rock heard the news he start sobbing because he had wished Dean dead and now he was dead.
  
 
==Death==
 
==Death==
 
His mother died of a stroke in "...the fall of 1977."(''His Story'', pg 203)
 
His mother died of a stroke in "...the fall of 1977."(''His Story'', pg 203)
  
Rock Hudson died of AIDS on [[Oct 2]], 1985 at his home in [[California]].
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Rock Hudson died of AIDS on 2 Oct 1985 at his home in [[California]].
  
 
==Entourage==
 
==Entourage==
 
Many articles have been writen about him, but many of the people swirling around him are shadows, whose lives are only illuminated in his presence.  That is, all the articles mentioning them, only mention them in relationship to him.  There are a few exceptions like his agent Henry Willson or the actor George Nader, who was one of his best friends for most of his life.
 
Many articles have been writen about him, but many of the people swirling around him are shadows, whose lives are only illuminated in his presence.  That is, all the articles mentioning them, only mention them in relationship to him.  There are a few exceptions like his agent Henry Willson or the actor George Nader, who was one of his best friends for most of his life.
  
*Agent: [[Henry Willson]], also agent for Tab Hunter and Troy Donovan
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*Agent: [[Henry Willson]], also agent for [[Tab Hunter]] and Troy Donovan
 
*Friends: [[George Nader]], also a movie star, and [[Mark Miller]], George's lover
 
*Friends: [[George Nader]], also a movie star, and [[Mark Miller]], George's lover
 
*Rock Hudson's Lovers in chronologic order:
 
*Rock Hudson's Lovers in chronologic order:
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**[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&dbid=1249&ti=0&iid=losangelescounty_78-0373&rc=640,1437,696,1452;707,1437,776,1452&fn=Kenneth&ln=Hodge&st=d&ssrc=&pid=3783253743 Long Beach, 1950] showing : "Roy H Fitzgerald, 921 E Broadway, R[epublican]; Kenneth G Hodge, 921 E Broadway, R[epublican]"
 
**[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&dbid=1249&ti=0&iid=losangelescounty_78-0373&rc=640,1437,696,1452;707,1437,776,1452&fn=Kenneth&ln=Hodge&st=d&ssrc=&pid=3783253743 Long Beach, 1950] showing : "Roy H Fitzgerald, 921 E Broadway, R[epublican]; Kenneth G Hodge, 921 E Broadway, R[epublican]"
  
*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&dbid=7039&iid=NEWS-PA-BR_ER.1951_05_08_0011&r=an&rc=3191,5800,3342,5846;3357,5800,3448,5846&fn=&ln=Record+Rock+Hudson+from+1951-1951&st=d&ssrc=&pid=498769931 ''The Bradford Era'' (Bradford, Pennsylvania)], [[May 8]], 1951 (advertisement) "Dipsons Bradford, Starts Wednesday, Today, Gregory Peck, "Only The Valiant", Big Party Tonight, "Follow the Sun" Special, The Story of the Jet Fighters! Air Cadet starring Stephen McNally, Gail Russell, Alex Nicol, Richard Long, Peggie Castle, Charles Drake, Rock Hudson. 2nd Gay Feature, Song-Spashed! Fun-Filled! Rhythm Inn..."
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*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&dbid=7039&iid=NEWS-PA-BR_ER.1951_05_08_0011&r=an&rc=3191,5800,3342,5846;3357,5800,3448,5846&fn=&ln=Record+Rock+Hudson+from+1951-1951&st=d&ssrc=&pid=498769931 ''The Bradford Era'' (Bradford, Pennsylvania)], 8 May 1951 (advertisement) "Dipsons Bradford, Starts Wednesday, Today, Gregory Peck, "Only The Valiant", Big Party Tonight, "Follow the Sun" Special, The Story of the Jet Fighters! Air Cadet starring Stephen McNally, Gail Russell, Alex Nicol, Richard Long, Peggie Castle, Charles Drake, Rock Hudson. 2nd Gay Feature, Song-Spashed! Fun-Filled! Rhythm Inn..."
  
*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&dbid=1136&iid=miusa1942d_066158-00515&r=an&rc=760,3168,828,3189;853,3168,958,3191&fn=&ln=Record+Rock+Hudson&st=d&ssrc=&pid=46493 Stars and Stripes Newspaper, WWII Europe and North Africa Editions, 1942-58], [[Jun 1]], 1952 page 8 : "Life in Hollywood &mdash; ...Gene Tierney will be in England before many days....Gene has been stepping out with Rock Hudson recently, but this romance isn't serious enough to keep her from going to Europe."
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*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&dbid=1136&iid=miusa1942d_066158-00515&r=an&rc=760,3168,828,3189;853,3168,958,3191&fn=&ln=Record+Rock+Hudson&st=d&ssrc=&pid=46493 Stars and Stripes Newspaper, WWII Europe and North Africa Editions, 1942-58], 1 Jun 1952 page 8 : "Life in Hollywood &mdash; ...Gene Tierney will be in England before many days....Gene has been stepping out with Rock Hudson recently, but this romance isn't serious enough to keep her from going to Europe."
*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7488&iid=NYT715_8232-0550&fn=Rock&ln=Hudson&st=r&ssrc=&pid=3029620820 New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957] showing : "British Overseas Airways Corp., Embarked London, Disembarked New York, Oct 28, 1952, Rock Hudson aka Roy FitzGerald" ("aka Roy FitzGerald" is hand-writen)
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*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7488&iid=NYT715_8232-0550&fn=Rock&ln=Hudson&st=r&ssrc=&pid=3029620820 New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957] showing : "British Overseas Airways Corp., Embarked London, Disembarked New York, 28 Oct 1952, Rock Hudson aka Roy FitzGerald" ("aka Roy FitzGerald" is hand-writen)
*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7488&iid=NYT715_8510-0007&fn=Rock&ln=Hudson&st=r&ssrc=&pid=3032776236 New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957] showing : "First Class, from Southampton, Sep 16, 1954 arriving at New York Sep 21, 1954 on the Queen Mary &mdash; Rock Hudson of 8383 Grandview Drive, Hollywood; born Illinois; 8 pieces of luggage"
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*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7488&iid=NYT715_8510-0007&fn=Rock&ln=Hudson&st=r&ssrc=&pid=3032776236 New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957] showing : "First Class, from Southampton, 16 Sep 1954 arriving at New York 21 Sep 1954 on the Queen Mary &mdash; Rock Hudson of 8383 Grandview Drive, Hollywood; born Illinois; 8 pieces of luggage"
*[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=CAdeath1940%2c&rank=0&tips=0&gsfn=rock&gsln=hudson&sx=&gs1co=1%2cAll+Countries&gs1pl=1%2c+&year=&yearend=&sbo=0&sbor=&ufr=0&wp=4%3b_80000002%3b_80000003&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&o_iid=21416&o_lid=21416&o_it=21416&fh=0&recid=3487604&recoff=1+2 California Death Index, 1940-97] showing : "Rock Hudson born Nov 17, 1925 Illinois, died Oct 2, 1985 Los Angeles County; mother's maiden name Wood"
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*[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=CAdeath1940%2c&rank=0&tips=0&gsfn=rock&gsln=hudson&sx=&gs1co=1%2cAll+Countries&gs1pl=1%2c+&year=&yearend=&sbo=0&sbor=&ufr=0&wp=4%3b_80000002%3b_80000003&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&o_iid=21416&o_lid=21416&o_it=21416&fh=0&recid=3487604&recoff=1+2 California Death Index, 1940-97] showing : "Rock Hudson born 17 Nov 1925 Illinois, died 2 Oct 1985 Los Angeles County; mother's maiden name Wood"
*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=50000&iid=114660641&fn=&ln=Record+Rock+Hudson+from+1985-1985&st=d&ssrc=&pid=1041844 New York Times, obituary "Rock Hudson"] [[Oct 3]], 1985 "Rock Hudson, Screen Idol, Dies at 59" stating such bits as : "...During the Depression, his father lost his job as an automobile mechanic and left the family.  His mother, a telephone operator, remarried, and the actor, then 8 years old, took the surname of his stepfather Wallace Fitzgerald.  His mother's second marriage ended after nine years." "In 1944, he joined the Navy and served in the Philippines as an airplane mechanic."  None of his male lovers were named, his one-time wife Phyllis Gates was.
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*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=50000&iid=114660641&fn=&ln=Record+Rock+Hudson+from+1985-1985&st=d&ssrc=&pid=1041844 New York Times, obituary "Rock Hudson"] 3 Oct 1985 "Rock Hudson, Screen Idol, Dies at 59" stating such bits as : "...During the Depression, his father lost his job as an automobile mechanic and left the family.  His mother, a telephone operator, remarried, and the actor, then 8 years old, took the surname of his stepfather Wallace Fitzgerald.  His mother's second marriage ended after nine years." "In 1944, he joined the Navy and served in the Philippines as an airplane mechanic."  None of his male lovers were named, his one-time wife Phyllis Gates was.
  
 
==Secondary Sources==
 
==Secondary Sources==
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Hudson "Rock Hudson"] on Wikipedia
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Hudson "Rock Hudson"] on Wikipedia
*[http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0602,musto,71644,15.html Michael Musto, ''La Dulce Musto'', "Phyllis Gates"] in the Village Voice, [[Jan 10]], 2006
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*[http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0602,musto,71644,15.html Michael Musto, ''La Dulce Musto'', "Phyllis Gates"] in the Village Voice, 10 Jan 2006
 
* ''Rock Hudson, His Story'', by Rock Hudson and [[Sara Davidson]]; William Morrow and Company, New York. 1986 ISBN 0688064728 [http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Hudson-His-Story/dp/0688064728 Buy it] at Amazon
 
* ''Rock Hudson, His Story'', by Rock Hudson and [[Sara Davidson]]; William Morrow and Company, New York. 1986 ISBN 0688064728 [http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Hudson-His-Story/dp/0688064728 Buy it] at Amazon
*[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2006_Feb_28/ai_n16107748 "Outing Mrs Rock Hudson..."], ''The Advocate'', Robert Hefler, [[Feb 28]], 2006
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*[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2006_Feb_28/ai_n16107748 "Outing Mrs Rock Hudson..."], ''The Advocate'', Robert Hefler, 28 Feb  2006
 
*[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0103/29/lkl.00.html ''Larry King Live''], transcript, "Rock Hudson's Ex-Lover Speaks Out", Aired 29 March 2001
 
*[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0103/29/lkl.00.html ''Larry King Live''], transcript, "Rock Hudson's Ex-Lover Speaks Out", Aired 29 March 2001
  
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[[Category:Movies and Television]]
 
[[Category:Movies and Television]]
 
[[Category:Famous Men]]
 
[[Category:Famous Men]]
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[[Category:GLBT]]

Latest revision as of 18:34, 2 November 2010

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