1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 3 00:00:12,470 --> 00:00:18,476 (ethereal music) 4 00:00:18,518 --> 00:00:20,145 Peter Kevoian: We were sitting at the pool 5 00:00:20,186 --> 00:00:22,856 just sunbathing and talking. 6 00:00:22,939 --> 00:00:25,775 I was a young gay man who was 7 00:00:25,859 --> 00:00:28,903 questioning all kinds of things. 8 00:00:29,654 --> 00:00:31,948 We talked about being gay in Hollywood 9 00:00:31,990 --> 00:00:35,326 and how difficult it was to have a career. 10 00:00:35,368 --> 00:00:40,165 And I asked him how he knew that he was gonna make it, 11 00:00:40,206 --> 00:00:43,501 because I wasn't sure that I ever would. 12 00:00:43,543 --> 00:00:46,504 And he told me about a dream that he had. 13 00:00:46,588 --> 00:00:50,675 He dreamt that there was a perfectly cut diamond 14 00:00:50,759 --> 00:00:54,179 sitting on velvet 15 00:00:54,220 --> 00:01:01,144 in a room that was lit with pin spots. 16 00:01:01,186 --> 00:01:03,229 And every one of the lights 17 00:01:03,313 --> 00:01:07,859 were pointed into the center of the diamond. 18 00:01:07,901 --> 00:01:09,819 ♪♪ 19 00:01:09,861 --> 00:01:12,364 He thought he was the diamond. 20 00:01:12,447 --> 00:01:15,658 He said, "That's the dream 21 00:01:15,700 --> 00:01:20,205 "that made me believe that I could do this. 22 00:01:20,246 --> 00:01:23,958 That's how I knew I was gonna be a star." 23 00:01:24,042 --> 00:01:27,212 (dramatic music) 24 00:01:31,549 --> 00:01:33,884 -Your name is Roy Fitzgerald? -That's right. 25 00:01:33,968 --> 00:01:36,221 Well, come up on our stage, young man. 26 00:01:36,304 --> 00:01:38,932 This is your life! 27 00:01:39,015 --> 00:01:40,265 Come along here. 28 00:01:40,350 --> 00:01:42,811 -(laughing) -♪ fanfare playing ♪ 29 00:01:42,894 --> 00:01:44,604 Hey! 30 00:01:47,107 --> 00:01:48,441 You see, folks, this young man, 31 00:01:48,525 --> 00:01:50,610 whose name really is Roy Fitzgerald, 32 00:01:50,694 --> 00:01:54,239 is known to you and to movie fans all over the world as... 33 00:01:54,322 --> 00:01:57,325 Narrator: Rock Hudson. Was he the cat's pajamas! 34 00:01:57,408 --> 00:01:59,202 Pleased to make your acquaintance, ma'am. 35 00:01:59,244 --> 00:02:00,662 Kevoian: Well, Rock was an icon. 36 00:02:00,745 --> 00:02:02,330 Alan Shayne: You couldn't take your eyes 37 00:02:02,414 --> 00:02:04,124 off Rock on the screen, you really couldn't. 38 00:02:04,207 --> 00:02:05,583 Robert Hofler: Not only was he 39 00:02:05,667 --> 00:02:07,168 the biggest star at Universal, 40 00:02:07,210 --> 00:02:08,752 he was by far the biggest star in Hollywood. 41 00:02:08,836 --> 00:02:13,091 Ken Maley: There was that period where he was the king. 42 00:02:13,174 --> 00:02:14,759 Carole Cook: The Tom Cruise of his day. 43 00:02:14,801 --> 00:02:17,262 Maley: Women were swooning, men were swooning. 44 00:02:17,345 --> 00:02:18,930 Armistead Maupin: Rock was everybody's type. 45 00:02:19,014 --> 00:02:21,599 Howard McGillin: (laughing) You couldn't invent a name 46 00:02:21,683 --> 00:02:26,312 that was better for a heterosexual leading man than Rock Hudson. 47 00:02:26,396 --> 00:02:27,439 Maley: Not only did women say, 48 00:02:27,522 --> 00:02:29,274 "That's the man I want to marry," 49 00:02:29,357 --> 00:02:31,776 many men said, "That's the man I'd like to be." 50 00:02:31,818 --> 00:02:35,113 McGillin: He was like a granite facade, 51 00:02:35,196 --> 00:02:36,489 just impenetrable. 52 00:02:36,573 --> 00:02:39,284 Alice Waier: He was a great performer, 53 00:02:39,325 --> 00:02:42,245 not only in acting, but in life. 54 00:02:42,287 --> 00:02:44,539 Why aren't you married, Jordan? 55 00:02:44,622 --> 00:02:46,416 Maley: He had more than one world. 56 00:02:46,458 --> 00:02:48,335 He had the studio world. 57 00:02:48,418 --> 00:02:50,420 He had this gay world. 58 00:02:50,462 --> 00:02:52,297 -You'll come? -I'd be delighted. 59 00:02:52,339 --> 00:02:53,965 Well, good-o, sport! 60 00:02:54,007 --> 00:02:56,301 Maupin: I thought I was the last man in California 61 00:02:56,384 --> 00:02:58,345 to go to bed with Rock Hudson when I finally did. 62 00:02:58,428 --> 00:03:00,638 He was a sort of sexual gladiator. 63 00:03:00,722 --> 00:03:03,975 The lash for you, betrayer of women. 64 00:03:04,059 --> 00:03:05,643 David Thomson: He was closeted, 65 00:03:05,727 --> 00:03:08,146 but there was every reason to be closeted back then. 66 00:03:08,228 --> 00:03:11,691 If the truth had come out, that would've been the end of his career. 67 00:03:11,775 --> 00:03:13,735 It's as simple as that. 68 00:03:13,818 --> 00:03:16,654 Kevoian: The public perception of Rock 69 00:03:16,696 --> 00:03:19,991 was so very masculine and straight. 70 00:03:20,075 --> 00:03:22,077 Privately, he was very free. 71 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,704 Carol Burnett: He loved to laugh. He was also a bit of a devil. 72 00:03:25,789 --> 00:03:28,833 Ken Jillson: The people that he had around him 73 00:03:28,875 --> 00:03:31,211 were very trusted friends. 74 00:03:31,294 --> 00:03:33,463 I think maybe that's the key. 75 00:03:33,505 --> 00:03:35,048 Shayne: People loved him, you know? 76 00:03:35,131 --> 00:03:38,510 He was just a decent, wonderful guy. 77 00:03:38,593 --> 00:03:40,762 And that's unusual in Hollywood. 78 00:03:40,845 --> 00:03:44,015 I hate to say that, but it's true. 79 00:03:48,144 --> 00:03:50,063 He was a quiet man. 80 00:03:50,146 --> 00:03:53,692 I think the thing I most remember him for were his silences. 81 00:03:53,775 --> 00:03:54,817 It was... 82 00:03:54,859 --> 00:03:56,736 (contemplative music) 83 00:03:56,820 --> 00:03:59,989 ...as if he were always listening to something inside. 84 00:04:00,990 --> 00:04:02,701 Some voice. 85 00:04:04,119 --> 00:04:06,830 He never talked about it, so... 86 00:04:06,871 --> 00:04:09,374 I never knew what it was. 87 00:04:09,416 --> 00:04:11,376 Oh, he was a good man. 88 00:04:12,377 --> 00:04:14,546 He lived as if he were a stranger here. 89 00:04:14,629 --> 00:04:16,714 I mean, he never let anything touch him. 90 00:04:16,798 --> 00:04:20,885 Became absorbed in things. His job mostly. 91 00:04:22,053 --> 00:04:24,597 He worked hard, he... 92 00:04:24,681 --> 00:04:27,767 always a look around his eyes as if he were 93 00:04:27,851 --> 00:04:30,895 trying to say something. 94 00:04:30,937 --> 00:04:32,105 ♪♪ 95 00:04:32,188 --> 00:04:33,606 I don't know what... 96 00:04:33,690 --> 00:04:37,527 protest against what he'd surrendered his life to. 97 00:04:37,569 --> 00:04:39,696 ♪♪ 98 00:04:39,738 --> 00:04:41,656 I never knew what he wanted... 99 00:04:41,740 --> 00:04:44,826 -(distant clatter) -...and I don't think he ever knew. 100 00:04:44,909 --> 00:04:46,036 ♪♪ 101 00:04:46,077 --> 00:04:48,246 Well, I... 102 00:04:48,288 --> 00:04:50,999 guess I can't tell you much more. Enough? 103 00:04:51,082 --> 00:04:52,917 (contemplative music continues) 104 00:04:54,753 --> 00:04:56,588 Rock Hudson: Should be going. 105 00:04:58,840 --> 00:05:02,677 Reporter 1: Rock Hudson died peacefully in his sleep from AIDS, 106 00:05:02,761 --> 00:05:05,180 the first well-known person to publicly acknowledge 107 00:05:05,263 --> 00:05:06,973 his struggle with that fatal disease. 108 00:05:07,057 --> 00:05:10,852 Norman Sunshine: He signaled this catastrophe called AIDS, 109 00:05:10,935 --> 00:05:13,563 but Rock was an activist without knowing it. 110 00:05:13,605 --> 00:05:16,358 Reporter 2: Since AIDS is primarily a disease 111 00:05:16,441 --> 00:05:17,859 associated with homosexuals, 112 00:05:17,942 --> 00:05:20,695 talk of Hudson's lifestyle has surfaced. 113 00:05:20,779 --> 00:05:23,615 Maupin: They needed someone to say that he was gay, 114 00:05:23,698 --> 00:05:26,993 and the story would be told, and I didn't want it to be told 115 00:05:27,077 --> 00:05:30,955 in the way that the people in Hollywood wanted it told. 116 00:05:36,169 --> 00:05:38,797 Ronald L. Davis: This is an interview with actor Rock Hudson 117 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:42,175 taped in his home in Beverly Hills, California, 118 00:05:42,258 --> 00:05:46,638 on August 24th, 1983. 119 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:48,765 Well, I'm wondering, first of all, 120 00:05:48,807 --> 00:05:50,433 how an Illinois boy like yourself 121 00:05:50,475 --> 00:05:52,477 became interested in acting. 122 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:54,604 Hudson: I wanted to be an actor all my life. 123 00:05:54,646 --> 00:05:57,941 That has always hypnotized me. 124 00:05:57,982 --> 00:06:00,235 Davis: Did you have acting training as a boy? 125 00:06:00,318 --> 00:06:03,738 Hudson: No. I could never freely say, 126 00:06:03,822 --> 00:06:05,824 "I'm going to be an actor when I grow up." 127 00:06:05,865 --> 00:06:06,825 Davis: Yeah. 128 00:06:06,908 --> 00:06:08,493 Hudson: Because that's sissy stuff. 129 00:06:08,535 --> 00:06:10,453 You oughta be a policeman or a fireman. 130 00:06:10,495 --> 00:06:12,747 So I never said anything. Kept my mouth shut. 131 00:06:12,831 --> 00:06:15,500 Nor did I enter in the drama society or anything like that. 132 00:06:15,542 --> 00:06:17,335 I had to work all the time, so I couldn't do 133 00:06:17,419 --> 00:06:19,796 any form of extracurricular activity. 134 00:06:19,838 --> 00:06:21,589 I had to make a living for myself. 135 00:06:21,673 --> 00:06:23,717 And then I went in the Navy in World War II 136 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:25,593 and went back home for a summer, 137 00:06:25,677 --> 00:06:28,346 and I thought, "This place is not for me. 138 00:06:28,430 --> 00:06:31,182 Now is the time to do what I want to do." 139 00:06:31,266 --> 00:06:33,685 (mellow jazz music) 140 00:06:33,727 --> 00:06:37,689 I did know one person in Los Angeles, 141 00:06:37,772 --> 00:06:38,606 my father. 142 00:06:38,690 --> 00:06:39,691 My parents divorced, 143 00:06:39,733 --> 00:06:41,776 and so he was living out here. 144 00:06:41,818 --> 00:06:43,278 So I came out 145 00:06:43,361 --> 00:06:44,738 and stayed with him. 146 00:06:44,821 --> 00:06:47,574 It was very difficult for me to make friends out here. 147 00:06:47,657 --> 00:06:48,783 Then I got to know 148 00:06:48,867 --> 00:06:51,411 a guy who was an older brother 149 00:06:51,494 --> 00:06:54,247 of a guy I was overseas with. 150 00:06:54,330 --> 00:06:55,665 And it was one of those things, 151 00:06:55,707 --> 00:06:57,792 "If you're ever in Los Angeles, look me up." 152 00:06:57,876 --> 00:06:59,461 So I called him and he said, 153 00:06:59,544 --> 00:07:00,879 "Come on up for Sunday dinner." 154 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,798 So I did, met his brother, who lived in Long Beach, 155 00:07:03,882 --> 00:07:06,718 who used to be a radio producer. 156 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:08,219 He began inviting me down 157 00:07:08,303 --> 00:07:10,055 to his place down in Long Beach. 158 00:07:10,138 --> 00:07:12,349 We became best friends. 159 00:07:12,390 --> 00:07:14,976 Richard Hodge: Kenneth Hodge was my uncle. 160 00:07:15,060 --> 00:07:16,519 A man of the arts. 161 00:07:16,561 --> 00:07:20,023 Somebody that really loved to help people. 162 00:07:20,106 --> 00:07:22,525 It was never, ever spoken of 163 00:07:22,567 --> 00:07:24,569 that, you know, he might be gay. 164 00:07:24,611 --> 00:07:27,781 I'd never heard that word at that point in time. 165 00:07:27,864 --> 00:07:31,159 Being gay was considered, you know, a neurosis. 166 00:07:31,242 --> 00:07:35,538 It was just a subject that, uh, that was off the table. 167 00:07:36,915 --> 00:07:39,376 Rock was just getting out of the Navy 168 00:07:39,417 --> 00:07:42,087 and hadn't been into the pictures yet. 169 00:07:42,128 --> 00:07:44,130 So Kenneth was really enthralled with him 170 00:07:44,214 --> 00:07:49,052 and was sort of "love at first sight," I think for, for Ken. 171 00:07:49,135 --> 00:07:52,389 They were very much lovers. 172 00:07:52,430 --> 00:07:54,808 Kenneth had a big Hollywood job. 173 00:07:54,891 --> 00:07:57,435 He was a director in radio, and he had a good network. 174 00:07:57,519 --> 00:08:00,939 He had plenty of people to introduce Rock to, 175 00:08:01,022 --> 00:08:06,111 and he helped facilitate some of Rock's early career. 176 00:08:06,778 --> 00:08:09,739 Hudson: He suggested that I get some pictures taken 177 00:08:09,781 --> 00:08:11,616 and send them around to agents. 178 00:08:11,700 --> 00:08:12,951 I said, "What's an agent?" 179 00:08:12,992 --> 00:08:16,246 Now I'm Midwestern hick. Please understand. 180 00:08:16,287 --> 00:08:18,081 Not knowing anything at all. 181 00:08:18,123 --> 00:08:22,210 Anyway, I had one response, that's all. 182 00:08:22,293 --> 00:08:23,795 And that was Henry Willson. 183 00:08:23,878 --> 00:08:25,463 Davis: Is that right? 184 00:08:25,547 --> 00:08:27,966 Hodge: Rock was very ambitious. 185 00:08:28,008 --> 00:08:30,927 He got scooped up with a big-time agent 186 00:08:30,969 --> 00:08:34,764 who really accelerated Rock's career. 187 00:08:34,806 --> 00:08:36,975 And from what I know is, 188 00:08:37,017 --> 00:08:40,227 he kind of dropped Ken on the spot. 189 00:08:40,270 --> 00:08:43,690 I think it ended really abruptly. 190 00:08:46,234 --> 00:08:50,196 I never really saw my uncle in love again. 191 00:08:51,698 --> 00:08:54,367 And I think Rock broke his heart. 192 00:08:54,451 --> 00:08:56,661 (audience applauding) 193 00:08:56,703 --> 00:08:59,372 (indistinct chatter) 194 00:08:59,456 --> 00:09:02,917 And the fella sitting next to you in the audience down there, 195 00:09:03,001 --> 00:09:04,836 there's the man who gave you that name, 196 00:09:04,919 --> 00:09:07,547 your good friend and personal manager, Mr. Henry Willson. 197 00:09:07,630 --> 00:09:10,300 Henry, stand up, please, let the folks see you. 198 00:09:10,342 --> 00:09:12,177 (Rock laughing) 199 00:09:12,260 --> 00:09:15,180 Matter of fact, uh, Henry discovered Rock 200 00:09:15,221 --> 00:09:17,974 and fostered his rapid rise in pictures. 201 00:09:18,016 --> 00:09:19,184 Hudson: Mm-hmm. 202 00:09:19,267 --> 00:09:21,936 Hofler: In the '40s, Henry Willson went to work 203 00:09:22,020 --> 00:09:24,564 for David O. Selznick right after David O. Selznick 204 00:09:24,647 --> 00:09:26,691 finished "Gone With the Wind." 205 00:09:26,733 --> 00:09:29,194 Henry and Rock met at a party 206 00:09:29,235 --> 00:09:34,532 that this boyfriend-agent of Rock's took him to. 207 00:09:34,574 --> 00:09:37,160 Rock realized, "I'm going with the guy 208 00:09:37,202 --> 00:09:40,663 who's the head of talent for Selznick Studios!" 209 00:09:40,705 --> 00:09:43,540 So Rock was one of his first clients, 210 00:09:43,583 --> 00:09:46,211 and there were dozens of other men 211 00:09:46,252 --> 00:09:48,880 who have been completely forgotten, 212 00:09:48,922 --> 00:09:52,759 who had crazy names like "Race Gentry." 213 00:09:52,842 --> 00:09:55,220 You only have to look at the silent movies, 214 00:09:55,303 --> 00:09:58,807 where you would have these men like Ramon Novarro 215 00:09:58,890 --> 00:10:00,767 or Rudolph Valentino. 216 00:10:00,850 --> 00:10:03,395 And they were considered way too effeminate 217 00:10:03,478 --> 00:10:05,397 by the late '30s. 218 00:10:06,106 --> 00:10:08,566 As we come out of World War II, 219 00:10:08,650 --> 00:10:11,611 our icons, particularly in the movies, 220 00:10:11,695 --> 00:10:13,822 become more butch. 221 00:10:13,905 --> 00:10:16,157 A more masculine man 222 00:10:16,241 --> 00:10:19,369 in the stereotypical way took over. 223 00:10:19,411 --> 00:10:23,206 There were all these photographs of soldiers and sailors. 224 00:10:23,248 --> 00:10:27,460 And so that kind of upped the ante of 225 00:10:27,544 --> 00:10:32,090 this macho quality that people wanted in a movie star. 226 00:10:32,132 --> 00:10:36,636 And so the physique became more important 227 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:41,141 and you had more taking off of the shirt. 228 00:10:42,142 --> 00:10:45,395 And that's where Henry Willson really came in. 229 00:10:45,437 --> 00:10:48,481 He groomed the male stars 230 00:10:48,565 --> 00:10:51,776 to be more butch, frankly. 231 00:10:51,818 --> 00:10:53,486 And he did it with, 232 00:10:53,570 --> 00:10:54,988 you know, a number of these guys 233 00:10:55,071 --> 00:10:56,823 who were ex-soldiers and sailors, 234 00:10:56,906 --> 00:10:58,950 and Rock Hudson was one of them. 235 00:10:59,034 --> 00:11:01,619 -Actress: You are divine. -I know, but I'm in training. 236 00:11:01,661 --> 00:11:03,663 (women laughing) 237 00:11:03,747 --> 00:11:05,123 Hudson: So then I started 238 00:11:05,206 --> 00:11:06,958 going to class and going to diction lessons, 239 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:08,501 learning how to lower my voice, 240 00:11:08,585 --> 00:11:09,919 learning how to horseback ride, 241 00:11:09,961 --> 00:11:11,629 learning anything I could, 242 00:11:11,713 --> 00:11:16,801 'cause something within this Midwestern hick stupidity of mine 243 00:11:16,843 --> 00:11:19,554 told me that if you're gonna do something, do it, 244 00:11:19,637 --> 00:11:21,348 and do it the best you can and learn. 245 00:11:21,431 --> 00:11:23,433 I knew that, at least. 246 00:11:23,475 --> 00:11:27,354 Mark Griffin: Henry Willson was very shrewd in knowing 247 00:11:27,437 --> 00:11:30,273 that if there is even a trace of effeminacy, 248 00:11:30,315 --> 00:11:32,817 whether it's a giggle or a flutter, 249 00:11:32,901 --> 00:11:34,944 that that's going to read on screen. 250 00:11:34,986 --> 00:11:37,864 Hofler: He showed them how to do their hair, 251 00:11:37,947 --> 00:11:39,657 what to wear, all of that. 252 00:11:39,699 --> 00:11:42,660 You know, he was a real grooming school. 253 00:11:42,702 --> 00:11:46,706 He taught them how to be heterosexual. 254 00:11:46,790 --> 00:11:51,044 (jazz singer vocalizing) 255 00:11:53,838 --> 00:11:56,549 Griffin: So, Kathleen, I wanted to begin by asking 256 00:11:56,633 --> 00:11:59,594 about the screen test that you appeared in with Rock. 257 00:11:59,678 --> 00:12:01,179 -Kathleen Hughes: Oh, yes. -(knocking) 258 00:12:01,221 --> 00:12:03,306 Griffin: I was just wondering, had you met Rock 259 00:12:03,348 --> 00:12:05,558 prior to appearing in the test with him? 260 00:12:05,642 --> 00:12:07,185 Hughes: No, I hadn't. 261 00:12:07,227 --> 00:12:09,479 Griffin: What was your initial impression of him? 262 00:12:09,521 --> 00:12:12,190 Hughes: Well, he was certainly very handsome... 263 00:12:12,232 --> 00:12:14,693 (laughs) ...no question of that. 264 00:12:14,776 --> 00:12:17,821 And he was very pleasant, very nice. 265 00:12:17,862 --> 00:12:19,531 Honey, I'm gonna tell you something. 266 00:12:19,572 --> 00:12:22,033 You can believe it or not, but it's the truth. 267 00:12:22,075 --> 00:12:24,911 The last winter of the war over in Germany... 268 00:12:24,994 --> 00:12:31,042 Hughes: He did not appeal to me as a man or as a date. 269 00:12:31,084 --> 00:12:36,047 He was very nice, but I... there was no spark. 270 00:12:36,131 --> 00:12:39,092 -(peaceful piano music) -Director: Cut! 271 00:12:39,175 --> 00:12:42,387 Hudson: I was under contract with Universal Pictures. 272 00:12:42,429 --> 00:12:44,806 And then I was with them 17, 18 years. 273 00:12:44,848 --> 00:12:47,225 Universal in those days, it was a wonderful studio. 274 00:12:47,267 --> 00:12:50,395 They took care of everything for the actor. 275 00:12:50,478 --> 00:12:52,147 The house you live in, 276 00:12:52,230 --> 00:12:53,773 the shopping, your meals, a cook. 277 00:12:53,857 --> 00:12:56,568 It was all done for you. 278 00:12:56,651 --> 00:13:02,240 So that the only thing you had to be concerned about was your performance. 279 00:13:02,323 --> 00:13:03,783 ♪♪ 280 00:13:03,867 --> 00:13:06,036 Piper Laurie: See that little glint of fear 281 00:13:06,077 --> 00:13:08,705 in his eyes, the insecurity? 282 00:13:08,747 --> 00:13:11,166 Rock and I had both been signed 283 00:13:11,249 --> 00:13:14,002 to be under contract to Universal. 284 00:13:14,085 --> 00:13:16,212 One of the things that we had to do 285 00:13:16,254 --> 00:13:18,298 after we were all under contract was 286 00:13:18,381 --> 00:13:21,259 be a part of a theatrical presentation 287 00:13:21,343 --> 00:13:26,264 for all the studio heads and producers and agents. 288 00:13:27,098 --> 00:13:30,393 And he'd never been on the stage before. 289 00:13:30,435 --> 00:13:35,357 And, and I saw that he was physically out of control. 290 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,318 He was just, he was very much like a child 291 00:13:38,401 --> 00:13:42,113 and just shaking visibly and perspiring 292 00:13:42,155 --> 00:13:45,492 and looked like he couldn't stand on his feet. 293 00:13:45,575 --> 00:13:49,496 And I embraced him, and I held him like I was his mother 294 00:13:49,579 --> 00:13:54,959 and tried to infuse some strength in him, courage. 295 00:13:55,043 --> 00:13:57,128 But he was so frightened. 296 00:13:58,672 --> 00:14:01,424 Hughes: My best friend at the time, 297 00:14:01,466 --> 00:14:04,636 who was also under contract, Susan Cabot. 298 00:14:04,719 --> 00:14:07,055 Well, she was always telling me 299 00:14:07,138 --> 00:14:09,224 how madly in love with him she was. 300 00:14:09,307 --> 00:14:14,354 And she told me that he took her home to meet his mother once. 301 00:14:14,437 --> 00:14:18,358 She was really hoping to end up with him. 302 00:14:18,441 --> 00:14:22,487 And I had already heard that he was gay. 303 00:14:22,570 --> 00:14:27,409 And I said, "Um, I don't think it's gonna happen." 304 00:14:27,492 --> 00:14:30,995 "Oh, yes, yes. It's just got to happen." 305 00:14:31,079 --> 00:14:33,957 Well, it didn't happen. 306 00:14:33,998 --> 00:14:35,959 I can't marry you. 307 00:14:36,001 --> 00:14:38,878 Why not, darling? Why not? 308 00:14:42,924 --> 00:14:46,386 For a moment, I, I forgot what I am. 309 00:14:48,096 --> 00:14:50,181 (mellow jazz music) 310 00:14:50,265 --> 00:14:52,017 Hofler: There's a womanizer 311 00:14:52,100 --> 00:14:53,977 and Henry Willson was a manizer. 312 00:14:54,019 --> 00:14:57,939 And he was pretty straightforward about, 313 00:14:58,023 --> 00:15:01,192 "Well, I'll sign you and you'll sleep with me," 314 00:15:01,234 --> 00:15:04,529 and there was even kind of negotiations that went on, 315 00:15:04,612 --> 00:15:08,283 and he quickly gained a reputation for it. 316 00:15:08,366 --> 00:15:12,454 And young, good-looking men went to him 317 00:15:12,537 --> 00:15:16,708 using their sex to be signed by him. 318 00:15:16,750 --> 00:15:18,376 They knew what they were doing. 319 00:15:18,460 --> 00:15:21,463 I don't think, when it came to sex, 320 00:15:21,546 --> 00:15:26,301 Rock was ever innocent by the time he arrived in Hollywood. 321 00:15:26,384 --> 00:15:29,554 Actress: The next time we saw Roy was over a week later, 322 00:15:29,596 --> 00:15:31,556 only you wouldn't know it was the same man. 323 00:15:31,598 --> 00:15:32,891 Hello. 324 00:15:32,974 --> 00:15:35,226 Griffin: In 1951, Henry Willson 325 00:15:35,310 --> 00:15:38,104 introduces his most promising client, Rock Hudson, 326 00:15:38,188 --> 00:15:41,649 to an aspiring actor named Bob Preble. 327 00:15:42,525 --> 00:15:45,570 Soon these two eligible bachelors are living together 328 00:15:45,653 --> 00:15:50,367 in a one-bedroom house off Mulholland Drive. 329 00:15:50,408 --> 00:15:52,202 (cool jazz music) 330 00:15:52,243 --> 00:15:55,538 "Photoplay" magazine publishes this article, 331 00:15:55,580 --> 00:15:58,165 and we're allowed to peek through the window, 332 00:15:58,249 --> 00:16:02,921 as it were, into Rock and Bob's private sanctuary. 333 00:16:03,004 --> 00:16:04,923 ♪♪ 334 00:16:05,006 --> 00:16:10,595 What's being depicted is almost sort of like this marital intimacy. 335 00:16:10,679 --> 00:16:15,016 And yet every effort is made to portray Rock and Bob as like 336 00:16:15,100 --> 00:16:17,352 wholesome all-American boys. 337 00:16:17,435 --> 00:16:20,271 Preble later admitted to some quote, unquote, 338 00:16:20,313 --> 00:16:21,940 "experimenting" with Rock 339 00:16:21,981 --> 00:16:24,067 when they were roommates. 340 00:16:24,109 --> 00:16:25,652 But "Photoplay" magazine would have us believe 341 00:16:25,735 --> 00:16:28,738 that the only reason these two hunks are living together 342 00:16:28,780 --> 00:16:30,615 is to save a buck. 343 00:16:31,616 --> 00:16:34,994 Look, baby, there's no strings on me. 344 00:16:35,078 --> 00:16:36,913 I do what I like. 345 00:16:36,955 --> 00:16:39,249 And the same thing goes for you. 346 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:43,628 And we got music. 347 00:16:43,670 --> 00:16:47,674 (contemplative music) 348 00:16:52,470 --> 00:16:56,975 Griffin: In 1951, Rock meets fellow actor George Nader 349 00:16:57,058 --> 00:17:02,689 and Nader's long-term partner, Mark Miller. 350 00:17:02,772 --> 00:17:04,398 And for the next 34 years, 351 00:17:04,482 --> 00:17:07,609 this trio is virtually inseparable. 352 00:17:08,236 --> 00:17:11,196 The bond is forged through, you know, things like 353 00:17:11,281 --> 00:17:13,366 a similar sense of humor 354 00:17:13,450 --> 00:17:16,286 and this tendency towards mischief. 355 00:17:16,327 --> 00:17:20,623 There's also this shared misery of the closet. 356 00:17:20,665 --> 00:17:25,337 There are countless lovers, short-term boyfriends, 357 00:17:25,420 --> 00:17:30,675 and weekend flings that pass through Rock Hudson's life. 358 00:17:30,717 --> 00:17:35,138 But the friendship with Nader and Miller endured. 359 00:17:37,515 --> 00:17:39,517 Ain't he the sweetest player you ever saw? 360 00:17:39,559 --> 00:17:41,353 He is not. 361 00:17:42,020 --> 00:17:45,482 Thomson: I think that Hudson was regarded 362 00:17:45,523 --> 00:17:49,486 as a big, strong, handsome guy. 363 00:17:49,527 --> 00:17:53,198 And the natural instinct was to put him 364 00:17:53,281 --> 00:17:56,951 in a lot of cheap adventure films. 365 00:17:57,035 --> 00:18:00,663 It took time for the studio to see 366 00:18:00,747 --> 00:18:04,209 that what they really had there 367 00:18:04,250 --> 00:18:05,960 was a subtler actor 368 00:18:06,044 --> 00:18:07,545 than they ever guessed. 369 00:18:07,962 --> 00:18:09,923 Johash! The horses! 370 00:18:10,006 --> 00:18:13,968 (band playing "Has Anybody Seen My Gal") 371 00:18:14,052 --> 00:18:15,387 Narrator: Yes, here they are, 372 00:18:15,428 --> 00:18:17,389 those wild and wonderful '20s, 373 00:18:17,472 --> 00:18:19,557 the years of speakeasies and hot jazz. 374 00:18:19,641 --> 00:18:23,269 (upbeat jazz music) 375 00:18:23,353 --> 00:18:25,563 (speaking German) 376 00:18:38,243 --> 00:18:40,620 -Will I see you tonight? -You bet, Millie, 8 o'clock. 377 00:18:40,704 --> 00:18:42,622 -There's a good-- Yes, sir. -A double bromo. 378 00:18:42,706 --> 00:18:44,749 One double bromo. There's a good movie... 379 00:18:44,791 --> 00:18:47,419 Laurie: I personally felt that part was beneath him. 380 00:18:47,502 --> 00:18:49,587 I thought he was miscast. 381 00:18:49,629 --> 00:18:53,091 You know, he was a 6'4" hunk, 382 00:18:53,174 --> 00:18:55,969 and to be playing lines 383 00:18:56,052 --> 00:18:58,555 that belonged in a teenager's mouth. 384 00:18:58,596 --> 00:19:01,099 Watch me! One strawberry surprise. 385 00:19:01,766 --> 00:19:05,937 Laurie: I just thought it was beneath him, and he was a good sport. 386 00:19:06,438 --> 00:19:09,566 Did you know that in the drugstore scenes, uh... 387 00:19:09,607 --> 00:19:11,443 Griffin: Is it the young Jimmy Dean? 388 00:19:11,484 --> 00:19:13,278 Laurie: Yeah, yeah. He was sitting at the counter. 389 00:19:13,361 --> 00:19:15,864 Nobody paid any attention, nobody knew him then. 390 00:19:15,947 --> 00:19:18,616 Two scoops of vanilla ice cream, one mixed up with the rest. 391 00:19:18,700 --> 00:19:20,201 And, uh, one floating. 392 00:19:20,285 --> 00:19:22,162 (moody jazz music) 393 00:19:22,245 --> 00:19:24,456 (Sirk speaking German) 394 00:19:57,072 --> 00:19:58,948 Announcer: Film producer Ross Hunter, 395 00:19:58,990 --> 00:20:01,826 who not only is one of the most successful producers in town, 396 00:20:01,868 --> 00:20:03,787 but one of the best liked. 397 00:20:03,828 --> 00:20:07,040 I believe in, you know, authenticity, real flowers and real paintings. 398 00:20:07,123 --> 00:20:10,210 And there's a million dollars' worth of jewels here tonight. 399 00:20:10,835 --> 00:20:13,505 Ross Hunter: The studio asked, "What would you like to do?" 400 00:20:13,546 --> 00:20:15,715 And I said, "Well, I would like to do something 401 00:20:15,799 --> 00:20:18,301 "that I believe is very much needed in this industry, 402 00:20:18,343 --> 00:20:19,636 and that is to bring back glamor." 403 00:20:19,678 --> 00:20:22,347 So I said, "Let's do some love stories." 404 00:20:22,389 --> 00:20:25,350 (expansive symphonic music) 405 00:20:31,606 --> 00:20:35,235 Douglas Sirk: I only can say I smelled something 406 00:20:35,318 --> 00:20:37,696 interesting in the film. 407 00:20:37,737 --> 00:20:41,783 Something which I would call metaphysical. 408 00:20:41,866 --> 00:20:45,203 You know, it's very strange knowing you only like this. 409 00:20:45,245 --> 00:20:47,580 So well, it seems, and... 410 00:20:47,664 --> 00:20:49,457 and yet... 411 00:20:50,375 --> 00:20:52,419 I've never seen your face. 412 00:20:52,502 --> 00:20:55,296 Hunter: The studio thought my ideas were crazy. 413 00:20:55,380 --> 00:20:57,340 I told them that I believe strongly 414 00:20:57,382 --> 00:20:59,175 in a man called Rock Hudson. 415 00:20:59,217 --> 00:21:01,886 And I would like to be able 416 00:21:01,928 --> 00:21:05,682 to use him as the young man in "Magnificent Obsession." 417 00:21:05,724 --> 00:21:09,102 He's a good-looking, clean-cut man 418 00:21:09,185 --> 00:21:11,479 that young people all over the world 419 00:21:11,563 --> 00:21:13,356 will fantasize about. 420 00:21:14,649 --> 00:21:17,402 Oh, I'm so glad you're here. 421 00:21:17,444 --> 00:21:19,696 You must have known how much I need you now. 422 00:21:19,738 --> 00:21:21,031 Darling. 423 00:21:21,072 --> 00:21:22,490 Griffin: Ross Hunter is kind of 424 00:21:22,574 --> 00:21:24,409 the one that clues into the fact 425 00:21:24,451 --> 00:21:27,370 that Rock is Prince Charming. 426 00:21:27,412 --> 00:21:30,123 You know, let's put him in some 427 00:21:30,206 --> 00:21:32,876 glossy romantic melodramas. 428 00:21:32,917 --> 00:21:35,378 That proved to be the winning formula 429 00:21:35,420 --> 00:21:37,547 for the beginning of Rock's career. 430 00:21:37,589 --> 00:21:41,217 I love you, and I wanna marry you. 431 00:21:41,259 --> 00:21:43,261 Hunter: Oh, the picture was probably 432 00:21:43,345 --> 00:21:44,888 one of the biggest moneymakers 433 00:21:44,971 --> 00:21:46,431 that Universal had ever had. 434 00:21:46,514 --> 00:21:49,434 Sirk: Rock Hudson became a star, 435 00:21:49,517 --> 00:21:52,771 just on account of this film. 436 00:21:52,854 --> 00:21:57,108 Announcer: Based on votes of moviegoers all over the nation, 437 00:21:57,192 --> 00:21:58,693 most popular actor of the year. 438 00:21:58,777 --> 00:22:00,528 (fans chanting "We want Rock!") 439 00:22:00,612 --> 00:22:03,198 Rock, take another bow. Take another bow. 440 00:22:03,281 --> 00:22:05,950 Take a bow, just take a bow. 441 00:22:06,034 --> 00:22:09,204 (Latin jazz music) 442 00:22:09,245 --> 00:22:12,123 -Aren't you Mrs. Ricky Ricardo? -Yeah-- Yes. 443 00:22:12,207 --> 00:22:13,917 -Well, I'm Rock Hudson. -Oh, yeah. 444 00:22:13,958 --> 00:22:16,544 -Well, I know that. -(audience laughing) 445 00:22:16,628 --> 00:22:19,089 Announcer: W ell, this is the second year in a row 446 00:22:19,130 --> 00:22:21,466 that Mr. Hudson has been picked by "Modern Screen" 447 00:22:21,549 --> 00:22:23,593 as most popular actor. 448 00:22:23,635 --> 00:22:25,637 Top honors for a top star. 449 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,890 (spirited jazz music concludes) 450 00:22:28,932 --> 00:22:31,017 (sweeping romantic music) 451 00:22:39,317 --> 00:22:42,529 But I'd be running away if I turn my back on everything I've known. 452 00:22:42,612 --> 00:22:45,699 Ron. Isn't it enough that we love each other? 453 00:22:47,992 --> 00:22:51,579 No, Cary, it isn't. 454 00:23:00,505 --> 00:23:02,340 Illeana Douglas: Sirk is German. 455 00:23:02,382 --> 00:23:04,300 He's making these movies 456 00:23:04,342 --> 00:23:10,515 as an outsider about our American values 457 00:23:10,557 --> 00:23:13,018 and kind of poking holes in them. 458 00:23:13,101 --> 00:23:15,687 Narrator: Their lives were worlds apart. 459 00:23:15,770 --> 00:23:18,732 Cary's world was bound by the country club set, 460 00:23:18,815 --> 00:23:21,609 their smug pretensions and their spiteful gossip. 461 00:23:21,693 --> 00:23:23,695 Ron's world was boundless. 462 00:23:23,737 --> 00:23:26,239 The great outdoors, the things that grow 463 00:23:26,322 --> 00:23:28,408 and real people who give and take 464 00:23:28,491 --> 00:23:29,659 all that heaven allows 465 00:23:29,701 --> 00:23:31,619 of love and happiness. 466 00:23:31,703 --> 00:23:35,331 (upbeat piano and accordion music) 467 00:23:35,373 --> 00:23:39,085 Douglas: Sirk created a signature style, 468 00:23:39,169 --> 00:23:41,379 which is, it's so beautiful, 469 00:23:41,421 --> 00:23:44,549 but if you look underneath the surface, 470 00:23:44,632 --> 00:23:46,801 under the white picket fences, 471 00:23:46,885 --> 00:23:51,890 you're gonna see how torrid and ugly everything is. 472 00:23:51,973 --> 00:23:54,059 -Howard, you're drunk. -Why, Cary! 473 00:23:54,100 --> 00:23:56,603 -(glass shatters) -Isn't one man enough for you? 474 00:23:56,686 --> 00:23:59,230 Maybe you'd better stay right where you are. 475 00:23:59,606 --> 00:24:01,733 Douglas: Rock Hudson is just a... 476 00:24:01,816 --> 00:24:06,529 a perfect example of a male Adonis, 477 00:24:06,571 --> 00:24:11,242 but he's also sensitive, well-rounded guy. 478 00:24:11,284 --> 00:24:16,081 You know, he's not strictly a sex object for Jane Wyman. 479 00:24:16,790 --> 00:24:22,504 He was the perfect man for women of that era 480 00:24:22,587 --> 00:24:26,424 that maybe were trapped in lonely marriages 481 00:24:26,466 --> 00:24:30,303 with insensitive, unfeeling men. 482 00:24:30,762 --> 00:24:33,598 Look, Mick, I told her that I love her. 483 00:24:33,682 --> 00:24:35,642 I asked her to marry me. I can't force her. 484 00:24:35,725 --> 00:24:37,143 She has to make up her own mind. 485 00:24:37,227 --> 00:24:40,397 She doesn't wanna make up her own mind, no girl does. 486 00:24:40,438 --> 00:24:42,107 She wants you to make it up for her. 487 00:24:42,148 --> 00:24:43,817 Come on, let's go. 488 00:24:44,275 --> 00:24:51,032 Douglas: Rock Hudson is playing a man called Rock Hudson, 489 00:24:51,116 --> 00:24:57,288 who is the personification of Americana. 490 00:24:57,372 --> 00:25:01,459 (contemplative music) 491 00:25:01,543 --> 00:25:04,254 The identity was given to him... 492 00:25:04,295 --> 00:25:06,381 ♪♪ 493 00:25:06,464 --> 00:25:10,802 ...and he slipped into it and he played it for the rest of his life. 494 00:25:10,844 --> 00:25:13,013 (contemplative music continues) 495 00:25:20,145 --> 00:25:22,647 Actor: This is the biggest thing that's ever happened to you. 496 00:25:22,731 --> 00:25:24,274 -Yeah? -Yeah. 497 00:25:24,315 --> 00:25:26,609 That's why it was such a hurry for me to get over here 498 00:25:26,651 --> 00:25:27,777 and clean up your image. 499 00:25:27,819 --> 00:25:29,821 What's wrong with my image? 500 00:25:29,863 --> 00:25:32,490 You make it sound like I've just been named Leper of the Year. 501 00:25:32,574 --> 00:25:34,117 Well, you know the mentality of that board, 502 00:25:34,159 --> 00:25:35,994 they're hipped on the idea of a corporate image, 503 00:25:36,036 --> 00:25:38,913 solid American gentry, family respectability. 504 00:25:38,997 --> 00:25:41,750 For their top executives, there are not 10 commandments, only one: 505 00:25:41,833 --> 00:25:44,627 "Thou shalt be married, happily and respectably married." 506 00:25:44,669 --> 00:25:46,671 -Whether you like it or not. -That's right. 507 00:25:46,713 --> 00:25:48,340 From now on you're gonna have a new look. 508 00:25:48,381 --> 00:25:50,008 No more gay married bachelor. 509 00:25:50,091 --> 00:25:52,677 It's got to be Carter Harrison, family man. 510 00:25:53,470 --> 00:25:55,680 Male Chorus: ♪ Maybe I'm right ♪ 511 00:25:55,722 --> 00:25:59,351 ♪ And maybe I'm wrong ♪ 512 00:25:59,434 --> 00:26:01,811 ♪ Maybe I'm weak ♪ 513 00:26:01,853 --> 00:26:04,439 ♪ And maybe I'm strong ♪ 514 00:26:04,522 --> 00:26:06,733 ♪ But nevertheless ♪ 515 00:26:06,816 --> 00:26:09,861 ♪ I'm in love... ♪ 516 00:26:09,903 --> 00:26:12,322 Griffin: By the late 1950s, 517 00:26:12,405 --> 00:26:14,741 Rock Hudson had really arrived. 518 00:26:14,824 --> 00:26:17,869 Rock's great popularity as a matinee idol 519 00:26:17,952 --> 00:26:20,205 poses this significant problem 520 00:26:20,246 --> 00:26:22,707 for his handlers and studio executives. 521 00:26:22,791 --> 00:26:25,335 On the screen, he's wooing women 522 00:26:25,377 --> 00:26:27,170 like Jane Wyman and Piper Laurie 523 00:26:27,212 --> 00:26:29,839 and the fans are really eating it up. 524 00:26:29,881 --> 00:26:32,050 But he's nearly 30 years old 525 00:26:32,133 --> 00:26:34,803 and he's sort of suspiciously unmarried. 526 00:26:34,886 --> 00:26:36,721 ♪ ...with you ♪ 527 00:26:36,805 --> 00:26:39,224 Griffin: In the days when you were working with Rock, 528 00:26:39,307 --> 00:26:41,518 the fan magazines like "Photoplay" and "Modern Screen" 529 00:26:41,559 --> 00:26:42,727 started to print articles 530 00:26:42,811 --> 00:26:44,729 in which Betty Abbott was described 531 00:26:44,813 --> 00:26:46,481 as "Rock Hudson's best girl." 532 00:26:46,564 --> 00:26:47,691 Betty Abbott Griffin: Oh, I know. 533 00:26:47,732 --> 00:26:49,401 We would laugh our heads off. 534 00:26:49,442 --> 00:26:51,903 -(Griffin laughs) - Abbott Griffin : I mean, it was publicity. 535 00:26:51,986 --> 00:26:55,198 I mean, we knew what they were trying to do 536 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:56,991 and we'd sit there and laugh it off. 537 00:26:57,075 --> 00:26:59,077 ♪ A life of regret... ♪ 538 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:02,580 Hofler: No one cared what you really did in Hollywood. 539 00:27:02,622 --> 00:27:05,917 It's just as long as you played along 540 00:27:05,959 --> 00:27:09,921 and you presented a facade to the public. 541 00:27:10,005 --> 00:27:14,884 So living with another man is not kind of playing the game. 542 00:27:14,926 --> 00:27:18,221 Playing the game is getting married. 543 00:27:18,263 --> 00:27:20,724 ♪ But nevertheless ♪ 544 00:27:20,765 --> 00:27:23,476 ♪ I'm in love ♪ 545 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:25,270 ♪ With ♪ 546 00:27:25,353 --> 00:27:29,107 ♪ You ♪ 547 00:27:29,149 --> 00:27:31,109 It's about time you got hitched, isn't it? 548 00:27:33,236 --> 00:27:34,612 No, I... 549 00:27:34,654 --> 00:27:36,906 I have trouble enough finding oil. 550 00:27:36,990 --> 00:27:37,907 (chuckles) 551 00:27:37,949 --> 00:27:40,702 Griffin: Enter Phyllis Gates. 552 00:27:40,785 --> 00:27:43,621 Not only is she Henry Willson's secretary, 553 00:27:43,705 --> 00:27:45,957 but she's really heaven sent. 554 00:27:46,041 --> 00:27:48,460 It's like direct from central casting 555 00:27:48,543 --> 00:27:50,462 to play Mrs. Rock Hudson. 556 00:27:50,545 --> 00:27:53,423 In November of 1955, 557 00:27:53,465 --> 00:27:55,050 Rock and Phyllis are married 558 00:27:55,133 --> 00:27:57,802 at the Biltmore Hotel in Santa Barbara. 559 00:27:57,886 --> 00:28:00,764 The ceremony took place only eight days 560 00:28:00,805 --> 00:28:03,308 before Hudson's 30th birthday. 561 00:28:03,350 --> 00:28:05,935 And not surprisingly, Henry Willson, 562 00:28:05,977 --> 00:28:08,980 the omnipresent, tended to every detail. 563 00:28:09,022 --> 00:28:11,649 Though he does stop short of joining the newlyweds 564 00:28:11,691 --> 00:28:13,943 when they honeymoon in the Caribbean. 565 00:28:13,985 --> 00:28:16,780 I tend to believe that it was arranged, 566 00:28:16,863 --> 00:28:20,158 that Henry Willson paired off an essentially gay man 567 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:23,995 and a woman rumored to be bi or gay herself. 568 00:28:24,079 --> 00:28:26,456 Both participants may have agreed to play house 569 00:28:26,498 --> 00:28:30,251 in the name of keeping Hudson's career blazing. 570 00:28:30,335 --> 00:28:32,921 Hofler: Oh, it was totally engineered by Henry. 571 00:28:32,962 --> 00:28:37,967 You know, and the, the thing that was such a joke about it 572 00:28:38,009 --> 00:28:41,096 is that Rock didn't look any further 573 00:28:41,179 --> 00:28:43,139 than his agent's secretary. 574 00:28:44,182 --> 00:28:48,687 Griffin: In some ways, Rock is the most successful creation 575 00:28:48,770 --> 00:28:50,939 of that golden age of Hollywood, 576 00:28:51,022 --> 00:28:54,859 the last of those really manufactured stars 577 00:28:54,943 --> 00:28:56,069 where every aspect 578 00:28:56,152 --> 00:28:59,739 of what we think to be their private life 579 00:28:59,823 --> 00:29:03,368 has been built by other people. 580 00:29:09,708 --> 00:29:11,042 (crowd cheering) 581 00:29:11,084 --> 00:29:13,753 Hudson: I like to lean upon a director, 582 00:29:13,837 --> 00:29:17,841 and if I can't lean on him, I'm rather lost. 583 00:29:17,882 --> 00:29:19,968 And I am forced to rely on myself. 584 00:29:20,051 --> 00:29:22,846 And that's not a comfortable feeling. 585 00:29:22,887 --> 00:29:25,306 (expansive orchestral theme) 586 00:29:29,519 --> 00:29:32,230 Interviewer: When the opportunity came for you to work 587 00:29:32,272 --> 00:29:33,898 with George Stevens, what was your...? 588 00:29:33,940 --> 00:29:36,192 Hudson: Oh, well, scrape me off the ceiling. 589 00:29:36,234 --> 00:29:38,403 I mean, the thrill of a lifetime for me. 590 00:29:38,486 --> 00:29:40,613 But it was really true what everybody said, 591 00:29:40,697 --> 00:29:43,575 make yourself a piece of putty and put yourself in his hands 592 00:29:43,616 --> 00:29:45,201 and rely on him. 593 00:29:46,119 --> 00:29:49,414 Allison Anders: George Stevens is one of those classic 594 00:29:49,497 --> 00:29:51,249 American filmmakers, 595 00:29:51,332 --> 00:29:54,002 and no story I know is as big as "Giant." 596 00:29:54,085 --> 00:29:56,171 It spans so many decades. 597 00:29:56,254 --> 00:29:59,299 It spans so many sensibilities. 598 00:29:59,382 --> 00:30:04,971 Just the photography alone is so magnificent. 599 00:30:05,055 --> 00:30:08,892 I've probably seen "Giant" hundreds of times. 600 00:30:09,434 --> 00:30:11,436 I lost one friend I had in this place 601 00:30:11,519 --> 00:30:13,104 and I know it too. 602 00:30:13,188 --> 00:30:15,315 So I quit. I'm dead quit. 603 00:30:15,398 --> 00:30:17,108 Don't have to say another word to me. 604 00:30:17,150 --> 00:30:18,735 Nobody's firing you, Jett. 605 00:30:18,777 --> 00:30:21,446 Davis: What kind of memories do you have of James Dean? 606 00:30:21,488 --> 00:30:25,283 Hudson: George used Jimmy because Jimmy was new and hot. 607 00:30:25,367 --> 00:30:27,494 -Davis: Mm-hmm. Yes. -Hudson: Hot-hot. 608 00:30:27,577 --> 00:30:30,747 I didn't particularly like him, personally. 609 00:30:30,789 --> 00:30:32,123 -Would you excuse me? -Davis: Sure. 610 00:30:32,207 --> 00:30:33,958 Hudson: I'm wanna go get a pack of cigarettes. 611 00:30:35,752 --> 00:30:36,961 (men clamoring) 612 00:30:37,003 --> 00:30:38,505 Griffin: According to some accounts, 613 00:30:38,588 --> 00:30:42,342 James Dean was rather disdainful of Hudson. 614 00:30:42,884 --> 00:30:45,053 Dean considered it hypocritical 615 00:30:45,136 --> 00:30:48,640 that Rock was maintaining this hetero facade in public 616 00:30:48,723 --> 00:30:51,059 while privately hitting on Dean, 617 00:30:51,142 --> 00:30:53,019 if we're to believe the rumor mill. 618 00:30:53,103 --> 00:30:56,690 Some might say that that's a case of the pot calling the kettle black. 619 00:30:56,773 --> 00:31:00,402 You know, it's pretty well documented that early in his career, 620 00:31:00,485 --> 00:31:04,030 James Dean was kept by a gay radio executive 621 00:31:04,114 --> 00:31:07,575 who was indeed friends with Rock's agent, Henry Willson. 622 00:31:07,659 --> 00:31:10,328 If you're talking about shrouded sexuality, 623 00:31:10,412 --> 00:31:12,330 they weren't all that different. 624 00:31:12,372 --> 00:31:14,416 Davis: While we're talking about James Dean, 625 00:31:14,499 --> 00:31:16,668 I don't know whether you had anything else you wanted to... 626 00:31:16,710 --> 00:31:19,713 Hudson: As I say, I didn't like the fella too much. 627 00:31:19,796 --> 00:31:22,132 I don't know as I should say any more. 628 00:31:22,173 --> 00:31:24,342 Uh, Jimmy was dead before the picture was over. 629 00:31:24,384 --> 00:31:27,262 -Davis: Yes. -Hudson: I don't like to talk against anybody. 630 00:31:27,345 --> 00:31:29,305 And I don't like to talk against the dead. 631 00:31:29,347 --> 00:31:31,516 -Davis: Mm-hmm. -Hudson: So I think I should shut up. 632 00:31:31,599 --> 00:31:33,351 -Davis: Yeah, all right. Okay. -(Rock laughs) 633 00:31:33,435 --> 00:31:35,979 Hudson: Where do you think you're going with my automobile? 634 00:31:36,021 --> 00:31:37,856 -(engine stops) -Just hold on. 635 00:31:37,939 --> 00:31:42,444 Griffin: Hudson has definite negative feelings about James Dean, 636 00:31:42,527 --> 00:31:45,363 but those feelings are sharply contrasted 637 00:31:45,447 --> 00:31:49,659 with how much he loved and cherished leading lady Elizabeth Taylor. 638 00:31:49,701 --> 00:31:51,327 I'm a tough Texian. 639 00:31:51,369 --> 00:31:54,039 Anders: It never ceases to amaze me about Rock Hudson, 640 00:31:54,122 --> 00:31:56,041 how fully he gives himself 641 00:31:56,082 --> 00:31:58,793 to these heterosexual romances. 642 00:31:58,877 --> 00:32:00,587 (cattle bellowing) 643 00:32:00,670 --> 00:32:04,132 I mean, that scene when they wake up on the train, 644 00:32:04,215 --> 00:32:07,218 they've been fucking from Maryland all the way, you know, 645 00:32:07,302 --> 00:32:10,513 to Texas, and I believe it! 646 00:32:11,181 --> 00:32:12,974 What's that? A wolf? 647 00:32:13,516 --> 00:32:17,729 No, honey, just a little old coyote. 648 00:32:17,812 --> 00:32:19,522 (sighs) 649 00:32:19,564 --> 00:32:21,066 (contemplative music) 650 00:32:21,149 --> 00:32:23,860 Griffin: It's no secret that throughout her whole life, 651 00:32:23,902 --> 00:32:28,490 Elizabeth Taylor had many close friendships with gay men. 652 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:32,410 Echoing her role in "Giant," Taylor often gravitated 653 00:32:32,452 --> 00:32:35,872 toward social outcasts or misfits. 654 00:32:35,914 --> 00:32:38,083 Hudson: We became close friends. 655 00:32:38,124 --> 00:32:39,584 We are close friends today, 656 00:32:39,626 --> 00:32:42,045 and I think she is one of the best people. 657 00:32:42,712 --> 00:32:45,382 Griffin: That kind of loving bond between them, 658 00:32:45,423 --> 00:32:47,217 the soulmate connection, if you will, 659 00:32:47,258 --> 00:32:50,595 becomes all the more important later in life. 660 00:32:51,554 --> 00:32:55,558 Anders: George Stevens had complicated characters 661 00:32:55,600 --> 00:33:00,146 and he cared about those characters within society 662 00:33:00,230 --> 00:33:02,982 in a way that's different from how Sirk did. 663 00:33:03,900 --> 00:33:05,694 Now look here, Sarge. 664 00:33:05,777 --> 00:33:09,239 I'd sure appreciate it if you were a little more polite to these people. 665 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:11,199 Oh, you would, would you? 666 00:33:11,282 --> 00:33:12,951 Anders: By the end of that movie, 667 00:33:13,034 --> 00:33:15,036 Rock Hudson is our American hero 668 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:19,290 because he's inclusive and he's a feminist, 669 00:33:19,332 --> 00:33:22,127 and then he's got grandkids that are mixed. 670 00:33:22,210 --> 00:33:24,879 Hudson: Those kids in their infinite wisdom 671 00:33:24,963 --> 00:33:26,297 are smarter than we are. 672 00:33:26,381 --> 00:33:28,174 Anders: That's America, you know, to me. 673 00:33:28,258 --> 00:33:30,218 So he is America. 674 00:33:30,260 --> 00:33:31,302 (lowing) 675 00:33:31,344 --> 00:33:33,805 Sure, even the calf's got my number. 676 00:33:33,847 --> 00:33:35,640 (cool jazz music) 677 00:33:35,724 --> 00:33:38,435 Narrator: In Hollywood, a new high for glamor is reached 678 00:33:38,476 --> 00:33:42,564 as Warner Bros. premieres George Stevens' production, "Giant." 679 00:33:42,647 --> 00:33:44,649 Rock Hudson and his charming wife Phyllis 680 00:33:44,733 --> 00:33:47,777 expressed their happiness about the brilliant premiere. 681 00:33:47,819 --> 00:33:49,362 -Hey, Sugar! -Yes? 682 00:33:49,446 --> 00:33:51,573 Here is a guy that's as big as Texas in "Giant." 683 00:33:51,656 --> 00:33:53,950 -It's such a performance. -Host: Rock Hudson. 684 00:33:53,992 --> 00:33:55,744 Hello. How are you? Nice to see you again. 685 00:33:55,827 --> 00:33:58,496 -Nice to see you again. -I wanna meet your wife. Hello. 686 00:33:58,538 --> 00:34:02,083 So nice to meet you, Phyllis. You wanna step in here? 687 00:34:02,167 --> 00:34:03,960 I never heard such screams in my life 688 00:34:04,002 --> 00:34:05,837 as when you got outta the car tonight. 689 00:34:05,879 --> 00:34:07,422 Davis: Well, you received 690 00:34:07,505 --> 00:34:09,382 an Academy Award nomination for the film. 691 00:34:09,466 --> 00:34:11,009 Hudson: Mm-hmm, so did Jimmy. 692 00:34:11,051 --> 00:34:12,969 Davis: Is that right? I'd forgotten. 693 00:34:13,011 --> 00:34:15,554 The nominees for best actor are: 694 00:34:15,638 --> 00:34:18,141 Yul Brynner in "The King and I," 695 00:34:18,183 --> 00:34:20,310 Rock Hudson in "Giant," 696 00:34:20,351 --> 00:34:22,437 James Dean in "Giant," 697 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:24,688 Kirk Douglas in "Lust for life," 698 00:34:24,731 --> 00:34:28,735 and Sir Laurence Olivier in "Richard III." 699 00:34:28,818 --> 00:34:32,697 The winner is Yul Brynner. 700 00:34:34,866 --> 00:34:40,871 Anders: Boy, it is really sad to me that he lost 701 00:34:40,914 --> 00:34:45,043 because it's such a tour de force performance. 702 00:34:45,627 --> 00:34:49,672 When do you get that chance again? 703 00:34:49,714 --> 00:34:51,549 He did not. 704 00:34:52,842 --> 00:34:55,469 (contemplative music) 705 00:34:55,553 --> 00:34:58,056 Lee Garlington: I wanted to be a Western movie actor. 706 00:34:58,139 --> 00:35:03,311 So I landed in Hollywood in 1961 707 00:35:03,395 --> 00:35:07,023 and realized that I was kind of pretty, 708 00:35:07,065 --> 00:35:09,359 but, uh, what I didn't realize was 709 00:35:09,401 --> 00:35:11,236 I didn't have any talent. 710 00:35:11,277 --> 00:35:15,365 Fortunately, when I finally got with Rock, 711 00:35:15,407 --> 00:35:17,534 I realized I really didn't want to be an actor. 712 00:35:17,575 --> 00:35:19,911 I didn't want any part of that business. 713 00:35:19,953 --> 00:35:21,955 ♪♪ 714 00:35:22,038 --> 00:35:24,666 (Stephen Kijak speaking) 715 00:35:26,084 --> 00:35:27,377 (Garlington laughs) 716 00:35:27,419 --> 00:35:30,213 Uh, yes. I remember very well. 717 00:35:30,255 --> 00:35:31,589 (Kijak chuckles) 718 00:35:31,631 --> 00:35:35,093 Garlington: I got a job at Universal Studios, 719 00:35:35,176 --> 00:35:37,721 and I wanted to see what he looked like. 720 00:35:37,762 --> 00:35:41,391 So I went over beside his cottage, 721 00:35:41,433 --> 00:35:45,437 and he walked out and walked down the street, 722 00:35:45,478 --> 00:35:48,023 and he turned and looked back. 723 00:35:48,106 --> 00:35:50,525 And, of course, I was... whew! 724 00:35:51,818 --> 00:35:53,611 He was incredible. 725 00:35:53,695 --> 00:35:58,158 He made a big splash, let's put it that way. 726 00:35:58,783 --> 00:36:03,788 And I got a phone call from someone on his staff. 727 00:36:03,830 --> 00:36:07,834 Did I want to come up and visit with Rock Hudson? 728 00:36:07,917 --> 00:36:09,544 And... 729 00:36:10,378 --> 00:36:13,256 I wasn't gonna say no. 730 00:36:13,298 --> 00:36:15,383 (cool jazz music) 731 00:36:19,429 --> 00:36:21,765 What is there to talk about, my dear husband? 732 00:36:21,806 --> 00:36:23,641 Judith, please. You're in no condition... 733 00:36:23,683 --> 00:36:26,603 Divorce. That's what you wanna talk about, isn't it? 734 00:36:26,644 --> 00:36:28,646 Well, let me tell you right now, 735 00:36:28,688 --> 00:36:31,983 my gallant, silent suffering spouse, you'll never get one! 736 00:36:32,025 --> 00:36:35,111 Our marriage was a mistake. Yours as well as mine. 737 00:36:35,153 --> 00:36:38,740 Was it? You didn't think so when you thought I could make a gentleman out of you. 738 00:36:38,823 --> 00:36:42,786 Well, you married me and you're going to stay married to me. 739 00:36:42,827 --> 00:36:45,997 So sneak around back alleys if that's the kind of man you are. 740 00:36:46,039 --> 00:36:47,832 I doubt that I could stop you. 741 00:36:47,916 --> 00:36:50,502 (somber music) 742 00:36:50,585 --> 00:36:52,462 Griffin: When he was on location 743 00:36:52,504 --> 00:36:56,174 for the epic remake of "A Farewell to Arms," 744 00:36:56,257 --> 00:36:59,511 Rock's marriage to Phyllis began to fall apart. 745 00:37:02,681 --> 00:37:04,474 You're going down to town tomorrow 746 00:37:04,516 --> 00:37:06,559 and find yourself some gay young playmate. 747 00:37:06,643 --> 00:37:09,688 -I don't wanna be with anybody else, I tell you. -Yes, you do. 748 00:37:10,355 --> 00:37:12,357 Griffin: Three years after she exchanged 749 00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:14,192 marriage vows with Rock, 750 00:37:14,275 --> 00:37:16,528 Phyllis files for divorce. 751 00:37:16,569 --> 00:37:18,655 Phyllis complained that he was always away. 752 00:37:18,697 --> 00:37:20,865 Well, hello. You're married to a major movie star 753 00:37:20,949 --> 00:37:24,119 who's shooting films in exotic locations. 754 00:37:24,202 --> 00:37:27,539 Garlington: She really took him to the cleaners when she divorced him. 755 00:37:27,622 --> 00:37:29,374 He lost practically everything. 756 00:37:29,416 --> 00:37:32,544 He had a sailboat that was his pride and joy, 757 00:37:32,585 --> 00:37:34,879 and he had to sell that to pay her off. 758 00:37:34,921 --> 00:37:37,632 And, uh, he was really angry about that. 759 00:37:37,716 --> 00:37:41,386 Griffin: In a memoir published two years after Rock's death, 760 00:37:41,469 --> 00:37:43,221 Phyllis claimed that 761 00:37:43,304 --> 00:37:45,223 she was entirely duped, 762 00:37:45,306 --> 00:37:47,350 manipulated into participating 763 00:37:47,392 --> 00:37:49,436 in this sham marriage with Rock. 764 00:37:49,519 --> 00:37:53,481 And she claims she had no idea that Hudson is gay, 765 00:37:53,565 --> 00:37:56,067 which is really hard to swallow, 766 00:37:56,109 --> 00:38:00,071 given the fact that virtually every bit player, makeup man, 767 00:38:00,113 --> 00:38:02,198 assistant gofer at Universal, 768 00:38:02,240 --> 00:38:05,368 knew the score about Rock Hudson. 769 00:38:05,410 --> 00:38:07,704 How did she possibly miss the memo? 770 00:38:07,746 --> 00:38:10,915 It's just kind of inconceivable. 771 00:38:10,999 --> 00:38:13,418 (mellow jazz music) 772 00:38:13,501 --> 00:38:16,379 (telephone ringing) 773 00:38:22,218 --> 00:38:23,595 Colonel Farr. 774 00:38:23,636 --> 00:38:25,513 I thought we could get together, 775 00:38:25,597 --> 00:38:27,515 have a cup of coffee, maybe, 776 00:38:27,599 --> 00:38:29,184 uh, get acquainted. 777 00:38:29,267 --> 00:38:31,978 We might find we have a lot in common. 778 00:38:32,062 --> 00:38:33,438 I'm on my way. 779 00:38:37,525 --> 00:38:40,028 Doris Day: ♪ Pillow talk ♪ 780 00:38:40,111 --> 00:38:41,821 ♪ Pillow talk ♪ 781 00:38:41,905 --> 00:38:44,199 ♪ Another night I hear myself ♪ 782 00:38:44,282 --> 00:38:45,533 ♪ Talk, talk, talk, talk ♪ 783 00:38:45,617 --> 00:38:47,702 Look, I don't know what's bothering you, 784 00:38:47,786 --> 00:38:50,121 but don't take your bedroom problems out on me. 785 00:38:50,163 --> 00:38:51,664 I have no bedroom problems. 786 00:38:51,748 --> 00:38:54,125 There's nothing in my bedroom that bothers me. 787 00:38:54,167 --> 00:38:56,252 Oh, that's too bad. 788 00:38:56,294 --> 00:38:57,879 "Pillow Talk" seems very tame now 789 00:38:57,962 --> 00:39:02,467 by comparison with, um, today's more explicit standards. 790 00:39:02,509 --> 00:39:05,887 We almost didn't do it because it was too dirty. 791 00:39:05,970 --> 00:39:09,140 (cool jazz music) 792 00:39:09,182 --> 00:39:12,477 Hudson: So that's the other end of your party line. 793 00:39:12,936 --> 00:39:15,814 Hunter: It was fun and, and, and it was fluff, 794 00:39:15,897 --> 00:39:19,275 and it was wonderful to look at, and you laughed. 795 00:39:19,317 --> 00:39:21,444 I'm so sick of seeing the ugliness. 796 00:39:21,486 --> 00:39:22,862 We all know it's there. 797 00:39:22,946 --> 00:39:24,447 I don't hide my head in the sand 798 00:39:24,489 --> 00:39:25,949 and say that it's not there. 799 00:39:25,990 --> 00:39:29,452 But I believe that motion pictures are an escape. 800 00:39:29,494 --> 00:39:32,330 (couple laughing) 801 00:39:32,414 --> 00:39:35,000 Day: What a marvelous-looking man. 802 00:39:35,083 --> 00:39:37,794 I wonder if he's single. 803 00:39:39,421 --> 00:39:43,174 Hudson: I don't know how long I can get away with this act. 804 00:39:44,884 --> 00:39:45,885 (chuckles) 805 00:39:45,969 --> 00:39:48,471 Tom Santopietro: You know, the deception 806 00:39:48,513 --> 00:39:51,474 is an interesting artifact of the times. 807 00:39:51,516 --> 00:39:55,854 You have a gay actor playing a straight man 808 00:39:55,895 --> 00:39:58,481 impersonating a possibly gay man. 809 00:39:58,523 --> 00:39:59,649 It's a house of mirrors. 810 00:39:59,691 --> 00:40:01,860 Tell me about your job. 811 00:40:01,901 --> 00:40:04,362 Must be very exciting working with 812 00:40:04,404 --> 00:40:07,365 all them colors and fabrics and all. 813 00:40:07,449 --> 00:40:09,534 (cool jazz continues) 814 00:40:09,617 --> 00:40:11,619 Maupin: In those Doris Day movies, 815 00:40:11,703 --> 00:40:13,705 he's always pretending to be gay 816 00:40:13,788 --> 00:40:16,207 in order to get Doris into bed. 817 00:40:16,249 --> 00:40:18,460 That's the joke always. 818 00:40:18,543 --> 00:40:20,920 Why can't you get married? 819 00:40:21,755 --> 00:40:23,214 That's the sort of thing a man 820 00:40:23,256 --> 00:40:25,467 doesn't discuss with a nice woman. 821 00:40:25,550 --> 00:40:27,093 Maupin: That was almost a device 822 00:40:27,177 --> 00:40:29,220 to keep anybody from asking questions about him. 823 00:40:29,304 --> 00:40:31,514 Ye gods, you've got cold feet! 824 00:40:31,556 --> 00:40:33,767 Complaints, complaints, nothing but complaints! 825 00:40:33,850 --> 00:40:36,019 Maupin: It was kind of an evil gag, actually. 826 00:40:36,061 --> 00:40:39,814 And I hold Ross Hunter largely responsible for that, 827 00:40:39,898 --> 00:40:41,399 the producer of those films. 828 00:40:41,483 --> 00:40:44,069 I know for a fact that Ross Hunter was gay. 829 00:40:44,110 --> 00:40:46,654 (dramatic jazz music) 830 00:40:46,696 --> 00:40:48,323 Linus! 831 00:40:48,406 --> 00:40:50,575 What are you doing here? 832 00:40:51,076 --> 00:40:53,578 Where am I? 833 00:40:54,662 --> 00:40:57,707 Why, this is Jerry Webster's apartment! 834 00:40:57,749 --> 00:41:00,251 Day: Nothing was ever talked about 835 00:41:00,335 --> 00:41:02,087 as far as his private life. 836 00:41:02,170 --> 00:41:03,546 (groans) 837 00:41:03,588 --> 00:41:06,466 Day: Many, many people would ask me, 838 00:41:06,549 --> 00:41:08,927 you know, "Is Rock Hudson really gay?" 839 00:41:08,968 --> 00:41:13,556 And I said, "It's something that I will not discuss." 840 00:41:13,598 --> 00:41:17,811 I mean, first of all, I know nothing about his private life. 841 00:41:17,894 --> 00:41:20,021 And if I did, I wouldn't discuss it. 842 00:41:20,105 --> 00:41:21,231 Look at me. 843 00:41:21,272 --> 00:41:24,984 I can't. I'm too ashamed. 844 00:41:25,068 --> 00:41:26,653 Forget me, Carol. 845 00:41:26,736 --> 00:41:30,699 You deserve a man, not a mass of neurotic doubts. 846 00:41:31,324 --> 00:41:35,328 Day: So I can't tell you one thing about him except that he is a nice man. 847 00:41:35,787 --> 00:41:37,580 You're tearing yourself apart! 848 00:41:37,622 --> 00:41:39,040 Mr. Allen. 849 00:41:39,124 --> 00:41:42,127 Let's try to be adult about this and work out 850 00:41:42,168 --> 00:41:43,878 some sort of schedule where I can... 851 00:41:43,962 --> 00:41:46,172 Jillson: It's funny when I see him 852 00:41:46,256 --> 00:41:47,507 smoking in that movie, 853 00:41:47,590 --> 00:41:49,801 it was so him, because he chain smoked. 854 00:41:49,843 --> 00:41:52,470 It's like he's not even acting. 855 00:41:52,512 --> 00:41:55,724 (perky jazz music) 856 00:41:55,807 --> 00:41:57,475 Jillson: Mark and George were 857 00:41:57,559 --> 00:41:59,310 really good friends with me 858 00:41:59,394 --> 00:42:01,104 and my partner, Al Roberts, 859 00:42:01,146 --> 00:42:02,605 and that's how I met Rock. 860 00:42:02,647 --> 00:42:05,191 And we, we just really 861 00:42:05,275 --> 00:42:06,735 hit it off because 862 00:42:06,818 --> 00:42:09,195 I didn't treat him like a movie star. 863 00:42:09,279 --> 00:42:11,906 I-- We were just cool friends. 864 00:42:12,824 --> 00:42:15,660 Our social life with him was very private. 865 00:42:15,744 --> 00:42:18,663 I mean, we didn't go out to restaurants. 866 00:42:18,705 --> 00:42:20,832 We would go to Rock's house. 867 00:42:20,915 --> 00:42:23,418 It was called "The Castle." 868 00:42:23,501 --> 00:42:24,753 It was breathtaking. 869 00:42:24,836 --> 00:42:27,297 It looked like a hacienda. 870 00:42:27,339 --> 00:42:31,634 You just felt so welcome when you came to that home. 871 00:42:31,676 --> 00:42:34,721 The house was very casual. 872 00:42:34,804 --> 00:42:38,308 It wasn't stiff. And that's how he was. 873 00:42:38,350 --> 00:42:40,352 He was very, very casual. 874 00:42:40,435 --> 00:42:44,356 And then, of course, when he'd come to Laguna, it was really, really fun too. 875 00:42:45,106 --> 00:42:48,526 I think he could breathe a lot easier in Laguna. 876 00:42:48,610 --> 00:42:53,365 And because Mark and George had a home here, he did come down a lot. 877 00:42:54,157 --> 00:42:58,078 The gay beach was to the left of the lifeguard tower. 878 00:42:58,161 --> 00:43:02,791 And it was magical because you could play volleyball on the beach 879 00:43:02,874 --> 00:43:04,417 and just without a shirt on, 880 00:43:04,501 --> 00:43:06,169 just step up into the bar 881 00:43:06,211 --> 00:43:08,213 on a hot summer Sunday 882 00:43:08,254 --> 00:43:09,714 and have a beer, 883 00:43:09,756 --> 00:43:12,717 and it was very erotic. 884 00:43:12,801 --> 00:43:15,512 Yeah, I mean, like big time. 885 00:43:15,553 --> 00:43:16,638 Yeah. 886 00:43:16,721 --> 00:43:20,100 (relaxing jazz music) 887 00:43:20,183 --> 00:43:21,685 Do you love me, Mitch? 888 00:43:21,726 --> 00:43:23,269 Like a brother. 889 00:43:25,563 --> 00:43:27,440 I don't want you as a brother. 890 00:43:27,524 --> 00:43:29,901 Can't be any other way, Marylee. 891 00:43:32,404 --> 00:43:34,948 Don't... please don't... 892 00:43:35,031 --> 00:43:38,410 waste your life away waiting for me. 893 00:43:42,872 --> 00:43:45,125 Griffin: You have the movie magazines 894 00:43:45,208 --> 00:43:46,751 propping up this fantasy 895 00:43:46,793 --> 00:43:49,963 that everyone is straight and looking for love and marriage, 896 00:43:50,046 --> 00:43:53,717 while the tabloids are obsessed with homosexuals 897 00:43:53,758 --> 00:43:57,303 and trying to dig up as much dirt as they can. 898 00:43:57,387 --> 00:44:00,640 This, of course, was during the era of J. Edgar Hoover. 899 00:44:00,724 --> 00:44:04,602 So there's an obsessive interest in anything homosexual. 900 00:44:04,644 --> 00:44:06,604 Policy of the department is 901 00:44:06,688 --> 00:44:09,149 that we do not employ homosexuals knowingly. 902 00:44:09,232 --> 00:44:12,736 And that if we discover homosexuals in our department, we discharge them. 903 00:44:13,903 --> 00:44:17,490 Griffin: Given all that was going on in Rock Hudson's private life, 904 00:44:17,574 --> 00:44:22,370 it's not surprising that the FBI was keeping a close watch. 905 00:44:22,454 --> 00:44:25,623 The lieutenant wants to ask you some questions. 906 00:44:26,458 --> 00:44:29,085 Like where you've been spending your evenings lately, 907 00:44:29,127 --> 00:44:31,171 staying out till three and four in the morning. 908 00:44:33,631 --> 00:44:35,133 Griffin: There was this catchphrase 909 00:44:35,216 --> 00:44:36,843 about "Confidential" magazine: 910 00:44:36,926 --> 00:44:40,722 "They trade in nymphos, pinkos, winos and homos." 911 00:44:40,805 --> 00:44:42,599 And it's got a subscription base 912 00:44:42,640 --> 00:44:44,351 of three million at that point. 913 00:44:44,434 --> 00:44:46,227 It's got a huge readership. 914 00:44:46,311 --> 00:44:50,732 "Confidential" started to move in on Rock Hudson 915 00:44:50,815 --> 00:44:53,818 and Henry Willson certainly did not wanna lose 916 00:44:53,860 --> 00:44:55,111 this golden goose. 917 00:44:55,153 --> 00:44:57,238 They say that there was this tradeoff 918 00:44:57,322 --> 00:44:59,032 where Tab Hunter, who was indeed 919 00:44:59,115 --> 00:45:01,493 a Henry Willson client, was offered up 920 00:45:01,534 --> 00:45:02,869 sacrificially 921 00:45:02,952 --> 00:45:04,829 to save Rock Hudson. 922 00:45:04,913 --> 00:45:07,123 "Confidential" printed a story 923 00:45:07,165 --> 00:45:08,833 about Tab Hunter being arrested 924 00:45:08,875 --> 00:45:12,128 at what was called an "all-male pajama party." 925 00:45:12,170 --> 00:45:14,214 That kind of salacious exposé 926 00:45:14,297 --> 00:45:17,092 could wipe out an entire career. 927 00:45:17,884 --> 00:45:19,678 We being followed? 928 00:45:19,719 --> 00:45:20,970 Probably not, 929 00:45:21,012 --> 00:45:23,348 but the general always goes on that assumption. 930 00:45:24,057 --> 00:45:27,102 Griffin: It really is a miracle that Rock Hudson 931 00:45:27,185 --> 00:45:30,480 never got caught by the tabloids. 932 00:45:33,566 --> 00:45:35,610 Well, you know, I never met Rock. 933 00:45:35,694 --> 00:45:37,987 Uh, he died in October of '85, 934 00:45:38,029 --> 00:45:41,241 and I came into Lee's life in May of '86. 935 00:45:41,324 --> 00:45:45,120 Lee Garlington: Rock took that photo in the early '70s. 936 00:45:45,203 --> 00:45:47,956 That's completely in a different era. 937 00:45:48,039 --> 00:45:51,876 We enjoyed traveling together. 938 00:45:51,918 --> 00:45:55,380 (Latin jazz music) 939 00:45:55,463 --> 00:45:59,426 He drove the management at Universal crazy 940 00:45:59,509 --> 00:46:02,429 by taking off, he and I, 941 00:46:02,512 --> 00:46:05,557 without telling them where he was going. 942 00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:08,184 And they really got upset, 943 00:46:08,226 --> 00:46:11,855 and he just said, "Screw it, I'm gonna do what I'm gonna do." 944 00:46:11,896 --> 00:46:15,400 (Latin jazz continues) 945 00:46:20,780 --> 00:46:24,075 We spent some time in New Orleans 946 00:46:24,159 --> 00:46:27,037 and the Ford Motor Company lent him 947 00:46:27,078 --> 00:46:29,956 a brand-new convertible. 948 00:46:30,040 --> 00:46:32,417 And we had a blast in that car. 949 00:46:32,500 --> 00:46:35,128 ♪♪ 950 00:46:37,630 --> 00:46:40,008 We were in Pat O'Brien's 951 00:46:40,091 --> 00:46:43,303 where they have a special drink, the Hurricane, 952 00:46:43,386 --> 00:46:48,099 and somebody came by and snapped a picture of us. 953 00:46:49,601 --> 00:46:52,771 Then they offered the picture for sale, of course, 954 00:46:52,812 --> 00:46:59,819 and we got it because this was the only picture of both of us together. 955 00:46:59,903 --> 00:47:02,322 We were ordered by Henry Willson, 956 00:47:02,405 --> 00:47:04,783 that evil agent of his, 957 00:47:04,824 --> 00:47:07,952 never to have our picture taken together 958 00:47:08,036 --> 00:47:10,622 because somebody would see it 959 00:47:10,663 --> 00:47:14,334 and know that we were gay. 960 00:47:15,710 --> 00:47:18,046 (Kijak speaking) 961 00:47:24,135 --> 00:47:26,471 Yes, that was a lot of sneaking around. 962 00:47:26,513 --> 00:47:28,306 We'd drive up to a motel. 963 00:47:28,348 --> 00:47:31,017 I would go in and ask if there was any rooms. 964 00:47:31,101 --> 00:47:34,229 Paul Garlington: Did you get, let's say, two single beds 965 00:47:34,312 --> 00:47:37,649 or one... queen-size bed, pardon the pun? 966 00:47:37,691 --> 00:47:39,234 Or... 967 00:47:39,317 --> 00:47:40,944 Don't remember. 968 00:47:40,985 --> 00:47:42,737 Uh, but, uh... 969 00:47:42,821 --> 00:47:46,074 it ended up by being one bed. 970 00:47:47,534 --> 00:47:49,035 (Kijak speaking) 971 00:47:59,170 --> 00:48:03,216 There should have been, but there wasn't. 972 00:48:03,299 --> 00:48:07,137 There was a part of him that was very straitlaced 973 00:48:07,178 --> 00:48:11,182 and understanding of the previous generation. 974 00:48:11,266 --> 00:48:13,852 He never mentioned, "Gee, wouldn't it be nice 975 00:48:13,935 --> 00:48:16,980 if we could just hold hands in public?" 976 00:48:17,022 --> 00:48:21,776 He was so inured of, uh... 977 00:48:21,860 --> 00:48:23,987 being closeted 978 00:48:24,029 --> 00:48:26,698 that he never mentioned it. 979 00:48:29,576 --> 00:48:31,870 Forget for a moment that I'm your doctor 980 00:48:31,911 --> 00:48:34,789 and, uh, let me give you some advice as a friend. 981 00:48:34,873 --> 00:48:36,666 Marry him. 982 00:48:37,208 --> 00:48:40,545 So, what good was your noble sacrifice? 983 00:48:40,587 --> 00:48:43,381 If you'd loved him, you'd have gone to him. 984 00:48:43,465 --> 00:48:46,676 Let's face it, you were ready for a love affair, 985 00:48:46,718 --> 00:48:48,553 but not for love. 986 00:48:48,636 --> 00:48:50,597 (romantic piano music) 987 00:49:01,900 --> 00:49:04,861 Oh, my darling! Oh, my darling. 988 00:49:04,903 --> 00:49:06,488 Are you having another nightmare? 989 00:49:06,571 --> 00:49:07,822 Uh, no, I, I... 990 00:49:07,906 --> 00:49:09,449 Hudson: I'm sort of, I don't know. 991 00:49:09,532 --> 00:49:12,243 We have to talk about that thing called image, uh, 992 00:49:12,285 --> 00:49:14,204 whatever that is, uh... 993 00:49:14,245 --> 00:49:15,830 and I sort of represent 994 00:49:15,914 --> 00:49:17,499 a comedy image 995 00:49:17,582 --> 00:49:20,085 in dinner jacket or something, you know? 996 00:49:20,126 --> 00:49:21,920 It might be a lot of fun to do a horror story. 997 00:49:22,003 --> 00:49:23,505 I'd love to. 998 00:49:23,588 --> 00:49:25,048 (eerie organ music) 999 00:49:25,090 --> 00:49:27,133 Narrator: Bold. 1000 00:49:27,759 --> 00:49:30,053 Bizarre. 1001 00:49:31,137 --> 00:49:33,473 Terrifying. 1002 00:49:35,308 --> 00:49:38,603 Rock Hudson, in an astonishing change of pace, 1003 00:49:38,645 --> 00:49:41,564 stars in "Seconds." 1004 00:49:42,315 --> 00:49:46,277 Hudson: It's certainly, uh, a different type of picture 1005 00:49:46,319 --> 00:49:49,656 and certainly a different role for me. 1006 00:49:49,739 --> 00:49:52,033 It's almost a horror movie, 1007 00:49:52,117 --> 00:49:54,202 certainly a suspenseful movie, 1008 00:49:54,285 --> 00:49:56,579 and certainly very dramatic. 1009 00:49:56,621 --> 00:50:01,084 Narrator: Rock Hudson as a man who buys for himself a totally new life, 1010 00:50:01,126 --> 00:50:03,336 a chance to begin again. 1011 00:50:03,420 --> 00:50:07,090 Every man's dream since time began. 1012 00:50:07,132 --> 00:50:09,467 Doctor: Bandages are removed. 1013 00:50:09,509 --> 00:50:12,095 I think you'll be more than pleased. 1014 00:50:12,137 --> 00:50:17,017 In fact, I expect you to be prancing around here like a stud bull. 1015 00:50:18,476 --> 00:50:19,894 Good work. 1016 00:50:19,978 --> 00:50:22,564 Griffin: Well, I tend to think that Rock Hudson understood 1017 00:50:22,647 --> 00:50:27,152 that in some ways this film was reflecting the whole Hollywood star trip 1018 00:50:27,235 --> 00:50:29,320 and how he had been completely transformed 1019 00:50:29,404 --> 00:50:31,489 and marketed for the public. 1020 00:50:31,573 --> 00:50:34,200 Uh, that couldn't have been lost on him. 1021 00:50:34,284 --> 00:50:38,496 Anders: There's never a time that I don't feel at home 1022 00:50:38,580 --> 00:50:43,668 in a performance by Rock Hudson except "Seconds." (laughs) 1023 00:50:43,710 --> 00:50:45,337 Doctor: All right, son. 1024 00:50:45,378 --> 00:50:47,505 Anders: He's so uncomfortable. 1025 00:50:47,589 --> 00:50:52,344 There is a real shadow side here that he's playing. 1026 00:50:52,969 --> 00:50:54,637 (inhales sharply) 1027 00:50:54,679 --> 00:50:56,681 The years I've spent 1028 00:50:56,765 --> 00:50:58,683 trying to get all the things 1029 00:50:58,725 --> 00:51:01,895 I was told were important, 1030 00:51:01,978 --> 00:51:05,940 that I was supposed to want... 1031 00:51:06,024 --> 00:51:09,027 and California was the same. 1032 00:51:09,110 --> 00:51:10,403 They... 1033 00:51:10,487 --> 00:51:12,697 made the same decisions for me 1034 00:51:12,781 --> 00:51:13,948 all over again. 1035 00:51:14,032 --> 00:51:16,826 And they were the same things, really. 1036 00:51:18,161 --> 00:51:21,956 Hey, John, why are they staring at me like that? 1037 00:51:22,040 --> 00:51:23,500 They know. 1038 00:51:23,541 --> 00:51:27,337 Hudson: (laughing, slurring) They know what? 1039 00:51:27,379 --> 00:51:30,006 John: They're like you. 1040 00:51:30,048 --> 00:51:32,717 (screaming) Oh, Nora! 1041 00:51:33,343 --> 00:51:35,804 Douglas: Hudson's performance is astonishing. 1042 00:51:35,887 --> 00:51:40,016 Is Rock Hudson kind of decoding himself on screen? 1043 00:51:40,058 --> 00:51:42,185 Yeah, it certainly looks like it. 1044 00:51:42,227 --> 00:51:46,564 Anders: It's a weird thing to make your living 1045 00:51:46,648 --> 00:51:48,400 creating characters. 1046 00:51:48,441 --> 00:51:51,736 It's weird from my side of the camera 1047 00:51:51,820 --> 00:51:54,823 and it must be even weirder on the other side 1048 00:51:54,906 --> 00:51:57,909 because I think there is always a sense of like, 1049 00:51:57,992 --> 00:51:59,911 "Who am I really?" You know? 1050 00:51:59,953 --> 00:52:01,621 (rain falling) 1051 00:52:01,705 --> 00:52:03,915 Somewhere in the man, 1052 00:52:03,957 --> 00:52:07,460 there is still a key unturned. 1053 00:52:08,044 --> 00:52:10,630 Griffin: In order to become Rock Hudson, 1054 00:52:10,714 --> 00:52:15,301 he really had to destroy Roy Fitzgerald, 1055 00:52:15,385 --> 00:52:19,764 the gay boy with an inferiority complex from Winnetka. 1056 00:52:19,806 --> 00:52:23,768 But even if millions of fans are believing the lie, 1057 00:52:23,852 --> 00:52:28,606 Roy Fitzgerald still knows the truth about Rock Hudson. 1058 00:52:28,690 --> 00:52:32,610 Wait a minute, what's happening? 1059 00:52:32,652 --> 00:52:36,448 Douglas: When "Seconds" first came out, it was trashed. 1060 00:52:36,531 --> 00:52:39,993 Nobody wanted to see Rock Hudson depressed. (laughs) 1061 00:52:40,076 --> 00:52:42,287 Griffin: What's really sad to me about Rock's career 1062 00:52:42,328 --> 00:52:43,580 is that the audiences 1063 00:52:43,621 --> 00:52:46,249 don't like it when Rock Hudson steps out of, 1064 00:52:46,291 --> 00:52:48,918 kind of, the way that they prefer to see him. 1065 00:52:48,960 --> 00:52:52,756 They don't want to see him do anything radically different. 1066 00:52:52,797 --> 00:52:55,675 (Rock screaming) 1067 00:52:56,301 --> 00:52:58,970 (somber music) 1068 00:52:59,012 --> 00:53:00,638 Hudson: Being an actor, 1069 00:53:00,680 --> 00:53:03,975 there are so many disappointments and frustrations, 1070 00:53:04,059 --> 00:53:06,895 and you think, "Hell, what am I doing all this for? 1071 00:53:06,978 --> 00:53:09,314 I'm gonna hop the next freight out of town," or whatever. 1072 00:53:09,356 --> 00:53:12,150 You get blue and you get whatever. 1073 00:53:12,233 --> 00:53:14,194 And I think that because of that, 1074 00:53:14,277 --> 00:53:17,447 I think "this too shall pass" works for me. 1075 00:53:18,073 --> 00:53:21,618 Host: "This too shall pass" is a great consolation, 1076 00:53:21,659 --> 00:53:25,997 I mean, in terms of what, crises or adverse reviews or anything? 1077 00:53:26,081 --> 00:53:29,459 Yes, anything negative. Any, you know... 1078 00:53:30,877 --> 00:53:33,088 (upbeat jazz music) 1079 00:53:33,171 --> 00:53:35,507 Joe Carberry: I was born in Iowa, 1080 00:53:35,548 --> 00:53:38,677 and then I came to Los Angeles and never left. 1081 00:53:38,718 --> 00:53:39,969 Why? 1082 00:53:40,011 --> 00:53:42,555 Well, I went to my first gay bar. 1083 00:53:42,639 --> 00:53:46,393 It was in, uh, Long Beach at a drag bar. 1084 00:53:46,476 --> 00:53:49,145 I didn't particularly like the drag queens, 1085 00:53:49,187 --> 00:53:53,900 but I sure liked the fact that there was somebody in this world 1086 00:53:53,983 --> 00:53:55,360 that was gay besides me . 1087 00:53:55,402 --> 00:53:57,362 (jazz music continues) 1088 00:53:57,445 --> 00:54:00,198 Kijak: How did you meet Rock Hudson? 1089 00:54:00,281 --> 00:54:01,908 Carberry: I don't know what year it was, 1090 00:54:01,991 --> 00:54:06,204 but one of my best friends brought him over for dinner. 1091 00:54:06,246 --> 00:54:09,582 We played bridge all the time. 1092 00:54:09,666 --> 00:54:12,711 We, uh, did a lot of things together. 1093 00:54:12,794 --> 00:54:16,798 I took trips with him and we went skiing. 1094 00:54:16,881 --> 00:54:21,219 I watched "Giant" more times than I care to remember. 1095 00:54:21,261 --> 00:54:22,554 (Turner chuckles) 1096 00:54:22,637 --> 00:54:26,349 Those were good times that can't be repeated. 1097 00:54:26,391 --> 00:54:29,561 I felt closer to him than anybody else. 1098 00:54:29,644 --> 00:54:31,563 If you say, "Who's your closest friend?" 1099 00:54:31,646 --> 00:54:34,941 I mean, his name would come out first, I think. 1100 00:54:35,567 --> 00:54:37,902 Tab Hunter was a good friend of mine, 1101 00:54:37,944 --> 00:54:39,487 but he wasn't very social. 1102 00:54:39,571 --> 00:54:41,573 He didn't like a crowd, 1103 00:54:41,614 --> 00:54:43,908 but it didn't bother Rock. 1104 00:54:44,576 --> 00:54:47,287 At that time, nobody lived openly. 1105 00:54:47,370 --> 00:54:49,205 He wanted to. 1106 00:54:49,247 --> 00:54:52,417 I ran a hospital laboratory, you know. 1107 00:54:52,459 --> 00:54:55,545 I can walk into any place and nobody knows who I am, 1108 00:54:55,587 --> 00:54:58,423 but he couldn't do any of that. 1109 00:54:58,506 --> 00:55:00,800 Yeah. That bothered him. 1110 00:55:00,884 --> 00:55:02,594 (Kijak speaking) 1111 00:55:04,929 --> 00:55:06,264 Well, he had boyfriends. 1112 00:55:06,348 --> 00:55:10,185 They were mostly young and pretty, 1113 00:55:10,268 --> 00:55:13,938 and showed huge baskets. 1114 00:55:14,773 --> 00:55:18,401 I don't recall him ever having a very long relationship 1115 00:55:18,443 --> 00:55:20,779 with anybody, 1116 00:55:20,862 --> 00:55:22,989 other than friends. 1117 00:55:24,032 --> 00:55:25,617 (Kijak speaking) 1118 00:55:25,700 --> 00:55:28,119 -Yeah. -Kijak: Oh, okay. 1119 00:55:28,203 --> 00:55:32,290 Rock had a sizable dick, 1120 00:55:32,374 --> 00:55:35,126 but he tried to put that thing up my ass 1121 00:55:35,210 --> 00:55:37,212 and I couldn't do it. (laughs) 1122 00:55:37,295 --> 00:55:40,674 (mellow jazz music) 1123 00:55:40,757 --> 00:55:42,842 For a while, you had the whole field to yourself. 1124 00:55:42,926 --> 00:55:44,886 -For a while you were the... -I did? 1125 00:55:44,969 --> 00:55:46,137 -Oh, yes. -Did I? 1126 00:55:46,221 --> 00:55:48,014 Oh, yes, yes. Am I right? 1127 00:55:48,098 --> 00:55:50,642 There was only, you know, Rock Hudson, pant-pant... 1128 00:55:50,725 --> 00:55:52,811 -(audience applauding) -And a lot of "ugs." 1129 00:55:52,894 --> 00:55:55,689 You know, the Pacinos and the strangies were coming up, and then... 1130 00:55:55,772 --> 00:55:58,108 -(laughter) -Well, you know what I'm saying. 1131 00:55:58,149 --> 00:56:01,569 You don't say my, you know, "I wanna be on a desert island with Al Pacino," 1132 00:56:01,653 --> 00:56:03,822 you know, we'll talk, but, um... 1133 00:56:03,863 --> 00:56:06,991 Does it ever upset you when you're in something like the "Enquirer"? 1134 00:56:07,075 --> 00:56:08,493 Uh, no. I don't read it, so... 1135 00:56:08,535 --> 00:56:10,328 I read it all the time. You're always in it. 1136 00:56:10,412 --> 00:56:12,247 -Am I? -Yeah. 1137 00:56:12,330 --> 00:56:13,998 First, I had asked him whether the press 1138 00:56:14,040 --> 00:56:17,085 had ever really hurt him, and it was interesting. 1139 00:56:17,168 --> 00:56:19,796 He said, "Yes, it was a terrible review I received in London." 1140 00:56:19,838 --> 00:56:22,257 I said, "You mean that was the worst thing 1141 00:56:22,340 --> 00:56:24,843 that the press has ever done to you, Rock?" 1142 00:56:24,926 --> 00:56:26,845 And he said, "Yes," and I remember 1143 00:56:26,928 --> 00:56:30,473 it was very difficult for me to face, look into his eyes. 1144 00:56:30,515 --> 00:56:34,602 And I said, "Could you explain to us 1145 00:56:34,686 --> 00:56:38,690 what happened between you and Mr. Jim Nabors?" 1146 00:56:39,524 --> 00:56:42,235 Griffin: In 1971, 1147 00:56:42,318 --> 00:56:43,820 a couple of gay guys said, 1148 00:56:43,862 --> 00:56:48,366 "Wouldn't it be fun if we sent out these invitations 1149 00:56:48,450 --> 00:56:50,535 "to a fabricated wedding 1150 00:56:50,577 --> 00:56:54,789 between Rock and 'Gomer Pyle' star Jim Nabors?" 1151 00:56:54,873 --> 00:56:59,002 And the tipoff that this is like an over-the-top gay Fantasia 1152 00:56:59,044 --> 00:57:02,547 is that Truman Capote would be officiating 1153 00:57:02,630 --> 00:57:04,674 and Liberace would be providing 1154 00:57:04,716 --> 00:57:06,760 the musical accompaniment. 1155 00:57:06,843 --> 00:57:09,929 And the story starts to spread like wildfire. 1156 00:57:10,013 --> 00:57:12,807 The story lands on the front page 1157 00:57:12,891 --> 00:57:14,893 of the "National Examiner." 1158 00:57:14,976 --> 00:57:16,561 Now I've read some pretty weird things about you 1159 00:57:16,644 --> 00:57:18,563 in the fan magazines. 1160 00:57:18,646 --> 00:57:21,441 Uh, have you ever filed a libel suit for anything 1161 00:57:21,524 --> 00:57:24,861 that's ever been written or said about you? Have you wanted to? 1162 00:57:25,945 --> 00:57:28,073 And why didn't you? I've always wondered. 1163 00:57:28,114 --> 00:57:30,825 Because it calls attention to it and only makes it worse. 1164 00:57:30,909 --> 00:57:34,496 Aside from the McCarthy era nonsense that went on in the '50s, 1165 00:57:34,579 --> 00:57:37,457 I think that this was one of the worst stories 1166 00:57:37,540 --> 00:57:39,793 that ever emanated from a community. 1167 00:57:39,876 --> 00:57:42,921 He has never done a bad thing to anyone. 1168 00:57:42,962 --> 00:57:45,590 It would be terrific to say the guy is 1169 00:57:45,674 --> 00:57:47,926 "you know what," but he is not. 1170 00:57:48,760 --> 00:57:51,846 Griffin: What's funny is tabloids aren't leaking a story 1171 00:57:51,930 --> 00:57:55,100 about one of Rock's real gay relationships. 1172 00:57:55,141 --> 00:57:58,561 They're leaking it about a completely fabricated 1173 00:57:58,603 --> 00:58:01,398 and fantasized one. 1174 00:58:01,439 --> 00:58:04,526 -(line ringing) -Friend: March 1st, 1974. 1175 00:58:04,609 --> 00:58:06,945 -Rock, how are you? -Hudson: I'm fine. 1176 00:58:06,986 --> 00:58:08,863 Friend: Haven't talked to you in a very long time. 1177 00:58:08,947 --> 00:58:10,615 Hudson: I know it. I know it. 1178 00:58:10,657 --> 00:58:12,659 -Friend: And you've been busy. -Hudson: Yeah. 1179 00:58:12,742 --> 00:58:16,329 Friend: My friend would like very much to meet you one of these days 1180 00:58:16,413 --> 00:58:17,664 if you have some free time. 1181 00:58:17,747 --> 00:58:19,207 Hudson: Tell me about him. 1182 00:58:19,290 --> 00:58:21,876 Friend : He works at Paramount and he's, uh... 1183 00:58:21,960 --> 00:58:25,088 -oh, 6'2", I guess, something like that. -Hudson: Yeah. 1184 00:58:25,171 --> 00:58:28,258 Friend : And he works out, just an all-round good boy, you know? 1185 00:58:28,299 --> 00:58:31,928 -Hudson: Uh-huh. -Friend: So I just thought I'd drop you the note 1186 00:58:31,970 --> 00:58:34,973 and see if you did want to say hello to him, because, uh... 1187 00:58:35,056 --> 00:58:39,144 -Hudson: Yeah. Well... -Friend: He's just a damn fun boy, you know? 1188 00:58:39,185 --> 00:58:40,520 Hudson: Mm-hmm. 1189 00:58:40,603 --> 00:58:42,605 Uh-huh. 1190 00:58:42,647 --> 00:58:44,983 How's the equipment? (chuckles) 1191 00:58:45,025 --> 00:58:47,485 Friend: Well, the equipment is about, oh, 1192 00:58:47,527 --> 00:58:49,195 about nine inches, I guess. 1193 00:58:49,279 --> 00:58:52,365 And he's, he's, uh, very good 1194 00:58:52,449 --> 00:58:55,493 -in that department too. -Hudson: Yeah. 1195 00:58:55,577 --> 00:58:58,663 -Friend: When's coming some free time for you? -Hudson: Well, most any day. 1196 00:58:58,747 --> 00:59:01,875 Friend: Well, my friend, I'll get on the horn and give him your number. 1197 00:59:01,958 --> 00:59:03,960 -Hudson: Okey-doke. -Friend: And nice talking to you. 1198 00:59:04,002 --> 00:59:05,628 -Hudson: All right, thank you. -Friend: Bye-Bye. 1199 00:59:05,670 --> 00:59:07,339 (phones click) 1200 00:59:07,380 --> 00:59:09,924 Interviewer: Mr. Maupin, you are, um, 1201 00:59:10,008 --> 00:59:13,053 a well-known writer here in this, uh, Bay Area. 1202 00:59:13,136 --> 00:59:16,681 You have written, um, regular columns for the newspapers. 1203 00:59:16,765 --> 00:59:18,516 Your books have been published. 1204 00:59:18,600 --> 00:59:20,727 I guess you'd call yourself a gay writer. 1205 00:59:20,810 --> 00:59:22,771 Maupin: I'm a writer who is gay. 1206 00:59:22,854 --> 00:59:25,190 My ability to write, for instance, 1207 00:59:25,231 --> 00:59:26,441 about a heterosexual romance 1208 00:59:26,524 --> 00:59:29,986 increased considerably after I was willing to acknowledge 1209 00:59:30,028 --> 00:59:32,947 the nature of my romantic involvements. 1210 00:59:33,031 --> 00:59:35,367 I met Rock when he came to San Francisco. 1211 00:59:35,408 --> 00:59:37,035 (funky music) 1212 00:59:37,077 --> 00:59:39,204 He was up doing something with "McMillan & Wife:... 1213 00:59:39,245 --> 00:59:41,122 (gun firing) 1214 00:59:44,834 --> 00:59:46,753 ...and he invited a bunch of us 1215 00:59:46,836 --> 00:59:48,922 to come up to his suite at the hotel. 1216 00:59:49,005 --> 00:59:52,509 And at a certain point, he rose and said, 1217 00:59:52,550 --> 00:59:54,135 "I have a little reading I want to do." 1218 00:59:54,219 --> 00:59:58,139 And he read the first chapter of "Tales of the City" 1219 00:59:58,223 --> 01:00:00,725 to the assembled crowd. 1220 01:00:00,767 --> 01:00:03,978 It was Mary Ann, the newcomer in town, 1221 01:00:04,062 --> 01:00:06,856 telling her mother that she was gonna live in San Francisco. 1222 01:00:06,898 --> 01:00:09,150 And her mother freaks out and says, 1223 01:00:09,234 --> 01:00:10,902 "Well, you can't, but I was just watching 1224 01:00:10,944 --> 01:00:12,404 "'McMillan & Wife' last night, 1225 01:00:12,445 --> 01:00:15,407 and the place is running over with serial killers." 1226 01:00:16,241 --> 01:00:18,827 -You all right, Commissioner? -Yeah, I'm fine. 1227 01:00:20,286 --> 01:00:21,413 Is this the gun he used? 1228 01:00:21,454 --> 01:00:23,039 Maupin: That was so bizarre. 1229 01:00:23,081 --> 01:00:27,002 You can imagine, McMillan himself was reading this to me. 1230 01:00:27,085 --> 01:00:29,379 You know, he could have been a little less drunk 1231 01:00:29,421 --> 01:00:30,588 when he read the thing, 1232 01:00:30,672 --> 01:00:33,174 but, uh, he was somewhat slurred, 1233 01:00:33,258 --> 01:00:37,846 but it was Rock Hudson reading my work. 1234 01:00:37,929 --> 01:00:40,807 I think he sort of expected it to charm the pants off of me. 1235 01:00:40,890 --> 01:00:43,685 And, uh, it more or less did. 1236 01:00:43,768 --> 01:00:45,395 (cool jazz music) 1237 01:00:45,437 --> 01:00:48,940 We got up to the Fairmont Hotel, the Diplomat Suite, 1238 01:00:49,024 --> 01:00:52,777 and Rock led me into the living room 1239 01:00:52,861 --> 01:00:55,196 and we're sort of at each other right away. 1240 01:00:55,280 --> 01:01:00,076 And, uh, every movie I'd ever seen him in was playing before my eyes. 1241 01:01:00,118 --> 01:01:04,748 You know, I really was not up to the task. 1242 01:01:04,789 --> 01:01:06,750 I think that's the best way to put it. 1243 01:01:06,791 --> 01:01:09,627 In an effort to console me, he said, 1244 01:01:09,711 --> 01:01:12,380 "You know, I'm just a normal guy like you." 1245 01:01:12,422 --> 01:01:14,966 And I said, "And I'm Doris Day." 1246 01:01:15,050 --> 01:01:17,927 (laughs) I saw him off and on after that 1247 01:01:17,969 --> 01:01:21,139 from times he would come and visit in San Francisco, 1248 01:01:21,222 --> 01:01:23,975 or he'd invite me down to "The Castle," as they called it. 1249 01:01:24,059 --> 01:01:26,353 And, uh, the friendship kind of grew 1250 01:01:26,436 --> 01:01:28,855 over that period of time. 1251 01:01:28,938 --> 01:01:31,816 But I never considered him boyfriend material 1252 01:01:31,858 --> 01:01:33,693 or he me, for that matter. 1253 01:01:33,777 --> 01:01:35,445 We were playmates. 1254 01:01:35,487 --> 01:01:38,448 And that was fine with me, just the way that worked. 1255 01:01:40,658 --> 01:01:42,369 I had a bee in my bonnet at the time. 1256 01:01:42,452 --> 01:01:44,829 I said, "You need to come out of the closet, 1257 01:01:44,871 --> 01:01:46,539 and I'm the guy that can help you with that. 1258 01:01:46,623 --> 01:01:50,752 I'll know how to do that, not in a sensationalist way." 1259 01:01:50,835 --> 01:01:54,673 And Rock listened. He was really listening to me. 1260 01:01:54,714 --> 01:01:57,842 Um, but... (chuckles) 1261 01:01:57,926 --> 01:02:00,470 Tom, his partner at the time, 1262 01:02:00,512 --> 01:02:03,431 said, "Not until my mother dies." 1263 01:02:04,099 --> 01:02:07,560 Um... and I thought, "What an odd thing to say." 1264 01:02:07,644 --> 01:02:09,354 If I was fucking Rock Hudson, 1265 01:02:09,437 --> 01:02:12,691 I would want my mother to know immediately. (chuckles) 1266 01:02:12,732 --> 01:02:16,611 Oh, it's you! I, I wasn't sure. 1267 01:02:16,695 --> 01:02:20,073 Hiding in closets isn't going to cure you. 1268 01:02:20,699 --> 01:02:22,200 (serene music) 1269 01:02:22,283 --> 01:02:24,202 Maupin: Mark and George and Rock, 1270 01:02:24,244 --> 01:02:27,664 and Tom I guess, they were slightly ridiculous to me. 1271 01:02:27,706 --> 01:02:30,834 The pride they took in hiding. 1272 01:02:30,875 --> 01:02:35,088 I felt like I was a member of a new generation that wanted to show them, 1273 01:02:35,171 --> 01:02:37,716 it doesn't have to be that way. 1274 01:02:37,757 --> 01:02:39,384 (contemplative music) 1275 01:02:39,426 --> 01:02:42,762 In the book, I depicted a guy that was kind of fascinated 1276 01:02:42,846 --> 01:02:44,431 by the idea of gay liberation, 1277 01:02:44,514 --> 01:02:46,016 but couldn't quite do it himself. 1278 01:02:46,057 --> 01:02:48,727 I tried to capture his humanity, 1279 01:02:48,810 --> 01:02:51,521 his big, sweet, loving heart. 1280 01:02:51,563 --> 01:02:53,106 And I think I did. 1281 01:02:53,189 --> 01:02:55,233 I often did that, uh, with "Tales of the City." 1282 01:02:55,316 --> 01:02:59,029 I sometimes put real people into it with their permission. 1283 01:02:59,070 --> 01:03:01,656 I knew he wasn't gonna give me my permission, 1284 01:03:01,740 --> 01:03:04,367 so I just did it and blanked out the name 1285 01:03:04,451 --> 01:03:06,244 in the Victorian tradition. 1286 01:03:06,578 --> 01:03:08,788 I'm so glad I did, actually, 1287 01:03:08,872 --> 01:03:12,292 because I established that character in the books 1288 01:03:12,375 --> 01:03:17,088 before Rock died, saying, this person exists, 1289 01:03:17,130 --> 01:03:19,257 but he can't show you who he is 1290 01:03:19,299 --> 01:03:22,093 because his life is shut off in this way. 1291 01:03:22,177 --> 01:03:26,264 Hudson: Hey, Freddy, you're really gonna love San Francisco. 1292 01:03:26,306 --> 01:03:27,557 Yeah? 1293 01:03:27,599 --> 01:03:30,518 I want you to know you can change your mind at any time. 1294 01:03:30,602 --> 01:03:32,354 Ah, don't worry about me, baby. 1295 01:03:32,437 --> 01:03:35,190 I've been missing the ring. I'm ready for a little action. 1296 01:03:35,273 --> 01:03:37,233 Masseur: That about does it, Commissioner. 1297 01:03:37,275 --> 01:03:39,944 Yeah, sure does. 1298 01:03:39,986 --> 01:03:42,447 -Thanks. -You're welcome, sir. 1299 01:03:42,489 --> 01:03:45,450 -See you in the shower. -Freddy: Okay, baby. 1300 01:03:50,914 --> 01:03:54,376 (Kijak speaking) 1301 01:03:55,210 --> 01:03:57,754 Maley: I probably wasn't wearing a bathing suit. 1302 01:03:57,796 --> 01:03:59,172 (Kijak and Maley laughing) 1303 01:03:59,255 --> 01:04:02,550 Maley: I was working a lot all through the '70s 1304 01:04:02,634 --> 01:04:04,719 in various gay rights issues. 1305 01:04:04,803 --> 01:04:06,846 And I was the point person 1306 01:04:06,930 --> 01:04:08,598 for international and national media 1307 01:04:08,640 --> 01:04:14,104 who came to San Francisco to do stories about gay rights. 1308 01:04:15,146 --> 01:04:19,192 Fairly early on in having met Rock, I suggested that, 1309 01:04:19,275 --> 01:04:23,988 "Maybe you'd like to go out and to a sex club." 1310 01:04:24,030 --> 01:04:25,949 "Oh, well, of course." (laughs) 1311 01:04:25,990 --> 01:04:27,325 There was no hesitation. 1312 01:04:27,367 --> 01:04:30,495 Like, "Are you sure? No, I shouldn't--" No. 1313 01:04:30,537 --> 01:04:33,498 So there was this place down on Sixth Street 1314 01:04:33,581 --> 01:04:34,916 called The Glory Holes. 1315 01:04:35,000 --> 01:04:37,752 And so we go in and we walk around 1316 01:04:37,794 --> 01:04:40,672 and sort of explain how it all works. 1317 01:04:40,714 --> 01:04:43,174 And there was a balcony 1318 01:04:43,258 --> 01:04:45,760 that you could go up above 1319 01:04:45,844 --> 01:04:49,014 and look out over the whole enterprise. 1320 01:04:49,097 --> 01:04:52,517 You can see all the traffic around the aisleways. 1321 01:04:52,559 --> 01:04:57,689 And so we watched Rock walk around and go in a booth 1322 01:04:57,772 --> 01:04:59,858 and you could hear this scream, 1323 01:04:59,941 --> 01:05:02,360 "Oh, my God, it's Rock Hudson!" (laughs) 1324 01:05:02,444 --> 01:05:04,946 And it went all throughout the place. 1325 01:05:04,988 --> 01:05:07,449 It obviously didn't bother him because we didn't leave, 1326 01:05:07,532 --> 01:05:10,577 and we stayed, stayed quite a while. 1327 01:05:11,578 --> 01:05:16,958 I think he became so comfortable with the dual life, 1328 01:05:17,042 --> 01:05:20,712 but I think that he found a way to be comfortable with both lives. 1329 01:05:20,754 --> 01:05:23,882 -You've gotta tell them the truth. -Do you know what'll happen? 1330 01:05:23,923 --> 01:05:25,842 I know it'll mean you'll lose your job 1331 01:05:25,884 --> 01:05:27,552 and your customers and everything, but... 1332 01:05:27,594 --> 01:05:28,970 you've got to do that. 1333 01:05:29,054 --> 01:05:30,847 Once you start fooling people, you have to go on 1334 01:05:30,889 --> 01:05:33,266 and keep on fooling them and, and... 1335 01:05:33,350 --> 01:05:37,562 you're too nice a guy to, to, to be a phony 1336 01:05:37,604 --> 01:05:39,898 and keep on being a phony. 1337 01:05:39,939 --> 01:05:41,691 (sighs) 1338 01:05:42,650 --> 01:05:45,236 You know, Hollywood at night can be a fascinating place, 1339 01:05:45,278 --> 01:05:48,448 but Hollywood in the daytime can be a lot of fun too. 1340 01:05:48,531 --> 01:05:51,368 Come on, follow me and I'll show you what I mean. 1341 01:05:51,409 --> 01:05:52,243 (cool jazz music) 1342 01:05:52,327 --> 01:05:54,537 Maupin: Rock had a contact. 1343 01:05:54,579 --> 01:05:56,790 Somebody in West Hollywood that could round up 1344 01:05:56,873 --> 01:05:59,751 gorgeous men at a moment's notice. 1345 01:05:59,834 --> 01:06:02,837 Wes Wheadon: I knew a lot of folks in the community. 1346 01:06:02,921 --> 01:06:04,130 I had a lot of friends. 1347 01:06:04,214 --> 01:06:05,715 And so I would just call up, you know, 1348 01:06:05,757 --> 01:06:08,343 whoever I'd get my hands on that was available 1349 01:06:08,426 --> 01:06:10,261 and say, "Here's the deal, here's the address, 1350 01:06:10,345 --> 01:06:12,013 "show up, it'll be a lovely time, 1351 01:06:12,097 --> 01:06:14,933 "and you can have a nice day swimming and carrying on with drinks, 1352 01:06:14,974 --> 01:06:16,935 and you'd get to meet Rock." 1353 01:06:17,018 --> 01:06:20,563 Maley: Then it would just be chaise lounges 1354 01:06:20,605 --> 01:06:23,149 and boys in the pool. 1355 01:06:23,233 --> 01:06:25,443 It was clothing optional. 1356 01:06:25,485 --> 01:06:28,947 And a lot of 'em, fortunately, did take the option. 1357 01:06:28,988 --> 01:06:30,448 (chuckles) 1358 01:06:30,490 --> 01:06:34,285 Maupin: You know, even for an ordinary gay man like me, 1359 01:06:34,327 --> 01:06:36,204 that was an amazing thing to see 1360 01:06:36,287 --> 01:06:37,872 all these beauties gathered around the pool. 1361 01:06:37,956 --> 01:06:40,333 Wheadon: If you're gonna have a party with a bunch of young men, 1362 01:06:40,417 --> 01:06:42,419 you want to bring up the eye candy, if you will. 1363 01:06:42,460 --> 01:06:45,547 Maley: It was a lot of beefcake, 1364 01:06:45,630 --> 01:06:48,550 and it would last all afternoon. 1365 01:06:48,633 --> 01:06:51,177 Endless, you know, food and drink, 1366 01:06:51,261 --> 01:06:55,098 and Rock sort of just strolling through. 1367 01:06:55,140 --> 01:06:56,224 It was theater. 1368 01:06:56,307 --> 01:07:01,146 (upbeat jazz music) 1369 01:07:01,187 --> 01:07:02,731 (sign creaking) 1370 01:07:02,814 --> 01:07:06,109 (peaceful music) 1371 01:07:06,151 --> 01:07:10,864 Kevoian: In 1976, I was cast in a play called "John Brown's Body." 1372 01:07:10,947 --> 01:07:14,784 It starred Rock Hudson, Claire Trevor, and Leif Erickson. 1373 01:07:14,826 --> 01:07:20,665 It was a really beautiful mix of music and dance and vocal. 1374 01:07:20,707 --> 01:07:24,544 So that's, you know, that's how I came to meet Rock Hudson. 1375 01:07:24,627 --> 01:07:28,465 Hudson: Armies of shadows and the shadow-sound. 1376 01:07:28,506 --> 01:07:32,177 Male Chorus: ♪ Captain Ball was a Yankee slaver ♪ 1377 01:07:32,260 --> 01:07:33,553 ♪ Blow, blow... ♪ 1378 01:07:33,636 --> 01:07:38,183 He really showed a lot of people something new, 1379 01:07:38,224 --> 01:07:42,020 and it felt good to him as a performer on stage. 1380 01:07:42,103 --> 01:07:44,981 He was really happy. 1381 01:07:45,023 --> 01:07:48,318 It was supposed to be a fabulous big tour, 1382 01:07:48,360 --> 01:07:52,197 and we had a lot of cities set, 1383 01:07:52,280 --> 01:07:57,744 but, um, some people started to cancel the production. 1384 01:07:57,827 --> 01:08:01,414 I think the people that wanted to see Rock Hudson 1385 01:08:01,498 --> 01:08:04,751 wanted to see "McMillan" or "Pillow Talk," 1386 01:08:04,834 --> 01:08:08,713 and the people that wanted to see "John Brown's Body," 1387 01:08:08,755 --> 01:08:12,801 because it was so lyrical in its speech, 1388 01:08:12,884 --> 01:08:15,220 wanted Laurence Olivier. 1389 01:08:15,261 --> 01:08:16,720 (mellow jazz music) 1390 01:08:16,763 --> 01:08:20,392 We remained friends for several years afterwards. 1391 01:08:20,433 --> 01:08:22,560 He helped me start a television career 1392 01:08:22,644 --> 01:08:27,357 on the last season of "McMillan" in 1976 1393 01:08:27,399 --> 01:08:30,026 and changed the trajectory of my life. 1394 01:08:30,068 --> 01:08:32,112 Man (on radio): You got Big Smokey there? 1395 01:08:32,194 --> 01:08:34,072 Uh, here beside me. 1396 01:08:34,154 --> 01:08:35,740 "Big Smokey"? 1397 01:08:35,823 --> 01:08:37,742 That's you, sir. It's CB talk. 1398 01:08:37,826 --> 01:08:41,287 Kevoian: And he didn't cast me from a casting couch. 1399 01:08:41,371 --> 01:08:43,915 There was only one time that he ever, 1400 01:08:43,997 --> 01:08:47,585 um, asked me to possibly be intimate. 1401 01:08:47,627 --> 01:08:52,006 And I, I chose, um, the different path. 1402 01:08:52,090 --> 01:08:53,966 (chuckles) 1403 01:08:54,050 --> 01:08:57,429 I was 23 and a lot cuter. 1404 01:08:58,971 --> 01:09:01,265 He was fun and then he was elegant, 1405 01:09:01,349 --> 01:09:07,063 and, you know, I only saw him pee in the bushes once. 1406 01:09:07,104 --> 01:09:09,441 (chuckling) 1407 01:09:11,151 --> 01:09:14,738 Hey! What's going on here? 1408 01:09:14,779 --> 01:09:16,531 (wolf whistle) 1409 01:09:16,613 --> 01:09:18,116 Observe. 1410 01:09:18,198 --> 01:09:20,743 Hmmph! 1411 01:09:20,785 --> 01:09:22,578 (lyrical music) 1412 01:09:22,620 --> 01:09:26,875 McGillin: I was one of the members of the last dying gasp 1413 01:09:26,957 --> 01:09:28,335 of the studio system, 1414 01:09:28,417 --> 01:09:30,377 which was Universal Studios. 1415 01:09:30,462 --> 01:09:33,548 I'll never forget this great head of the talent department. 1416 01:09:33,631 --> 01:09:37,301 She's on the phone, "Darling, are you sitting down?" 1417 01:09:37,385 --> 01:09:39,679 And I said, "Yes, I'm sitting down." 1418 01:09:39,763 --> 01:09:44,309 She says, "Rock Hudson, you're going to be playing his son." 1419 01:09:44,350 --> 01:09:47,604 (upbeat theme playing) 1420 01:09:47,645 --> 01:09:50,774 It was a 10-hour epic mini-series 1421 01:09:50,814 --> 01:09:53,484 that they were doing tons of at that time. 1422 01:09:53,568 --> 01:09:57,197 And Rock plays a designer of automobiles in Detroit. 1423 01:09:57,280 --> 01:09:59,616 Dad, I'm telling you, I can handle this by myself. 1424 01:09:59,657 --> 01:10:01,076 I know you can. 1425 01:10:01,159 --> 01:10:02,494 I'm proud that you want to. 1426 01:10:02,535 --> 01:10:04,746 McGillin: Even though you knew the rumors, 1427 01:10:04,829 --> 01:10:08,541 you still couldn't erase the false narrative 1428 01:10:08,625 --> 01:10:10,460 of that straight leading man. 1429 01:10:10,502 --> 01:10:13,421 That was the message that was given to all of us 1430 01:10:13,505 --> 01:10:15,048 growing up in that time, 1431 01:10:15,131 --> 01:10:19,302 young men, and certainly young men who aspired to be actors. 1432 01:10:19,344 --> 01:10:21,346 For gay men like me, 1433 01:10:21,429 --> 01:10:25,350 there was absolutely zero permission to be gay. 1434 01:10:25,392 --> 01:10:27,936 It was just not going to be allowed. 1435 01:10:28,019 --> 01:10:30,480 So I carried that with me. 1436 01:10:32,399 --> 01:10:35,777 Well, the time has come. You've seen the map. 1437 01:10:35,860 --> 01:10:38,363 Reagan is our projected winner. 1438 01:10:38,405 --> 01:10:41,074 A sports announcer, a film actor, 1439 01:10:41,157 --> 01:10:42,575 a governor of California. 1440 01:10:42,659 --> 01:10:45,328 We have projected Ronald Reagan the winner. 1441 01:10:45,370 --> 01:10:47,831 Did you ever think a few years ago 1442 01:10:47,872 --> 01:10:50,500 that Ronald Reagan, fellow actor, would be president? 1443 01:10:50,542 --> 01:10:52,544 I mean, is that, an actor being president? 1444 01:10:52,585 --> 01:10:54,671 -No, I, I didn't. -Pretty amazing, huh? 1445 01:10:54,713 --> 01:10:56,798 Yeah, it's terrific, as a matter of fact. 1446 01:10:56,881 --> 01:10:58,758 Lee Garlington: Well, Rock was a Republican. 1447 01:10:58,842 --> 01:11:00,802 I can't believe it, but he was. 1448 01:11:00,885 --> 01:11:03,722 Yeah, but that was a different generation Republican. 1449 01:11:03,763 --> 01:11:05,223 Yes. 1450 01:11:05,306 --> 01:11:08,601 Uh, he was a Republican primarily because 1451 01:11:08,685 --> 01:11:11,062 he was friends with Nancy Reagan. 1452 01:11:11,146 --> 01:11:12,939 Apparently pretty close friends. 1453 01:11:13,023 --> 01:11:17,777 But she couldn't get Reagan to say anything about AIDS 1454 01:11:17,861 --> 01:11:22,782 until finally at one point he gave in. 1455 01:11:22,866 --> 01:11:24,743 But that was after... 1456 01:11:24,826 --> 01:11:28,204 -That was after he died, I think, right? -After he died. 1457 01:11:28,246 --> 01:11:29,664 The Centers for Disease Control 1458 01:11:29,748 --> 01:11:32,125 reports that six gay men in Los Angeles 1459 01:11:32,208 --> 01:11:35,086 have fallen ill from a strange and mysterious pneumonia. 1460 01:11:35,128 --> 01:11:39,174 Scientists at the National Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta today 1461 01:11:39,257 --> 01:11:40,884 released the results of a study, 1462 01:11:40,925 --> 01:11:44,763 which shows that the lifestyle of some male homosexuals 1463 01:11:44,804 --> 01:11:47,807 has triggered an epidemic of a rare form of cancer. 1464 01:11:47,891 --> 01:11:49,642 Reporter: Researchers are now studying 1465 01:11:49,726 --> 01:11:51,394 blood and other samples from the victims, 1466 01:11:51,436 --> 01:11:53,396 trying to learn what is causing the disease. 1467 01:11:53,438 --> 01:11:55,774 So far, they have had no luck. 1468 01:11:55,815 --> 01:11:58,485 Rock, can you believe the things that are happening today? 1469 01:11:58,568 --> 01:12:00,653 (chuckles) Oh, it's pretty crazy, all right. 1470 01:12:00,737 --> 01:12:03,865 I mean, the way everyone dresses, the lifestyles, 1471 01:12:03,948 --> 01:12:05,200 the, the new morality. 1472 01:12:05,283 --> 01:12:07,577 Yeah. Maybe we're getting old. 1473 01:12:07,619 --> 01:12:10,288 Look, Rock, if you can't say anything constructive... 1474 01:12:10,372 --> 01:12:12,665 -(audience laughs) -Okay... 1475 01:12:12,749 --> 01:12:13,541 I'm getting old. 1476 01:12:13,625 --> 01:12:14,959 That's constructive. 1477 01:12:15,043 --> 01:12:16,294 (laughter) 1478 01:12:16,920 --> 01:12:20,715 Griffin: When you consider Rock Hudson's lifestyle choices: 1479 01:12:20,799 --> 01:12:23,968 overwork, stress, chain smoking, 1480 01:12:24,052 --> 01:12:25,428 the alcohol intake... 1481 01:12:25,470 --> 01:12:27,430 -You wanna smoke a cigarette? -Yes. 1482 01:12:27,472 --> 01:12:29,099 Why do you wanna smoke a cigarette? 1483 01:12:29,140 --> 01:12:31,559 It's not good for you, but you can smoke a cigarette. 1484 01:12:31,643 --> 01:12:32,811 -You want a lecture? -Yeah. 1485 01:12:32,894 --> 01:12:35,271 -Okay. You got it. -I'm thinking of quitting. 1486 01:12:35,313 --> 01:12:36,981 -And then you'll do it? -I have to quit. 1487 01:12:37,065 --> 01:12:41,027 Griffin: All of that results in quintuple bypass surgery 1488 01:12:41,111 --> 01:12:42,821 in 1981. 1489 01:12:42,862 --> 01:12:45,115 I don't know if I could ask everybody to let us see your scar. 1490 01:12:45,156 --> 01:12:47,867 -But I don't think that's the right thing to do. -(laughing) 1491 01:12:47,951 --> 01:12:50,495 You're looking really terrific. When are you going back to work? 1492 01:12:50,537 --> 01:12:52,330 I think around mid-January. 1493 01:12:52,831 --> 01:12:55,041 Dr. Michael Gottlieb: By 1982, 1494 01:12:55,125 --> 01:12:56,626 we saw how devastating 1495 01:12:56,668 --> 01:12:58,837 AIDS could be for a person, 1496 01:12:58,920 --> 01:13:00,130 how people developed 1497 01:13:00,171 --> 01:13:03,049 one infection after another 1498 01:13:03,133 --> 01:13:05,260 and kind of just wasted away, 1499 01:13:05,343 --> 01:13:06,761 in front of us. 1500 01:13:06,845 --> 01:13:08,555 And it was very frightening. 1501 01:13:08,638 --> 01:13:10,265 There was little happening 1502 01:13:10,348 --> 01:13:12,434 in the way of a public response. 1503 01:13:12,517 --> 01:13:15,812 There was no money available to do research. 1504 01:13:15,854 --> 01:13:18,148 Jane Pauley: You are raising the possibility 1505 01:13:18,231 --> 01:13:21,568 that people are dismissing it because it strikes mostly the gay community? 1506 01:13:21,651 --> 01:13:24,779 There is no question in my mind, if this were happening to you 1507 01:13:24,863 --> 01:13:26,948 and the white, straight, middle-class community, 1508 01:13:27,032 --> 01:13:29,784 it would've been attended to a long time ago. 1509 01:13:29,868 --> 01:13:34,164 Gottlieb: There was all this conservative religious overtones 1510 01:13:34,205 --> 01:13:35,540 in the Reagan administration 1511 01:13:35,623 --> 01:13:39,544 where evangelicals had elected Ronald Reagan 1512 01:13:39,627 --> 01:13:42,130 and in his cabinet were people 1513 01:13:42,213 --> 01:13:43,923 who essentially said, 1514 01:13:44,007 --> 01:13:45,550 "Do nothing." 1515 01:13:48,303 --> 01:13:51,014 Griffin: By this time, Rock had made a lot of money 1516 01:13:51,056 --> 01:13:52,557 working in television. 1517 01:13:52,599 --> 01:13:54,476 He was loaded. 1518 01:13:54,559 --> 01:13:57,771 But old friends Mark and George, not so much. 1519 01:13:57,854 --> 01:14:00,899 George Nader had glaucoma and had stopped acting. 1520 01:14:00,982 --> 01:14:04,903 So Rock hired Mark Miller to be his personal secretary. 1521 01:14:04,986 --> 01:14:07,489 That not only rescued Nader and Miller financially, 1522 01:14:07,572 --> 01:14:12,911 but it would also guarantee that his closest friends would remain close. 1523 01:14:12,952 --> 01:14:16,581 And of course, through all of this, Nader is keeping his diaries, 1524 01:14:16,664 --> 01:14:19,084 which are a veritable gold mine 1525 01:14:19,167 --> 01:14:22,796 of eyewitness accounts. 1526 01:14:22,879 --> 01:14:27,133 Voiceover as Nader: Thursday, May 31st, 1984. 1527 01:14:27,217 --> 01:14:29,260 Mark called at 7 a.m. 1528 01:14:29,344 --> 01:14:30,845 Something seriously wrong! 1529 01:14:30,929 --> 01:14:33,264 Nancy Reagan sent photos from the dinner party 1530 01:14:33,348 --> 01:14:35,975 with a note saying that Rock must have that pimple 1531 01:14:36,059 --> 01:14:37,477 on his neck checked. 1532 01:14:37,560 --> 01:14:39,104 It showed up in the photos. 1533 01:14:39,187 --> 01:14:41,773 Otherwise, the photos are great of Nancy, Ronnie, 1534 01:14:41,815 --> 01:14:43,316 and Rock at the dinner. 1535 01:14:43,400 --> 01:14:45,402 Rock back to Beverly Hills. 1536 01:14:45,443 --> 01:14:46,903 Mark insisted that Rock 1537 01:14:46,945 --> 01:14:48,947 go to see the doctor immediately. 1538 01:14:48,988 --> 01:14:51,741 He agreed. Mark made an appointment. 1539 01:14:51,783 --> 01:14:54,369 Let me begin with the latest figures from Los Angeles County. 1540 01:14:54,452 --> 01:14:57,706 Today they show 56 new cases of AIDS 1541 01:14:57,789 --> 01:14:59,874 diagnosed here locally last month. 1542 01:14:59,958 --> 01:15:03,420 That brings the national total now to about 10,000 cases 1543 01:15:03,461 --> 01:15:05,672 cases of AIDS. 1544 01:15:05,755 --> 01:15:08,842 Voiceover as Nader: Tuesday, June 5th, 1984. 1545 01:15:08,925 --> 01:15:12,554 Mark called and asked me to note the time and date 1546 01:15:12,637 --> 01:15:14,305 of all of the following: 1547 01:15:14,389 --> 01:15:18,476 At 2:25 p.m., driving Rock home from the doctor's, 1548 01:15:18,518 --> 01:15:23,773 he was told by Rock that Rock has AIDS and possible cancer. 1549 01:15:23,815 --> 01:15:27,569 A lymph gland in his neck had just been removed. 1550 01:15:27,652 --> 01:15:29,821 Around 6:30 p.m.-ish, 1551 01:15:29,863 --> 01:15:31,990 I dialed Rock at The Castle and said, 1552 01:15:32,073 --> 01:15:35,118 if there was anything at all, let me know. 1553 01:15:35,160 --> 01:15:38,079 He said, the only thing was silence. 1554 01:15:38,163 --> 01:15:40,999 I said, "Of course," and thought, 1555 01:15:41,082 --> 01:15:43,501 "Who in the hell am I gonna call and talk about it to?'" 1556 01:15:43,543 --> 01:15:46,588 Interviewer: Are you the big macho type that nothing's gonna get? 1557 01:15:46,671 --> 01:15:48,298 No, not at all. Not at all. 1558 01:15:48,340 --> 01:15:52,385 I am, I have, like everybody else, weaknesses and strengths. 1559 01:15:52,469 --> 01:15:54,179 But... 1560 01:15:54,262 --> 01:15:58,683 one of the strengths, I suppose, perhaps stupidly so, 1561 01:15:58,767 --> 01:16:01,102 is that I will not be sick. 1562 01:16:01,186 --> 01:16:03,730 I will not be dependent upon anybody else, 1563 01:16:03,813 --> 01:16:06,358 and I simply won't have it. 1564 01:16:06,399 --> 01:16:08,443 Gottlieb: In 1984, 1565 01:16:08,526 --> 01:16:10,195 I was asked to see 1566 01:16:10,278 --> 01:16:12,072 a celebrity patient, 1567 01:16:12,155 --> 01:16:16,034 Rock Hudson, and determined in fact that he did have AIDS. 1568 01:16:16,076 --> 01:16:20,580 I guided him as best I could and sent him to France 1569 01:16:20,663 --> 01:16:24,709 to participate in a clinical trial of an antiviral drug. 1570 01:16:26,836 --> 01:16:30,131 Most people are born gulls and judge a man by his dress. 1571 01:16:30,215 --> 01:16:32,550 We live in a world of phantasmagoria, 1572 01:16:32,634 --> 01:16:34,678 false forms and false faces. 1573 01:16:34,719 --> 01:16:37,389 Each man wears a mask against his fellows. 1574 01:16:37,472 --> 01:16:39,432 Well, have you nothing to say? 1575 01:16:39,516 --> 01:16:41,685 Aye, gimme a light. 1576 01:16:42,102 --> 01:16:45,563 Esther Shapiro: Rock Hudson was in a different league. 1577 01:16:45,605 --> 01:16:48,233 I always liked him. 1578 01:16:48,316 --> 01:16:52,445 He seemed to fulfill all the dreams that, you know, 1579 01:16:52,529 --> 01:16:55,490 I would have for a star. 1580 01:16:55,573 --> 01:16:57,742 When the time came to find 1581 01:16:57,826 --> 01:17:00,912 a person to play opposite Linda Evans, 1582 01:17:00,954 --> 01:17:03,081 I thought about Rock Hudson. 1583 01:17:03,123 --> 01:17:08,503 So I and my publicist, we flew to Paris to meet him. 1584 01:17:08,586 --> 01:17:11,006 I hadn't seen him for a few years. 1585 01:17:11,089 --> 01:17:13,925 He might have been five pounds thinner, I don't know. 1586 01:17:13,967 --> 01:17:17,095 But he seemed incredible. 1587 01:17:17,137 --> 01:17:21,224 When he turns on that smile, it's unbelievable. 1588 01:17:21,933 --> 01:17:24,769 He met us and I had the script. 1589 01:17:24,811 --> 01:17:27,731 I just wanted him to read the script and say yes. 1590 01:17:27,772 --> 01:17:31,568 And then he said, "Well, why don't we have dinner?" So I said, "Okay." 1591 01:17:31,609 --> 01:17:33,278 So we went with him, 1592 01:17:33,319 --> 01:17:35,989 and it was the most marvelous night. 1593 01:17:36,072 --> 01:17:39,951 He was so energetic and he went from restaurant 1594 01:17:39,993 --> 01:17:41,911 to bar to restaurant. 1595 01:17:41,953 --> 01:17:44,122 He kept drinking more and more vodka 1596 01:17:44,164 --> 01:17:46,458 and he got bawdier and bawdier. 1597 01:17:46,541 --> 01:17:49,586 And I thought, "Oh, my God, is this ever gonna end?" 1598 01:17:49,627 --> 01:17:51,880 He held out that whole night. 1599 01:17:51,963 --> 01:17:54,674 I mean, you have no idea what it was like. 1600 01:17:55,884 --> 01:17:58,887 And at 2:30 in the morning, he said, 1601 01:17:58,970 --> 01:18:02,265 "I read the script and I loved it and I will do it." 1602 01:18:02,766 --> 01:18:07,187 Reporter: This winter finds Hudson on location with ABC's "Dynasty." 1603 01:18:07,270 --> 01:18:10,023 You've said before that you really didn't have any interest 1604 01:18:10,106 --> 01:18:12,150 in coming back to doing series television. 1605 01:18:12,233 --> 01:18:15,028 What did "Dynasty" offer that made you reconsider that? 1606 01:18:15,111 --> 01:18:17,072 Well, I'm not on every week, 1607 01:18:17,155 --> 01:18:20,408 and, uh, uh... 1608 01:18:20,492 --> 01:18:22,160 it's a good show, obviously. 1609 01:18:22,202 --> 01:18:26,373 I mean, it's, uh, very popular all over the world, 1610 01:18:26,456 --> 01:18:30,168 so why not to do six or so shows? 1611 01:18:30,251 --> 01:18:34,339 Reporter: So, for six or so shows, nobody's saying exactly how many, 1612 01:18:34,381 --> 01:18:37,050 Rock Hudson is playing the role of Daniel Reece, 1613 01:18:37,133 --> 01:18:39,844 a sophisticated horse breeder with romantic designs 1614 01:18:39,886 --> 01:18:41,554 on Krystle Carrington. 1615 01:18:41,638 --> 01:18:43,515 I think he's a divine actor. 1616 01:18:43,556 --> 01:18:45,350 He's wonderfully romantic. 1617 01:18:45,433 --> 01:18:47,185 He's a lovely man. 1618 01:18:47,769 --> 01:18:49,979 Well, they told us they had 1619 01:18:50,021 --> 01:18:53,692 some superstars they were gonna have on the show, 1620 01:18:53,775 --> 01:18:57,862 which we thought, great, this is fun. (laughs) 1621 01:18:57,946 --> 01:18:59,864 I, of course, was thrilled 1622 01:18:59,948 --> 01:19:02,283 because I did a "McMillan & Wife." 1623 01:19:02,367 --> 01:19:04,369 Aquarius. How do you do, Commissioner? 1624 01:19:04,452 --> 01:19:05,787 Nicole, what a lovely name. 1625 01:19:05,870 --> 01:19:08,498 Linda Evans: And I thought, how fantastic 1626 01:19:08,581 --> 01:19:11,376 to be able to work with him again. 1627 01:19:11,418 --> 01:19:13,128 But he was so much thinner 1628 01:19:13,211 --> 01:19:16,881 and didn't look like he felt good. 1629 01:19:16,965 --> 01:19:20,010 I think he even said he'd been traveling a lot 1630 01:19:20,051 --> 01:19:22,095 and he inferred that, you know, 1631 01:19:22,178 --> 01:19:23,847 "We've all been away on a trip 1632 01:19:23,888 --> 01:19:25,807 and caught something somewhere." 1633 01:19:25,849 --> 01:19:29,394 So I went, "Oh, you know, life does that to us." 1634 01:19:29,477 --> 01:19:33,815 And, uh, that's about as much as I thought about it. 1635 01:19:35,650 --> 01:19:38,903 Voiceover as Nader: Wednesday, December 19th, 1984. 1636 01:19:38,945 --> 01:19:41,489 "Dynasty." Rock's debut. 1637 01:19:41,573 --> 01:19:44,534 Merry Christmas, Krystie, it's good to see you. 1638 01:19:44,576 --> 01:19:46,995 Voiceover as Nader: Did well, but looked bad, 1639 01:19:47,078 --> 01:19:48,788 very bad in a couple of shots. 1640 01:19:48,872 --> 01:19:50,915 I'm here to return this. 1641 01:19:52,459 --> 01:19:56,087 How dare you come back into my life after what you did. 1642 01:19:57,088 --> 01:19:59,674 Voiceover as Nader: Cameraman could have helped more with lighting, 1643 01:19:59,758 --> 01:20:02,427 I think, but perhaps no time. 1644 01:20:09,934 --> 01:20:13,480 Tuesday, February 5th, 1985. 1645 01:20:13,563 --> 01:20:15,023 Tonight "Dynasty," 1646 01:20:15,106 --> 01:20:18,193 and we get to watch Rock give Linda Evans a dose 1647 01:20:18,276 --> 01:20:20,945 of some virus in a kissing scene. 1648 01:20:21,029 --> 01:20:22,947 I will tape the fateful footage, 1649 01:20:22,989 --> 01:20:25,116 if not too frozen in horror, 1650 01:20:25,200 --> 01:20:28,036 akin to watching someone receive a possible lethal injection. 1651 01:20:28,119 --> 01:20:29,579 You look more frightened than I was... 1652 01:20:29,621 --> 01:20:32,582 Voiceover as Nader: Morally, how guilty are we 1653 01:20:32,624 --> 01:20:37,212 for not having said something to someone, anyone? 1654 01:20:39,798 --> 01:20:42,467 Rock returned from work the day they shot the kiss scene 1655 01:20:42,509 --> 01:20:45,637 and said to Mark, "This has been the worst day of my life. 1656 01:20:45,679 --> 01:20:49,474 "I used every possible type of mouthwash known to man. 1657 01:20:49,516 --> 01:20:51,142 An awful day.' 1658 01:20:51,226 --> 01:20:55,522 He also said, "I kept my mouth closed and so did she." 1659 01:20:56,564 --> 01:21:01,027 Evans: When we had that scene we had to do with the kiss, 1660 01:21:01,111 --> 01:21:03,196 that was a pivotal moment. 1661 01:21:03,279 --> 01:21:06,491 We showed up that day and shot that scene 1662 01:21:06,574 --> 01:21:10,161 and it didn't turn out like they wanted. 1663 01:21:10,203 --> 01:21:14,165 Nobody quite knew what to do. 1664 01:21:14,207 --> 01:21:17,168 I mean, I knew he could deliver that kiss. 1665 01:21:17,252 --> 01:21:19,713 It's not up to me to say anything. 1666 01:21:19,796 --> 01:21:22,298 And I let the director handle it, 1667 01:21:22,340 --> 01:21:24,592 and we did it over and we did it over. 1668 01:21:24,676 --> 01:21:27,887 And he did it consistently. 1669 01:21:27,971 --> 01:21:30,682 (Evans weeping off-screen) 1670 01:21:30,765 --> 01:21:35,812 It makes me cry because I know he was protecting me. 1671 01:21:35,854 --> 01:21:37,897 I mean, I didn't know that at the time. 1672 01:21:37,981 --> 01:21:39,983 I was confused at the time. 1673 01:21:40,025 --> 01:21:41,860 But in thinking back, 1674 01:21:41,901 --> 01:21:45,405 part of the reason that I get so upset 1675 01:21:45,488 --> 01:21:50,035 is that he was doing everything he could do 1676 01:21:50,118 --> 01:21:52,037 to make it all right for me, in case. 1677 01:21:52,120 --> 01:21:55,498 'Cause nobody knew in those days about that. 1678 01:21:55,540 --> 01:21:57,292 Touches my heart. 1679 01:21:57,375 --> 01:21:59,461 Even now, when I think about it. 1680 01:22:01,421 --> 01:22:04,466 Voiceover as Nader: Saturday, April 6th, 1985. 1681 01:22:04,549 --> 01:22:07,218 The three of us drove through Joshua Tree 1682 01:22:07,302 --> 01:22:09,596 where Rock had never been before. 1683 01:22:09,679 --> 01:22:13,308 On the way there, the old song "Mockin' Bird Hill" came on. 1684 01:22:13,433 --> 01:22:17,312 ♪ Tra-la-la twittle-dee-dee-dee, it gives me... ♪ 1685 01:22:17,395 --> 01:22:19,189 Voiceover as Nader: We all roared with laughter. 1686 01:22:19,230 --> 01:22:22,442 Thirty years before, the song had been our favorite, 1687 01:22:22,525 --> 01:22:25,111 and we sang it in unison with the singer on the radio. 1688 01:22:25,195 --> 01:22:27,739 ♪ Tra-la-la twittle-dee-dee-dee ♪ 1689 01:22:27,822 --> 01:22:30,408 ♪ There's peace and goodwill ♪ 1690 01:22:30,450 --> 01:22:33,328 ♪ You're welcome as the flowers ♪ 1691 01:22:33,411 --> 01:22:36,539 ♪ On Mockin' Bird Hill... ♪ 1692 01:22:36,581 --> 01:22:38,583 Voiceover as Nader: By the time we finished the song, 1693 01:22:38,625 --> 01:22:39,751 we were all in tears. 1694 01:22:39,834 --> 01:22:41,628 Mark and I knew for sure 1695 01:22:41,711 --> 01:22:46,049 Rock had come down to the desert on Easter to say goodbye. 1696 01:22:46,091 --> 01:22:49,469 Even if we see him again, this is still it. 1697 01:22:49,552 --> 01:22:51,388 A farewell. 1698 01:22:51,471 --> 01:22:54,557 ♪ song ends ♪ 1699 01:22:54,599 --> 01:22:56,893 (telephone rings) 1700 01:22:56,935 --> 01:22:58,395 Hello. 1701 01:22:58,436 --> 01:22:59,813 I love my roses! 1702 01:22:59,896 --> 01:23:01,231 Well, hiya. 1703 01:23:01,272 --> 01:23:04,109 I am thrilled that you are gonna do my show. 1704 01:23:04,192 --> 01:23:06,277 -I am too. -You're my first guest. 1705 01:23:06,319 --> 01:23:08,113 -Is that right? -Very first one. 1706 01:23:08,196 --> 01:23:09,781 'Cause you're a very special guest. 1707 01:23:09,823 --> 01:23:11,616 Well, I am delighted about that. 1708 01:23:12,951 --> 01:23:14,911 Maley: The public started seeing 1709 01:23:14,953 --> 01:23:18,540 a major decline in his appearance. 1710 01:23:18,623 --> 01:23:22,919 That's when we began to understand what it was. 1711 01:23:22,961 --> 01:23:25,422 Even we thought it was AIDS. 1712 01:23:25,714 --> 01:23:27,674 All right, how did you know? 1713 01:23:27,757 --> 01:23:29,592 I saw his hand. 1714 01:23:30,218 --> 01:23:32,887 -What did you see? -The beginning of a lesion. 1715 01:23:32,971 --> 01:23:34,472 Discoloration. Softness of tissue. 1716 01:23:34,556 --> 01:23:37,100 That could have been anything-- yaws, psoriasis, 1717 01:23:37,142 --> 01:23:39,310 the beginning of any ordinary skin rash. 1718 01:23:39,394 --> 01:23:41,104 What made you so certain? 1719 01:23:41,146 --> 01:23:43,148 I just knew, that's all. 1720 01:23:43,231 --> 01:23:46,651 -You mean you guessed. -No, I knew. 1721 01:23:46,735 --> 01:23:48,111 Hmm. 1722 01:23:48,153 --> 01:23:51,531 Voiceover as Nader: Thursday, July 18th, 1985. 1723 01:23:51,614 --> 01:23:55,994 Rock exhausted and really downhill and a mess. 1724 01:23:56,036 --> 01:23:57,871 "He looks awful," Mark says. 1725 01:23:57,954 --> 01:23:59,831 Mark broached subject of Paris, 1726 01:23:59,873 --> 01:24:01,875 got Rock to listen. 1727 01:24:01,958 --> 01:24:03,543 Rock heaved a sigh and said, 1728 01:24:03,626 --> 01:24:07,172 "Well, okay, I guess I'd better go back over there." 1729 01:24:07,255 --> 01:24:09,507 Reporter: Just what is wrong with Rock Hudson? 1730 01:24:09,549 --> 01:24:11,384 Tonight, the 59-year-old actor 1731 01:24:11,468 --> 01:24:13,720 remains in a Paris hospital undergoing tests, 1732 01:24:13,803 --> 01:24:16,306 but the nature of his illness has become clouded 1733 01:24:16,348 --> 01:24:17,932 in mystery and confusion. 1734 01:24:17,974 --> 01:24:19,392 Yesterday, it was reported that Hudson 1735 01:24:19,476 --> 01:24:21,394 had liver cancer and possibly AIDS, 1736 01:24:21,478 --> 01:24:24,105 but today the hospital denied the cancer story 1737 01:24:24,189 --> 01:24:26,358 and said nothing about the AIDS rumor. 1738 01:24:26,399 --> 01:24:28,651 A spokesman just said Hudson was tired. 1739 01:24:29,444 --> 01:24:31,363 Maupin: At that point, I don't know what degree 1740 01:24:31,446 --> 01:24:33,907 Rock was actually making decisions, 1741 01:24:33,990 --> 01:24:37,369 but Ross Hunter was still saying 1742 01:24:37,410 --> 01:24:42,499 Rock had anorexia and a lot of feeble excuses. 1743 01:24:42,540 --> 01:24:43,917 (siren wailing) 1744 01:24:44,000 --> 01:24:46,419 Griffin: After collapsing at the Ritz, 1745 01:24:46,503 --> 01:24:49,964 Hudson is rushed to the American Hospital of Paris. 1746 01:24:50,048 --> 01:24:52,509 And at that point, it's determined 1747 01:24:52,550 --> 01:24:54,469 that Hudson could be better cared for 1748 01:24:54,552 --> 01:24:57,180 at a nearby military hospital. 1749 01:24:57,263 --> 01:25:00,141 So Rock's publicist, Dale Olson, sends a telegram 1750 01:25:00,225 --> 01:25:01,893 to Reagan's press secretary, 1751 01:25:01,976 --> 01:25:05,313 in which he explains that time is running out for Rock. 1752 01:25:05,397 --> 01:25:08,274 And Percy Hospital will not admit him 1753 01:25:08,358 --> 01:25:10,777 because Hudson isn't a French citizen. 1754 01:25:10,860 --> 01:25:14,906 Would the White House be willing to intervene? 1755 01:25:14,948 --> 01:25:17,242 Nancy Reagan declines. 1756 01:25:18,576 --> 01:25:21,204 You know, I think that non-responsiveness 1757 01:25:21,246 --> 01:25:23,540 to the personal plea from the publicist 1758 01:25:23,581 --> 01:25:27,085 encapsulates the entire Reagan administration's 1759 01:25:27,127 --> 01:25:29,796 non-responsiveness to the epidemic. 1760 01:25:29,879 --> 01:25:34,926 Man: His hands will be stained forever with innocent blood. 1761 01:25:36,886 --> 01:25:38,013 (breaks glass) 1762 01:25:38,096 --> 01:25:39,639 (Reporter speaking) 1763 01:25:39,723 --> 01:25:42,100 Nothing. He looks wonderful, I must say. 1764 01:25:42,183 --> 01:25:43,893 -Reporter: Did he talk to you? -Yes, he did. 1765 01:25:43,935 --> 01:25:46,521 -Reporter: What did he say? -He said, "How are you?" 1766 01:25:46,604 --> 01:25:48,773 I said, "I'm fine." (laughs) 1767 01:25:49,315 --> 01:25:53,028 Voiceover as Nader: Thursday, July 25th, 1985. 1768 01:25:53,111 --> 01:25:55,780 Big day in Paris, France. 1769 01:25:55,822 --> 01:25:59,617 The orchestrated ruination of Rock Hudson's life. 1770 01:25:59,659 --> 01:26:01,953 (somber music) 1771 01:26:02,037 --> 01:26:03,872 Yanou Collart: I was sent to his room 1772 01:26:03,955 --> 01:26:06,207 to read the statement and have his approval. 1773 01:26:06,291 --> 01:26:10,128 And that's one of the weirdest things I did in my life, 1774 01:26:10,170 --> 01:26:14,007 because I know that if Rock would've been strong enough 1775 01:26:14,090 --> 01:26:17,886 to decide not to tell the world that he had AIDS, he would do it. 1776 01:26:18,595 --> 01:26:23,975 He looked at my eyes and, uh, he say, 1777 01:26:24,017 --> 01:26:25,643 "That's what they want, Yanou. 1778 01:26:25,685 --> 01:26:28,480 Go and give that to the dogs." 1779 01:26:28,521 --> 01:26:32,484 Mr. Rock Hudson has Acquired 1780 01:26:32,567 --> 01:26:35,028 Immunodeficiency Syndrome... 1781 01:26:35,111 --> 01:26:36,321 (camera shutters clicking) 1782 01:26:36,404 --> 01:26:38,656 ...which was diagnosed 1783 01:26:38,740 --> 01:26:40,784 over a year ago 1784 01:26:40,825 --> 01:26:42,452 in the United States. 1785 01:26:42,535 --> 01:26:45,330 Voiceover as Nader: Mark watched and listened from a lounge 1786 01:26:45,413 --> 01:26:48,500 and sobbed all the way through Yanou's statement. 1787 01:26:48,541 --> 01:26:52,128 When it was over, he went up and told Rock. 1788 01:26:52,212 --> 01:26:56,007 Rock said, "God, what a way to end a life." 1789 01:26:56,758 --> 01:26:59,094 Hudson: Is this what you call news? 1790 01:26:59,177 --> 01:27:01,179 You know what I call it? 1791 01:27:01,221 --> 01:27:03,390 I call it the dead facts. 1792 01:27:03,473 --> 01:27:05,266 The dead facts strung together 1793 01:27:05,350 --> 01:27:07,769 by a deaf-dumb-blind editor! 1794 01:27:07,852 --> 01:27:09,521 Reporter 1: After three days of confusion 1795 01:27:09,604 --> 01:27:11,481 at the American Hospital in Paris, 1796 01:27:11,523 --> 01:27:14,025 a spokesperson for Rock Hudson... 1797 01:27:14,067 --> 01:27:15,735 ...American actor Rock Hudson... 1798 01:27:15,819 --> 01:27:18,321 Reporter 2: ...American Hospital in Paris, France, 1799 01:27:18,363 --> 01:27:20,657 for treatment of an inoperable liver cancer... 1800 01:27:20,699 --> 01:27:24,369 I've got the story. I've got it in my aching heart, 1801 01:27:24,411 --> 01:27:26,371 and you want to know how I got it? 1802 01:27:26,413 --> 01:27:29,749 By crawling through dirt and filth 1803 01:27:29,833 --> 01:27:31,543 and muck and smut. 1804 01:27:31,584 --> 01:27:33,211 By finding truth and beauty 1805 01:27:33,294 --> 01:27:35,130 where you'd never expect to find it. 1806 01:27:35,213 --> 01:27:36,756 Another case of AIDS has been confirmed, 1807 01:27:36,840 --> 01:27:39,175 affecting the most well-known victim yet. 1808 01:27:39,217 --> 01:27:41,344 He forsook all earthbound vanities, 1809 01:27:41,386 --> 01:27:43,972 home, family and love. 1810 01:27:44,055 --> 01:27:45,223 Why? 1811 01:27:45,306 --> 01:27:47,392 Because deep down he knew 1812 01:27:47,475 --> 01:27:49,394 that a man without blood in his veins 1813 01:27:49,436 --> 01:27:52,480 has got to fall down sooner or later. 1814 01:27:52,564 --> 01:27:54,524 Actor Rock Hudson has AIDS, 1815 01:27:54,566 --> 01:27:56,735 Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. 1816 01:27:57,944 --> 01:27:59,571 I feel empty. 1817 01:28:00,905 --> 01:28:02,073 Dead. 1818 01:28:02,157 --> 01:28:03,700 I just feel dirty. 1819 01:28:03,742 --> 01:28:04,909 I feel unclean. 1820 01:28:06,161 --> 01:28:08,705 Filthy business we're in. 1821 01:28:11,041 --> 01:28:13,043 Time will wash it clean. 1822 01:28:13,626 --> 01:28:15,962 Who knows how much time there is left? 1823 01:28:18,757 --> 01:28:21,718 McGillin: I do remember, uh, when I first came to New York, 1824 01:28:21,760 --> 01:28:23,928 I was walking through Greenwich Village 1825 01:28:24,012 --> 01:28:27,390 and I passed a newsstand and the headline said, 1826 01:28:27,432 --> 01:28:29,392 "Rock Hudson has AIDS." 1827 01:28:29,434 --> 01:28:33,313 And it... I absolutely, I stopped breathing. 1828 01:28:33,396 --> 01:28:36,358 I will never, ever, ever forget that moment 1829 01:28:36,441 --> 01:28:39,819 of just, this can't be. 1830 01:28:39,903 --> 01:28:43,490 It was everything kind of wrapped up in one. 1831 01:28:43,573 --> 01:28:46,117 It was Hollywood and the closet 1832 01:28:46,201 --> 01:28:48,286 and the fact that Rock 1833 01:28:48,370 --> 01:28:50,288 had lived his life not able 1834 01:28:50,330 --> 01:28:52,374 to express who he was. 1835 01:28:52,457 --> 01:28:53,792 And it had come to that. 1836 01:28:53,875 --> 01:28:56,252 It scared the shit out of me. 1837 01:28:56,294 --> 01:28:58,755 It made me terrified 1838 01:28:58,797 --> 01:29:02,926 of contemplating being out in the gay world, 1839 01:29:02,967 --> 01:29:09,724 and, um, that, I think, delayed my coming out. 1840 01:29:09,808 --> 01:29:11,851 Announcer: What's the shocking reason 1841 01:29:11,935 --> 01:29:13,812 Rock Hudson hid his tragic illness? 1842 01:29:13,853 --> 01:29:16,314 Why has the news terrified his "Dynasty" costars? 1843 01:29:16,398 --> 01:29:18,692 -Inquiring minds want to know. -I want to know. 1844 01:29:20,110 --> 01:29:23,446 Evans: There were, to my shock, 1845 01:29:23,488 --> 01:29:25,323 people on the set 1846 01:29:25,365 --> 01:29:28,493 who wouldn't come into the makeup room when I was there. 1847 01:29:28,576 --> 01:29:29,953 There were people 1848 01:29:29,994 --> 01:29:31,496 who wouldn't work with me, 1849 01:29:31,579 --> 01:29:33,373 and so they had to change scenes 1850 01:29:33,456 --> 01:29:36,126 because I might have AIDS. 1851 01:29:37,168 --> 01:29:39,754 I had personal friends 1852 01:29:39,838 --> 01:29:42,257 who wouldn't come over to dinner. 1853 01:29:42,340 --> 01:29:44,426 I mean, people went into fear. 1854 01:29:44,509 --> 01:29:46,594 Tremendous fear. 1855 01:29:46,678 --> 01:29:48,680 I was never afraid I would have AIDS, 1856 01:29:48,722 --> 01:29:52,017 no matter what they printed, what science they told me. 1857 01:29:52,058 --> 01:29:55,186 I thought, "Where's your humanity or where's your compassion? 1858 01:29:55,270 --> 01:29:58,189 You know, what's wrong with this world right now?" 1859 01:29:58,273 --> 01:30:00,108 (frightful fanfare) 1860 01:30:00,191 --> 01:30:01,651 (masked figure laughing) 1861 01:30:01,693 --> 01:30:04,779 (crowd laughing, blowing horns) 1862 01:30:09,826 --> 01:30:12,162 Collart: The moment it was announced 1863 01:30:12,203 --> 01:30:13,913 that Rock had AIDS, 1864 01:30:13,997 --> 01:30:17,250 the hospital had only one concern: 1865 01:30:17,334 --> 01:30:19,711 get him out of the hospital. 1866 01:30:19,794 --> 01:30:23,131 They didn't want to have any connection, the hospital, with AIDS. 1867 01:30:23,214 --> 01:30:24,841 It was terrible, you know. 1868 01:30:24,883 --> 01:30:28,720 The only concern was, "He must go out of here." 1869 01:30:29,387 --> 01:30:32,307 And I start to call the airline 1870 01:30:32,390 --> 01:30:34,225 to book to fly back to LA. 1871 01:30:34,309 --> 01:30:37,979 And as soon I was giving the name of the traveler, 1872 01:30:38,063 --> 01:30:41,983 the answer was, "We don't take AIDS people on board." 1873 01:30:42,067 --> 01:30:46,154 And that's why I had to rent a plane, 1874 01:30:46,237 --> 01:30:50,450 a 747, for $250,000. 1875 01:30:50,533 --> 01:30:55,663 It was his money, and it was the only way to bring him back home. 1876 01:30:57,415 --> 01:31:01,961 I was made so aware of the silence, 1877 01:31:02,045 --> 01:31:05,882 this huge, loud silence regarding AIDS, 1878 01:31:05,924 --> 01:31:07,717 how no one wanted to talk about it, 1879 01:31:07,759 --> 01:31:10,011 no one wanted to become involved. 1880 01:31:10,095 --> 01:31:14,182 Uh, certainly no one wanted to give money or support. 1881 01:31:14,265 --> 01:31:20,146 And it so angered me that I finally thought to myself, 1882 01:31:20,230 --> 01:31:23,233 "Bitch, do something yourself." 1883 01:31:24,150 --> 01:31:28,363 Bill Misenhimer: I started work with Elizabeth in June of 1985 1884 01:31:28,446 --> 01:31:30,490 for the Commitment to Life event. 1885 01:31:30,573 --> 01:31:32,784 When Rock Hudson announced his illness, 1886 01:31:32,826 --> 01:31:35,036 the demand for tickets 1887 01:31:35,120 --> 01:31:36,329 skyrocketed. 1888 01:31:36,413 --> 01:31:37,664 He made 1889 01:31:37,747 --> 01:31:40,625 an incredible difference 1890 01:31:40,667 --> 01:31:42,210 in our ability to raise money. 1891 01:31:42,293 --> 01:31:44,129 Reporter: Once his condition became public, 1892 01:31:44,212 --> 01:31:46,798 the Hollywood community rallied around one of their own 1893 01:31:46,840 --> 01:31:49,134 and they turned out for a benefit to raise money 1894 01:31:49,175 --> 01:31:50,468 with which to combat AIDS. 1895 01:31:50,552 --> 01:31:52,387 A personal message from Hudson was read 1896 01:31:52,470 --> 01:31:53,805 by actor Burt Lancaster. 1897 01:31:53,847 --> 01:31:56,975 "I'm not happy that I have AIDS, 1898 01:31:57,017 --> 01:31:59,144 "but if that is helping others, 1899 01:31:59,185 --> 01:32:01,896 "I can at least know that my own misfortune 1900 01:32:01,980 --> 01:32:04,649 has had some positive worth." 1901 01:32:05,150 --> 01:32:07,819 Reporter: Just last week, Hudson himself contributed 1902 01:32:07,861 --> 01:32:10,155 $250,000 of his own money 1903 01:32:10,196 --> 01:32:12,240 to start a new foundation for AIDS research. 1904 01:32:12,323 --> 01:32:15,660 Misenhimer: It's tragic when anybody gets sick, 1905 01:32:15,702 --> 01:32:17,662 but his announcement was 1906 01:32:17,704 --> 01:32:19,956 the most profound thing 1907 01:32:19,998 --> 01:32:22,500 that had happened at that point. 1908 01:32:22,584 --> 01:32:25,253 He put a face to it. 1909 01:32:25,295 --> 01:32:27,630 He made a lot of people realize 1910 01:32:27,672 --> 01:32:29,883 that anybody could get this. 1911 01:32:29,966 --> 01:32:32,344 It helped destigmatize a disease. 1912 01:32:32,427 --> 01:32:33,845 It's hard to say 1913 01:32:33,887 --> 01:32:37,599 that he saved anyone because no one was saved. 1914 01:32:37,682 --> 01:32:39,851 Everybody died. 1915 01:32:39,893 --> 01:32:42,645 I'll tell you one thing Rock Hudson's announcement did do, 1916 01:32:42,687 --> 01:32:44,439 it gave people hope. 1917 01:32:44,522 --> 01:32:47,359 Because they were hopeless. 1918 01:32:47,400 --> 01:32:51,654 (peaceful flute music) 1919 01:32:53,531 --> 01:32:55,784 Garlington: He got the diagnosis. 1920 01:32:55,867 --> 01:32:58,203 I was totally shocked. 1921 01:32:58,286 --> 01:33:01,581 Famous people don't get sick, 1922 01:33:01,664 --> 01:33:06,878 uh, in my world of fantasy. 1923 01:33:06,961 --> 01:33:09,798 ♪♪ 1924 01:33:09,881 --> 01:33:11,800 I called up there and said, 1925 01:33:11,883 --> 01:33:15,679 "I want to come see Rock before he passes." 1926 01:33:15,720 --> 01:33:18,723 And I was told, uh, 1927 01:33:18,765 --> 01:33:23,687 "Rock is not capable of knowing who you are 1928 01:33:23,728 --> 01:33:27,232 "and you are better remembering him 1929 01:33:27,273 --> 01:33:29,234 in a better time." 1930 01:33:30,402 --> 01:33:32,904 And in a sense, that was true. 1931 01:33:34,823 --> 01:33:38,785 (contemplative music continues) 1932 01:33:42,747 --> 01:33:47,293 So I did not go see him, uh... 1933 01:33:47,377 --> 01:33:50,046 And I wish I had. 1934 01:33:50,088 --> 01:33:53,425 I feel very guilty for not going up 1935 01:33:53,508 --> 01:33:57,220 and holding his hand one last time. 1936 01:34:02,767 --> 01:34:05,228 What is it you think we saw, Captain? 1937 01:34:05,270 --> 01:34:10,358 The face of the devil? A lost soul? The sinner? 1938 01:34:10,442 --> 01:34:12,235 That's the word, isn't it? 1939 01:34:12,277 --> 01:34:13,611 No, I didn't mean that. 1940 01:34:13,653 --> 01:34:14,904 Why not? 1941 01:34:14,946 --> 01:34:16,990 Let's call a sinner a sinner. 1942 01:34:17,073 --> 01:34:19,451 We're all sinners, aren't we, Captain? 1943 01:34:19,534 --> 01:34:22,203 Sinner or saint, isn't that the choice? 1944 01:34:24,706 --> 01:34:26,833 Reporter: AIDS is primarily a disease 1945 01:34:26,916 --> 01:34:28,418 associated with homosexuals. 1946 01:34:28,460 --> 01:34:29,753 Talk of Hudson's lifestyle 1947 01:34:29,794 --> 01:34:31,129 has surfaced. 1948 01:34:31,171 --> 01:34:32,964 Hollywood columnist Rona Barrett. 1949 01:34:33,006 --> 01:34:34,883 At no time did Rock Hudson 1950 01:34:34,966 --> 01:34:38,845 ever flaunt his alleged homosexuality. 1951 01:34:39,679 --> 01:34:41,723 ♪♪ 1952 01:34:41,806 --> 01:34:43,266 Maupin: Rock was going 1953 01:34:43,308 --> 01:34:44,768 to die of AIDS, and then 1954 01:34:44,809 --> 01:34:46,478 the story would be told, 1955 01:34:46,519 --> 01:34:47,812 and I didn't want it 1956 01:34:47,854 --> 01:34:50,648 to be told in the way that the... 1957 01:34:50,732 --> 01:34:53,485 the people in Hollywood wanted it told. 1958 01:34:53,985 --> 01:34:56,488 So they think I'm a traitor. 1959 01:34:56,571 --> 01:34:58,907 I told you I'd be better off dead. 1960 01:34:58,990 --> 01:35:02,577 No man is better off dead, my friend. 1961 01:35:02,660 --> 01:35:05,455 Maupin: They needed someone to say that he was gay. 1962 01:35:05,497 --> 01:35:07,707 Nobody would say he was gay, 1963 01:35:07,791 --> 01:35:09,125 which was interpreted 1964 01:35:09,167 --> 01:35:11,044 at the time, amongst gay men, 1965 01:35:11,127 --> 01:35:12,921 as a sign of loyalty to someone. 1966 01:35:13,004 --> 01:35:14,756 But it wasn't for me. 1967 01:35:14,798 --> 01:35:18,093 I had to make the decision at that point in my life. 1968 01:35:18,176 --> 01:35:21,471 Uh, I'm supposed to tell the truth about this. 1969 01:35:21,513 --> 01:35:24,432 So I did an interview saying, 1970 01:35:24,516 --> 01:35:25,684 "Of course, he was gay. 1971 01:35:25,725 --> 01:35:27,435 "Everybody in Hollywood knew it 1972 01:35:27,519 --> 01:35:29,604 "and it has to be said. 1973 01:35:29,688 --> 01:35:31,314 And he was a lovely guy." 1974 01:35:31,356 --> 01:35:33,608 I stressed that. 1975 01:35:33,692 --> 01:35:36,528 "And anybody who acts shocked by this 1976 01:35:36,569 --> 01:35:38,405 "should just get over themselves 1977 01:35:38,488 --> 01:35:41,282 "because many, many people have died already 1978 01:35:41,366 --> 01:35:42,701 who were lovely guys." 1979 01:35:43,368 --> 01:35:46,246 Everybody had to learn at that point in history. 1980 01:35:46,329 --> 01:35:48,748 People had to learn how to behave about this subject. 1981 01:35:48,832 --> 01:35:50,834 Like grownups, you know. 1982 01:35:52,377 --> 01:35:54,462 This lamp isn't working now. 1983 01:35:54,546 --> 01:35:56,589 It's cold and it's dark. 1984 01:35:56,673 --> 01:35:57,799 All the parts are there. 1985 01:35:57,882 --> 01:35:59,300 It's a perfect light, but... 1986 01:35:59,384 --> 01:36:00,802 It's just not turned on. 1987 01:36:00,844 --> 01:36:05,306 Right. But if I turn the switch and establish contact, 1988 01:36:05,390 --> 01:36:08,268 the bulb will draw power from the powerhouse down at the dam 1989 01:36:08,351 --> 01:36:11,312 and it'll do what it was meant to do, which is to make light. 1990 01:36:11,396 --> 01:36:14,899 All right, so you're saying that people have a sort of powerhouse too. 1991 01:36:14,983 --> 01:36:16,985 Right. And when you establish contact with that, 1992 01:36:17,068 --> 01:36:18,611 you can do what you're meant to do. 1993 01:36:18,695 --> 01:36:20,697 You can fulfill your destiny. 1994 01:36:21,573 --> 01:36:25,076 The knowledge that this man, this beautiful, handsome man 1995 01:36:25,118 --> 01:36:28,079 that everyone had loved, had AIDS, 1996 01:36:28,163 --> 01:36:29,914 changed things completely. 1997 01:36:29,998 --> 01:36:33,001 It's when I approached him about coming out, uh, 1998 01:36:33,084 --> 01:36:35,628 six or seven years earlier, 1999 01:36:35,712 --> 01:36:39,924 I said, "You'll make a difference in how people perceive gay people." 2000 01:36:41,384 --> 01:36:44,304 Well, goodbye, and thanks for everything. 2001 01:36:44,929 --> 01:36:47,724 (somber music) 2002 01:36:47,766 --> 01:36:49,601 (door closes) 2003 01:36:49,642 --> 01:36:53,646 ♪♪ 2004 01:36:53,730 --> 01:36:56,816 Robert MacNeil: Actor Rock Hudson died today at age 59 2005 01:36:56,900 --> 01:36:59,361 after a year's struggle against AIDS disease. 2006 01:36:59,444 --> 01:37:02,030 His staff said he passed away peacefully in his sleep 2007 01:37:02,113 --> 01:37:04,282 at his home in Beverly Hills. 2008 01:37:05,283 --> 01:37:06,451 So he's dead. 2009 01:37:06,493 --> 01:37:08,953 Yes, we tried everything. 2010 01:37:11,790 --> 01:37:15,085 (soft, indistinct chatter) 2011 01:37:15,126 --> 01:37:17,629 It's just a very sad day. 2012 01:37:17,712 --> 01:37:20,632 Hudson: Don't be afraid. 2013 01:37:21,257 --> 01:37:23,885 Think of life as a shadowy place, 2014 01:37:23,968 --> 01:37:27,055 crowded with people who can't see each other very well. 2015 01:37:27,138 --> 01:37:29,349 -Don't block this. Get outta here. -Hunter: Get outta here. 2016 01:37:29,432 --> 01:37:31,226 Get outta here. What kind of people are you? 2017 01:37:31,309 --> 01:37:33,228 Don't you have family that you love? 2018 01:37:33,311 --> 01:37:35,605 Would you like this to happen to them or to you? Get outta here. 2019 01:37:35,647 --> 01:37:38,983 Hudson: Think also of a door, just beyond. 2020 01:37:40,568 --> 01:37:42,362 When that door opens... 2021 01:37:43,738 --> 01:37:45,031 we pass through 2022 01:37:45,115 --> 01:37:48,201 into a wonderful brightness. 2023 01:37:49,202 --> 01:37:50,662 Reporter: When did he go, roughly? 2024 01:37:50,704 --> 01:37:51,871 Early this morning. 2025 01:37:51,955 --> 01:37:53,665 I'd say about 8:30, 9 o'clock. 2026 01:37:53,748 --> 01:37:55,834 I've gotta go. Please let me go. 2027 01:37:55,917 --> 01:37:59,004 Just a gentle step from darkness to light. 2028 01:38:00,088 --> 01:38:03,008 From darkness to light. 2029 01:38:04,634 --> 01:38:08,471 Reporter: Have you anything to say for the fans? 2030 01:38:08,513 --> 01:38:11,558 Just that he was the best friend I ever had in the world 2031 01:38:11,641 --> 01:38:14,602 and we sort of grew up in this business together. 2032 01:38:15,478 --> 01:38:16,855 He... I can't. 2033 01:38:16,896 --> 01:38:18,690 Reporter: Oh, it's very important, sir. 2034 01:38:23,361 --> 01:38:26,031 And the wind came from the wilderness... 2035 01:38:28,033 --> 01:38:33,955 and it carried me where man can never reach alone. 2036 01:38:40,670 --> 01:38:44,132 (somber violin music) 2037 01:38:46,885 --> 01:38:48,762 Jillson: We lost a lot of friends. 2038 01:38:48,845 --> 01:38:51,139 I would say 150, 2039 01:38:51,222 --> 01:38:53,058 200, um, friends. 2040 01:38:53,099 --> 01:38:55,352 It was horrifying. 2041 01:38:55,393 --> 01:38:58,104 Carberry: Oh, it was terrible. 2042 01:38:59,439 --> 01:39:03,568 All we did do is go to funerals and fundraisers. 2043 01:39:06,196 --> 01:39:08,073 Reporter: Government funding of AIDS research 2044 01:39:08,114 --> 01:39:09,824 has increased $70 million 2045 01:39:09,908 --> 01:39:11,993 in the year since Hudson's death 2046 01:39:12,035 --> 01:39:14,829 and private fundraising for all AIDS organizations 2047 01:39:14,913 --> 01:39:16,706 has tripled. 2048 01:39:19,125 --> 01:39:23,088 Kevoian: His passing was incredibly profound for me. 2049 01:39:23,129 --> 01:39:25,924 And when I got home to LA, 2050 01:39:25,965 --> 01:39:29,094 I went to the Gay Men's Health Clinic 2051 01:39:29,177 --> 01:39:31,971 and I tested positive. 2052 01:39:33,014 --> 01:39:36,559 I was alone 2053 01:39:36,601 --> 01:39:38,228 and scared 2054 01:39:38,269 --> 01:39:41,106 and didn't know how to process it, 2055 01:39:41,189 --> 01:39:46,027 in 1985 when everybody, 2056 01:39:46,111 --> 01:39:48,363 all of my peers, you know, 2057 01:39:48,446 --> 01:39:51,282 people were passing constantly, 2058 01:39:51,366 --> 01:39:57,747 and of course I felt like I was going to pass as well. 2059 01:39:57,831 --> 01:40:02,627 But I started to live my life in a way 2060 01:40:02,669 --> 01:40:06,256 that I would say... 2061 01:40:07,966 --> 01:40:11,219 live life as fully as possible. 2062 01:40:11,302 --> 01:40:14,222 And I don't know how I survived or why I've survived. 2063 01:40:14,305 --> 01:40:16,808 And I keep asking God every day, you know, 2064 01:40:16,850 --> 01:40:18,101 what do you want me to do? 2065 01:40:18,143 --> 01:40:21,938 What, what is there left for me to do before I leave? 2066 01:40:21,980 --> 01:40:25,650 And I'm waiting to find out. 2067 01:40:25,734 --> 01:40:27,569 ♪♪ 2068 01:40:27,652 --> 01:40:30,947 Interviewer: Is there anything you fear in this life at all? 2069 01:40:30,989 --> 01:40:34,117 (laughing) Or the next one, I suppose? 2070 01:40:36,202 --> 01:40:38,246 I don't think so. 2071 01:40:41,041 --> 01:40:43,126 I used to, but I don't anymore. 2072 01:40:43,168 --> 01:40:48,173 And it's a very comforting feeling to not be afraid. 2073 01:40:49,758 --> 01:40:52,302 He died the death of a hero 2074 01:40:52,344 --> 01:40:55,055 and he deserves our tears. 2075 01:40:56,014 --> 01:40:59,684 So throw the dirt gently into his grave. 2076 01:41:01,603 --> 01:41:03,271 Take off your hat, 2077 01:41:04,189 --> 01:41:05,815 bow your head... 2078 01:41:07,108 --> 01:41:10,695 and read kindly his epitaph. 2079 01:41:10,737 --> 01:41:14,532 (contemplative music) 2080 01:41:14,574 --> 01:41:18,161 Reporter 1: He was seen as the All-American boy. 2081 01:41:18,203 --> 01:41:19,871 When the All-American boy gets AIDS, 2082 01:41:19,913 --> 01:41:22,665 it's really changed a lot of people's attitudes. 2083 01:41:22,707 --> 01:41:25,794 Reporter 2: When he died, longtime friend Elizabeth Taylor prayed 2084 01:41:25,877 --> 01:41:28,171 that he had not died in vain. 2085 01:41:28,713 --> 01:41:32,258 Elizabeth Taylor: Art lives on forever. 2086 01:41:32,342 --> 01:41:36,096 Unless we find a cure for AIDS, 2087 01:41:36,179 --> 01:41:39,766 there will be no forever. 2088 01:41:39,849 --> 01:41:41,393 And we will find it. 2089 01:41:41,476 --> 01:41:44,145 We will find it together. 2090 01:41:46,064 --> 01:41:48,900 Maupin: He pretty much did change the course of history around AIDS. 2091 01:41:48,942 --> 01:41:50,652 He didn't intentionally do it, 2092 01:41:50,735 --> 01:41:55,115 but there was no other star that made that kind of impact before. 2093 01:41:55,198 --> 01:41:57,742 There hasn't been one since, really. 2094 01:41:57,784 --> 01:42:00,036 ♪♪ 2095 01:42:00,078 --> 01:42:04,624 Actress: It is beyond your power to change the face of destiny. 2096 01:42:04,708 --> 01:42:07,711 Outside this place, there's a great evil. 2097 01:42:07,752 --> 01:42:11,756 Men speak of hatred and sharpen the knives. 2098 01:42:11,840 --> 01:42:14,384 I will make you well 2099 01:42:14,426 --> 01:42:18,221 and perhaps your life will find a new sweetness. 2100 01:42:20,015 --> 01:42:23,977 Actor: You don't have to prove anything anymore. 2101 01:42:24,060 --> 01:42:28,189 You are accepted. 2102 01:42:28,273 --> 01:42:32,986 You will be in your own new dimension. 2103 01:42:33,069 --> 01:42:35,405 ♪♪ 2104 01:42:35,447 --> 01:42:39,034 Hudson: You'll have to go on asking yourself, 2105 01:42:39,117 --> 01:42:40,869 what's your dream? 2106 01:42:42,746 --> 01:42:44,873 What's your dream today? 2107 01:42:48,376 --> 01:42:50,211 There's an old saying: 2108 01:42:50,295 --> 01:42:53,423 "Nobody really dies till he's forgotten." 2109 01:43:06,728 --> 01:43:09,898 ♪ Barry McGuire playing "So Long, Stay Well" ♪ 2110 01:43:13,943 --> 01:43:17,989 ♪ Little boy, go ride the pale horse in the park ♪ 2111 01:43:18,073 --> 01:43:19,491 ♪ Count the golden butterflies ♪ 2112 01:43:19,574 --> 01:43:21,409 ♪ Stay out till dark ♪ 2113 01:43:21,493 --> 01:43:25,163 ♪ Never mind the grownups who sing their old song ♪ 2114 01:43:25,246 --> 01:43:26,998 ♪ So long ♪ 2115 01:43:27,040 --> 01:43:29,292 ♪ Stay well ♪ 2116 01:43:29,334 --> 01:43:32,337 ♪ Love was here ♪ 2117 01:43:32,379 --> 01:43:36,007 ♪ And gone ♪ 2118 01:43:36,091 --> 01:43:39,928 ♪ Little boy, you're older, keep life while you can ♪ 2119 01:43:40,011 --> 01:43:43,848 ♪ Happy days and holidays so soon escape man ♪ 2120 01:43:43,890 --> 01:43:47,352 ♪ Soon you'll be a grownup and sing your own song ♪ 2121 01:43:47,394 --> 01:43:49,312 ♪ So long ♪ 2122 01:43:49,354 --> 01:43:51,272 ♪ Stay well ♪ 2123 01:43:51,356 --> 01:43:54,818 ♪ Love was here ♪ 2124 01:43:54,859 --> 01:43:58,029 ♪ And gone ♪ 2125 01:43:58,071 --> 01:44:02,450 ♪ Some other autumn will right all the wrongs ♪ 2126 01:44:02,534 --> 01:44:05,912 ♪ So long ♪ 2127 01:44:05,995 --> 01:44:09,958 ♪ Stay well ♪ 2128 01:44:10,041 --> 01:44:13,336 ♪ Love was here ♪ 2129 01:44:13,378 --> 01:44:15,213 ♪ And gone ♪ 2130 01:44:15,296 --> 01:44:17,549 ♪♪