The inspiration for the HBO® Original Documentary, Rock Hudson: All that Heaven Allowed, airing June 28!
The definitive biography of the deeply complex and widely misunderstood matinee idol of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
“Mark Griffin paints a vivid portrait of a man who lived a double life in order to maintain his status as a movie star. Griffin’s sources are candid but credible, which makes the book a real page-turner. I came away admiring Hudson all the more, and feeling sad for the secret existence that Hollywood demanded of its leading men in the 1950s and 60s.” — Leonard Maltin, author of Hooked on Hollywood: Discoveries from a Lifetime of Film Fandom
Devastatingly handsome, broad-shouldered and clean-cut, Rock Hudson was the ultimate movie star. The embodiment of romantic masculinity in American film throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s, he reigned supreme as the king of Hollywood.
As an Oscar-nominated leading man, Hudson won acclaim for his performances in glossy melodramas (Magnificent Obsession), western epics (Giant) and blockbuster bedroom farces (Pillow Talk). In the ‘70s and ‘80s, Hudson successfully transitioned to television; his long-running series McMillan & Wife and a recurring role on Dynasty introduced him to a whole new generation of fans.
The icon worshipped by moviegoers and beloved by his colleagues appeared to have it all. Yet beneath the suave and commanding star persona, there was an insecure, deeply conflicted, and all too vulnerable human being. Growing up poor in Winnetka, Illinois, Hudson was abandoned by his biological father, abused by an alcoholic stepfather, and controlled by his domineering mother.
Despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Hudson was determined to become an actor at all costs. After signing with the powerful but predatory agent Henry Willson, the young hopeful was transformed from a clumsy, tongue-tied truck driver into Universal Studio’s resident Adonis. In a more conservative era, Hudson’s wholesome, straight arrow screen image was at odds with his closeted homosexuality.
As a result of his gay relationships and clandestine affairs, Hudson was continually threatened with public exposure, not only by scandal sheets like Confidential but by a number of his own partners. For years, Hudson dodged questions concerning his private life, but in 1985 the public learned that the actor was battling AIDS. The disclosure that such a revered public figure had contracted the illness focused worldwide attention on the epidemic.
Drawing on more than 100 interviews with co-stars, family members and former companions, All That Heaven Allows delivers a complete and nuanced portrait of one of the most fascinating stars in cinema history.
Griffin provides new details concerning Hudson’s troubled relationships with wife Phyllis Gates and boyfriend Marc Christian. And here, for the first time, is an in-depth exploration of Hudson’s classic films, including Written on the Wind, A Farewell to Arms, and the cult favorite Seconds. With unprecedented access to private journals, personal correspondence, and production files, Griffin pays homage to the idol whose life and death had a lasting impact on American culture.
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"This biography dedicated to Rock Hudson significantly surpasses the authorized autobiography of the actor written in 1986 with the active assistance of Sara Davidson. In a lively language and with a visible empathy for his subject, Mark Griffin unfolds the fate of Roy Fitzgerald, originally from Northern Illinois, whose life changed when his destiny was taken in hand by the formidable and predatory Henry Willson, an agent with a sulphurous reputation whose clients were mostly young athletes with advantageous physiques. Thanks to him, Rock became a star at Universal not only, in the 50s, via the sumptuous melodramas of Douglas Sirk but also retained his title until the 60s, notably thanks to the comedies filmed with Doris Day. What is perhaps a little less well known (and which the book largely returns to) is the sordid battle waged, through the media and trials, by supposedly close friends of the actor against a backdrop of blackmail, illness and manipulation, while his great friend Elisabeth Taylor ultimately proved to be the only one he could count on before and after his death (a very moving passage where the actress slips into the bed of the dying man surrounded by bigots who keep a good distance for fear of contracting his illness). A very good read that I can only recommend to my film-loving friends."
— Marco Santuccio (5 out of 5 stars)
“A vivid portrait of a man who lived a double life in order to maintain his status.”
— Leonard Maltin, New York Times bestselling author“Relying on a cornucopia of interviews, the author provides trenchant cinematic insight and social criticism along with an equally abundant trove of bon mots and anecdotes.”
— Library Journal (starred review)“Griffin meticulously documents Rock Hudson’s private life as a closeted gay man against the backdrop of his glittering film career and public persona as a sophisticated ladies’ man…An informative piece of scholarship.”
— Publishers Weekly“Hudson’s rags-to-riches story is revealed by Griffin’s comprehensive overview of Hudson’s filmography as well as his frank but objective discussion of Hudson’s complicated personal life.”
— Booklist“An engrossing and carefully documented account of a beloved film icon’s life.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Jeremy Arthur’s skillful narration makes the biography quite moving…Arthur accomplishes the greatest narration task of all—he disappears into the story…Arthur’s inflection and tonality are quite consistent and without much acting out of the roles…This audiobook is well worth a sobering listen.”
— AudioFile" I highly recommend this book not only for his research value but also for his humanity and great respect for it’s subject. "
— Marco Santuccio, 12/21/2024Mark Griffin is the author of A Hundred or More Hidden Things: The Life and Films of Vincente Minnelli. Griffin, whose writing has appeared in scores of publications, including The Boston Globe, recently appeared in the documentary Gene Kelly: To Live and Dance. He lives in Maine.
Fred Berman has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards as well as the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. He is an actor of theater, film, and television whose credits include Broadway’s The Lion King, Law & Order, and Directing Eddie, among others. He was featured in Entertainment Weekly for his work on the Walking Dead audiobook series.