Rock Hudson was a movie and TV icon for several decades, with the period 1954-1968 being his biggest run of success. Being the first celebrity to die of AIDS put a final end to his often questioned masquerade as straight, but oh, did he ever exude masculinity. Today I'm featuring some of his early shirtless publicity photos, both solo and with friends. Until his final illness, Rock aged rather well, and I will feature some photos from later in his life in a future set.
I remember a moronic schoolmate who said that it was a shame that Hudson was gay because of "all those years" that "so many women" thought of him as "real man." Decades after his death, he seems he even more masculine and magical to me. Thank you so much for posting these images.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, and I agree that Mr. Hudson was instrumental in extending the definition of masculinity and "real men" to include gay men. I only regret that it took his tragic death from AIDS to bring that point home to millions.
Delete