Rock Hudson

==Biography==

==Biography==

Rock Hudson was an American actor, born as Roy Harold Scherer, Jr in 1925 in Winnetka, Cook County, [[Illinois]], the son of Roy Harold Scherer, Sr an auto mechanic, and his wife Kay Wood. Kay was the daughter of James Wood and Mary Ellen unknown.  Roy Sr left that family in 1932 and went to California.  After Roy left, Kay started dating Wally FitzGerald who worked shoveling coal at the Winnetka Water Works.  Kay and Wally married and he adopted Roy who became Roy FitzGerald.

Rock Hudson was an American actor, born as Roy Harold Scherer, Jr in 1925 in Winnetka, Cook County, [[Illinois]], the son of Roy Harold Scherer, Sr an auto mechanic, and his wife Kay Wood. Kay was the daughter of James Wood and Mary Ellen unknown.  Roy Sr left that family in 1932 and went to California.  After Roy left, Kay started dating Wally FitzGerald who worked shoveling coal at the Winnetka Water Works.  Kay and Wally married and he adopted Roy who became Roy FitzGerald.

Roy FitzGerald went to New Trier High School.  Wally and Kay fought and he would beat her and Roy.  The divorced, Kay married him a second time, and they divorced again when Roy was fifteen.  Kay became a live-in housekeeper for a wealthy family.  For several years they lived above Walgreen's Drug Store.

Roy FitzGerald went to New Trier High School.  Wally and Kay fought and he would beat her and Roy.  The divorced, Kay married him a second time, and they divorced again when Roy was fifteen.  Kay became a live-in housekeeper for a wealthy family.  For several years they lived above Walgreen's Drug Store.

"Roy Fitzgerald enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and was shipped on the S.S. Lew Wallace, a Kaiser Liberty ship, to Samar, a sandy island in the Philippines." (''My Story'', p42)  He was shipped home in 1946 and decided to go to California because his father, was living in Long Beach.  He found a job driving for Budget Pack.  In Long Beach, for the first time, he met men who were open about being gay.  One of these was [[Kenneth G Hodge]].  "...Ken Hodge had worked in radio for many years, producing [[Lux Radio Theatre]].  Ken was thirty-six and Roy was twenty-one...he lived in a penthouse...in the [[Chateau Marmont]], a building owned by his Aunt Bernadette." (''My Story'', p 43)

"Roy Fitzgerald enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and was shipped on the S.S. Lew Wallace, a Kaiser Liberty ship, to Samar, a sandy island in the Philippines." (''My Story'', p42)  He was shipped home in 1946 and decided to go to California because his father, was living in Long Beach.  He found a job driving for Budget Pack.  In Long Beach, for the first time, he met men who were open about being gay.  One of these was [[Kenneth G Hodge]].  "...Ken Hodge had worked in radio for many years, producing [[Lux Radio Theatre]].  Ken was thirty-six and Roy was twenty-one...he lived in a penthouse...in the [[Chateau Marmont]], a building owned by his Aunt Bernadette." (''My Story'', p 43)

Roy and Kenneth met in the Summer of 1947, together they left Long Beach and moved to Hollywood where they shared a bungalow in the hills.  Kenneth worked his contacts and threw parties to introduce his protege.  At one of these, Roy met [[Henry Willson]].  Without Ken's knowledge, Roy contacted Willson, they signed a contract and Willson became his agent.  Kenneth moved back to Long Beach, alone.

Roy and Kenneth met in the Summer of 1947, together they left Long Beach and moved to Hollywood where they shared a bungalow in the hills.  Kenneth worked his contacts and threw parties to introduce his protege.  At one of these, Roy met [[Henry Willson]].  Without Ken's knowledge, Roy contacted Willson, they signed a contract and Willson became his agent.  Kenneth moved back to Long Beach, alone.

Rock Hudson died of AIDS in the 1980s at his home in [[California]].

Rock Hudson died of AIDS in the 1980s at his home in [[California]].

Many articles have been writen about him, but many of the people swirling around him are shadows, whose lives are only illuminated in his presence.  That is, all the articles mentioning them, only mention them in relationship to him.  There are a few exceptions like his agent Henry Willson or the actor George Nader, who was one of his best friends for most of his life.

Many articles have been writen about him, but many of the people swirling around him are shadows, whose lives are only illuminated in his presence.  That is, all the articles mentioning them, only mention them in relationship to him.  There are a few exceptions like his agent Henry Willson or the actor George Nader, who was one of his best friends for most of his life.