All That Heaven Allows: A Biography of Rock Hudson - Paperback

by Mark Griffin (Author)

The inspiration for the HBO(R) 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.

Front Jacket

Devastatingly handsome and clean-cut, Rock Hudson was the embodiment of romantic masculinity in American cinema through-out the 50's and 60's. Yet as All That Heaven Allows reveals, keeping secrets was a way of life for him. In a more conservative era, Hudson's homosexuality was thought to be at odds with his straight-arrow image. Rock was continuously threatened with public exposure, not only by scandal sheets like Confidential but by a number of his own partners.

Then, in 1985, came a shocking announcement: Hudson was battling AIDS. At the end of his life, the actor would assume his most important role, transcending his own celebrity by becoming the face of a global pandemic.

Featuring interviews with Carol Burnett, Joel Grey, Piper Laurie, Jack Scalia, Claudia Cardinale, Armistead Maupin, Arlene Dahl, and Robert Osborne, All That Heaven Allows includes new in-sights from friends, family members, and former partners. More than thirty years after his death, Rock Hudson's complete story--sensational, heartbreaking and courageous--has finally been told.

Back Jacket

Devastatingly handsome and clean-cut, Rock Hudson was the embodiment of romantic masculinity in American cinema through-out the 50's and 60's. Yet as All That Heaven Allows reveals, keeping secrets was a way of life for him. In a more conservative era, Hudson's homosexuality was thought to be at odds with his straight-arrow image. Rock was continuously threatened with public exposure, not only by scandal sheets like Confidential but by a number of his own partners.

Then, in 1985, came a shocking announcement: Hudson was battling AIDS. At the end of his life, the actor would assume his most important role, transcending his own celebrity by becoming the face of a global pandemic.

Featuring interviews with Carol Burnett, Joel Grey, Piper Laurie, Jack Scalia, Claudia Cardinale, Armistead Maupin, Arlene Dahl, and Robert Osborne, All That Heaven Allows includes new in-sights from friends, family members, and former partners. More than thirty years after his death, Rock Hudson's complete story--sensational, heartbreaking and courageous--has finally been told.