Editing Rock Hudson (section)

==Illness and death==
[[File:President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan with Rock Hudson.jpg|thumb|right|Hudson (left) with U.S. President [[Ronald Reagan]] and First Lady [[Nancy Reagan]] at a May 1984 White House state dinner, less than three weeks before he was [[Diagnosis of HIV/AIDS|diagnosed with AIDS]].]]

Unknown to the public, Hudson was [[Diagnosis of HIV/AIDS|diagnosed with AIDS]] on June 5, 1984, three years after the emergence of the [[HIV/AIDS in the United States|first cluster of symptomatic patients in the United States]], and one year after the initial conclusion by scientists that HIV causes AIDS. Over the next several months, Hudson kept his illness a secret and continued to work while at the same time traveling to France and other countries seeking a cure or treatment to slow the progression of the disease.

On July 16, 1985, Hudson joined [[Doris Day]] for a Hollywood press conference, announcing the launch of her new cable TV show ''Doris Day's Best Friends'', for which Hudson was the inaugural guest. His emaciated appearance was such a shock that the reunion was broadcast repeatedly over national news shows that night and for days to come, with media outlets speculating on Hudson's health.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ew.com/article/1997/07/11/rock-hudsons-day-revelation/|title=Hudson's Day of Revelation|last=Martin|first=James A.|date=July 11, 1997|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=December 25, 2012|archive-date=July 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702210612/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20202713,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Day later acknowledged that  Hudson "was very sick. But I just brushed that off and I came out and put my arms around him and said 'Am I glad to see you.{{'"}}<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/obituaries/doris-day-death.html|title= Wholesome Box-Office Star and Golden Voice of 'Que Sera, Sera|last= Harmetz|first= Aljean|date= May 13, 2019|website= [[The New York Times]]|access-date= June 18, 2019|quote= Ms.Day said, "He was very sick. But I just brushed that off and I came out and put my arms around him and said 'Am I glad to see you.'|archive-date= January 7, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200107125313/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/obituaries/doris-day-death.html|url-status= live}}</ref>

Two days later, Hudson traveled to Paris, France, for another round of treatment. After Hudson collapsed in his room at the [[Hôtel Ritz Paris|Ritz Hotel]] in Paris on July 21, his publicist [[Dale Olson]] released a statement claiming that Hudson had inoperable [[Hepatocellular carcinoma|liver cancer]]. Olson denied reports that Hudson had AIDS and said only that he was undergoing tests for "everything" at the American Hospital of Paris.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=negLAAAAIBAJ&pg=7186,1909318&dq=rock+hudson+liver+cancer&hl=en|title=Hospital: Hudson liver cancer report is false|last=Dunphy|first=Harry|date=July 24, 1985|work=The Evening Independent|page=3-A|access-date=December 25, 2012|archive-date=August 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813092334/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=negLAAAAIBAJ&pg=7186,1909318&dq=rock+hudson+liver+cancer&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> Four days later, on July 25, 1985, Hudson's French publicist [[Yanou Collart]] confirmed that Hudson did, in fact, have AIDS.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hudson Has AIDS, Spokesman Says|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/26/arts/hudson-has-aids-spokesman-says.html|access-date=November 24, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=July 26, 1985|archive-date=November 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125044121/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/26/arts/hudson-has-aids-spokesman-says.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Services|first1=Times Wire|title=Rock Hudson Has Had AIDS for Year – Friend|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-07-25-mn-5849-story.html|access-date=November 24, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=July 25, 1985|archive-date=November 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125050710/http://articles.latimes.com/1985-07-25/news/mn-5849_1_aids-specialists|url-status=live}}</ref> He was among the earliest mainstream celebrities to have been diagnosed with the disease.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QOUjAAAAIBAJ&pg=1036,2868450&dq=rock+hudson+aids+confirm&hl=en|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124194232/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QOUjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XdcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1036,2868450&dq=rock+hudson+aids+confirm&hl=en|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 24, 2013|title=AIDS diagnosis is confirmed|date=July 26, 1985|work=The Modesto Bee|page=A-3|access-date=December 25, 2012}}</ref>

Hudson flew back to Los Angeles on July 30. He was so weak that he was moved by stretcher from the Air France Boeing 747 he had chartered; he and his medical attendants were the only passengers.<ref>Shilts, Randy. ''And the Band Played On: Politics, ''People'', and the AIDS Epidemic''. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1987. p. 580. {{ISBN|0-312-00994-1}}</ref> He was flown by helicopter to UCLA Medical Center,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R10aAAAAIBAJ&pg=2119,8882870&dq=rock+hudson+helicopter&hl=en|title=Hudson flown to California for treatment at UCLA|date=July 30, 1985|work=The Milwaukee Journal|page=1|access-date=December 25, 2012}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> where he spent nearly a month undergoing further treatment.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wZJJAAAAIBAJ&pg=4206,3248299&dq=rock+hudson+home&hl=en|title=Rock Hudson Continues Rest at Calif. Home|date=September 9, 1985|work=The News and Courier|page=11-A|access-date=December 25, 2012}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He was released from the hospital in late August 1985 and returned to his home in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles for private hospice care.

At around 9 a.m. on October 2, 1985, Hudson died in his sleep<ref name=autogenerated4/><ref name=CS17404227 >{{cite news|title=Aids victim Rock Hudson dies in his sleep aged 59|author=Michael Binyon|date=October 3, 1985|page=1|newspaper=[[The Times]]}}</ref> from AIDS-related complications at his home in Beverly Hills at the age of 59.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t-ZVAAAAIBAJ&pg=5232,386023&dq=rock+hudson+death&hl=en|title=Rock Hudson's death mourned|date=October 3, 1985|work=Eugene Register-Guard|page=1|access-date=December 25, 2012|archive-date=August 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813132939/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t-ZVAAAAIBAJ&pg=5232,386023&dq=rock+hudson+death&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Ryon/> Hudson requested that no funeral be held. His body was [[cremated]] hours after his death<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LqlWAAAAIBAJ&pg=1822,1956530&dq=rock+hudson+funeral&hl=en|title=Final bravery of Rock Hudson moves actors|date=October 4, 1985|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|page=10|access-date=December 25, 2012|archive-date=August 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813132247/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LqlWAAAAIBAJ&pg=1822,1956530&dq=rock+hudson+funeral&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> and a [[cenotaph]] later was established at [[Forest Lawn Cemetery (Cathedral City)|Forest Lawn Cemetery]] in Cathedral City, California.<ref>Benoit, Tod (2014). ''Where Are They Buried?: How Did They Die?'', Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, [[Amazon Kindle|Kindle edition]], loc 2917, {{ISBN|1579129846}}</ref><ref>Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Location 22495). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.</ref> His ashes were scattered in the channel between Wilmington, Los Angeles and Santa Catalina Island.

The disclosure of Hudson's AIDS diagnosis provoked widespread public discussion of his homosexuality. In ''[[Logical Family: A Memoir]]'' (2017), gay author [[Armistead Maupin]], who was a friend of Hudson, writes that he was the first person to confirm to the press that Hudson was gay in 1985. Maupin explains that he confirmed it to [[Randy Shilts]] of the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' and that he was annoyed that producer [[Ross Hunter]], also gay, denied it.<ref name="logicalfamily211">{{cite book|last1=Maupin|first1=Armistead|title=[[Logical Family: A Memoir]]|date=2017|publisher=Penguin|location=London|isbn=978-0857523518|pages=211–12|quote=When the Chronicle reporter called, I kept it simple: I said yes of course, Rock was widely known in the industry to be gay, so there was no scandal at all here beyond the fact that it had taken this horrendous disease to demolish the charade that had made Rock's life miserable for so long.}}</ref> In its August 15, 1985, issue, [[People (magazine)|''People'']] magazine published a story that discussed his disease in the context of his sexuality. The largely sympathetic article featured comments from show business colleagues, such as [[Angie Dickinson]], [[Robert Stack]], and [[Mamie Van Doren]], who claimed they knew about Hudson's homosexuality and expressed their support for him.<ref name=autogenerated3/> At that time, ''People'' had a circulation of more than 2.8&nbsp;million;<ref>Diamond, Edwin. "Celebrating Celebrity: The New Gossips". ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'', Vol. 18, No. 19. May 13, 1985.</ref> as a result of this and other stories, Hudson's homosexuality became public. Hudson's revelation had an immediate impact on the visibility of AIDS and on the funding of medical research related to the disease.<ref>Norman, Colin (December 20, 1985). "AIDS therapy: new push for clinical trials". ''[[Science (journal)]]''. Vol. 230, pp.&nbsp;1355–58. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, November 19, 2017. "At least part of the credit for this new push should go to actor Rock Hudson, whose much-publicized trip to Paris for experimental therapy focused public and political attention on the desperate plight of those diagnosed with AIDS." See also [https://www.popline.org/node/419747 abstract] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201032029/https://www.popline.org/node/419747 |date=December 1, 2017 }}, via [[POPLINE]].</ref>

Shortly after Hudson's press release disclosing his infection, [[William M. Hoffman]], the author of ''[[As Is (play)|As Is]]'', a play about AIDS that appeared on Broadway in 1985, stated: "If Rock Hudson can have it, nice people can have it. It's just a disease, not a moral affliction."<ref name=autogenerated3 /> At the same time, [[Joan Rivers]] was quoted as saying: "Two years ago, when I hosted a benefit for AIDS, I couldn't get one major star to turn out. Rock's admission is a horrendous way to bring AIDS to the attention of the American public, but by doing so, Rock, in his life, has helped millions in the process. What Rock has done takes true courage."<ref name=autogenerated3 /> [[Morgan Fairchild]] said that "Rock Hudson's death gave AIDS a face."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3281609.stm |title=BBC News Entertainment – The show goes on in Aids battle |work=BBC News |access-date=July 27, 2008 |date=November 24, 2003 |archive-date=July 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180721074156/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3281609.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In a telegram that Hudson sent to a September 1985 Hollywood AIDS benefit, Commitment to Life, which he was too ill to attend, Hudson said: "I am not happy that I am sick. I am not happy that I have AIDS. But if that is helping others, I can at least know that my own misfortune has had some positive worth."<ref name=autogenerated4 />

Shortly after his death, ''People'' reported: "Since Hudson made his announcement, more than $1.8 million in private contributions (more than double the amount collected in 1984) has been raised to support AIDS research and to care for AIDS victims (5,523 reported in 1985 alone). A few days after Hudson died, Congress set aside $221 million to develop a cure for AIDS."<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20092645,00.html "Rock Hudson: His Name Stood for Hollywood's Golden Age of Wholesome Heroics and Lighthearted Romance&nbsp;– Until He Became the Most Famous Person to Die of Aids"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110209221843/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20092645,00.html |date=February 9, 2011 }}, ''People Magazine'', Vol. 24 No. 26, December 23, 1985. Retrieved February 11, 2011</ref> Organizers of the Hollywood AIDS benefit Commitment to Life reported that it was necessary to move the event to a larger venue to accommodate the increased attendance following Hudson's announcement that he was suffering from the disease.<ref name=autogenerated5>Harmetz, Aljean. [https://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/20/us/hollywood-turns-out-for-aids-benefit.html "Hollywood Turns Out for AIDS Benefit"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200210154237/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/20/us/hollywood-turns-out-for-aids-benefit.html |date=February 10, 2020 }}, ''[[The New York Times]]'', September 20, 1985. Retrieved February 11, 2011</ref> Shortly before his death, Hudson made the first direct contribution, $250,000, to [[amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research]], helping launch the non-profit organization dedicated to AIDS/HIV research and prevention; it was formed by the merger of a Los Angeles organization founded by: [[Michael S. Gottlieb]], Hudson's physician, and [[Elizabeth Taylor]], his friend and co-star in two films, and a New York-based group.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wallace Sheft, C.P.A. [About amfAR]|url=http://www.amfar.org/about-amfar/trustee-biographies/wallace-sheft,-c-p-a-/|website=amfar.org|publisher=amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research|access-date=February 8, 2015|archive-date=February 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208231856/http://www.amfar.org/about-amfar/trustee-biographies/wallace-sheft,-c-p-a-/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Geidner|first1=Chris|title=Nancy Reagan Turned Down Rock Hudson's Plea For Help Nine Weeks Before He Died|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/nancy-reagan-turned-down-rock-hudsons-plea-for-help-seven-we#.fmYLgOENv|website=BuzzFeed News|access-date=February 8, 2015|date=February 2, 2015|archive-date=June 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615181118/https://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/nancy-reagan-turned-down-rock-hudsons-plea-for-help-seven-we#.fmYLgOENv|url-status=live}}</ref>

However, Hudson's revelation did not immediately dispel the stigma of AIDS. Although then-President [[Ronald Reagan]] and his wife [[Nancy Reagan|Nancy]] were friends of Hudson, Reagan made no public statement concerning Hudson's condition. Reagan to that point [[Ronald Reagan and AIDS|had not publicly acknowledged AIDS]], and would not until two months later in September 1985.<ref name=autogenerated1>Boffey, Philip M. [https://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/18/us/reagan-defends-financing-for-aids.html "Reagan Defends Financing for AIDS"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318010843/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/18/us/reagan-defends-financing-for-aids.html |date=March 18, 2021 }}, ''The New York Times'', September 17, 1985. Retrieved February 11, 2001.</ref> However, Reagan did phone Hudson privately in his Paris hospital room where he was being treated in July 1985 and released a condolence statement after his death.<ref name=autogenerated3 /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-the-death-actor-rock-hudson|title=Ronald Reagan: Statement on the Death of Actor Rock Hudson|work=ucsb.edu|access-date=December 10, 2023|archive-date=December 10, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231210175519/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-the-death-actor-rock-hudson|url-status=live}}</ref>

After Hudson revealed his diagnosis, a controversy arose concerning his participation in a scene in the television drama ''Dynasty'', in which he shared a long and repeated kiss with actress [[Linda Evans]] in one episode (first aired in February 1985). When filming the scene, Hudson was aware that he had AIDS but did not inform Evans. Some felt that he should have disclosed his condition to her beforehand.<ref>Haller, Scot. [http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20091775,00.html "Rock Hudson's Startling Admission That He Has AIDS Prompts An Urgent Call for Action&nbsp;– And Some Extreme Reactions"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110209193910/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20091775,00.html |date=February 9, 2011 }}, ''People'', Vol. 23, No. 13, September 23, 1985. Retrieved February 11, 2011.</ref><ref name="should">''Should Actors Take AIDS Test Before Filming a Kiss?'' [[Jet (magazine)|Jet]], Vol. 68, No. 26, September 9, 1985.</ref> At the time, it was incorrectly thought that the virus was present in low quantities in saliva and tears, but there had been no reported cases of transmission by kissing.<ref name="should"/> Nevertheless, the [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] had warned against exchanging saliva with members of groups perceived to be at high risk for AIDS.<ref name=autogenerated2 />

According to comments given in August 1985 by [[Ed Asner]], then-president of the [[Screen Actors Guild]], Hudson's revelation caused incipient "panic" within the film and television industry. Asner said that he was aware of scripts being rewritten to eliminate kissing scenes.<ref>Harmetz, Aljean. [https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/08/movies/old-and-new-hollywood-seen-in-attitude-to-aids.html "Old and New Hollywood Seen in Attitude to AIDS"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171125092206/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/08/movies/old-and-new-hollywood-seen-in-attitude-to-aids.html |date=November 25, 2017 }}, ''The New York Times'', August 8, 1985. Retrieved February 11, 2011.</ref> Later in the same year, the guild issued rules requiring that actors be notified in advance of any "open-mouth" kissing scenes with a provision that they could refuse to participate in such scenes without penalty.<ref>Harmetz, Aljean. [https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/31/movies/a-rule-on-kissing-scenes-and-aids.html "A Rule on Kissing Scenes and AIDS"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714060832/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/31/movies/a-rule-on-kissing-scenes-and-aids.html |date=July 14, 2015 }}, ''The New York Times'', October 31, 1985. Retrieved February 11, 2011.</ref> Linda Evans appears not to have been angry at Hudson, and asked to introduce the segment of the 1985 Commitment to Life benefit that was dedicated to Hudson.<ref name=autogenerated5 />