Editing Rock Hudson (section)

===Forming of 7 Pictures Corporation and ''Giant''===
On September 9, 1955,<ref name=":7">{{Cite book |last=Variety |url=https://archive.org/details/variety214-1959-04 |title=Variety (April 1959) |date=April 1959 |publisher=Variety Inc. |others=Media History Digital Library}}</ref> Hudson formed his first film production company, 7 Pictures Corporation, with partners producer [[Henry Ginsberg]], his agent [[Henry Willson]], and his lawyer [[Greg Bautzer]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=March 6, 1956 |title=Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/524022871/ |access-date=February 11, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Hudson owned only 36% of the company's stocks, with Ginsberg owning the second-largest share with 35%, Wilson with 16%, and Bautzer with 5%; the remaining 8% was owned by Hudson's then-wife [[Phyllis Gates]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/motionpicturedai85unse_0 |title=Motion picture daily |date=1959 |publisher=New York [Motion picture daily, inc.] |others=MBRS Library of Congress}}</ref> Though Hudson's exclusive contract with Universal-International Pictures allowed him to produce films outside his obligation to the studio, he was not allowed to appear in them unless he was granted permission for each film.<ref name=":2" /> When forming 7 Pictures Corporation, the agreement between partners called for Hudson to appear in five films over seven years (hence the name of the corporation) for the company, regardless of his commitment with Universal-International Pictures.<ref name=":6" /> In May 1958, a month following Gates' filing for divorce, the company's agreement was amended for Hudson to only appear in two pictures for the company, though Ginsberg later objected to the modification of terms and sued the actor and other share-holders in April 1959, leading Hudson to form a new company, Gibraltar Productions.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":6" />

He next acted in ''[[Never Say Goodbye (1956 film)|Never Say Goodbye]]'' (1956). Hudson's popularity soared with [[George Stevens]]' film ''[[Giant (1956 film)|Giant]]'' (1956). Hudson and his co-star [[James Dean]] were nominated for [[Oscars]] in the [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] category.

Another hit was ''[[Written on the Wind]]'' (1956), directed by Sirk and produced by [[Albert Zugsmith]]. Sirk also directed Hudson in ''[[Battle Hymn (film)|Battle Hymn]]'' (1957), produced by Hudson, playing [[Dean Hess]]. These films propelled Hudson to be voted the most popular actor in American cinemas in 1957. He stayed in the "top ten" until 1964.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}}

Hudson was borrowed by [[MGM]] to appear in [[Richard Brooks]]' ''[[Something of Value]]'' (1957), a box-office disappointment. So too was his next film, a remake of ''[[A Farewell to Arms (1957 film)|A Farewell to Arms]]'' (1957). To make ''A Farewell to Arms'', he reportedly turned down [[Marlon Brando]]'s role in ''[[Sayonara]]'', [[William Holden]]'s role in ''[[The Bridge on the River Kwai]]'', and [[Charlton Heston]]'s role in ''[[Ben-Hur (1959 film)|Ben-Hur]]''. ''A Farewell to Arms'' received negative reviews, failed at the box office and became the last production by [[David O. Selznick]].<ref>David Thomson (1993). ''Showman: The Life of David O. Selznick'', London: Abacus, p. 656. {{ISBN|978-0349105239}}, {{OCLC|1000546022}}</ref> Hudson was reunited with the producer, director and two stars of ''Written on the Wind'' in ''[[The Tarnished Angels]]'' (1958), at Universal. He then made ''[[Twilight for the Gods]]'' (1958) and ''[[This Earth Is Mine (1959 film)|This Earth Is Mine]]'' (1959).