The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson. The Pretty Boys & Dirty Deals of Henry Willson - By Robert Hofler.
A recent paperback edition of the hardcover edition (2005) penned by someone who is in the know, Variety reporter Robert Hofler unlocks a gay closet door shut tighter than the 1960's television show Get Smart's famous series of vaulted ones. Hollywood manager and agent Henry Willson operated an Adonis mill in the 50's and 60's that fed his business and personal agendas, including his taste for beautiful men, access, and power. He preyed on no-name men who would exchange anything for success in movies and television. Willson's keen eye for stars-to-be was legendary, but the downside included a controlling personality that willingly sacrificed Tab Hunter and others to Confidential Magazine exposes in order to protect his main event, Rock Hudson. He demanded a rigid gay closet etiquette of his stable of gay-identified actors, one that could have possibly contributed to the messy lives of those he touched, in more ways than one.
The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson.The Pretty Boys & Dirty Deals of Henry Willson, by By Robert Hofler. Carroll & Graf, 2006, ISBN 0-78671-802-1, Paperback, 454 Pages, $15.95 is expertly chronicled by Mr. Hofler with the story-behind-the-story of how Henry Willson manufactured stars that wasn't limited to men of a certain persuasion, he also brought Lana Turner and Natalie Wood to stardom. Even straight men joined his stable because of his position with David Selznick, and they read like a virtual who's who of big name celluoid and small-screen celebrities. But, the real story is the heavy duty veneer he created to protect and teflonize Rock Hudson through an arranged marriage to dispute media rumors of his homosexuality. Written in a style that makes it hard to put down, Hofler pens a memorable and illuminating look behind Tinseltown's studio publicity machines.
Chapters in this book are titled parts one through eleven, with sub-chapters that range from Polishing the Rock, Revenge on Tab Hunter, Pick-up on Sunset, FBI File: Mr. Rock Hudson, The Trouble with Warren Beatty, to Bel Air Breakdown. A nice array of black and white photos sprinkled throughout the book help tell the visual story. Also included are acknowledgements, an introduction, epilogue, notes and references, and a bibliography.
While Willson's character style isn't anything new in Hollywood, Hofler's expedition into the gay Hollywood niche in mid-century is a real eye opener and every reason this book has been wildly popular with readers from all walks of life. Truly a must read for those looking to understand the symbiotic relationships in the business of stardom.
Mark Nash is the author of "Fundamentals of Marketing for the Real Estate Professional", "Starting & Succeeding in Real Estate", "Reaching Out: The Financial Power of Niche Marketing", and "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home". Mark is a contributing writer for: Realtor (R) Magazine Online, Broker Agent News, Real Estate Executive Magazine, Principal Broker, and Realty Times. His tried and true real estate tips has been featured on CBS The Early Show, CNN, HGTVpro.com, The New York Times, and USA Today. Purchase his books at http://www.1001RealEstateTips.com.
