Rock Hudson: A Bio-Bibliography (Bio-Bibliographies in the Performing Arts) [Hardcover]

Brenda Scott Royce (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bio-Bibliographies in the Performing Arts | Publication Date: February 28, 1995

Rock Hudson rose to stardom as the virile hero of adventure films, and he then gained a flurry of female fans by starring in melodramas, like Magnificent Obsession. He earned an Oscar nomination for his role in Giant, starred in successful romantic comedies, and had a productive television and stage career. This book provides full information about his many performances and charts his life and career up to his death from AIDS.

Rock Hudson was a movie giant, one of the biggest stars Hollywood ever produced. He gained early fame as the romantic hero of adventure films and melodramas such as Magnificent Obsession (1954). He then tackled serious drama in Giant (1956), for which he earned an Academy Award nomination. With the success of Pillow Talk (1959), he entered a new genre for which he would become best known—the sex comedy. He also had a successful stage and television career.

This book charts Rock Hudson's rise as a celebrity until his death from AIDS. A biography opens the volume, followed by chapters which chronicle his work in film, television, radio, and the stage. Each chapter contains descriptions of Hudson's individual performances, with entries providing cast and credit information, plot summaries, excerpts from reviews, and critical commentary. The volume also includes a listing of Hudson's awards and an annotated bibliography of additional sources of information.

Editorial Reviews

Review

?This ambitious series grows monthly with fine volumes that are well-researched, comprehensive and usually competently written. This addition is particularly praise-worthy in detailing the work of a man whose film and television work was remarkable.?-Films in Review

Book Description

Offers in-depth coverage of Hudson's career, how he was treated in the media, and his transformation from beloved idol to tragic symbol of our times.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood; annotated edition edition (February 28, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313286728
• ISBN-13: 978-0313286728
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,981,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

When I sat down to write my first novel, I had no idea there would be a monkey in the book. But I remembered the age-old advice, "Write what you know." At the time, I was studying primatology at Cal State Fullerton, working part-time observing orangutans at the Los Angeles Zoo, and volunteering on weekends as a chimpanzee caregiver at a wildlife sanctuary. So what I knew was apes and monkeys. Before long, Holly, the protagonist of Monkey Love, became the babysitter of a mischievous monkey.

My childhood ambition to study chimpanzees in Africa with Jane Goodall eventually gave way to "more realistic" goals of becoming either an actress or a writer. At thirteen, I moved with my family to Venice, Florida, and was accepted into the Sarasota Visual and Performing Arts Center at Booker High School. After graduation, I moved to New York City, where I studied acting and worked a series of odd jobs while awaiting my "big break"--which never came.

Eventually I moved to Los Angeles and turned my attention to writing and editing. I've worked in the publishing industry for nearly 15 years, including stints as an editor of pop-culture books, and assistant managing editor for a medical publisher. I've written everything from books and magazine articles to DVD liner notes, movie reviews, and encyclopedia entries. And I've abridged over 100 books for audio, by a diverse range of authors including Al Gore, Stephen J. Cannell, Edith Wharton, Mary Kay Andrews, Fern Michaels, and Janet Evanovich.

My career came full circle in 2004, when I became director of publications for the Los Angeles Zoo. Being able to combine my love of writing with my passion for animals has been a dream come true. And you can bet that animals will figure prominently into the plot of my next novel!