Rock Hudson, originally named Roy Harold Scherer, Jr., was a highly accomplished film and television actor. He gained widespread recognition for his portrayals of romantic leading men during the 1950s and 1960s, especially in the many romantic comedies he starred in alongside his famous co-star, Doris Day.
Although he hid his sexual orientation, it was common knowledge among Hudson’s colleagues in the film industry that he was gay. In 1985, Hudson became one of the first celebrities to disclose his AIDS diagnosis. Hudson was one of the first major celebrities to die from an AIDS-related illness at the age of 59.