Rock Hudson feared he gave his Dynasty co-star Linda Evans a “lethal injection” when he kissed her after being diagnosed with AIDS, a new documentary reveals.
The 1950s heartthrob refused to open his mouth during the scene shot in 1984 for the iconic TV series and used different types of mouthwash to disinfect himself.
Despite repeated takes, he didn’t give her the kind of passionate on-screen kiss he was known for, according to All That Heaven Allows – named after the classic film starring Jane Wyman – which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
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Rock Hudson feared he gave his Dynasty co-star Linda Evans a ‘lethal injection’ when he kissed her after being diagnosed with AIDS, a new documentary reveals
The 1950s heartthrob refused to open his mouth during the scene shot in 1984 for the iconic TV series and used different types of mouthwash to try to disinfect himself
Evans burst into tears in the upcoming documentary All That Heaven Allows, which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival last weekend. She says she only realized later that Hudson was “protecting” me as best he could, since no one knew how AIDS was transmitted at the time.
In the film, Evans breaks down in tears when she says she only realized later that Hudson was “protecting” me as best he could, since no one knew how AIDS was transmitted at the time.
Directed by Stephen Kijak, All That Heaven revisits the life of Hudson, who in 1959 became a matinee idol for hit films such as Pillow Talk opposite Doris Day.
He was the Tom Cruise of his time, but he was hiding a secret about his sexuality that he couldn’t be open about at the time due to widespread homophobia.
Only with his AIDS diagnosis, which he made public shortly before his death in 1989 at the age of 59, did he tacitly acknowledge that he was gay.
All That Heaven reveals the pirate diaries of Hudson’s close friend George Nader who, along with Mark Miller, remained loyal to him for decades until his death.
Hudson was diagnosed with AIDS in June 1984, and Nader’s diaries provide a harrowing account of how it affected his inner circle.
Hudson was a swoon-worthy matinee idol in the 1950s and beyond. But he was hiding a secret about his sexuality that he couldn’t be open about at the time due to widespread homophobia. He died of AIDS in 1985
On May 31, 1984, Nader wrote, “Mark called at 7 AM. Something (was) seriously wrong. Nancy Reagan sent photos of the dinner party with a note telling Rock to get that pimple on his neck checked out. Mark insisted that Rock go to the doctor immediately.”
The dinner in question appears to have taken place at the White House – photos showed him posing with Nancy and Ronald Reagan, who was president at the time.
On June 5, 1984, Nader wrote that Miller called and said that Hudson had told him he had AIDS and possibly cancer and had just had a lymph node removed.
After being told to keep the news quiet, Nader wrote, “Who the hell am I going to call?
Dr. Michael Gottlieb, the immunologist and pioneering AIDS researcher, told the film that after seeing Hudson, he sent him to France to participate in an experimental study of a drug that could have saved him.
But despite his health problems, Hudson agreed to tape several episodes of Dynasty, saying at the time that he thought it was a “great show” and wanted to be a part of it.
President and Nancy Reagan with Hudson at the state dinner for President De La Madrid of Mexico in 1984. Nancy sent photos of the dinner with a note stating that Rock should get that pimple on his neck checked
His visible weight loss became the talk of the set — and the tabloids.
Evans says in the documentary that Hudson looked “so much skinnier” than she used to when they shot their scenes, while a producer thought he had lost at least 5 pounds.
One of Nader’s diary entries dated December 19, 1984 stated that Hudson looked “bad, really bad” in some shots because of the weight loss.
The show aired in February, and in a diary, Nader talked about his fear of watching it.
On February 5, 1985, Nader wrote, “Tonight: Dynasty and we watch Rock dose Linda Evans with a virus in a kissing scene.”
Nader described the scene as a “horror,” akin to “watching someone get a potentially lethal injection.”
He wrote, “Rock came back from work the day they shot the kiss scene and said it was the worst day of my life. I used every type of mouthwash known to man. A horrible day. He said I kept my mouth shut’.
Evans tells the film, “When we had that scene with the kiss, it didn’t turn out the way they wanted it to.
“No one knew exactly what to do. I knew he could give that kiss.
“The director did it over and he did it consistently (same thing).”
In tears, Evans, now 80, says, “It makes me cry because I know he was protecting me. At that point I was confused. When I think back, part of the reason I get so upset is that he did everything he could for me because no one knew about that at the time. It breaks my heart, even now’.
After Hudson’s diagnosis was made public, Evans said people refused to work with her because they feared she had AIDS.
Friends didn’t even come over for dinner because they were so paranoid about catching it.
As Hudson’s condition worsened, he went back to Paris to continue treatment, but he began to deteriorate.
‘All That Heaven’ says that once it became clear he had AIDS, the hospital treating him ordered him to leave.
All That Heaven Allows, directed by Stephen Kijak, re-examines the life of Hudson, who in 1959 became a matinee idol for hit movies like Pillow Talk opposite Doris Day
Hudson could have continued treatment at another hospital, but that would have required the intervention of the Reagans.
Despite their friendship, they declined and “All That Heaven” suggests it was to appease the evangelical voters who supported Reagan’s presidential campaign.
Lying in his hospital bed, Hudson approved his French PR to deliver a message to the media that he had AIDS.
He told her, ‘If they want it, go give it to the dogs. God what a way to end a life’.
Hudson spent his final days at his Beverly Hills home, but before he did, he had to spend $250,000 of his own money to charter a plane — because no airline would take him.
All That Heaven Allows will stream on HBO on June 28.