Three years after marrying the 'Giant' actor, wife Phyllis Gates hired a private detective to prove that her husband was really a gay.
- Jun 8, 2013
AceShowbiz - Rock Hudson's agent, Henry Willson, hid the fact that his client was gay by having his secretary, Phyllis Gates, marry the actor in 1955. However, she began to suspect Hudson of being gay and hired private detective Fred Otash to keep an eye on the actor. Otash then secretly recorded Hudson's gay confession.
A few decades later, the transcribed conversation was brought out by Otash's daughter, Colleen. She worked with business partner Manfred Westphal. The transcription will be featured on June 14 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
The record was taken on January 21, 1958, when Gates tried to find out about her husband's sexuality. She confronted Hudson about a Rorschach test he had taken. "You told me you saw thousands of butterflies and also snakes," she said. "[A therapist] told me in my analysis that butterflies mean femininity and snakes represent that male penis. I'm not condemning you, but it seems that as long as you recognize your problem, you would want to do something about it."
Gates also complained about "[Hudson's] great speed with [her], sexually." She then asked him, "Are you that fast with boys?" Hudson replied, "Well, it's a physical conjunction. Boys don't fit. So, this is why it lasts longer."
"Everyone knows that you were picking up boys off the street shortly after we were married and have continued to do so, thinking that being married would cover up for you," Gates continued to accuse her husband.
"I have never picked up any boys on the street," Rock denied. "I have never picked up any boys in a bar, never. I have never picked up any boys, other than to give them a ride."
Gates filed for divorce from Hudson in April 1958. Hudson then died from AIDS-related complications on October 2, 1985.
