Phyllis Gates
Encyclopedia
Phyllis Lucille Gates was an American
secretary
and interior decorator notable for her three year marriage
to the actor Rock Hudson
.
She was born in Dawson, Minnesota
and raised on a farm. She was employed as a secretary to the Hollywood talent agent, Henry Willson
when she met Rock Hudson in October 1954. They started dating several days later and were married in Santa Barbara
on November 9, 1955, shortly after he finished filming Giant (1956). It is generally accepted that the marriage was arranged by Hudson's agent in an attempt to prevent press revelations that Hudson was gay
. In her autobiography, published after Hudson's death from AIDS
in 1985, Gates claimed that she was not complicit in the deception and did not know Hudson was homosexual when they married, and that she only became aware of his true sexual orientation
after they were married.
However, after her death, press articles appeared saying she was a lesbian
who was complicit in the deception. No conclusive proof has been definitely established regarding her knowledge or motives, and speculation continues.
Following a brief honeymoon
in Jamaica
, the marriage began to disintegrate. They separated following rumors that he had committed adultery
while on location in Italy for the film A Farewell to Arms
in 1957. These were confirmed by a close friend of hers, who also revealed to her that the individual Hudson had the affair with was a man, and she divorced Hudson in 1958. The story of their marriage was depicted in the 1990 TV film Rock Hudson, starring Daphne Ashbrook
and Thomas Ian Griffith
.
She later became a successful interior decorator. She died from lung cancer
at her home in Marina del Rey, California
aged 80. She was survived by her sister Marvis Ketelsen and brother Russell Gates.
Americans
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
and interior decorator notable for her three year marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
to the actor Rock Hudson
Rock Hudson
Roy Harold Scherer, Jr., later Roy Harold Fitzgerald , known professionally as Rock Hudson, was an American film and television actor, recognized as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in several romantic comedies with Doris Day.Hudson was voted "Star of the Year",...
.
She was born in Dawson, Minnesota
Dawson, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,539 people, 677 households, and 398 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,043.4 people per square mile . There were 756 housing units at an average density of 512.6 per square mile...
and raised on a farm. She was employed as a secretary to the Hollywood talent agent, Henry Willson
Henry Willson
Henry Willson was an American Hollywood talent agent who played a large role in popularizing the beefcake craze of the 1950s. He was known for his stable of young, attractive clients, including Rock Hudson, Tab Hunter, Robert Wagner, Nick Adams, Guy Madison, Troy Donahue, Rory Calhoun, Clint...
when she met Rock Hudson in October 1954. They started dating several days later and were married in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
on November 9, 1955, shortly after he finished filming Giant (1956). It is generally accepted that the marriage was arranged by Hudson's agent in an attempt to prevent press revelations that Hudson was gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
. In her autobiography, published after Hudson's death from AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
in 1985, Gates claimed that she was not complicit in the deception and did not know Hudson was homosexual when they married, and that she only became aware of his true sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
after they were married.
However, after her death, press articles appeared saying she was a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
who was complicit in the deception. No conclusive proof has been definitely established regarding her knowledge or motives, and speculation continues.
Following a brief honeymoon
Honeymoon
-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, the marriage began to disintegrate. They separated following rumors that he had committed adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
while on location in Italy for the film A Farewell to Arms
A Farewell to Arms (1957 film)
A Farewell to Arms is a 1957 American drama film directed by Charles Vidor. The screenplay by Ben Hecht, based in part on a 1930 play by Laurence Stallings, was the second feature film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's 1929 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. It was the last film produced...
in 1957. These were confirmed by a close friend of hers, who also revealed to her that the individual Hudson had the affair with was a man, and she divorced Hudson in 1958. The story of their marriage was depicted in the 1990 TV film Rock Hudson, starring Daphne Ashbrook
Daphne Ashbrook
Daphne Lee Ashbrook is an American actress.-Personal life:Daphne Ashbrook was raised in the San Diego, CA area. Her parents are San Diego theatre actress D'Ann Paton and late actor/Director Buddy Ashbrook...
and Thomas Ian Griffith
Thomas Ian Griffith
Thomas Ian Griffith is an American actor and martial artist who has starred in films and on television.-Early life:Griffith was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Mary Ann , who worked at a dance studio, and Thomas Joseph Griffith...
.
She later became a successful interior decorator. She died from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
at her home in Marina del Rey, California
Marina del Rey, California
-Demographics:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Marina del Rey had a population of 8,866. The population density was 6,094.6 people per square mile...
aged 80. She was survived by her sister Marvis Ketelsen and brother Russell Gates.