Rory calhoun gay
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“Firm handling is necessary to eliminate that undesirable fringe of the industry.”
The precise nature of the unsafe and improper activities going on in these night spots was left unstated — but it must have been pretty bad if the Navy felt the need to protect sailors from it, especially since the country was sending these same men off to risk life and limb in the Midway, Guadalcanal and other death traps across the Pacific.
There is one possible clue, however.
When I look at Madison’s theatrical resume, it’s mostly westerns and low-budget European films. Sort of like humming a gay little tune.
American Actor was born Francis Timothy McCown on 8th August, 1922 in Los Angeles,CA,USA and passed away on 28th Apr 1999 Burbank, California, USA aged 76. Interesting to consider is the idea that Durkin might have been one of Willson's early name reconfiguration efforts.
During World War II, thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen on their way to the Pacific theater were granted their last stateside leave in the port city of Los Angeles.
When his career in Hollywood began to fade, Madison moved to Europe, where he starred in a variety of movies, mostly shot in Germany, Italy, and Spain.
But there were never any substantiating facts or convincing rumors. Madison’s acting career began in earnest with a starring role in “Till the End of Time” (1946). Thus, Willson changed "Orton Whipple Hungerford, III" into the suggestively phallic "Ty Hardin," while "Arthur Andrew Keml" was changed to Tab Hunter" and "Roy Harold Scherer, Jr" turned into Rock Hudson.
Born Trent Bernard Durkin, he began his acting career on stage in the New York theater. Following Phyllis Gates' death in 2006, it was revealed that she had tried, unsuccessfully, to blackmail Rock following their divorce. Willson took a clumsy, naive, Chicago-born truck driver with bad teeth named Roy Scherer, got him some dental work and some acting lessons, and transformed him into one of Hollywood's most popular leading men.
In 1955, Confidential magazine threatened to publish an expose about Hudson's clandestine homosexual lifestyle.
He achieved more success and greater recognition in "Hell's House" (1932) co-starring then newcomer Bette Davis.
Somewhat prescient of James Dean's youthful death some twenty years later, Junior was traveling with his friend, fellow actor Jackie Coogan, and three other people in 1935 when the vehicle he was driving was involved in a serious accident in San Diego.
And the video talks about how inspirational Madison’s career influenced future actors.
His first film role was a bit part in “Since You Went Away” (1944).
So, was Guy Madison bisexual or a closeted homosexual?
Here’s one of those YouTube posts, if you’re interested:
Rory Calhoun: Unintentional Actor
He was born Francis Timothy McCown, half Spanish and half Irish. His father died when he was just a few months old and his mother, whom he was close to despite her being very old-fashioned and straight-laced, was likely the person who directly influenced his rebellion. It didn't help matters when she remarried and the stepfather beat the kid regularly. He began running away from home frequently.
At age 13 he stole a gun and was sent to a reformatory prison although he would escape. He robbed a succession of jewelry stores and later in life would confess that he loved to steal, as much for the adrenaline rush as anything. He also stole a series of cars and after he took one over state lines and was caught, he was sent to prison in Oklahoma where he remained until shortly after his 21st birthday.
Once out of prison and back in Los Angeles, he had a series of jobs that included grease monkey, logger, miner, crane operator, firefighter and cowboy. He had a great love of horses and for awhile he wondered how he could combine that with a good-paying job. When he fully realized that he needed to be outdoors, he decided to be a forest ranger.
One day he was horseback riding alone in Griffith Park when he came across Alan Ladd who was also riding alone. You might say they were both horsing around. They struck up a conversation. He had no idea who Ladd was but found him pleasant and friendly. Ladd told him that he was an actor and said that he thought the tall (6'3") good-looking stranger ought to be an actor himself. Ladd also told him he was married to an agent (Sue Carol) and felt she could open some doors for him.
He probably didn't tell Ladd that he was not impressed with the acting profession, especially for men, but might have said how interested he was in the money actors could make. He thought it might be nice to take a wad of cash with him into the forestry service. Carol got him a screen test at 20th Century Fox and he worked unbilled in such Fox pictures as Something for the Boys, Sunday Dinner for a Soldier and Nob Hill in the early 40s.
He went looking for an agent. It's not clear why he didn't sign on with Carol although it was well-known that she didn't like any of her husband's male friends, especially new ones. He hired on with Henry Willson, a super agent at the time, outrageously gay, especially for the time, who was known for outrageous parties and for turning handsome, questionably talented young men into actors. He gave most of them new, unusual names (think Rock and Tab). He had the perfect name for Francis Timothy McCown...
He starred as the title character in “The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok” (1951–58). The location offers supper, drinks, and the ability to watch boy-girls who neck and sulk and little girl customers who… look like boys."
Like Chez Boheme, Café Internationale offered cross-dressing performers, but these singers were women dressed in male drag.