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Phylliis GatesAmerican interior designer, former secretary of Henry Wilson and ex-wife of actor Rock Hudson
Date of Birth: 07.12.1925
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Phyllis Gates
Phyllis Lucille Gates, an American interior designer, former secretary of Henry Wilson, and ex-wife of actor Rock Hudson, was born on December 7, 1925, in Dawson, Minnesota, USA. She grew up on a farm and later took on the role of secretary for talent agent Henry Wilson.
Meeting Rock Hudson
It was in October 1954 when Phyllis Gates, working as a secretary for Henry Wilson, met actor Rock Hudson, who represented the American male image of the 1950s. Just a few days later, they began to build a connection, which eventually led to their wedding on November 9, 1955, in Santa Barbara. Their marriage took place right after Hudson finished filming "Giant," and it is believed that he married Gates as a cover-up for his homosexuality. In her autobiography, published after Hudson's death from AIDS in 1985, Gates stated that she was not aware of Hudson's true sexuality at the time of their marriage. However, after Gates' own death, there were rumors in the press suggesting that she was a lesbian and part of the deception. There is no concrete evidence to support these claims.
Marriage and Divorce
According to Hudson himself, he realized his attraction to men during his military service. Prior to their marriage, the studio constantly tried to arrange relationships for Hudson with popular actresses of that time, including Marilyn Maxwell and Lori Nelson, in order to preserve his positive public image and conceal his sexual orientation. The marriage between Gates and Hudson started to deteriorate soon after their honeymoon. Gates became a victim of rumors claiming that Hudson had cheated on her during his filming in Italy for the war drama "Goodbye, My Lady!" in 1957. These rumors turned out to be true, as confirmed by a close friend of Gates who revealed that Hudson had been involved with another man. The marriage between Gates and Hudson lasted three years, from 1955 to 1958, and ended in divorce.
Life After Divorce
Following her divorce from Hudson, Gates transformed into a successful decorator. In 1992, she appeared in the documentary film "Rock Hudson's Home Movies" by Mark Rappaport. Phyllis Gates passed away from lung cancer at her home in Marina del Rey, Los Angeles, at the age of 80.
