Gay actors in 1950s

If Willson, who died inwere still alive, Hollywood's changing attitudes toward homosexuality would probably leave him at a rare loss for words. Performances like Philip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal of the title gay in Capote and Cillian Murphy's turn as a cross-dresser in Breakfast on Pluto are drawing raves.

With a devilishly handsome smile and a towering height of 6'3", Cesar. Sign up for our email newsletter. Advocate Newsletter. And though they haven't crossed over into the territory of romantic leading men, openly gay actors Nathan Lane and Anthony Rapp are headlining the films The Producers and Rentwith both Broadway-trained actors playing thoroughly hetero characters.

Jimmy only made three films before tragically losing his life in his Porsche Spider in He was While Dean dated women, including Natalie Wood, rumors he was gay circulated in his heyday and persist today. But at a time when female executives didn't exist, Willson and other gay agents and managers took on the job of identifying and grooming many of the male stars who brought in female ticket buyers.

Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountaina tale of two men struggling with their attraction for each other, already is positioned as one of this year's major awards contenders. In short, they turned matinee idols into gold. Join the fight.

It was hardly straitlaced, though, because the decade also harbored a subterranean gay culture with its own elaborate codes and customs. Such womanizing moguls as Selznick, Darryl Zanuck, and Harry Cohn might have had an eye for identifying female stars.

He also became a controversial figure. You'll ruin it all if you live with this other man. By the '50s, Willson had gone into actor for himself, representing a growing 1950s of clean-cut, hypermasculine stars who appealed to the bobby-soxers who drove the box office.

A look at 10+ LGBT stars of Old Hollywood, featuring famous gay actors and actresses who made history. By contrast, the '50s, when Hudson reigned as the country's top box office draw and Willson, one of Hollywood's leading agents, commanded the best tables at Ciro's and the Mocambo, was far more rigid and closeted.

Gregg Kilday, via Reuters. Nevertheless, Hoffler makes a compelling argument that Willson, though hardly laudable, served an important function. James Dean was a Hollywood Giant who forever changed pop culture as the first true Rebel Without a Cause.

This list highlights iconic celebrities from the past, including the men and women who shaped the movie industry. Privacy Policy Terms of Use. Search form Search. From salacious rumors and fun scandals to some pivotal names in LGBTQ + history, here are just a few of the biggest stars.

When the gossip magazine Confidential threatened to expose Hudson, Willson fended off the scandal, possibly working through intermediaries, by feeding the magazine information about Rory Calhoun's criminal record and Hunter's attendance at an all-male "pajama party.

By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Henry Willson, the agent who masterminded Rock Hudson's career along with those of such other Hollywood hunks--straight and gay--as Troy Donohue and Tab Hunter, had rules for his gay clients.

Although no A-list star has yet emerged to challenge Willson's long-held belief that the public will not accept an openly gay leading man, in most other respects the scene has changed dramatically.

18 old Hollywood stars

Willson, born in Lansdown, Pa. By the '40s he had become producer David O. Selznick's head of talent, where his duties included squiring Selznick's star and paramour, Jennifer Jones, around town. Become a member today to help us continue this work.