Beyond the Matinee: The Many Lives of Rock Hudson

Before he was Rock Hudson, he was Roy Harold Scherer Jr., a boy from a broken home in Winnetka, Illinois. This biography follows him through his Navy service, odd jobs in Los Angeles and the talent agent who gave him a new name, then into the studio system that shaped his stardom. Throughout, it looks at the gap between the polished screen image and the private man, and at the values he carried from his Midwestern upbringing. A rewarding read for classic film fans and anyone drawn to Hollywood's Golden Age. 173 pages.