‘Rock’ to Roll

Rock Hudson--whose AIDS-related death in October of 1985 made headlines the world over--is the subject of dueling TV projects at ABC and NBC.

Out in front is the tentatively titled ABC movie, “The Rock Hudson Story,” which has the cooperation of Mark Christian, Hudson’s former lover. Casting has begun for the depiction of real-life Hudson colleagues--notably manager Henry Willson and, in “cameos,” Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean and Raoul Walsh. Production is expected to begin late next month.

Co-producer Larry Sanitsky tells us the two-hour movie will probe “the pressures of a man who--as a result of his career--had to live up to an image that was in conflict with his personal life.”

Dennis Turner scripts, based in part on the memoirs of Phyllis Gates, who was briefly married to Hudson, and court transcripts. Sanitsky said that Christian is not being paid for his help on the project. John Nicolella directs.

Over at NBC, a four-hour Hudson miniseries is in development with producers Stan Margulies and Carmen Culver. Culver is writing what she called “the authorized Rock Hudson TV story.”

Their project is based on “Rock Hudson: His Story,” the best seller an ailing Hudson reportedly wrote with Sara Davidson. The producers have the approval of the Hudson estate and have been interviewing Hudson’s friends, Culver said.

“We are proud of its authenticity,” added Culver, who anticipates a fall production date. “We have no designs on making this any kind of race. Our goal is to make it right.”