NBC Drops Four-Hour Miniseries on Hudson

The critically panned version of Rock Hudson’s life as related in a two-hour ABC movie last January may suffice as his television biography of record. NBC has decided to drop its plans for a four-hour “authorized” miniseries that has been in development for about a year and a half.

The decision has angered the writer and producers, who charge that NBC was reacting to the lackluster ratings for the ABC movie rather than to the quality of their script.

NBC denied the allegation. Tony Masucci, NBC senior vice president for movies and miniseries, said through a spokeswoman that “we felt it (the script) didn’t work well enough conceptually or dramatically to warrant further development for a four-hour miniseries.” He added that he was hoping for a script “as big and compelling as the man.”

The NBC spokeswoman said it is not unusual for a network to drop such projects, noting that “70% of the shows in development never get made.”

Carmen Culver, who wrote the script for the Hudson miniseries and was to have co-produced it with Stan Margulies, called Masucci’s explanation “a very strange response,” adding that he never conveyed that reaction to her. Nor had Margulies or co-executive producer Ken Kaufman been advised of any script problems.

“I think what it comes down to in television, the determining factor, is who is first,” Margulies said. “First is more important than accuracy, the well-written script, a quality production--and I think that’s what done us in. We were second.”

The ABC movie, which aired Jan. 8, was knocked by many critics, attracted only a so-so 24% of the audience and suffered some advertiser defections because of concern over the depiction of Hudson’s homosexuality. The actor kept that part of his life hidden from the public until the end--when his AIDS was revealed. He died in 1985 at age 58.

Culver’s script for NBC was based on the authorized biography by Sara Davidson, “Rock Hudson: His Story,” and considerable research and interviews through the cooperation of the Hudson estate.