Gay actors of the 70s and 80s

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  • Inside Cary Grant’s secret life with men. Although Dietrich stayed married to film producer Rudolf Sieber, Riva revealed that her mother’s affairs with men were often a means of controlling and manipulating them rather than genuine pleasure.

    gay actors of the 70s and 80s

    Years later, his agent snitched this information to Confidential magazine to protect their top client, Rock Hudson, from an exposé [6].

    While Confidential magazine revealed the detention for “lewdness”—a charge that at the time merely meant exhibiting any signs of homosexuality in public—Hunter’s movie studio quickly dismissed the allegations, and the public soon forgot about them.

    8. This period cultivated an environment wherein LGBTQ+ figures began to occupy a more prominent space in the public eye, courageously living their truth and advocating for equality. And I guess so far that's a matter of survival. Although Brando was open about his bisexuality, he remained guarded about specific personal relationships.

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    7. This article delves into the lives of 12 stars of the past who navigated the complex world of fame and secrecy.

    4. Though the marriage lasted only three years, it allowed Hudson to maintain the appearance of a traditional Hollywood leading man.

    In 1984, Rock was diagnosed with HIV and died in 1985.

    Wikipedia.org.

    • His unabashed self-expression and fluid approach to gender were groundbreaking in mainstream pop culture. She told a biographer she was a “big dyke” living with her girlfriend and had no intention of ever marrying [7].

    Kelly’s openness about her relationships, including a romantic connection with actress Tallulah Bankhead, who was also forthright about her bisexuality, set her apart in Hollywood.

    Renowned for her roles in films like Morocco, where she famously wore a tuxedo, Dietrich was a pioneering figure in fashion and sexuality. According to Diana McLellan’s The Girls: Sappho Goes to Hollywood, their relationship ended so acrimoniously that Garbo “refused to acknowledge Dietrich’s existence for the rest of their lives.” Garbo essentially erased Dietrich from her life, even though both women were also reportedly involved with poet Mercedes de Acosta and writer Erich Maria Remarque during the same period.

    Dietrich’s daughter, Maria Riva, shed light on her mom’s sexuality in a 1992 tell-all book.

    To further protect Hudson, Wilson arranged for him to wed his secretary, Phyllis Gates, which helped to dispel rumors. He once told a French correspondent in 1976, “Homosexuality is so much in fashion, it no longer makes sense.” He further confirmed, “Like a large number of men, I, too, have had homosexual experiences, and I am not ashamed [8].”

    Brando’s impact extended beyond his acting career.

    Nytimes.com.

  • Tab Hunter on (Almost) Being Outed in 1955: “I Thought My Career Was Over” (Guest Column). Wilson ensured that his client’s relationships stayed out of the public eye, going to great lengths to maintain Hudson’s image. Elizabeth Taylor publicly acknowledged his homosexuality in 2000 at the GLAAD Media Awards, describing Clift as one of her closest friends [13].

    The film argues that Clift was actually comfortable enough in his skin to be openly affectionate with other men and allegedly wasn’t overly concerned with his sexuality at all [14].