Cool Read: Salacious--

This is not a new book (2005), but for some low-brow (always fun) entertainment, I recently read The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson: The Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Wilson, by Robert Hofler, Carroll and Graf, publishers--The book uncovers the life and fascinating career of the man who discovered Hudson, along with scores of other Hollywood hunks of the 50's and 60's such as Tab Hunter and Troy Donahue--After World War 2, Henry Wilson created a whole new genre of male actors using his own fantasy of the perfect all-american male as the template--He adored his "clients" and was on a never-ending hunt for the next big idol-or conquest--Acting as father-figure, confessor, acting and grooming coach, and not above cohersing sex out of his new clients, the man was a ruthlessly driven, complex star-maker--One of the most powerful agents in Hollywood, Wilson had extensive connections in the studios, the media, even the mob that he used to further (and in the case of blackmail, save) the careers of his famous male clients--The author has filled the book with delicious tidbits and first-hand accounts of the private lives and sexual peccadillos of stars like Rock Hudson, Guy Madison, and Tab Hunter, the male "hollywood set" of the time--A fun, entertaining read--clearly not Proust, but worthy of the beach--