Tony Mastroianni Review Collection

Success Spoils Rock's Waistline

Cleveland Press February 22, 1965

NEW YORK -- Rock Hudson is tall, 6 ft. 4 in., but he slouches slightly in his chair, the better to hear us mortals of average height ask questions.

He weighs 210 pounds, admits having a diet problem.

"Don't you?" he asked. "No, I guess you don't and I hate you.

"I go on a crash diet before every movie -- just stop eating."

Hudson is 39 and doesn't look it. His face is unlined, his hair shows no signs of graying. He has the look, in short, of perpetual youth.

HE REACTS to most remarks with a smile, a reflex-action grin that has become familiar to moviegoers for some years now.

Is there a Rock Hudson type role?

"My God, I hope not," he answered. "I don't want to be typed.

His latest movie is the soon-to-be-released "Strange Bedfellows" with Gina Lollobrigida. He stands a foot taller than his leading lady.

"I got a crick in my neck playing the love scenes," he explained in a matter of fact manner. Complaints like this we should all have

His next two movies are "Seconds" (a good old-fashioned horror movie) and "Blindfold," with Claudia Cardinale.

"I play a psychiatrist in 'Blindfold.' No laughs," he said with a grin.

He admits that he can't see himself as a psychiatrist.

"Well, first of all, I think I look too young. And I have no affinity for the part. I think if I might have chosen some other field in life, it would never be psychiatry. Medicine or architecture maybe. A psychiatrist has to be brilliant.

"Look, if you had a problem, would you go to me?"

I'm convinced, but Hudson says he will play the part anyway.