She also shares the extraordinary story of how Elizabeth Taylor comforted the Hollywood superstar shortly before he passed away
By Dan Wooding, Founder of the ASSIST News Service
BEVERLY HILLS, CA (ANS -- October 18, 2015)
-- Susan Stafford, the original hostess of Wheel of Fortune, has
revealed how she was present when a Catholic priest led Rock Hudson in
the “sinner’s prayer” to receive Jesus Christ into his life, just hours
before his death on October 2, 1985 of complications from AIDS.
Stafford, who preceded Vanna
White as the first hostess on the popular American game show, “Wheel of
Fortune,” (from January 6, 1975 until she left on October 22, 1982),
revealed the inside story of Rock Hudson’s final hours in an interview
with me for my new “Inside Hollywood” TV show at the recent 17th Annual
Media Fellowship International Praise Brunch at the Sofitel Hotel in
Beverly Hills, on Saturday, October 17, 2015.
“Yes,
it is true that Rock Hudson accepted Jesus Christ on his deathbed,” she
told me. “I was staying with Rock Hudson at his home at the time, and
Pat and Shirley Boone and also ‘Love Boat’ captain, Gavin MacLeod and
his wife, Patti, came to pray with him.”
“Rock was a Roman Catholic and
so we called in Fr. Sweeney and he prayed the ‘sinner's prayer,’ with
him and then I prayed as did one of his nurses called Toni,” she said.
“I later did Rock's funeral.”
Stafford also told me the
extraordinary story of how Elizabeth Taylor came to Rock Hudson’s home
and when she came into his room, she pulled aside his bed covers, got
into bed with him, and comforted him by bringing his head close to her
chest.”
Susan says it was a wonderful gesture by Taylor, who had starred in the 1956 film, Giant,
along with Rock Hudson and James Dean, as at the time, people did not
know how AIDS was passed on, and she may have been risking her own life
by doing this, but she loved Rock Hudson so much that she just wanted to
express that love to him in his last moments on earth.
In
a previous interview, I asked Susan how the famous actor, known for his
urbane charm, dashing good looks, and virile masculinity that
epitomized Hollywood’s classic matinee idol image, but had been a closet
homosexual for many years, had accepted the situation that he was dying
from AIDS.
Susan said, “He was a real gentleman and accepted it with a great sense of humor despite being in a lot of pain.”
Stafford, who now has a PhD, has
also authored a book called, “Stop the Wheel, I want to get off!” on
some of her rather amazing life experiences. She has worked with famous
Hollywood celebrities, with leprosy patients in Third World countries
with former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, AIDS patients (including,
as I previously mentioned, Rock Hudson), working as a Chaplain Intern
with Dr. John Stehlin in Houston with cancer patients, receiving a PhD
in Psychology, and counseling with survivors and families at Columbine
High School in Colorado, following the tragic shootings.
She has been called a “Goodwill
Ambassador to the World” and that seems to be a fitting title.
Describing her life as full is an understatement.
In that previous interview with
Susan, I had asked her to comment on Christians who criticize people who
have HIV/AIDS and say that they “deserve to have the illness because of
their lifestyle.”
“It's easy to say this because I
believe, with every portion of my heart, that you are talking to a
sinner,” she said. “Some [of us] sin more than others, but we're all
sinners one way or the other. I do not think that a homosexual is less
or more of a sinner than I am and I don’t dare to judge that. Shame on
the Christians that do it because love is the answer. If we don't love
each other and instead just keep on judging everybody, we're not going
to have any friends left.”
The
MFI 17th Annual Praise Brunch was again organized by MFI president,
Pastor Bob Rieth and his wife Marion, and it began with an invocation by
the Rev. John Boal, Pastor of Development at Sugar Creek Baptist Church
in Houston, Texas.
It was hosted by Rick Eldridge,
Producer, Director, and CEO of Reelworks Studio and the annual event
attracted a wide variety of people working in the movie and
entertainment business, many of whom were committed Christians.
Susan Stafford was able to
introduce Chris Mitchell, the CBN Middle East Bureau Chief, who for many
years, has been based in Jerusalem, and has had a front seat to history
in the Middle East, especially reporting on the terrifying growth of
Islamic terror groups in the region, particularly in Iraq and Syria.
Mitchell was then presented with the Andrew Award for his courageous
work by Pastor Bob Rieth. In return, Chris Mitchell presented all of
those at the event with a copy of his fascinating new book called
“DESTINATION JERUSALEM: ISIS, Convert or Die, Christian Persecution and
Preparing for the Days Ahead.”
Music was provided by a gospel
group called Soldiers for the Second Coming founded and led by Marilyn
McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., who were once in the 5th Dimension, an
American popular music vocal group, whose repertoire includes pop,
R&B, soul, jazz, light opera and Broadway -- the mélange was coined
as “Champagne Soul.”
Dr.
Alvin McKinney, a virtuoso Alto Saxophonist, song writer/composer,
arranger, and producer, also known as “The Prime Minister of Joyful
Jazz,” had much of the those there, dancing as he performed, among the
audience, his exciting Gospel music renditions.
One of the most moving moments
in the program was when veteran broadcaster, Mark Larson, presented a
video montage on the life of state, film and television actor, Dean
Jones, who was a member of MFI, and recently passed away.
Old and New Testament readings
were read by former NBA star, Al Woods, a huge figure who had played
with the Hawks, Clippers, Sonics and the Mavericks, and then the keynote
speaker was David A.R. White, an actor, writer, director and producer
of “God’s Not Dead,” “Do you Believe?” and “Revelation Road.”
In his captivating presentation,
White shared about his life, as a Christian in Hollywood, and brought
much laugher when he said that he was raised in a Mennonite home, and
added that the Mennonites were so strict that they “make the Mormons
seem like a group of Hells Angeles.”
For
over twenty-five years, Media Fellowship International has been
impacting the media and the message from the inside out. MFI is a
Christian ministry that works with people in the media and arts
community in a confidential and non-judgmental manner. It is a safe
support group where people can receive encouragement and Godly counsel
and have fellowship with other Christians in the industry. Its slogan
is: “Shining His Light in the Industry.”
For more information, please go to: http://www.mediafellowship.org/
Photo captions: 1) Susan
Stafford at the MFI event (Photo Dan Wooding). 2) A gaunt Rock Hudson
pictured shortly before his death. 3) Rock Hudson on the silver screen
with Elizabeth Taylor. 4) Bob Rieth presents Chris Mitchell with the
Andrew Award. (Photo: Dan Wooding) 5) Billy Davis Jr. leading the
Soldiers for the Second Coming. (Photo: Dan Wooding) 6) David White
speaking (Photo: Dan Wooding). 7) A playful Susan Stafford with Dan
Wooding after an interview.
About
the writer: Dan Wooding, 74, is an award-winning author, broadcaster
and journalist who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents,
and is now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he
has been married for more than 52 years. They have two sons, Andrew and
Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. Dan is the founder
and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in
Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS). He is also the
author of some 45 books and has a radio show and two television programs
all based out of Orange County, California.
** You may republish this or any of our ANS stories with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net)
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