Celebrities Who Have Died from AIDS

It may be hard for some to imagine a time when the public didn't know what AIDS was. We weren't aware a dark monster was lurking in the shadows. Hiding - waiting to strike. The disease doesn't discriminate and doesn't care how normal or famous a person is. One of the world's most gifted actors, Rock Hudson, was the first high profile death from the dreaded disease. Through his death, the world knew we had a monster on our hands and an epidemic ensued.

The disease hit Hollywood and the music industry hard, taking the lives of some of the most brilliant actors and musicians to ever share their talents with us. We mourned their loss but were shocked to learn they had died of AIDS - a condition that, at the time, we knew very little about. The deaths of these big name stars shed some light on a disease that would became an epidemic, infecting and killing millions worldwide.

Rock Hudson (1925 - 1986):
Actor Rock Hudson was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984 but wouldn't announce he had the disease until July 1985. He died on October 2, 1986, some 18 months after his diagnosis.

Rock Hudson spent an entire lifetime hiding his sexual orientation, going so far as to dating actresses such as Vera Ellen and Piper Laurie in hopes of generating rumors of marriage. He did marry once, to Phyllis Gates in 1955, but it ended just shy of their third anniversary.

He was a handsome man who left the ladies swooning. No one ever knew he was gay - a taboo in the Hollywood of his day that most likely would have ended his career. Hudson never "came out" as a homosexual, though in his biography, 'Rock Hudson: His Story' by Sara Davidson, his private life is discussed in great detail.

Rock Hudson appeared on 'Dynasty' and was co-star on the TV series, 'McMillan & Wife' from 1971 until the series ended in 1977. He was also in many movies including 'A Farewell to Arms', 'Pillow Talk', and 'Lover Come Back'.

Freddie Mercury (1946 - 1991):
'Queen' frontman Freddie Mercury was charismatic, flamboyant, and oh-so-entertaining. He became the first rocker to die of AIDS. The press had long speculated Freddie was sick with the disease, but he denied those reports until a day before he died when he issued a statement, obtained from IMDb, informing friends and fans of his condition:

"Following the enormous conjecture in the press over the last two weeks, I wish to confirm that I have tested HIV positive and have AIDS. I felt it correct to keep this information private in order to protect the privacy of those around me. However, the time has come for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with me in the fight against this terrible disease."

Freddie Mercury had a serious, non-sexual relationship with a woman, Mary Austin. Freddie later confided in her that he was bisexual. Though their relationship lasted six-years, they remained close lifelong friends. Mary Austin was Freddie's "Old Faithful" and was by his side throughout his illness and during his final days. Freddie's close friends - Jim Hutton (Freddie's partner who passed away this year), Peter Freestone, and Joe Fanelli also stood by Freddie and helped to care for him in his final days.

The day Freddie Mercury died, I was in shock. I was on my way out the door when the news came on announcing the world had lost one of the greatest, most talented musicians that ever lived. It's no secret that I have always had a love for Freddie and when he died, I mourned him deeply, just as every other fan in the world mourned him.

Anthony Perkins (1932 - 1992):
Anthony "Tony" Perkins is best known for his role as Norman Bates in the movie 'Psycho'. Like so many others before him, Perkins kept his homosexuality a secret but according to Entertainment Weekly, his biographer, Charles Winecoff, said the actor had a number of homosexual encounters. The actor was diagnosed with AIDS in 1989 and died in 1992.

According to IMDb, Perkins had a blood sample taken in order to be tested because he was suffering from palsy on one side of his face. Somehow, the 'National Enquirer' got hold of the sample and had it tested for the AIDS virus. It came back positive and the paper later ran a story about the actor's battle with the virus. It wasn't until he read the article that he found out he was HIV positive, though he had suspected it to be the case.

Shortly before his death, Anthony Perkins made a statement concerning his private battle with AIDS: "I chose not to go public about this because, to misquote Casablanca, I'm not much at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of one old actor don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world."

Liberace (1919 - 1987):
What can be said about Liberace? Like the rock king Freddie Mercury, Liberace was quite the flamboyant entertainer, and boy was he funny! Nicknamed 'Mr. Showbiz', his fingers danced their way across piano keys as if they were walking on air. He wore the most fantastical costumes (seriously, entertainers today have nothing on this man). He was truly larger than life. I remember watching him perform on 'The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson' in the 1980's and thinking how amazing he was. Magnificent!

According to IMDb, Liberace sued London paper "Daily Mirror' in 1959 after a columnist by the name of "Cassandra" wrote an article that said the musician was "fruit-flavoured" (or gay). Liberace denied the story, insisting homosexuality was an abomination. Anyone who ever had the opportunity to see Liberace perform will tell you there was no hiding his sexuality because it was so obvious.

Liberace died in 1987. His death certificate originally listed heart failure brought on by subacute encephalopathy as the cause of death. This tidbit, possibly the physician's attempt to protect Liberace and his family's privacy, caused a lot of controversy. After an autopsy was ordered - though Liberace had already been embalmed - it was found he had died of a form of pneumonia that attacks those who have AIDS.

AVERT, an international AIDS charity, reports it is estimated that more than one million people in the U.S. alone have been diagnosed with the AIDS virus since the beginning of the epidemic. 75 percent of adults and adolescents living with AIDS are men.

Sources:
Lifelong Fan of Freddie Mercury, Rock Hudson, and Liberace
IMDb, Freddie Mercury - Biography
Tony Perkins Dies | News | EW.com
IMDb, Anthony Perkins (I) - Biography
IMDb, Liberace (I) - Biography
AVERT, United States HIV & AIDS statistics summary