by Zoë Pollock
That's how talent scout Henry Willson found and named Rock Hudson, among others. Anne Helen Petersen recounts why Rock appealed to every housewife in America:
In [Pillow Talk and two quasi-sequels], Hudson and Doris Day play the most flirtatious asexuals in the world: They talk about around the fact of sex, meaning that they flirt but are never sexual. They dance, they kiss, it’s cute, but they’re never actually even close to hot. But for many women, the perfect relationship isn’t about sex. It’s about cuteness, a little cha-cha in a nicely tailored suit, and non-consummation. In other words, the perfect relationship is the relationship with your best gay friend. And, of course, that’s what these films were about were: skillful flirtations between a saccharinely sweet, virginal female star and her closeted gay co-star.
The Dish 