MovieChat Forums > McMillan & Wife (1971) Discussion > Hudson and St. James Not Getting Along?

Hudson and St. James Not Getting Along?

posted 11 years ago by billt-3
11 replies | jump to latest

I think I read that these two in reality didn't like each other, possibly due to his homosexuality. Anyone know?

[–] monga76 11 years ago

They got along great. Susan Saint James adored Rock Hudson. Read "Rock Hudson: His Story", a book written at Rock's request with his permission for friends to share their memories of him.

[–] snoops 11 years ago

I'm glad to know that was a false rumor, b/c I heard the same thing.

I'll have to check out that book!

[–] monga76 11 years ago

The book is very good, lot's of information about his life. It is also very touching........he was much loved and missed by his friends for the man he was. He had real friends who were there for him through it all. Susan Saint James' retelling of her memories is particularly sweet........she is so genuine and loving. I would like to have both her and Rock as friends:)

[–] archiesaffair 9 years ago

Susan Saint James was up for renewal on her contract after season 5 and wanted more money that they were unwilling to pay. They wrote her out of the script killing her character making McMillan a widower.
Nancy Walker, their maid, also left the show after season 5 and was replaced with Martha Raye.

[–] a_l_i_e_n 8 years ago

They wrote her out of the script killing her character making McMillan a widower.
Nancy Walker, their maid, also left the show after season 5 and was replaced with Martha Raye.

And what a great mistake it was trying to go on without her much like when "Laverne & Shirley" became just "Shirley". Can't split up a winning team after many years on the air and expect an audience not to find such a drastic switch both unsettling and even kind of a cheat.

[–] PaladinNJ (20310) 2 years ago

They never changed the title of Laverne & Shirley, but it was Shirley (Cindy Williams) who left leaving Laverne. Penny Marshall's brother was the producer. I doubt he would have continued without her.

[–] richard.fuller1 9 years ago

I remember when he died, two people they spoke to on the news about him were Linda Evans, who had just worked with him on Dynasty, and St. James, who had no ill-will to speak about him. I rather enjoyed seeing her speak about him, as I recalled them on McMillan and Wife, but I don't remember anything she said now. I was just happy seeing her again.

[–] jamesburkeen 9 years ago

St james asked Hudson for a political favor and he denied her request so she left the show

[–] tightspotkilo 8 years ago

What favor was that?

Get the facts first - you can distort them later!

[–] PietraR (2) 4 years ago

St. James I think liked Hudson more than he liked her. They weren't pals but spoke very well of each other, especially Susan about Rock. She and Nancy Walker had a contract dispute and left the show; although Hudson was very close to Nancy Walker, he didn't seem to fight for either one of them to stay. Not only did Susan nurse her baby on the set, which drove Hudson nuts, but she pushed her vegetarian regime on everyone. He said in an interview that he hadn't seen her, but she had sent him photos of the children.

[–] liscarkat (16508) 2 years ago

There is no reason for women to nurse in front of others. St. James had a private dressing room, and there is always some private space available. If not, the kid isn't going to die if it has to wait a little while.