[Facts] Re: Brick & Hud.
in reply to a message by Jörmungandr
I do have a thought, but you'd really have to ask Tennessee Williams and Larry McMurtry to get the real dirt. You might even have to ask one Henry Willson.
My thought is, these word names, used by TW and LM, respectively, were probably meant to be just what they are: rugged-sounding monosyllables that represent rugged men. TW and LM were writing these works at around the same time that Rock Hudson first became noticed. It was around 1948 that Roy Scherer Fitzgerald's agent, Willson, changed Roy's name to Rock Hudson. TW wrote Cat On A Hot Tin Roof in 1954-55, just as Rock Hudson came to fame in Magnificent Obsession (1954). LM wrote Horseman, Pass By around 1961; Rock Hudson had already starred in Giant (1956) by then.
Authors often draw inspiration from pop culture as it's happening; authors who write for the stage or screen, in particular, would likely pay attention to up-and-coming actors. I would submit that it's not quite a coincidence that Rock Hudson came along just before Brick and Hud.
But that's just my theory.
ETA changed the phrase to 'rugged-sounding' from 'tough-sounding'
ETA2 Stone Phillips was born in Texas in 1954. More coincidence?...
~Lillian~
Proud daughter of Ann and John
Proud sister of Lauren and Leah
Proud wife of David
Proud mother of Alexander, Scarlett, Sophia, and Gideon
My thought is, these word names, used by TW and LM, respectively, were probably meant to be just what they are: rugged-sounding monosyllables that represent rugged men. TW and LM were writing these works at around the same time that Rock Hudson first became noticed. It was around 1948 that Roy Scherer Fitzgerald's agent, Willson, changed Roy's name to Rock Hudson. TW wrote Cat On A Hot Tin Roof in 1954-55, just as Rock Hudson came to fame in Magnificent Obsession (1954). LM wrote Horseman, Pass By around 1961; Rock Hudson had already starred in Giant (1956) by then.
Authors often draw inspiration from pop culture as it's happening; authors who write for the stage or screen, in particular, would likely pay attention to up-and-coming actors. I would submit that it's not quite a coincidence that Rock Hudson came along just before Brick and Hud.
But that's just my theory.
ETA changed the phrase to 'rugged-sounding' from 'tough-sounding'
ETA2 Stone Phillips was born in Texas in 1954. More coincidence?...
~Lillian~
Proud daughter of Ann and John
Proud sister of Lauren and Leah
Proud wife of David
Proud mother of Alexander, Scarlett, Sophia, and Gideon
This message was edited 10/19/2007, 12:50 PM