Old Hollywood Stars Who Were Forced to Live a Double Life

Rory Calhoun looked every inch the rugged Western hero, appearing in films such as River of No Return and The Texan. Hollywood sold his handsome, adventurous image without mentioning that his youth had included escapes, arrests, reform schools, and time inside a federal medical prison.

In 1955, Confidential exposed Calhoun’s record, including burglary and car-theft convictions. His agent, Henry Willson, supplied the story while steering the magazine away from Rock Hudson’s private life. Instead of ending his career, the scandal unexpectedly strengthened Calhoun’s bad-boy appeal and kept him working.