George Rose: Tony award winner, Broadway legend, pedophile, murder victim

Another photo of Rose.

It is post like this that keeps me coming back to DL. Had no fucking idea about his life.

"He was also a frequent sex tourist, particularly in the Dominican Republic. He would visit brothels and have sex with boys as young as ten."

So like Rush Limbaugh but without the oxycodone?

Tawdry

Thanks for the tip, OP

He was overrated. Talented but overrated. Not awful but merely competent My Fair Lady as Dolittle and in The Pirates of Penzance as The Major General. He was kind of Broadway's Token Gay in the 1970s and got a disproportionate amount of press because of it.

I most enjoyed him in My Fat Friend, 1974, the first show I ever saw on Broadway. He played star Lynn Redgrave's gay BFF, his eternal role. My Fat Friend was a cute contemporary comedy. During Act I, Redgrave wore a fat suit and was terrified she was going to lose her hot boyfriend because of her weight. So she leaves for a fat farm. Act II took place several months later when she returns all slim and svelte only to realize her boyfriend was a chubby chaser and no longer is interested. Rose consoled her a lot.

He also played Captain Hook to Sandy Duncan's Peter Pan. Again, he was OK. But his replacement, the flaming Christopher Hewitt, was incredibly superior, sharply funnier and with much more presence.

R2 Me too. Knew nothing about him until now. Fascinating but creepy. The dangers of picking up very young men/boys/hustlers. You think you can control them, mentor them or even give them a better life - and then they turn on you: beating, robbery, and sometimes murder. I've seen this type of thing happen before. All that glitters is not gold - young dick can sometimes be very dangerous.

What a story. Lurid but fascinating.

How'd he get along with Betty Lynn in Drood?

He was a perfect fool to think he could buy a 14-year-old boy and make a permanent sex toy out of him in exchange for making the young man his heir. He was an even bigger fool to announce he was calling off the deal after having had the boy, who subsequently discovered that fucking girls was more fun than being fucked by a horny old man. He gave a bunch of simple lugs too many reasons to want him dead.

Rose was only fifty years older than his 'son'. How could it go wrong ??

I saw Rose in "Pirates", and "Drood", and he was NOT overrated in either. He swept the other actors off the stage when he was on it.

I saw Christopher Hewitt in "Peter Pan", and was indeed excellent and flaming!

It was shocking when Rose's murder was announced. Nobody said a word about it.

The 'son' was no convicted of the crime, settled an estate suit and got the $ 250K (in '88) house.

He'd be about 45 years old now.

Wonder where he is now.

George Rose was a real-life Sebastian Venable from "Suddenly Last Summer." He preyed on young boys in foreign countries and eventually they turned on him and killed him.

Did they..... DEVOUR him?

R11, I agree with you, having seen Rose in "Penzance" (5 times) and in "Drood" - in the Park (3 times) and on Bway (opening night.) GREAT actor. When he died, and it of course made all the papers, it was one of very few times I wished papers HADN'T told the whole story.

In terms of "nobody mentioning it", I DO remember when Judy Kaye (who had worked with him in ..."Drood"? something else"?) won a TOny a couple of years later (can't remember for what, sorry), at the end of her speech, thanking everybody, she raised her statue slightly and said, "...and here's to absent friends...". I seem to remember reading at the time (NOT in the main newspapers) that it was widely assumed she meant Rose.

Perhaps other elders like me remember this? TIA.

How else could this story end? Did he really think a 14 year old boy purchased sex toy would grow up to have fond feelings for him and call him dad?

[quote] When he died, and it of course made all the papers, it was one of very few times I wished papers HADN'T told the whole story.

You mean you wish the story behind it had remained covered up???

Why, for God's sake???

I loved George Rose in the Papermill Playhouse production of "You Can't Take it With You" with Jason Robards and Colleen Dewhurst. His Boris Kolenkhov was superb! "The Monte Carlo Ballet...it steenks!"

Luridly fascinating.

He should have had the decency to die a natural death to save his heir all that legalistic fuss.

She was a lady who lived on the edge!

So in the DR they are already hung and able to shoot at 10?

R12, good to know. Glad his poor "son" got no jail time and walked away with money. Dirty pedo.

We knew a fabulous eldersister who had a Mexican '$on' of 16 or 17. She would instruct him to save his cheese for a week prior to their weekly sessia!

R3 No he was like Rush without the viagra.

Dear estranged wife please stop misbehaving. You have sullied our reputation enough. First it was with that houseboy,Juan and now with some random illegal immigrants in Barcelona. Come back home my deary.

R9 Isn't that gugs or hugs?

An obvious size queen, since he loved the Dominican boys.

He wasn't hot and I don't want to read about him.

[quote]He played star Lynn Redgrave's gay BFF, his eternal role. My Fat Friend was a cute contemporary comedy. During Act I, Redgrave wore a fat suit and was terrified she was going to lose her hot boyfriend because of her weight.

That explains this ad campaign:

I saw Drood late in the run. The audience was not receptive. One bit after another bombed. George Rose stopped the show and did about 10 minutes of British Musical Hall jokes to get the audience in the mood. It was brilliant. (And, no, I am not referring to the "cock and bull" bit that is written into the show.

Actually, r30, it's explained more by the fact that in the Sixties Lynn Redgrave WAS fat (not in real terms, but in Hollywood terms) when she did "Georgy Girl." The public thought of her for years as "a brontosaurus of a girl," (as she describes herself in that film, which was extremely popular for its time) and then in the early 70s she dropped a ton of weight. That weight loss allowed her to do "My Fat Friend" (where she could pass as still fat wearing a fat suit in act one and then surprise everyone by appearing in the second act without it), and also made it possible for her to be the spokesperson for Weight Watchers for years and years and years.

"Glad his poor "son" got no jail time and walked away with money. Dirty pedo."

That innocent angel was just after Rose's money. He deserved jail.

He was 14 when he was adopted r33, he had no choice. $250,000 is a pittance in return for having your youth destroyed. I hope he's finally happy.

He had no choice? Um, he could have said no. Sorry, but willingly having sex with guys for $$$$ doesn't give you the right to murder people. I doubt he considers his youth destroyed, he's probably glad he got the cash. Without it, he'd be living in poverty.

Oh bitch please. No he couldn't say no r35. He was 14 and this was his "dad." Tell yourself whatever lies you need to to justify pedophilia but it doesn't change the fact that he so traumatised the kid murdered him and skipped away with money. Which wasn't much for lost youth.

I hope he's found peace.

How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is

To have a thankless child!

R35 you are aware this is a gay site and not pedos anonymous, right?

Is "The Prates of Penzance" anything like "The Pruitts of South Hampton?"

OP, I am 50y.o. and I vaguely remember this news story. Here is the reason the son gave as to why he killed Rose: [quote]ANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — The adopted son of Broadway star George Rose said today that he and three relatives killed the actor last week in the Dominican Republic and staged a car crash in an attempt to cover up the crime. Domingo Antonio Rafle, 18, told reporters at a news conference in a police station that he planned Rose's murder because he was jealous over an affair he said the 68-year-old actor was having with a 14-year-old girl.

More at link

Aha, R40 .............. so sonny boy was concerned about a new baby sister taking half of his inheritance, eh ??

No, R41, the 18-year-old adopted son lied to the press that he and George were supposedly fighting over the same 14-year-old girl. He was trying to hide the fact that George Rose had been his man-boy lover.

With a girl R40? That didn't sound to be George's cup of tea at all. Interesting how the friends quoted in R4 link are all certain George's interest in the boy who eventually got him killed him was entirely paternal, would people be as naive now over a similar story?

Also pictured in R4's link is the kid's actual father, who one assumes was in on this adoption thing. What a sordid tale.

[quote] He had no choice? Um, he could have said no.

He meant he had no say in whether or not he could be adopted, you idiot, not as to whether or not he murdered Rose.

And a poverty-stricken 14 year-old prostitute in a developing nation HAS no say in whether or not he is adopted. He was probably desperate to remain fed.

[quote]Is "The Prates of Penzance" anything like "The Pruitts of South Hampton?"

The Prates are closer to Aunt Sally's Pralines, which are fifty miles down the road according to the sign.

R43 see r42, the kid was ashamed to admit George had been sexually abusing him.

Yes clearly R47 , It also chimed with what the authorities wanted , which was to avoid any tourist frightening scandal .

"...and then...what happened next....NO ONE COULD BELIEVE, NO ONE WOULD EVER, EVER BELIEVE!!!"

So what....like....did they cut him up and eat him?

" You've heard this story before haven't you...."

I hear George Bush Sr was also a frequent visitor to the Dominican Republic looking to chase/buy young tail.

[R46] - It isn't Aunt Sally's anymore. It's now a Stuckey's.

Amber Alert!! R6 R6 is on the loose! Seriously, scary. And R35 seems a pedo possibility too.

One should be careful as to whom one tosses one's keys.

Lion's View State Asylum, cut this hideous story out of her brain!!!

I never said Rose wasn't good in Pirates and My Fair Lady and Drood, etc. I said he was talented but overrated and as an example I gave how far superior Christopher Hewett was in Peter Pan when he replaced Rose. Rose was talented but overrated, there I said it again. He got lots of good press, especially in The Times, because he was openly gay but not overtly publicly flaming which was the politically correct and presentable thing for a talented gay performer to be at the time, especially for The Times.

Many sizemologists visit the D R to satisfy their cravings!

[quote] Rose was talented but overrated, there I said it again.

Oh my God! Do you DARE?!!?

How lurid!! So unseemly.

Bump!

Rose probably thought that he and the boy were "in love". The boy probably thought that living with an old creep in a nice house was better than sucking the dicks of every random old creep

Betcha ten bucks that the murder was partly motivated by Rose losing interest in the boy as he grew up, and I bet you another ten that the relatives who participated in the murder had pimped the boy out before he was "adopted" by Rose.

This story is your future, Erna!

[quote]How else could this story end? Did he really think a 14 year old boy purchased sex toy would grow up to have fond feelings for him and call him dad?

I guess "Pops" is out of the question?

Geez this too all of five seconds to find. The original Shakespeare In the Park production before it moved to Broadway.

Wait a minute! You fairies get in rage when people say gays are child molesters and yet on this thread you identify with this sick piece of shit who was attracted to boys as young as 10 years old? Who had sex with boys who were young as10 years old? Then he keeps a young boy as his sex object?

Who gives a rat's ass how well this demon from hell did on Broadway? He is a slim! The actors and actresses who worked with him and who liked him are sewage and corrupt. I bet Liza looooved him because with her anything goes and this pig is the typical type of trash who Liza always paints as a sweet heart who was fun to hang out with who was a wonderful human being.

[QUOTE]He is a slim!

Honestly, this has all the makings of a DL classic saying.

R60 I bet the old cunt did think he was in love with a child. Pedos are like that, despite the look of utter revulsion that no doubt exists on every kids face as they approach. Want to bet the kid didn't feel especially grateful to be abused day in day out by that repulsive old cock? Want to bet he felt relieved when that disgusting old perv finally couldn't hold him down anymore? I'll bet my life on it. Stop defending a pedo, it's revolting.

This is exactly the kind of bad behaviour that should've been nipped in the bud.

Presumably if he hadn't been killed Rose would have lived into cheerful retirement with his victim(s) and we would have been none the wiser. How many of his persuasion have managed to live under the radar at the same time as enjoying a celebrated public life?

There's an off-Broadway play about Rose playing right now. I gather it's a bit upsetting.

R64, go die in a grease fire. Why are you ON this site? Are you some self-righteous dyke??

R70 - Go easy on R64.

After all George Rose was "a slim".

Given how beloved Rose was by his peers, Dixon's first hand account of the whole thing really is disturbing. While I don't think anyone's debating that Rose was disturbed and playing with fire, it is interesting to hear that some in the theatre community are taking issue with some of the facts in Dixon's retelling (eg. playing loosely with the ages of the adopted son and the 'other boy' which Adam Feldman pointed out in Time Out NY) While these facts don't begin to excuse Rose's actions, it does feel like there's more to the story here. You've got to think there were rumblings of this even before it all went bad in the Dominican Republic.

R4 that article seems to be very pro-Rose. I mean, look at that intro, where they mention that the 'son' didn't stand trial or serve time, and it ends with "Now a frail old woman is the only person left to fight for justice." *eyeroll*

[quote]fucking girls was more fun

Since when?

OPs photo...look at that poofy hair-dont.

Looks like Beverley Leslie

"Pro-Rose." Did someone say "Rose"?!

[quote] [R2] Me too. Knew nothing about him until now. Fascinating but creepy. The dangers of picking up very young men/boys/hustlers. You think you can control them, mentor them or even give them a better life - and then they turn on you: beating, robbery, and sometimes murder. I've seen this type of thing happen before. All that glitters is not gold - young dick can sometimes be very dangerous

Yes sexual abusing 10 yr old boys is fascinating. And yes being that they have probably never been fucked before; fucking prepubescent kids absolutely provides them with a better quality of life, and because victims of abuse sometimes themselves become abusers; you're absolutely mentoring them.

[quote] Wait a minute! You fairies get in rage when people say gays are child molesters and yet on this thread you identify with this sick piece of shit who was attracted to boys as young as 10 years old? Who had sex with boys who were young as10 years old? Then he keeps a young boy as his sex object?

They also get enraged at even the slightest mention of Micheal Jackson's name. The most recent thread questioned whether Jackson's music should still be played. Of course Jackson's accusers were white. Rose's accusers were not white, so they don't really consider it a real crime. Rose was giving a 10 yr old Dominican a better life, by fucking him.

Tbh, it sounds like he got what was coming to him.

i saw the dixon play recently and according to him, the boy's father basically sold the kid to rose. it was a common practice among the poor. parents would take their sons to a local brothel

R79 that still doesn't excuse Rose, who had a penchant for prepubescent and underage boys.

You can be a lovely friend and a talented artist but still commit heinous and illegal acts. Show business people often seem to have had trouble understanding that.

All gays are child molesters.

r82: BLOCKED.

Disgusting!

Charlie Chaplin had a thing for prepubescent boys?

If Rush Limbaugh fucks 14 year old boys, I wish to God some of them would go midevil on his ass...seriously, why wouldn't our CIA try to catch him at his worst? Seeing him exposed would be worth my own life, if I could just see him in prison, I could die happy.

George Rose was in one of the funniest films ever , "A New Leaf." Elaine May wrote, directed, and starred in it. Brilliant

This story is so awful and upsetting. This Rose guy was clearly a predator. I wonder how long he did this for before he was "stopped" by the "adopted son" when he was in his '70s ?

"A mature act!"

[quote]How'd he get along with Betty Lynn in Drood?

Are you implying that I'm not a nice person?

r6, paying children to be your sex slaves = bad karma

you reap what you sow

I wonder if Rose ever visited Sondheim's house?

The guy Alex Winter was molested by was an evil man and suffered death as an evil man should. A man, who by all accounts molested and raped hundreds of boys throughout his life and was eventually killed by his adopted teenage son who he had molested and raped for years. Our actor is foreign born and was killed just shy of his 70th birthday. Foreign born and a multiple Tony Award winner who was nominated multiple more times. One of his wins was for arguably one of the more famous musicals ever on Broadway. One of his nominations was for a musical that was great on Broadway and absolute crap when they made it into a movie. He was in both. One final clue is our actor died in a different foreign country from where he was born.

Isn't that how Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died? Bludgeoned by a Mexican hustler?

No one under 50 knows who this queen was.

He played a very unlikeable slimy character in one of Sir Michael's bad films back in '54.

[quote]R37 I hope he's found peace.

Maybe you can become pen pals with this charming person?

The gory details.

[quote]r72 I don't think anyone's debating that Rose was disturbed and playing with fire

A [italic]grease[/italic] fire....thankfully.

R77 How the hell can you say Michel Jackson accusers are white? The one from the 90s was a mixed kid, very obviously not white. The second accuser was Latino.

Reading about Rose’s death was shocking.

He was in the very first play I saw on Broadway: “The Royal Hunt of the Sun,” and he was very good in it.

I also saw him in: “The Pirates of Penzance,” “Aren’t We All?,” “Coco,” and “Dance a Little Closer.” And I remember him in the films, “Hawaii” and “Holocaust.”

Professional, talented character actor. Not too many of those let anymore.

Oh no, did Alex Winter say he was molested too? I missed that.

In the pictures at r98 the murderer hardly looks like some small little kid.

I think both he and Rose were in the Sandy Duncan "Peter Pan."

[quote] Lynn Redgrave noticed that adopting Juan caused his whole persona to flourish. “For the first time I saw him totally happy and relaxed, smiling contentedly. He said he never realised how lonely he was before. Everything had revolved around his animals. Now he’d say, I have what you’ve got: a family, someone to care for. That responsibility, doing everything for the boy’s welfare and happiness, gave him profound pleasure. He talked of Juan with such pride, how he was growing up to be so nice and respectable, that he was running a watersports business George had invested in. Like any good father, he wanted only the best for his child.”

Was Lynn really this clueless or was she enabling George?

r103 Hence why he was about to be replaced.