The Secret Gay Life of Actor Hayden Rorke ('I Dream of Jeannie'): 4 Decades After His Tragic Death

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Actor Hayden Rorke was best known as the befuddled but lovable Dr. Alfred E. Bellows on TV's supernatural sitcom I Dream of Jeannie (NBC, 1965-1970). He died tragically from multiple myeloma on August 19, 1987, in Toluca Lake, California. This is his story, which is filled with a few intriguing revelations.

A Closer Look

Hayden Rorke was born William Henry Rorke, on October 23, 1910, in Brooklyn, New York. He was the son of screen and stage actress Margaret Rorke (née Hayden; 1884-1969), was educated at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and began his stage career in the 1930s with the Hampden Theatrical Company.

A veteran of several Broadway shows, Rorke made his big-screen debut in the movie musical, This Is the Army, which was released in 1943. The actor was in the service at the time, during World War II.

Roarke later appeared in other films like Pillow Talk (in 1959, with Doris Day and Rock Hudson), and When Worlds Collide (in 1951), and made several TV appearances including shows like The Twilight Zone, and Perry Mason.

Then Came Dr. Bellows

Then came his break-out role as Dr. Bellows on I Dream of Jeannie. The show was ultimately inspired by the popularity of Bewitched, which starred Elizabeth Montgomery as a blonde magical witch in love with a dark-haired mortal man named Darrin, first played by Dick York then Dick Sargent.

I Dream of Jeannie featured Barbara Eden as a blonde magical genie in love with a dark-haired mortal man named Tony Nelson, played by Larry Hagman (later of Dallas). The fun series also starred Bill Daily (later of The Bob Newhart Show).

In 1985, Rorke reunited with Eden and Daily for I Dream of Jeannie: 15 Years Later, which remains one of the most popular TV-movies in history. (Hagman declined to be involved and was replaced by Wayne Rogers, formerly of M*A*S*H).

The Truth Came Out

According to IMDb.com and GreginHollywood, in 2011, Barbara Eden gave an interview to TV Guide in which she revealed that Hayden Rorke was gay and had a longtime romantic partner.

Rorke's partner was Justus Addiss, who he met while filming Project Moonbase in 1953. Two years later, Addiss directed Rorke in four episodes of The Schlitz Playhouse, including "Goodyear Summer Originals" in 1956. The couple remained together until Addiss's demise in 1979.

A Rare Quality of Actor

Hayden Rorke was one of the highly-skilled character actors that is rarely seen today. He will never be forgotten by his legion of fans around the world, most of whom came to know him by way of I Dream of Jeannie.