Arts and Culture

In the 1950s and 60s, Rock Hudson was the quintessential matinee idol, with his chiseled good looks. Hudson had adoring fans and, on the surface, led the life of an A-lister, paired up onscreen with the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Doris Day. But Hudson had a hidden life as a closeted gay man whose secret didn't become public until he was dying of AIDS. His death in 1985 at age 59 is considered a turning point in AIDS awareness. Rock Hudson's career life struggles and death are all examined and detailed by Maine author Mark Griffin and his biography, “All That Heaven Allows.” Griffin spoke with Maine Public's Ed Morin.

Given immense popularity of the radio variety show back in the so-called Golden Age of Radio, you might wonder why the appeal faded. It might be because these shows are really hard to produce, or maybe it’s because media consumers today can tap a seemingly endless universe of entertainment sources.

A beloved humorist who helped put Maine on the storytelling map has passed away. Bob Bryan of the quirky “Bert and I” duo died on Wednesday at age 87.

A neon sign that spells the phrase "dyke bar," a hand-painted fake jukebox, a TV broadcasting people sharing bar stories and an entire wall of posters, pictures and letters thanking bar owners for their years of service — these are just a few of the items that make up Macon Reed’s installation "Eulogy for the Dyke Bar," on display at the University of Southern Maine’s AREA Gallery through Dec. 7.

The Maine College of Art will get a large donation - $3 million - which will be used to bolster financial aid packages for students.

The documentary “Dawnland” tells the story of Native American children who for the better part of the 20th century had been taken from their families and placed in foster care with white families. Many experienced abuse and were stripped of their cultural identity.

The documentary "Dawnland" is about cultural survival and stolen children. It offers an inside look at the first truth and reconciliation commission for Native Americans, which took place in Maine.

An iconic scene from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” features a treasure hunter trying to get his hands on a sacred cross.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Maine author Lois Lowry's young adult novel, The Giver. It has won the Newberry Medal, been made into a movie, selected as one of the 100-most popular books in The Great American Read and is taught in numerous middle school and high school classrooms.