Bill Hudson (singer)
Bill Hudson | |
|---|---|
 Hudson in 1974 | |
| Born | William Louis Hudson Jr. October 17, 1949 Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, actor |
| Years active | 1965–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 5, including Oliver and Kate Hudson |
| Relatives |
|
William Louis "Bill" Hudson Jr.[1] (born October 17, 1949)[2] is an American musician and actor. He was vocalist in The Hudson Brothers, a band he formed in 1965 with his two younger brothers, Brett and Mark. He later had a brief acting career, appearing in supporting roles in Zero to Sixty (1978), Hysterical (1983), and Big Shots (1987). He also appeared in a recurring guest role on the series Doogie Howser, M.D..
Early life
Hudson was born and raised in Portland, Oregon,[2] the eldest of three sons (Brett and Mark are his two younger brothers) born to Eleanor (née Salerno) and William Louis Hudson. His mother was Italian American (his maternal grandfather came from Carlentini, Province of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy).[3][4][5][6] He and his brothers were nephews (by marriage) of actor Keenan Wynn.[7]
Hudson's father left his family when he was six (famously saying he was going out for a pack of cigarettes),[6] and he stated that his mother had to depend on welfare to support her children.[8] Of Italian descent on their mother's side, he and his siblings were raised in the Roman Catholic faith.[6]
Career
The Hudson Brothers
Other ventures
As an actor, Hudson appeared in the film Big Shots (1987), and three episodes of the television series Doogie Howser, M.D. from 1989 to 1992.
Hudson released his memoir, Two Versions: The Other Side of Fame and Family, in December 2011.[9]
Personal life
Hudson married actress Goldie Hawn in 1976. Hudson filed for divorce in 1980[10] and it was finalized two years later. They have two children, Oliver Hudson (b 1976) and Kate Hudson (b 1979), who were raised by Hawn and Kurt Russell. Hudson would later accuse Hawn of "willfully alienating" him from their children.[11]
Hudson married Cindy Williams of Laverne & Shirley in 1982 and they had two children before divorcing in 2000. He also has a daughter born in 2006 to a long-term girlfriend.[citation needed]
In 2018, Hudson's son, Oliver, told Larry King that he and his father had begun speaking again after being estranged for many years.[12]
Hudson campaigned for Democratic politician Michael Dukakis' presidential bid in 1988.[8]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Zero to Sixty | Eddie | |
| 1978 | Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park | Man in Kiss Booth | |
| 1978 | The Millionaire | Eddie Reardon | Television film |
| 1980 | The Love Boat | Dr. Louis DaCosta | 1 episode |
| 1983 | Hysterical | Frederic Lansing / Casper | |
| 1986 | Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color | Tom Burke | Episode: "Help Wanted: Kids" |
| 1987 | Big Shots | Mr. Dawkins | |
| 1989–1992 | Doogie Howser, M.D. | Michael Plenn | 3 episodes |
References
- ^ Children's Television: The First 35 Years, 1946 - 1981. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. 1983. p. 237. ISBN 978-0-810-81557-5.
- ^ a b "Bill Hudson Biography". FilmReference.com. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
- ^ Fisher, Emily (May 14, 1975). "The Hudson Brothers Ensnarled Into The Hollywood Situation' ". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. pp. 2–D – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "Hudson". McCall's. 108. McCall Pub. Co.: 32 1981.
- ^ Buck, Jerry (November 13, 1986). "Cindy Stars In A Disney Movie". The Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. p. 30 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ a b c Hudson, Bill "2 Versions: The Other Side of Fame and Family"
- ^ Witbeck, Charles (July 28, 1974). "At Last, the Hudson Brothers Have Got It Made". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Cowan, Ron (May 17, 1988). "Hudson takes a new act on the road". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Radar Staff (September 23, 2011). "Kate Hudson's Dad Exposes Dark Secrets In Tell All: Goldie Hawn Wanted Open Marriage". Radar Online.
- ^ Associated Press (4 September 1980). Goldie's Husband Wants Divorce. The Virgin Islands Daily News.
- ^ McRady, Rachel (June 28, 2015). "Bill Hudson Slams Goldie Hawn, Disowns Children Oliver, Kate Hudson: "I Would Ask Them to Stop Using the Hudson Name"". Us Weekly. American Media, Inc. Archived from the original on December 1, 2016.
- ^ Miller, Mike (March 26, 2018). "Oliver Hudson Says He's Now 'Keeping in Touch' with His Estranged Father Bill Hudson". People. Meredith Corporation.
External links
- Bill Hudson at IMDb
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- 1949 births
- Male actors from Portland, Oregon
- American male composers
- 21st-century American composers
- American male film actors
- American male singer-songwriters
- American people of Italian descent
- American people of English descent
- American people of Sicilian descent
- American singer-songwriters
- American male television actors
- American multi-instrumentalists
- American Roman Catholics
- Catholics from Oregon
- Cleveland High School (Portland, Oregon) alumni
- Living people
- Musicians from Portland, Oregon
- Hudson family (show business)
- Male actors of Italian descent
- Songwriters from Oregon
- Singers from Oregon
- 21st-century American male musicians