William Hudson (actor)

Infobox actor
name = William Hudson


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birthname = William Woodson Hudson Jr.
birthdate = January 24, 1925
location = Gilroy, California, USA
deathdate = April 5, 1974
deathplace = Los Angeles, California, USA
othername = Bill Hudson
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William Woodson Hudson Jr. was an American actor best remembered for the role of Ranger Clark in "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger" and the role of Special Agent Mike Andrews in the Emmy Award nominated spy drama "I Led Three Lives". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045397/awards Awards list for "I Led Three Lives" at IMDb.com]

History

After appearing uncredited in over a dozen movies Hudson got his brake in 1951's "Hard, Fast and Beautiful". He appeared in a few other movies and TV shows before being cast as Special Agent Mike Andrews in "I Led Three Lives". In 1954, while also still doing "I Led Three Lives", Hudson was cast in the television serial "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger" as Ranger Clark. After his stint as Clark on "Rocky Jones" Hudsons parts started to be more in the genres of Science fiction, Fantasy, and Monster movies, especially the latter with starring roles in such films as "The She Creature", "The Amazing Colossal Man" and, perhaps most famously, as the husband in 1958's cult classic "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman". In 1964 he was cast as the doomed first Captain of the Seaview, John Phillips, in the pilot episode of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea". In 1965 he was back on "Voyages" as a different character in an episode infamous among fans of the series due to it's heavy use of archive footage from the pilot episode (specifically a scene with Hudson and Richard Basehart leaving the Nelson Institute, being chased and attacked by a helicopter and which ended with the death of Hudsons character and the car going off a cliff aflame) [http://www.iann.net/voyage/voy2.htm "EPISODE GUIDE", section EPISODE 43 - "The X-factor" (December 5, 1965)] giving him the dubious honour of being the only person "killed" on that show twice. In 1966 he was cast as a reporter in the second part of the first Television appearance of Mr. Freeze in a first season episode of "Batman" titled "Rats Like Cheese". [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0519498/ "Rats Like Cheese" at IMDb.com] From then on he had several small parts in various movies and TV shows, his last part being Mr. Dunn in 1971's "How's Your Love Life?".

He died at age 49 on April 5, 1974 in Gilroy, California from cirrhosis. He was survived by his older brother, actor John Hudson.

Partial Filmography

* "Hard, Fast and Beautiful" (1951) .... Interne
* "I Led Three Lives" (TV) (1953 - 1957) .... Special Agent Mike Andrews
* "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger" (TV) (1954) .... Ranger Clark
* "The She Creature" (1956) .... Bob, the ex-fiancé
* "The Amazing Colossal Man" (1957) .... Dr. Paul Linstrom
* "Death Valley Days" (3 episodes) (1954-1958)
* "Mister Roberts (1955) .... Olson
* "Air Strike (1955) .... Lt. John Smith
* "My Man Godfrey (1957) .... Howard
* "The Man Who Turned to Stone (1957) .... Dr. Jess Rogers
* "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman" (1958) .... Harry Archer
* "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV series)" (2 episodes) (1964, 1965)
* "How's Your Love Life?" (1971) .... Mr. Dunn

References

External Links

*imdb name|id=0399989|name=William Hudson

Persondata
NAME= Hudson, William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Jr., William Woodson Hudson
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Actor
DATE OF BIRTH= January 24, 1925
PLACE OF BIRTH= Gilroy, California, USA
DATE OF DEATH= April 5, 1974
PLACE OF DEATH= Los Angeles, California, USA