Bill Hudson

William Louis Hudson Jr. (born October 17, 1949) is an American musician and actor. He was a 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 had a recurring guest role on the series Doogie Howser, M.D. on ABC.

Hudson was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, the eldest of three sons (Brett and Mark are his two younger brothers) born to Eleanor Salerno and William Louis Hudson. His mother was of Italian descent; his maternal grandfather came from Fagnano Castello, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy. He and his brothers were nephews (by marriage) of actor Keenan Wynn.

Bill Hudson's father left his family when Hudson was around six years old, saying he was going out for a pack of cigarettes. Bill's mother had to depend on welfare to support her children. He and his siblings grew up in his mother's Catholic faith.

Bill Hudson was the vocalist for The Hudson Brothers. 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 published a memoir, Two Versions: The Other Side of Fame and Family, in December 2011.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.