Clarence Hudson (Arabi)
Clarence Hudson | |
|---|---|
 Hudson in 2023 | |
| Born | October 20, 1958 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1966–present |
Works | Filmography |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | 3 (including 1 stepson) |
Clarence Franklin Hudson (born October 20, 1958) is an Arabinian actor. Known best for his breakout role on the television show Blended (1966-1972), as Charlie Benson, when he was eight years old. He has recieved numerous accolades, including Best Actor for All Eyes Upon Us (1997) and Vestige (2003). He also starred in School's Out (1972-1975), as George Danfield, he had a recurring role on the sci-fi show Back to Mars (1975-1980), as an alien-exchange student, Kiel. In the 1980s Hudson transitioned from child roles to more adult roles by starring in several movies, Shadows of the Past (1982), The Silent Betrayal (1983), Midnight at Cedar Ridge (1983), Echoes of Destiny (1985). Hudson has recently been starring in the horror anthology show, Arabin Horror Saga.
Early life
Hudson was born on October 20, 1958, in Old Clark City, New Cambridge to John Hudson (1927-2019) and Julia Matthews (1931). He has three older brothers, George (1952), Jack (1954), Leonard (1956), and he has a younger sister, Alice (1960). He grew up in a middle-class family and developed an interest in acting at a young age. His talent was evident early on, and he began pursuing acting opportunities in his local community. His father owned a furniture store and his mother was the bookkeeper for the store, his parents retired in 2007 and his brothers George and Jack took over the store, while his sister became the bookkeeper.
Career
Early work (1966-1980)
When Hudson was seven, his mother read a casting call in the local newspaper looking for a child actor who was an unknown to audition for a new show called Blended. When she told him about the casting call he begged her to take him, which she did. After auditioning, he was called back to audition again and was given the role on the spot. Hudson was cast as the youngest son Charlie Benson.
After Blended was canceled in 1972, Hudson joined the cast of School's Out, a show about kids who are just starting high school, as the wise-cracking George Danfield. After four seasons the show was wrapped up with the final season showing the kids graduating high school and going away to college.
After School's Out ended, Hudson decided to pursue an education at New Cambridge University in marketing and acting. He was accepted into the university at the age of seventeen and studied there for four years. During his time at college he joined Back to Mars, a new sci-fi television show about Martians coming to Earth to attend highschool in an inter-planetary student exchange program. Hudson's contract was not renewed for the sixth season due to a salary dispute as well as Hudson wanting to be elevated to a main cast status due to finishing college in 1979.
After Back to Mars, Hudson wanted to shed the identity of a "child actor" and wanted to be taken seriously so throughout the 1980s he starred in several movies that were more mature roles. By the end of the 1980s he stated he thought he successfully shedded the child actor status.
Traninstion from child actor (1980-1985)
After starring in three successful television shows as a child, Hudson felt he was viewed as an unserious and immature actor due to the previous roles he was in. His agent suggested that instead of doing television he should try and audition for movies. In 1982 he starred in the drama-thriller Shadows of the Past. While the movie received bad reviews, Hudson was praised for taking on a more serious role. He then starred in The Silent Betrayal in 1983 and received his first nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Also, in 1983 he starred in Midnight at Cedar Ridge, which he claims was a turning point in his career because that role gave him his first nomination in the Best Actor category, making Hudson the first actor in the Arabinian movie industry to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor in the same year. However, Hudson did not win either award.
Hudson did not appear in any movie or television show in 1984, due to his grandmother being diagnosed with cancer and him spending four months at home with her until she passed away. He returned to the movie screens in 1985, starring in Echoes of Destiny.
Acclaim (1986-2003)
Beginning in 1986, Hudson became known as one of the most successful actors in Arabi. His role in the 1986 film Broken Oaths earned him another Best Actor nomination. Every year form 1986 until 2003, Hudson starred in at least one movie. He did not win his first Best Actor award until 1998 for his role in All Eyes Upon Us. His second win for best actor came in 2004 for his role in Vestige.
Return to television (2004–present)
After winning Best Actor in 2004, Hudson was receiving several offers to star in more movies and now television. His wife, Anna, convinced him to return to his roots. In 2004 he joined the legal drama show Crossing the Bar, where he played judge Elliot Wells. Hudson left the show in 2014 after his character was killed in a courthouse shooting by a disgruntled defendant. From 2015 to 2018 he starred in the sitcom All in Good Fun, where he played the patriarch Carter Reed.
Hudson had met Dan Willis (creator of Crossing the Bar) and his wife Tegan in 2004 when Dan casted Hudson as Elliot Wells. In 2017, Dan's wife Tegan, approached Clarence with her frequent collaborator, Harrison Ball, and pitched a role for Clarence in a new horror anthology show they were creating called Arabin Horror Saga. Hudson originally turned it down because he was "done with horror." Once the first season was finished, they approached him again and offered him a role in the second season. They told him that it wasn't going to be gory but rather a psychological thriller. After hearing their pitch and being told they wrote the whole season around his character, he joined the second season subititled, Shadows (2019), in which he played the small towns mysterious mayor Robert Smith.
In 2020, Hudson started hosting a new gameshow on AMG called Fame or Fortune. Due to his contractual responsibilites, Hudson did not return to the third and fourth season of Arabin Horror Saga. In 2021, Fame or Fortune was canceled due to low ratings. In 2022, Hudson rejoined the cast of Arabin Horror Saga in the fifth season, Abyss, as Orson Van Der Waal, and in the sixth season, Unveiled, as Edward Collingwood. Hudson is set to star in the seventh season, Enchanted, in an undisclosed role. He has stated that after this season, he will be taking a break from the show to pursue other opportunities.
In 2024, it was revealed that Hudson was joining a new show in 2025 called Arabin Odyssey Saga, in an undisclosed role. . Arabin Odyssey Saga is created by Tegan Willis and Harrison Ball (who created Arabin Horror Saga) and is a historical-drama anthology show, in which each season will focus on a period of history in Arabi and the struggles faced during that time.
Personal life
Hudson has been married twice. He married his first wife Sarah in 1981, they had two children, Stormy (1983) and Claus (1986). They divorced in 1989, citing irreconcilable differences. Hudson then married Anna Beech in 1992 and remained married until her death from cancer in 2022. Beech had one son from a previous marriage, Bradley (1988).
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966– 1972 |
Blended | Charlie Benson | Main role |
| 1972– 1975 |
School's Out | George Danfield | |
| 1975– 1980 |
Back to Mars | Kiel | Recurring role; 23 episodes |
| 1995 | Unseen Forces | Lt. John Farcastle | Special guest; 3 episodes |
| 1998 | Breaking Point | Officer Daniels | Episode: "Point, Blank, Period" |
| 2001– 2002 |
Lost Horizons | Jeff | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
| 2002 | The Revolution Chronicles | Vice President Charles Downs |
Recurring role; 10 episodes |
| 2003 | Fading | Gerald | Special guest; 2 episodes |
| 2004– 2014 |
Crossing the Bar | Judge Elliot Wells | Main role (seasons 1–10) |
| 2015– 2018 |
All in Good Fun | Carter Reed | Main role |
| 2019 | Arabin Horror Saga: Shadows | Robert Smith | 12 episodes |
| 2020– 2021 |
Fame or Fortune | Himself/host | |
| 2022 | Arabin Horror Saga: Abyss | Orson Van Der Waal | 12 episodes |
| 2023 | Arabin Horror Saga: Unveiled | Edward Collingwood | |
| 2024 | Arabin Horror Saga: Enchanted | TBA | Upcoming role |
| 2025 | Arabin Odyssey Saga | TBA | Upcoming role |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Shadows of the Past | Ethan Calloway | |
| 1983 | The Silent Betrayal | Liam Drake | Nominated for Best Supporting Actor |
| Midnight at Cedar Ridge | Nolan Rivers | Nominated for Best Actor | |
| 1985 | Echoes of Destiny | Gideon Ashford | |
| 1986 | Broken Oaths | Julian | Nominated for Best Actor |
| 1987 | The Last Voyage | Marcus Langford | |
| 1988 | City of Whispers | Derek Stone | |
| Beyond the Horizon | Oliver Quinn | ||
| 1990 | Crimson Sunset | Donovan Reed | |
| The Reckoning | Sebastian | ||
| 1991 | Whispers in the Dark | Leo Frost-Hawthorne | |
| 1992 | Park Sunday | Maxwell Griffin | |
| 1993 | The Lost Heir | Jacob Ward | Nominated for Best Actor |
| 1994 | Secrets of Stonebridge Manor | Evan Blackwood | Nominated for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1995 | The Devil's Bargain | Hudson | Nominated for Best Actor |
| 1996 | Winds of Change | Finn Blake | |
| 1997 | All Eyes Upon Us | Ryan Cole | Won for Best Actor |
| 1998 | The Forgotten Soldier | Trisan Gray | |
| 1999 | Twilight Serenade | Aiden Monroe | |
| 2000 | Eclipse of the Heart | Colin | |
| 2001 | Neon Shadows | Jasper Reid | |
| 2002 | The Last Expedition | Xander Wolfe | |
| 2003 | Vestige | Toby Sinclair | Won for Best Actor |
| 2014 | Celestial Symphony | Archer Sullivan | Nominated for Best Supporting Actor |
| 2021 | Undercover Legacy | Miles | Nominated for Best Actor |