Biography

Stephen R. Hudis

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Overview

Born
May 17, 1957 · London, England, UK
Height
6′ 0½″ (1.84 m)

Mini bio

Stephen began his Hollywood journey at Elstree Studios, London, U.K. where, as a precocious five-year-old, he was visiting the set of the classic British TV series called "The Saint" (starring Roger Moore) accompanied by his Father, Norman I. Hudis, who had written the episode. Upon the much-anticipated introduction, Stephen promptly called Mr. Moore "Sweaty Face" (he had just completed a fight scene) to which the future James Bond responded graciously, of course...Stephen didn't know it at the time, but in that moment, his future and fate were inexorably sealed - he was hooked.

A few years later, Stephen came to America with his family including Mother, Rita (an R.N. who spent five years as a technical advisor/set medic on M*A*S*H), brother Kevin (barely a year old at the time) and his father who was brought to the U.S.A. (and Hollywood) by M.G.M. (now Sony Studios) to work on "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." and other noteworthy Television shows of the 1960s and 1970s.

At age twelve, Stephen landed his first role - a voice-over - on the last film of Hollywood legend George Cukor ("Justine") which was soon followed up by guest-star/lead roles on many popular TV shows of the era (including "The Psychiatrist", directed by Steven Spielberg & starring Roy Thinnes), numerous commercials and a lead role in the Warner Brothers Studios feature-film "The Cowboys" (1972) starring John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Browne, Bruce Dern & Colleen Dewhurst and directed by Mark Rydell.

In 1973 he was picked out of hundreds of hopefuls from all over the world to star as the title character in the ITV/Derrick Sherwin (U.K.) production of "Ski-Boy", which shot 13 episodes in about as many weeks in St. Luc, Switzerland.

After a brief stint at Loyola Marymount University Film School in Westchester, California, he dropped out and went to work as a Production Assistant, working his way up through the ranks (and through practically every department on a film unit) and now his work can be seen in numerous car commercials, television shows & feature films as a stunt performer, stunt driver, stunt coordinator & second-unit director.

In January, 2000 he set a World Record by jumping a 10-ton school bus 108 feet over fifteen motorcycles...While the bus was on fire.

He is now set to make his directorial debut with "The Summoning", which he co-wrote with his wife, Lindy S. Hudis, a published novelist and film-maker.

He proudly holds dual citizenship (UK/USA), two passports and a perfect safety record. He & Lindy have two children.
- IMDb mini biography by: Stephen R. Hudis

Family

Spouse

Trademarks

All Action Stunts

Trivia

His real mother, Rita Hudis, played his on-screen mother in the tearful farewell scene from The Cowboys (1972). After filming was completed, the family adopted a dog and named him "Charlie" after Stephen's character in the film. The faithful, frisbee-catching, spotted-tongued mutt lived almost twenty years.
The Stunt Coordinator & Second Unit Director for "The Cowboys", Buzz Henry was a huge influence on Stephen's eventual career path as a Stuntman, Stunt Coordinator and Second-Unit Director. An experienced, kind, careful mentor, he guided Stephen through his first on-camera stunt - sliding off the back of a specially-trained horse for his death-scene close-up. Tragically and ironically, he was killed in a 1972 car accident on - of all places - Forest Lawn Drive (right in front of the cemetery of the same name), barely a few blocks from the Warner Brothers Studio lot where the film was completed.
He has one to two degree(s) of separation between practically anyone in The Entertainment Business, from golden-era legends to the stars and celebrities of the present-day. His "Bacon number" is two.
At the peak of his child-acting career, he had at least two fan clubs and received an average of 500 fan letters a week. He appeared in and on the covers of 16 Magazine, 16 Spec Magazine, Tiger Beat Magazine, Look Magazine, Life Magazine and several newspapers and press releases around the world. All fan letters (including a hand-signed picture), were personally replied to first by a form letter, created by his father, Norman Hudis, and if the fan wrote back, a more personalized response was ensured by his father's painstaking (and non-computerized) record-keeping and cross-referencing.
After filming The Cowboys (1972), he was so enamored with horses and the real cowboys he met, he briefly pursued a Junior Rodeo career. For four years he rode bulls, broncs and competed in roping events with the "National Little Britches Rodeo Association" formerly based in Littleton, Colorado.