Welcome to The Kids From Fame Media Blog

I'm Mark & I've been a Fame fan since the beginning of the TV Series in 1982. This blog is dedicated to the incredibly talented cast of the show who have brought so much comfort and pleasure to my life over the last 40 odd years.

Every week day we post and our Archive can be found on the Kids from Fame Media TV Series Archive Website.
Including Interviews, Episode Information and Videos, Scripts, Merchandise, MP3 Downloads, Reunions, Fan Fiction, Cast and Crew Information.

I hope you have a great time Remembering "Fame"!

To Contact Me Please Send Emails to: mark1814uk@googlemail.com


Any problems downloading Please read:
Instructions To Download MP3s & Videos

Episodes can be watched on the TV Series Archive Website.
and on our Facebook Fame Episode Group.

Get new posts by email:

Wednesday, 5 July 2023

Billy Hufsey Cast Member of the Month

 

Billy Hufsey was born on December 8th 1958 in Brook Park, Ohio. Billy was born under the star sign Sagittarius. Sagittarians have been described as adventurous, risk takers with a sharp business and sports mentality. 

Billy is the youngest child in a close knit Irish/German family. His father Bill Sr was a recreation director, his Mother's name is Joanne and he has two older sisters, Willene and Darlene. The hometown was a semi rough area and everyone knew the family because of his father's work.

"One thing my Father taught me when I was growing up: If you start something, don't quit -no matter what- because that's the only way to be truly successful at anything."   




Growing up Billy was short. Up until 10th Grade he was only 5 feet 2 inches. This led to him being really shy. He started to grow almost over night and is now 6 feet. He's still says he's shy but not as much, although he's not shy when he's performing. 

Billy was always very keen on sports and particularly Boxing. whilst at school he was an undefeated welterweight Golden gloves competitor and enjoyed the honour of "Outstanding athlete of the year."

He was also into disco dancing. He had no real formal training but would go out to clubs and enter disco competitions. In 1979 he won the United States Singles disco championships. 




Billy left home to go to New York to get some formal dance training and studied with JoJo Smith, Phil Hatchet and Frank Black. 

With $100 in his pocket he moved to Hollywood to further his dreams. Billy has mentioned in interviews that there were times he was living on the streets but he never gave up.

He got work as a catalogue model and small roles in The Young and the Restless and General Hospital. Then came roles in films titled "Graduation Day" and "Off The Wall".

In 1983 he audition for Fame and won the part of Christopher Donlon, a role he would play for 4 seasons until 1987 when the show was cancelled. Billy starred in 76 episodes of the show and perform in concerts around the World. By season 4 Billy was the most popular cast member in terms of how much fan mail he was receiving. At the time he said "I get 1700 a week. I answer s many of them as I can. I love my fans. I love it when people recognize me on the street and when the girls scream. If it weren't for those my fans I wouldn't be where I am today."




As well as acting singing and dancing, Billy is a musician who plays guitar, drums, saxophone and piano. Billy has released solo music in the form of his 1989 single "Contagious" and his 2009 "Confessions" album where he also wrote some of the songs.

After Fame Billy continued acting working on shows like "Married With Children", "Webster" and "Rags To Riches" before taking the role of Emilio on daytime Soap "Days of Our Lives", where he appeared in 256 episodes.

There were further roles throughout the 90s as well as live shows in Las Vegas but Billy lost the fire in his belly for performing.  Throughout the 80s and 90s he'd invested in real estate and in 2001 he decided to quit acting and move into business. During the next 8 years Billy founded and owned a number of successful companies.

At some point it appears that Billy got married to a woman named Margaret but very little seems to have been written about his personal life and it's unknown if he is still married.




In 2009 Billy decided to restart his preforming career and was part of the VH1 TV Show "Confessions of a Teen Idol" which featured 7 former teen idols and their quest to return to performing.

Billy also set up the Billy Hufsey School of Professional Performing Arts which has branches in L.A and LAs Vegas and he trains young people for careers in the arts. He is also a manager and has released a motivational book titled "Living the Dream".

In 2017 he reunited with the fame cast at the L.A. Reunion at the Troubadour  and also joined them at a Convention in New Jersey in 2019. 





No comments: