{{Short description|American actor (1936–2021)}} {{Infobox person | other_names = {{hlist|Roger C. Cudney}} | birth_date = {{birth date|1936|06|22|df=y}} | birth_place = Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2021|07|05|1936|06|22|df=y}} | death_place = Mexico City, Mexico | occupation = Actor, singer | years_active = 1971-2021 }} '''Roger C. Cudney''' (June 22, 1936 – July 5, 2021) was an American actor and singer, long based in Mexico.<ref name="Constantine">{{cite web|url=https://www.thenews.mx/living/actor-roger-cudney-speak-about-his-career-in-mexico/|title=ACTOR ROGER CUDNEY SPEAKS ABOUT HIS CAREER IN MEXICO|author=Constantine, Sandra|website=TheNews.mx|date=12 October 2016 |access-date=12 October 2016|publisher=Capital Media Mexico}}</ref><ref name="WAI">{{cite web|url=https://westernsallitaliana.blogspot.com/2017/10/roger-cudney-and-acting-in-mexico.html|title=Roger Cudney and Acting in Mexico|website=Westerns All Italiana|date=4 October 2017 |access-date=4 October 2017}}</ref>
==Life and career== Cudney was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1936. He first arrived in Mexico City in the 1960s in the cast of the touring musical ''Show Boat.'' He worked for CBS as a radio announcer covering the 1968 Summer Olympics, and later the Acapulco Film Festival.<ref name="Constantine" />
Cudney was known for starring in numerous Mexican films and telenovelas<ref name="Mundo">{{cite web|url=https://en.mundohispanico.com/actor-roger-cudney-dies/|title=The curse is fulfilled: Actor Roger Cudney dies|website=MundoHispanico.com|publisher=Mundo Hispano Digital Network|access-date=12 July 2021|archive-date=10 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810134529/https://en.mundohispanico.com/actor-roger-cudney-dies/|url-status=dead}}</ref> in which he often portrayed authoritarian characters or other villains.<ref name="How">{{cite web|url=https://wepublishnews.com/mexico/roger-cudney-died-how-did-actor-die|title=Roger Cudney Died: How Did Actor Die?|author=Warner, Amelia|website=We Publish News|date=9 July 2021 |access-date=9 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="WSJ">{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1043617566424398184|title=Ohio Native Finds Stardom Acting South of the Border : Roger Cudney Makes a Career in Mexican Film By Playing Bad Guys From North of the Border|website=wsj.com|publisher=Wall Street Journal|author=Cordoba, Jose; Moffett, Matt|access-date=27 January 2003}}</ref> In 2003, ''The Wall Street Journal'' described his career playing 'unpopular gringos', writing "<blockquote>Some Mexicans know him as a plunderer of ancient archaeological treasures. Others remember him as the union-busting manager of a sweatshop. Still others recognize Mr. Cudney as a pathologically nasty Texas ranger or a meddling diplomat.... "Roger Cudney is the epitome of the bad gringo, a blending of all the worst American stereotypes," says David Wilt, who compiled the ''Biographical Dictionary of Mexican Film Performers''.<ref name="WSJ" /></blockquote> Cudney also had parts in mainstream Hollywood films shot in Mexico,<ref name="Constantine" /> including a co-starring role opposite Charles Bronson in ''The Evil That Men Do'', ''Total Recall'', ''Rambo: First Blood Part II'', the James Bond film ''Licence to Kill'', ''Julia'', ''Perdita Durango'' and ''Original Sin''.<ref name="WAI" /> He portrayed the part of the United States Ambassador to Mexico in ''La dictadura perfecta''.
== Personal life == Cudney was married to Eloisa Bueno, with three sons and one daughter.<ref name="How" /> He was a longtime resident of Interlomas.<ref name="Constantine" />
=== Death === Cudney died in Mexico City on July 5, 2021, of a heart attack following a car accident.<ref name="Mundo" /><ref name="How" /><ref>{{Cite tweet |user=El_Sx | author=Sebastian del Amo | number=1413149854553890822 |title=Querido Roger Cudney, me acabo de enterar de tu partida... Gracias por todo, amigo... Te vamos a extrañar... DEP #RogerCudney}}</ref> His final film, ''The Containment'', was released three years after his death in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Containment {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_containment |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1971|| ''Eye for an Eye'' || || Original title: ''El sabor de la venganza'' |- |1972|| ''Ni solteros, ni casados'' || || Spanish-language comedy |- |1972|| ''The Revengers'' || Sheriff || Uncredited |- |1972|| ''Slaughter'' || Gio || blaxploitation film starring Jim Brown |- |1975|| ''Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary'' || Howard Miller || |- |1975|| ''Lucky Lady'' || Hotel clerk || |- |1976|| ''Swashbuckler''|| Guard || Uncredited |- |1976|| ''El karateca azteca'' || Calvin || Spanish-language comedy |- |1977|| ''Mina, Wind of Freedom'' || Colonel Young || Original title: "Mina, viento de libertad"; biography of Martín Javier Mina y Larrea |- |1977|| ''Los hermanos del viento'' || Conductor || |- |1978|| ''Roots of Blood'' || Factory Foreman || Original title: "Raíces de sangre" |- |1978|| ''The Recourse to the Method''|| Army captain || Original title: "El recurso del método" |- |1978|| ''Cananea'' || Ted Nolan || cinematic account of the Cananea strike of 1906 |- |1978|| ''The Bees'' || Blankeley || |- |1979|| ''Border Cop'' || Slaughterhouse foreman || |- |1980|| ''Cattle Annie and Little Britches'' || Capps || |- |1980|| ''El hombre sin miedo'' || Mr. Brown || |- |1981|| ''357 Magnum'' || Mario Frasca || |- |1981|| ''Priest of Love'' || || British biographical film about D. H. Lawrence |- |1982|| ''Red Bells'' || || Soviet Union-Italy-Mexico co-production |- |1982|| ''Amityville II: The Possession'' || Prosecutor || Uncredited |- |1982|| ''Quell and Co.'' || Ames || Original title: "Showdown at Eagle Gap" |- |1983|| ''Triumphs of a Man Called Horse'' || Durand || |- |1984||''The Evil That Men Do'' || Cannell || |- |1984|| ''Escuela de placer'' || || |- |1984|| ''El mexicano feo'' || || |- |1984|| ''Toy Soldiers'' || Mr. Green || |- |1984|| ''Hombres de acción'' || || |- |1984|| ''El traficante II'' || || |- |1984|| ''El carro de la muerte'' || || |- |1984|| ''Perros salvajes'' || || Alternate title: "Wild Dogs" |- |1985|| ''The Falcon and the Snowman'' || FBI agent || Uncredited |- |1985|| ''Rambo: First Blood Part II'' || Chief Radio Operator || Uncredited |- |1985|| ''La fuga del rojo'' || Callahan || |- |1985|| ''Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins'' || Captain Young || |- |1986|| ''Miracles'' || Captain Irvine || |- |1986|| ''La venganza del rojo'' || Callahan || |- |1986|| ''Ghost Fever'' || TV announcer || US-Mexico co-production |- |1986|| ''Murieron a la mitad del rio'' || Mr. Smith || |- |1987|| ''A Walk on the Moon'' || || |- |1987|| ''Hot Pursuit'' || Bartender || |- |1987|| ''Ratas de la frontera'' || || |- |1988|| ''Con el odio en la piel'' || || |- |1988|| ''Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell'' || Inaros || Alternate title: "Deathstalker III: The Warriors from Hell" |- |1988|| ''Con el niño atravesado'' || Banker || |- |1988|| ''Licence to Kill'' || Wavekrest Captain || 16th film in the ''James Bond'' series |- |1990|| ''Barbarian Queen II: The Empress Strikes Back'' || Hofrax || Direct-to-video |- |1990|| ''Total Recall'' || Agent || 6th highest-grossing film of 1990 |- |1990|| ''El fiscal de hierro 2: La venganza de Ramona'' || || |- |1990|| ''Demons of the Desert'' || || Original title: "Los demonios del desierto" |- |1992|| ''Muerte infernal'' || Dr. Emmanuel Richter || Alternate title: "Hell doll" |- |1994|| ''Juana la Cubana'' || || biography of Juana Bacallao |- |1994|| ''Immortal Combat'' || Stan || Alternate title: "Resort to Kill" |- |1995|| ''Una papa sin catsup'' || || |- |1996|| ''The Arrival'' || JPL Official || |- |1997|| ''Perdita Durango'' || Herbert || |- |1997|| ''Henequen'' || Ranch foreman || depiction of Korean henequen field laborers in Mexico circa 1905 |- |1999|| ''Santitos'' || Scott Haines || |- |1999|| ''One Man's Hero'' || Col. William S. Harney || Dramatization of John Riley and the Saint Patrick's Battalion: Irish Catholic immigrants who deserted the mostly Protestant U.S. Army to join the mostly Catholic Mexican side during Mexican–American War. |- |2000|| ''Baño de sangre'' || El General || Direct-to-video |- |2001|| ''Blind Heat'' || Bautista || US-Mexico co-production |- |2001|| ''Original Sin'' || Ship's Captain || |- |2004|| ''Puerto Vallarta Squeeze'' || Bill the Bartender || Adaptation of novel by Robert James Waller |- |2004|| ''The Pearl'' || || based on novella by John Steinbeck |- |2006|| ''The Champion'' || Minuteman || Original title: "Los pajarracos" |- |2006|| ''Fast Food Nation'' || Terry || loosely based on Eric Schlosser's bestselling 2001 non-fiction book of the same name |- |2007|| ''Propiedad Ajena'' || Roger Cassey || |- |2007|| ''The Wailer 2'' || Professor Tomas McBride || Original title: "La Llorona 2" |- |2008|| ''Julia'' || Frank || US/France/Mexico/Belgium co-production |- |2011|| ''La Noche del Pirata'' || Paddy O'Brien || |- |2012|| ''Soul Walker'' || Donato || |- |2012|| ''Z-Baw'' || Great Chancellor || English version, Voice |- |2012|| ''For Greater Glory'' || US Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg || alternate titles: "Cristiada" and "Outlaws" |- |2012|| ''Portion'' || Art || |- |2012|| ''The Fantastic World of Juan Orol'' || Don Guillermo || |- |2013|| ''Instructions Not Included'' || Abogado de Julie || Original title: "No se aceptan devoluciones" |- |2014|| ''Cesar Chavez''|| Grower || |- |2014|| ''The Perfect Dictatorship'' || Embajador USA || Original title: "La dictadura perfecta" |- |2014|| ''Cantinflas'' || John || film biography of popular Mexican actor/icon Cantinflas |- |2014|| ''Happy Times'' || Dr. Guillermo Murray || Original title: "Tiempos Felices" |- |2016|| ''Hysteria'' || Stephen || |- |2017|| ''Diario de un Mirrey''|| Don Steven Rice || |- |2018|| ''Más sabe el Diablo por viejo'' || Stuart Young || |- |2019|| ''Mentada de padre'' || Williams || |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1971|| ''The Virginian'' || Cowboy || Episode: "Flight from Memory" |- |1975|| ''McCloud'' || Drake || Episode: "Lady on the Run" |- |1975|| ''Nevada Smith'' || Perkins || TV Movie |- |1975|| ''A Home of Our Own'' || Oil executive || TV movie biography of Father William Wasson |- |1977|| ''The Rhinemann Exchange'' || party guest || 3-part miniseries |- |1980|| ''Mein Freund Winnetou'' || || Episode: "Duels" |- |1980|| ''Secreto de confesión'' || Burton || 3 episodes |- |1981|| ''Computercide'' || Robbins || TV Movie |- |1982|| ''Falcon's Gold'' || Hathaway || TV Movie |- |1986|| ''On Wings of Eagles'' || General Jerome O'Malley || 2-part miniseries |- |1986|| ''Oceans of Fire'' || Tool pusher || TV Movie |- |1987|| ''Auf Achse'' || Theo Moll || Episode: "Kampfstiere nach Santa Maria" |- |1987|| ''Rosa salvaje'' || Botones en el hotel de Nueva York || 1 episode |- |1988|| ''The Aeronauts'' || || Original title: "Les nouveaux chevaliers du ciel" |- |1988|| ''Crime Story'' || Jenkins || 2 episodes |- |1988|| ''The Second Voyage of the Mimi'' || Harvey Westerman || PBS-broadcast educational series; 12 episodes |- |1989|| ''Trying Times'' || Persival || Episode: "The Hit List" |- |1991|| ''Tropical Heat'' || Ezra || Episode: "Tara, Tara, Tara" |- |1994|| ''The Cisco Kid'' || Alcott || TV Movie |- |1994|| ''The Burning Season: The Chico Mendes Story'' || Reporter || TV Movie |- |1997|| ''La chacala'' || Professor Von Derek || 5 episodes |- |1998|| ''Soñadoras'' || Doctor || 1 episode |- |1999|| ''Acapulco H.E.A.T.'' || Arthur Cox || Episode: "Code Name: Death of a Friendship" |- |1999|| ''Por tu amor'' || Doctor || 1 episode |- |2000|| ''Carita de ángel'' || Ryan || 1 episode |- |2000|| ''Por un beso'' || Dr. Newman || 1 episode |- |2001|| ''Warden of Red Rock'' || Prisoner || TV Movie |- |2001|| ''In the Time of the Butterflies'' || Dominican Ambassador Manuel de Moya || TV film about lives of the activist Mirabal sisters |- |2001|| ''Mujer, Casos de la Vida Real'' || || 1 episode |- |2001|| ''Blameless Love/Sin pecado concebido'' || Dr. Reyes || 4 episodes |- |2001|| ''Amigas y rivales'' || Hombre con rifle || 1 episode |- |2002|| ''Fidel'' || Ambassador Butler || TV Movie, David Attwood's film about the Cuban revolution and political career of Fidel Castro |- |2002|| ''King of Texas'' || Smithwick || William Shakespeare's ''King Lear'' placed in 19th century Republic of Texas |- |2004|| ''Rubí'' || Stephen Howard || 6 episodes |- |2004|| ''American Family'' || Desert Driver || 2 episodes |- |2004|| ''Wooden Woman/Mujer de madera'' || Dr. Wilson || 2 episodes |- |2005|| ''La ley del silencio'' || Meyer || 11 episodes |- |2006|| ''La fea más bella'' || Manager || 1 episode |- |2006|| ''Vecinos'' || Director Canadiense || Episode: "Los Rivers en Canadá: Parte 1" |- |2007|| ''Species: The Awakening'' || Leland || TV Movie |- |2007-2008|| ''Palabra de mujer'' || Doctor Wilkins || 5 episodes |- |2008-2009|| ''Mañana es para siempre'' || U.S. Ambassador || 7 episodes |- |2009|| ''Juro Que Te Amo'' || Empresario || 1 episode |- |2009|| ''Hasta que el dinero nos separe'' || Doctor || 2 episodes |- |2009|| ''Los simuladores'' || Empresario || 3 episodes |- |2009|| ''El Pantera'' || Rich man || 1 episode |- |2010|| ''Llena de amor'' || Airport security guard || 1 episode |- |2010|| ''El octavo mandamiento'' || Doctor || 1 episode |- |2011|| ''La fuerza del destino'' || Mark || 35 episodes |- |2011|| ''Double Life/Dos hogares'' || Mister Daivis || 15 episodes |- |2011|| ''El encanto del águila'' || Paul Von Hintze || 1 episode |- |2011|| ''La que no podía amar'' || Vaquero texano || 3 episodes |- |2012|| ''Por ella soy Eva'' || Mr. Keaton || 2 episodes |- |2012|| ''Un refugio para el amor'' || || 3 episodes |- |2010-2012|| ''Capadocia'' || James Medina || 14 episodes |- |2014|| ''Camelia la Texana'' || Dr. Fragger || 4 episodes |- |2015|| ''Hasta el fin del mundo'' || Mike Stone (Mister Sam)<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1326&v=TwEhgWFeN_Y&feature=youtu.be Hasta el fin del mundo]</ref>|| 5 episodes |- |2016|| ''Sueño de amor'' || Andrew || 12 episodes |- |2016|| ''Por siempre Joan Sebastian'' || Doctor || miniseries - 1 episode |- |2016|| ''40 y 20'' || Arnold || Episode: "Se renta departamento" |- |2017|| ''Su nombre era Dolores, la Jenn que yo conocí'' || Mr. Perkins || Episode: "Sufriendo a solas" |- |2017|| ''La doble vida de Estela Carrillo'' || Jonas Logan || 20 episodes |- |2017|| ''Run Coyote Run'' || Jefe de Migracion || Episode: "Un Lindo Gatito" |- |2018|| ''Descontrol'' || Morrison || Episode: "Call Center" |- |2018|| ''Hijas de la luna'' || || 3 episodes |- |2019|| ''El corazón nunca se equivoca'' || || 2 episodes |- |2019|| ''Swipe Night'' || Stranger || 1 episode |}
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|0191053}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cudney, Roger}} Category:1936 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Actors from Cleveland Category:20th-century American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:Male actors from Ohio Category:American male film actors Category:American male telenovela actors Category:American male television actors Category:American expatriates in Mexico Category:American emigrants to Mexico