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Kenneth Earl "Kene" Holliday (born June 25, 1949) is a prolific American character actor of stage, film, and television, best known for his role as Ben Matlock's original private investigator, Tyler Hudson, on Andy Griffith's hit television series Matlock. Holliday, a product of Long Island's area of Copiague, Suffolk County, New York, was raised in a Christian home, to a Baptist family. At age 12, he lost his father, when he was sent to summer camp, with the encouragement of his mother, with whom he lived. He attended Copiague High School, where he participated in track, where he was part... MORE

Kenneth Earl "Kene" Holliday (born June 25, 1949) is a prolific American character actor of stage, film, and television, best known for his role as Ben Matlock's original private investigator, Tyler Hudson, on Andy Griffith's hit television series Matlock. Holliday, a product of Long Island's area of Copiague, Suffolk County, New York, was raised in a Christian home, to a Baptist family. At age 12, he lost his father, when he was sent to summer camp, with the encouragement of his mother, with whom he lived. He attended Copiague High School, where he participated in track, where he was part of the Fantastic Four Relay Team, and was the star of his football team. He was nicknamed as Mr. Hotshot, and was a scoring machine on the football field. He graduated in 1967, and attended University of Maryland on a scholarship. As he recalled, times were turbulent, and the football team was preparing to strike against the NCAA over a change in coaches. He was “jazzed” by a class in the history of theater, and acting became his new passion. In 1969, as an undergraduate, he played Yank in The Hairy Ape by Eugene O'Neill. He was the first black to perform in a leading role on the state school’s LESS