2012 marked Clayton's 40th year as a professional performer, actor, director, producer, writer and teacher. With 350+ credits as an actor, feature film performances last year included Une nouvelle chance (2012), The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012) and Undocumented Executive (2012). On TV, he returned to his recurring roles in Drop Dead Diva (2009) and La diva du divan (2011) and made appearances in Being Mary Jane (2013) and Single Ladies (2011). He returned in 10 commercials for TV, radio and the Internet as The Gulf Power Energy Coach and played St. Peter in a TV commercial for Jack's.
On television, he starred as "Roger Barrow" in the first season of 1st & Ten (1984), the first scripted half-hour comedy original series on HBO. He has had recurring roles in eight other TV series, including 3 seasons as attorney "James Westmont" on Côte ouest (1979) and 1 year as the evil "Gregory" on Des jours et des vies (1965). Other shows with multiple episodes: Dynastie (1981), Walker, Texas Ranger (1993), FBI - Portés disparus (2002), Stargate: Atlantis (2004). As well as starring in the pilot for "Used Cars" and guest-starring in the pilot for Snoops (1999), his favorite guest-starring roles include Becker (1998), Femmes d'affaires et dames de coeur (1986), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) and JAG (1995). Known to jokingly say his film career goes from A-Z: L'assault des Killer Bimbos (1988) to Zombie Strippers (2008), his over 40 films and movies for television include favorites Norma Rae (1979), Fatal Beauty (1987), Pump Up the Volume (1990) and The Cisco Kid (1994). His work has been represented at the Cannes (She's So Lovely (1997)), Sundance (Shadow Hours (2000)) and Venice (The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012)) Film Festivals. Norma Rae (1979), Clayton's first feature, was named in 2011 to The Library of Congress National Film Registry. It is, however, (sad but) true that more people have probably seen him get sucked down the drain in Le blob (1988) than in any other role.
He has appeared in over 40 theatrical productions in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Dallas. He received a Drama-Logue Award, an LA Weekly Award, a Maddy, a Garland Award and a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination for his performance as "Luther Adler" in the critically-acclaimed production of "Names" at the Matrix Theater in Los Angeles and recreated the role the following season in the off-Broadway production. He also received a Drama-Logue for producing the multi-award winning "Andrea's Got Two Boyfriends".
His training includes a BA in Drama from the University of Houston and Masters Classes with Marlon Brando, Stella Adler and Darryl Hickman.
Clayton is Co-Secretary of the SAG-AFTRA Atlanta Local and Chair of The Muriel Moore/Danny Nelson SAG-AFTRA Conservatory.
