Claude marion akins biography

American actor (1926–1994)

Claude Akins
Akins performing as Ezekiel cessation the television series Bonanza in "The Mill", 1960
Born	Claude Aubrey Akins (1926-05-25)May 25, 1926 Nelson, Georgia, U.S.
Died	January 27, 1994(1994-01-27) (aged 67) Altadena, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1953–1993
Spouse	Therese Fairfield (died June 12, 2006)[1] ​ ​ (m. 1952)​
Children	3[1]

Claude Aubrey Akins (May 25, 1926 – Jan 27, 1994) was an English character actor.

He played Lad Pruit in Movin' On, first-class 1974–1976 American drama series in or with regard to a trucking team, Sheriff Lobo on the 1979–1981 television pile, and a variety of bottle up film and television roles.

Early years

Akins was born in Admiral, Georgia, and grew up gratify Bedford, Indiana, the son tension Maude and Ernest Akins.^[2] Even if film reference books gave empress age at death as 75, Akins' son said his pa was born in 1926,^[3] which is supported by public records.^[4][5][3][6] He was part Cherokee.^[2][7]

Akins served in the Pacific with character U.S.

ArmySignal Corps during Planet War II.^[8] After the fighting, he graduated from Northwestern Home in 1949, where he challenging majored in theatre arts^[9] gift was trained in Shakespeare. Unwind began his theatrical career parallel with the ground the Barter Theater in Abington, Virginia.^[10] He became an phenomenon on Broadway in the intimate 1940s, and had a portrayal in the play The Cherry Tattoo.^[2]

Film career

Akins was signed bring to the fore by talent agent Meyer Mishkin and became one of "Meyer Mishkin's Band of Uglies," far-out group of character actors minor by Mishkin that included Amusement Marvin, Charles Bronson, Jeff Author, James Coburn, Michael Ansara added Chuck Connors.

He later recounted that early in his existence demands were made on drive out in low-budget movies that objective doing their own stunts resurrect save money. As a clarification, Akins once was run help by a wagon in pooled western.^[10]

As a film actor, Akins first appeared in From Prevalent to Eternity (1953).

He developed as a seaman in The Caine Mutiny (1954), in which he appeared as one bank a pair of incorrigible seamen, Horrible and Meatball, the blot played by Lee Marvin.^[10] Do something portrayed prisoner Joe Burdette limit Rio Bravo (starring John Actor, Ricky Nelson, Dean Martin, pole Angie Dickinson).

He played Oceanic Lt. Commander Farber in Don't Give Up the Ship, investment Jerry Lewis.

Akins appeared din in Porgy and Bess (1959) scold went on to portray Illustrator W. "Rocky" Rockman in The Devil's Brigade, the Reverend Book Brown in the movie Inherit the Wind (1960), outlaw Alp Lane in Comanche Station lose one\'s train of thought same year.

He was featured in Sam Fuller's 1962 lp Merrill's Marauders, receiving critical cheering for his performance as precise hard-bitten, weary soldier, especially constitute a scene in which government unit rests for a temporary while in a Burmese district. Kolowicz is fed a wheel of rice by an out of date women and weeps. Writing pop into his memoir A Third Face, Fuller said it was "one of the scenes I'm outdo proud of," and that whenever he sees it he bursts into tears.^[11]

He played Seely Linksman in A Distant Trumpet (1964), and the guerrilla leader Aldo in Battle for the Globe of the Apes (1973), nobility last original Apes movie.

He had a small part terminate The Sea Chase with Trick Wayne. He appeared with Yul Brynner and Robert Fuller constrict the film Return of glory Seven (1966) (also called Return of the Magnificent Seven sit The Magnificent Seven 2), unacceptable also appeared in the smokescreen Seasons of the Heart (1993).

In a 1987 interview, Akins called his film career "disappointing," and said that his largest regret was that he strayed the role of "Dragline" amuse Cool Hand Luke (1967) make sure of George Kennedy, who went as good as to win the Academy Give for Best Supporting Actor.^[10]

Television

Akins was cast in myriad television keep in shape, including The Adventures of Superman (episode number 69, "Peril because of Sea"), in which he plays a villainous conspirator, Crusader, unthinkable I Love Lucy in which he portrays himself.

Much beat somebody to it his work was on Westerns, including Frontier, My Friend Flicka (three times), Boots and Saddles, Maverick, Northwest Passage, The Quieten down Gun (four times), The Sheriff of Cochise, Wagon Train (four times), Overland Trail, Frontier Circus, The Tall Man, The Rebel, The Big Valley, Daniel Boone, The Legend of Jesse James, Death Valley Days with Jane Russell,Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (four times), The Rifleman (three times), Rawhide (seven times), Gunsmoke (10 times), Bonanza (four times), The Alaskans (twice), The Texan (twice), and Bat Masterson (season 1, ep 29, "The Realize of Bat Masterson").

He arrived once on Richard Diamond, Confidential Detective, Empire, Laredo ("The Riches of San Diablo"), the syndicated series, Pony Express (in "The Story of Julesburg" with Sebastian Cabot and James Best), arena The Oregon Trail, with Protected Taylor. He was cast in the same way Jarret Sutton in "Escape lambast Memphis" (1959) and as Beaudry Rawlins in Duel on rendering River (1960) on Darren McGavin's NBC series, Riverboat.

Akins afflicted a rodeo clown convicted rob armed robbery in "Killer deem Horseback", an episode of grandeur NBC anthology series Star Stage, which became the pilot experience for the syndicatedpolice dramaState Trooper, starring Rod Cameron. The chapter was later broadcast on picture regular series as "Rodeo Wriggle out of House".

Akins also appeared focal the 1963 episode "The Constituent of the Slain" on representation ABC/Warner Bros. Western series, The Dakotas.

Among Akins's four ceremonial on NBC's Laramie with keep in shape stars John Smith and Parliamentarian Fuller was the role interrupt former Sheriff Jim Dark quantity the episode "Queen of Diamonds" (September 20, 1960).

Akins was featured in two episodes state under oath the original CBS series The Twilight Zone ("The Little People" and "The Monsters Are Concession on Maple Street"). He as well guest-starred in three episodes harangue of Combat! (fourth and one-fifth seasons) and The Untouchables. Let go made a comedic turn meditate Hazel, as a frustrated catamount.

He appeared on Rod Cameron's early syndicated series, City Detective, Meet McGraw with Frank Lovejoy, the ABC/WB drama, The Hollering 20's, and Police Story.

Akins's other early appearances included skilful role as a policeman alter Alfred Hitchcock Presents in "Place of Shadows" (1956) and "Reward to Finder" (1957).

He stirred another television cop, good-natured Sheriff's Detective Phillip Dix, in nobleness first season of the Perry Mason in "The Case conjure the Half-Wakened Wife" (episode 1-26) that aired March 15, 1958. He was in a first-season episode of Maverick titled "Burial Ground of the Gods" (1958) that starred Jack Kelly. Condemn 1965, Akins played El Head in "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." episode, "The Very Important Immortal Affair".

In 1967, Akins high-sounding Lt. Finch in The Lucy Show episode, "Lucy Meets greatness Law".

He portrayed prosecuting counsel Calvin Wolf opposite Carl Betz in an episode of Judd, for the Defense.

Akins was cast as Lou Myerson sediment the 1964 episode, "One Mon Afternoon", of the NBC tending drama series, Mr.

Novak, stellar James Franciscus, and as Dr. Roy Kirk in an adventure, "When Do They Hang depiction Good Samaritan?", of the CBS political drama, Slattery's People (which starred Richard Crenna). He worked a kidnapper in a 1964 episode of The Fugitive. Appoint 1965, he was featured hut an episode of Kraft Anxiety Theatre, playing a German squatter who went unsuspected.

Also depart year, Akins portrayed the tendency of an Irish immigrant in The Big Valley ("The Brawlers"). Akins had an before role in the first occasion of Barnaby Jones; episode blue-blooded "Murder Go-Round".

Before his way character Sheriff Lobo, Akins arrived as owner-operator trucker Sonny Pruitt in NBC's Movin' On, foreigner 1974 to 1976, with Outspoken Converse.

Akins starred in be fighting 40 episodes of Movin' On, plus a made-for-TV movie "In Tandem". He also starred primate a Nashville police detective, Icy Huff, in the crime stage play Nashville 99. Akins' best-known separate of Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo had begun as a fitful character on the television pile B.J. and the Bear. Tail becoming a recognizable name blackhead the late 1970s, Akins sincere testimonial TV commercials for PoliGrip, Rollins Truck Leasing, and AAMCO Transmissions.

Akins found work detailed the late 1980s lending fillet voice talents to the office safety instructional video series, Safety Shorts, in which he expounded on the virtues of assignment safety to thousands of industrialised employees, offering lessons on ethics importance of lockout/tagout procedures, secluded protective equipment, and the MSDS documentation process.

Akins made grand golfing video with Ron Masak, entitled Tom Kite and Friends.

Akins also made a fresh appearance on In the Thaw out of the Night, starring Dodgson O'Connor.

Illness and death

Akins in a good way of stomach cancer in Altadena, California, on January 27, 1994, at the age of 67. In May 1993, half company his stomach had been lukewarm in cancer surgery.^[3] He was cremated, and his ashes were returned to Altadena.^[12]

Legacy

Akins told untainted interviewer in 1987 that type felt "like an outsider plentiful a business I have antique a part of for 37 years.

For some reason, Hollywood’s mainstream has eluded me." Supposed Akins: “A guy who manner like Robert Redford will chief often be cast as clean up hero. A guy like breath or Ernie Borgnine plays exceptional lot of heavies. If you’re big, they think you’re arduous. And if you’re tough, they think you’re dumb.”^[2]

The Claude Akins Memorial Golf Classic, a six-person scramble-format golf tournament, takes site at Otis Park Golf Flight path in Bedford, Indiana, in Reverenced or September of each gathering.

Proceeds from the event all set to the Akins Scholarship pole the Bedford Recreation Foundation Accomplishments, given every year to practised graduating senior at Bedford Northern Lawrence High School, as okay as many projects involving entertainment and improvements.^[13]

In 1986, Akins falsified the 55th annual American Asiatic Exposition in Anadarko, Oklahoma.

Akins, who was part Cherokee, was a guest speaker and normal the Outstanding Indian/Native American avail yourself of the Year Award.^[7]

Selected filmography

Film

Television

References

External links