Claude Akins
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
Served as a host of numerous golf tournaments including the Claude Akins/Julius Boros Kansas City Shine Classic in 1978.
Biography
Husky, masculine character player of stage, film and TV, adept at playing good (and bad) ol' southern boys, ambiguous lawmen and menacing villains. Akins began his film career as a heavy, beginning with his feature debut, "From Here to Eternity" (1953). He continued this trend to varying degrees in major productions like "The Caine Mutiny" (1954), "The Defiant Ones" (1958) and "Inherit the Wind" (1960). Akins also fared well portraying rednecks and assorted varmints in numerous Westerns (Howard Hawks' "Rio Bravo" 1959, "Commanche Station" 1960).
TV tended to view the strapping actor in a more admirable light. Akins' first TV pilot was a starring vehicle called "Sam Hill" about an itinerant blacksmith of legendary strength who strode the Old West armed only with a knife and a hammer. Directed by Robert Altman, this unsold pilot was broadcast as a memorable installment of "Bonanza" (NBC, 1961). Akins continued to appear on the small screen in TV-movies, guest shots, and more busted pilots before starring as a sympathetic gypsy trucker in "Movin' On" (1974-76), a likeable series set on the roads of America. For better or worse, Akins may be best remembered for his broad portrayal of the amusingly larcenous Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo on the trucking adventure series "B.J. and the Bear" (NBC, 1979-81), its spin-off "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo" (NBC, 1979-80) and "Lobo" (NBC, 1980-81), The last was a relatively somber revamp of the preceding slapstick "Misadventures...," moved from Orly County Georgia to the mean streets of Atlanta. The down home charm of Akins' voice remained familiar to radio and TV audiences of the late 80s and 90s due to his work as a spokesman for Aamco transmissions. He also continued to appear on TV and in the occasional film. 1992 marked the end of Akins' career in front of the camera: His final TV guest shot was as a ghost of a bumbling Western bank robber on a Joe Dante-directed episode of "Eerie, Indiana"; his last TV-movie found him playing Teddy Roosevelt in the syndicated miniseries "Sherlock Holmes: Incident at Victoria Falls"; and his farewell to features was with a supporting role in "Falling From Grace," the feature directorial debut of musician-actor John Mellencamp.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Misc. Crew (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1944
Served as master sergeant in US Army Signal Corps
1951
TV debut, "Suspense"
1951
Broadway debut as a salesman in "The Rose Tatoo" (also toured with show 1951-52)
1953
Film debut, "From Here to Eternity"
1961
Starred in "Sam Hill", a memorable busted Western pilot, directed by Robert Altman and broadcast as an episode of "Bonanza" on NBC
1992
Final feature credit, "Falling From Grace", the directing bow of John Mellencamp
1992
Final TV guest shot, as the ghost of a Western bank robber on "Eerie, Indiana", directed by Joe Dante
1992
Final TV movie credit, playing Teddy Roosevelt in the syndicated miniseries, "Sherlock Holmes: Incident at Victoria Falls"
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Served as a host of numerous golf tournaments including the Claude Akins/Julius Boros Kansas City Shine Classic in 1978.
