Claude Akins

Claude Akins Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: May 25, 1926

Death Date: January 27, 1994

Birth Place: Nelson, Georgia

Claude 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. His farewell to features was with a supporting role in "Falling From Grace," the feature directorial debut of musician-actor John Mellencamp.

Claude Akins died on January 27, 1994 in Altadena, CA at the age of 67.

Credits

O Caminho de Lourdes e Outras Histórias de Fé

Actor
Show
2021

The Ghoul

Actor
Show
1998

Seasons of the Heart

Actor
Pastor William Clay
Movie
1993

Sherlock Holmes: Incident at Victoria Falls

Actor
Show
1992

Incident at Victoria Falls

Actor
Theodore Roosevelt
Movie
1992

Falling From Grace

Actor
Speck Parks
Movie
1992

The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the DrawStream

Actor
Miniseries
1991

Altered Love

Actor
Detective Lucky Douglas
Movie
1991

Where Evil Lives

Actor
Jack Devlin
Movie
1991

Mothers, Daughters and Lovers

Actor
Kibby
Movie
1989

If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be Belgium

Actor
Mo Wyshocki
Movie
1987

The Farm

Actor
Nathan
Movie
1987

Tours en folie

Actor
Movie
1987

Monster in the Closet

Actor
Sheriff Sam Ketchem
Movie
1987

Si es Martes, Todavía Debe Ser Bélgica

Actor
Movie
1987

Dream West

Actor
Show
1986

MatlockStream

Guest Star
Series
1986

Manhunt for Claude Dallas

Actor
Bill Pogue
Movie
1986

À la poursuite de Claude Dallas

Actor
Movie
1986

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Captain Ethan Cragg
Series
1984

HunterStream

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Andy Polanski
Series
1984

Mike HammerStream

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Series
1984

The Master

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Show
1984

The Baron and the Kid

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Harley
Movie
1984

Hotel

Guest Star
Soap
1983

Desperate Intruder

Actor
Carl
Movie
1983

Lobo

Actor
Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo
Show
1980

The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo

Actor
Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo
Show
1979

B. J. and the Bear

Actor
Series
1979

The Concrete Cowboys

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Woody Stone
Movie
1979

Murder in Music City

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Billy West
Movie
1979

The Comedy ShopStream

Guest
Series
1978

Fantasy IslandStream

Guest Star
Series
1978

Little Mo

Actor
Gus Berste
Movie
1978

BJ and the Bear

Actor
Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo
Movie
1978

The Broken Badge

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Officer Charles Stacy
Movie
1978

Killer on Board

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Oscar Billingham
Movie
1977

TentaclesStream

Actor
Sheriff Robards
Movie
1977
0%

Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo

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Bert Springer
Movie
1977

Yesterday's Child

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Cliff Henley
Movie
1977

Timber Tramps

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Matt
Movie
1977

Kiss Me... Kill Me

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Harry Grant
Movie
1976

Medical Story

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Dr. Matthews
Movie
1975

Eric

Actor
Stanley "Stan" Swenson
Movie
1975

Movin' OnStream

Actor
Sonny Pruett
Series
1974

The Death Squad

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Connie Brennan
Movie
1974

Shadow of Fear

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Styran
Movie
1974

In Tandem

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Sonny Pruitt
Movie
1974

Police Story

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Officer Charles Stacy
Series
1973

Barnaby JonesStream

Guest Star
Series
1973

Battle for the Planet of the ApesStream

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General Aldo
Movie
1973
36%

The Norliss Tapes

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Sheriff Tom Hartley
Movie
1973

The Streets of San FranciscoStream

Guest Star
Bob Mason
Series
1972

The Rookies

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Series
1972

Skyjacked

Actor
Sgt. Ben Puzo
Movie
1972

McMillan & WifeStream

Guest Star
Freddie O'Neal
Series
1971

Longstreet

Guest Star
Show
1971

Cannon

Guest
Lt. Bill Blaine
Series
1971

A Man Called SledgeStream

Actor
Hooker
Movie
1971

The Night Stalker

Actor
Sheriff Warren A. Butcher
Movie
1971
88%

Lock, Stock and Barrel

Actor
Punck Logan
Movie
1971

McCloudStream

Guest Star
Sheriff Floyd Bevins
Series
1970

Flap

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Lobo Jackson
Movie
1970

Love, American Style

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Fizik
Series
1969

Marcus Welby, M.D.Stream

Guest Star
Jim Randall
Series
1969

The Great Bank Robbery

Actor
Slade
Movie
1969

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KidStream

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Bank Teller
Movie
1969
90%

River of Mystery

Actor
Ernie Dorata
Movie
1969

The Devil's BrigadeStream

Actor
Pvt. Rocky Rockman
Movie
1968
50%

MannixStream

Guest Star
Sgt. Al Reardon
Series
1967

The Guns of Will Sonnett

Guest Star
Series
1967

Garrison's Gorillas

Guest Star
Series
1967

First to Fight

Actor
Capt. Mason
Movie
1967

Waterhole No. 3Stream

Actor
MSgt. Henry J. Foggers
Movie
1967

Mission: ImpossibleStream

Guest Star
Series
1966

Ride Beyond VengeanceStream

Actor
Elwood Coates
Movie
1966

Incident at Phantom Hill

Actor
Otto Krausman
Movie
1966

Return of the SevenStream

Actor
Frank
Movie
1966
13%

The FBIStream

Guest Star
Series
1965

The Trials of O'Brien

Guest Star
Glenn Daley
Show
1965

Laredo

Guest Star
Series
1965

The Big Valley

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1965

A Man Called Shenandoah

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1965

Branded-1965

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1965

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Stream

Guest Star
Series
1964
100%

A Distant TrumpetStream

Actor
Seely Jones
Movie
1964
50%

The Killers

Actor
Earl Sylvester
Movie
1964
80%

Mr. Novak

Guest Star
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1963

The FugitiveStream

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Ralph Simmons
Series
1963

The Dakotas

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Tom Doucette
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1963

Combat!

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1962

The Lucy ShowStream

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1962

Alfred Hitchcock HourStream

Actor
Series
1962

The VirginianStream

Guest Star
Lump
Series
1962

Merrill's MaraudersStream

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Sgt. Kolowicz
Movie
1962

Bus Stop

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1961

HazelStream

Guest Star
Series
1961

Gunfight in Black Horse Canyon

Actor
Rake
Movie
1961

Gunfight at Black Horse Canyon

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Rake
Movie
1961

Route 66Stream

Guest Star
Series
1960

Surfside 6

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Series
1960

The Tall Man

Guest Star
Dan Rees
Series
1960

Inherit the WindStream

Actor
Rev. Jeremiah Brown
Movie
1960
93%

Comanche StationStream

Actor
Ben Lane
Movie
1960
100%

The Untouchables

Guest Star
Series
1959

The RebelStream

Guest Star
Series
1959

The Twilight ZoneStream

Actor
Cmdr. William Fletcher
Series
1959
92%

Law of the Plainsman

Guest Star
Show
1959

LaramieStream

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Sheriff Jim Dark
Series
1959

BonanzaStream

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Ezekiel
Series
1959

The DeputyStream

Guest Star
Series
1959

RawhideStream

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Series
1959

Hound-Dog Man

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Hog Peyson
Movie
1959

Yellowstone KellyStream

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Sergeant
Movie
1959

Rio BravoStream

Actor
Joe Burdette
Movie
1959
96%

Porgy and Bess

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Detective
Movie
1959

77 Sunset Strip

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Ed Bird
Series
1958

Bat MastersonStream

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Jack Fontana
Series
1958

The RiflemanStream

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1958

Bronco

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1958

Northwest PassageStream

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1958

The Defiant OnesStream

Actor
Mack
Movie
1958
91%

The Restless Gun

Guest Star
Rafe Marlowe
Series
1957

Perry MasonStream

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Det. Sgt. Phillip Dix
Series
1957

Wagon TrainStream

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Series
1957

Have Gun -- Will TravelStream

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1957

The Silent Service

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Herndon
Show
1957

Tales of Wells FargoStream

Guest Star
Ralph
Series
1957

Hot Summer Night

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Truck Driver
Movie
1957

The Lonely Man

Actor
Blackburn
Movie
1957

Joe Dakota

Actor
Aaron Grant
Movie
1957

Zane Grey Theater

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Series
1956

The Burning Hills

Actor
Ben Hindeman
Movie
1956

The Sharkfighters

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Chief `'Gordy'` Gordon
Movie
1956

Battle Stations

Actor
Marty Brennan
Movie
1956

Hour of Stars

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Show
1955

Alfred Hitchcock PresentsStream

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Cop
Series
1955

Cheyenne

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Series
1955

GunsmokeStream

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Ad
Series
1955

Marshal Dillon

Guest Star
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1955

The Caine MutinyStream

Actor
Horrible
Movie
1954
93%

Bitter CreekStream

Actor
Henchman Vance Morgan
Movie
1954

Down Three Dark Streets

Actor
Matty Pavelich
Movie
1954

Shield for Murder

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Fat Michaels
Movie
1954

The Man Behind the Badge

Actor
Tony Peters
Show
1953

The Loretta Young Show

Actor
Matt Malone
Show
1953

From Here to EternityStream

Actor
Sgt. "Baldy" Dhom (uncredited)
Movie
1953
88%

Death Valley DaysStream

Actor
Caleb Luck
Series
1952

Adventures of SupermanStream

Guest Star
Series
1952

I Love LucyStream

Guest Star
Series
1951