Claude Aubrey Akins (May 25, 1926 – January 27, 1994) was an American

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

with a long career on stage, screen, and television. He was best known as Sheriff Lobo on the 1979–1981 television series ''

B.J. and the Bear ''B.J. and the Bear'' is an American action comedy television series which aired on NBC from February 10, 1979, to May 9, 1981. Created by Glen A. Larson and Christopher Crowe, the series stars Greg Evigan. The series was produced when the CB ...

'', and later ''

The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo ''The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo'' is an American action comedy television series that ran on NBC from September 18, 1979, to May 5, 1981. For its second season the show was renamed ''Lobo''. The program aired Tuesday nights, at 8:00p.m. Easte ...

'', a spin-off series.

Early years

Akins was born in

Nelson, Georgia Nelson is a city in Pickens and Cherokee Counties, Georgia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 1,145. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. History The city is named for John Nelson, an early landowner, farmer, and rifl ...

, and grew up in

Bedford, Indiana Bedford is a city in Shawswick Township, Lawrence County, Indiana, Shawswick Township and the county seat of Lawrence County, Indiana, Lawrence County, Indiana, United States. In the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 13,7 ...

, the son of Maude and Ernest Akins. Film reference works said he was born in 1918, making his age at death 75; however, Akins' son said his father was 67 at the time of his death, and he is listed as Aubrey Akins in the 1940 Census, age 13. He served with the

U.S. Army Signal Corps ) , colors = Orange and white , colors_label = Corps colors , march = , mascot = , equipment = , equipment_label = ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

and the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. He graduated in 1949 from

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

, where he had majored in theatre arts and became a member of the

Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Chi Alpha (), commonly known as Lambda Chi, is a college fraternity in North America which was founded at Boston University in 1909. It is one of the largest social fraternities in North America, with more than 300,000 lifetime members a ...

fraternity.

Film career

As a film actor, Akins first appeared in ''

From Here to Eternity ''From Here to Eternity'' is a 1953 American drama romance war film directed by Fred Zinnemann, and written by Daniel Taradash, based on the 1951 novel of the same name by James Jones. The picture deals with the tribulations of three U.S. Arm ...

'' (1953). He appeared as a seaman and shipmate of

Lee Marvin Lee Marvin (born Lamont Waltman Marvin Jr.; February 19, 1924August 29, 1987) was an American film and television actor. Known for his bass voice and premature white hair, he is best remembered for playing hardboiled "tough guy" characters. Alt ...

's in ''

The Caine Mutiny ''The Caine Mutiny'' is a 1951 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk. The novel grew out of Wouk's personal experiences aboard two destroyer-minesweepers in the Pacific Theater in World War II. Among its themes, it deals with the moral ...

'' (1954). He portrayed prisoner Joe Burdette in '' Rio Bravo'' (starring John Wayne,

Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician, songwriter and actor. From age eight he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. In 1957, he bega ...

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

, and

Angie Dickinson Angeline Dickinson (née Brown; born September 30, 1931) is an American actress. She began her career on television, appearing in many anthology series during the 1950s, before gaining her breakthrough role in ''Gun the Man Down'' (1956) wit ...

), Naval Lt. Commander Farber in '' Don't Give Up the Ship'' (starring

Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...

), Sgt Kolowicz in ''

Merrill's Marauders Merrill’s Marauders (named after Frank Merrill) or Unit ''Galahad'', officially named the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), was a United States Army long range penetration special operations jungle warfare unit, which fought in the South ...

'', Rockwell W. "Rocky" Rockman in '' The Devil's Brigade'',

the Reverend The Reverend is an style (manner of address), honorific style most often placed before the names of Christian clergy and Minister of religion, ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and c ...

Jeremiah Brown in the movie '' Inherit the Wind'' (1960), outlaw Ben Lane in ''

Comanche Station ''Comanche Station'' is a 1960 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Randolph Scott. The film was the last of Boetticher's late 1950s ''Ranown Cycle''. It was filmed in the Eastern Sierra area of Central Ca ...

'' that same year, Seely Jones in ''

A Distant Trumpet ''A Distant Trumpet'' is a 1964 American Western film, the last directed by Raoul Walsh. It stars Troy Donahue, Suzanne Pleshette and Diane McBain. The screenplay by John Twist, Albert Beich and Richard Fielder is based on the 1960 novel of th ...

'' (1964), and the gorilla leader Aldo in ''

Battle for the Planet of the Apes ''Battle for the Planet of the Apes'' is a 1973 American science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fifth and final installment in the original ''Planet of the Apes'' series, produced by Arthur P. Jacobs, following ''Conquest of ...

'' (1973), the last original ''Apes'' movie. He had a small part in ''

The Sea Chase ''The Sea Chase'' is a 1955 World War II drama film starring John Wayne and Lana Turner, and featuring David Farrar, Lyle Bettger, and Tab Hunter. It was directed by John Farrow from a screenplay by James Warner Bellah and John Twist based on ...

'' with John Wayne. He appeared with

Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (russian: link=no, Юлий Борисович Бринер; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in th ...

and Robert Fuller in the film ''

Return of the Seven ''Return of the Seven'', later marketed as ''Return of the Magnificent Seven'', is a 1966 American-Spanish Western film, and the first sequel to ''The Magnificent Seven'' (1960). Yul Brynner, who reprises his role as Chris Adams, is the sole re ...

'' (1966) (also called ''Return of the Magnificent Seven'' and ''The Magnificent Seven 2''), and also appeared in the movie '' Seasons of the Heart'' (1993).

Television

Akins was cast in myriad television series, including '' The Adventures of Superman'' (episode number 69, "Peril by Sea"), in which he plays a villainous conspirator, ''Crusader'', and ''

I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning six seasons. The show starred Lucille Ball, her husband, Desi Arnaz, along with ...

'' in which he portrays himself. Much of his work was on

Westerns The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

, including '' Frontier'', ''

My Friend Flicka ''My Friend Flicka'' is a 1941 novel by Mary O'Hara, about Ken McLaughlin, the son of a Wyoming rancher, and his mustang horse Flicka. It was the first in a trilogy, followed by ''Thunderhead'' (1943) and ''Green Grass of Wyoming'' (1946). The p ...

'' (three times), '' Boots and Saddles'', ''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Burea ...

'', ''

Northwest Passage The Northwest Passage (NWP) is the sea route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The eastern route along the Arc ...

'', ''

The Restless Gun ''The Restless Gun'' is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is a ...

'' (four times), ''

The Sheriff of Cochise ''The Sheriff of Cochise'' is an American police crime drama television series of 79 black-and-white episodes broadcast from 1956 to 1958. The show has two seasons of 39 episodes, and there is an additional standalone episode. Each episode runs ...

'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'' (four times), ''

Overland Trail The Overland Trail (also known as the Overland Stage Line) was a stagecoach and wagon trail in the American West during the 19th century. While portions of the route had been used by explorers and trappers since the 1820s, the Overland Trail w ...

'', '' Frontier Circus'', '' The Tall Man'', '' The Rebel'', ''

The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western drama television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour e ...

'', ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

'', ''

The Legend of Jesse James ''The Legend of Jesse James'' is a 1980 country music concept album written by English songwriter Paul Kennerley, based on the story of American Old West outlaw Jesse James. The album features Levon Helm singing the role of Jesse James, Jo ...

'', ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

with Jane Russell,'' ''

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' is an American Western anthology television series that was broadcast on CBS from October 5, 1956, until September 20, 1962. Format Many episodes were based on novels by Zane Grey, to all of which Four Star ...

'' (four times), ''

The Rifleman ''The Rifleman'' is an American Western television program starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show ...

'' (three times), '' Rawhide'' (seven times), ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

'' (10 times), '' Bonanza'' (four times), ''

The Alaskans ''The Alaskans'' is a 1959–1960 ABC/Warner Bros. western television series set during the late 1890s in the port of Skagway, Alaska. The show features Roger Moore as "Silky Harris" and Jeff York as "Reno McKee", a pair of adventurers int ...

'' (twice), '' The Texan'' (twice), and ''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was born to ...

'' (season 1, ep 29, "The Death of Bat Masterson"). He appeared once on ''

Richard Diamond, Private Detective ''Richard Diamond, Private Detective'' is an American detective drama, created by Blake Edwards, which aired on radio from 1949 to 1953, and on television from 1957 to 1960. Radio Dick Powell starred in the ''Richard Diamond, Private Detective' ...

'', ''

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

'', '' Laredo'' ("The Treasure of San Diablo"), the syndicated series, ''

Pony Express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pik ...

'' (in "The Story of Julesburg" with Sebastian Cabot and

James Best Jewel Franklin Guy (July 26, 1926 – April 6, 2015), known professionally as James Best, was an American television, film, stage, and voice actor, as well as a writer, director, acting coach, artist, college professor, and musician. Duri ...

), and '' The Oregon Trail'', with

Rod Taylor Rodney Sturt Taylor (11 January 1930 – 7 January 2015) was an Australian actor. He appeared in more than 50 feature films, including ''The Time Machine'' (1960), ''One Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1961), '' The Birds'' (1963), and ''In ...

. He was cast as Jarret Sutton in "Escape to Memphis" (1959) and as Beaudry Rawlins in "Duel on the River" (1960) on Darren McGavin's NBC series, ''

Riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury un ...

''. Akins played a

rodeo clown A rodeo clown, bullfighter (in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) or rodeo protection athlete, is a rodeo performer who works in bull riding competitions. Originally, the rodeo clown was a single job combining "bullfightin ...

convicted of armed robbery in "Killer on Horseback", an episode of the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

anthology series ''

Star Stage ''Star Stage'' is a half-hour American television anthology series that began on September 9, 1955, and ended on September 7, 1956. It was sponsored on alternate weeks by Chesebrough-Ponds and Campbell Soup Company and hosted by Jeffrey Lynn, ...

'', which became the pilot episode for the syndicated

police drama The police show, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the protagonist(s), as contrasted with other genres that focus on eithe ...

'' State Trooper'', starring Rod Cameron. The episode was later broadcast on the regular series as "Rodeo Rough House". Akins also appeared in the 1963 episode "The Chooser of the Slain" on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

Western series, ''

The Dakotas The Dakotas is a collective term for the U.S. states of North Dakota and South Dakota. It has been used historically to describe the Dakota Territory, and is still used for the collective heritage, culture, geography, fauna, sociology, econom ...

''. Among Akins's four appearances on NBC's '' Laramie'' with series stars John Smith and Robert Fuller was the role of former Sheriff Jim Dark in the episode "Queen of Diamonds" (September 20, 1960). Akins was featured in two episodes of the original CBS series ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...

'' (" The Little People" and "

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" is episode 22 in the first season of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. The episode was written by Rod Serling, the creator-narrator of the series. It originally aired on March 4, ...

"). He also guest-starred in three episodes each of ''

Combat! ''Combat!'' is an American television drama series that originally aired on ABC from 1962 until 1967. The exclamation point in ''Combat!'' was depicted on-screen as a stylized bayonet. The show covered the grim lives of a squad of American sol ...

'' (fourth and fifth seasons) and ''

The Untouchables Untouchables or The Untouchables may refer to: American history * Untouchables (law enforcement), a 1930s American law enforcement unit led by Eliot Ness * ''The Untouchables'' (book), an autobiography by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley * ''The U ...

''. He made a comedic turn on ''

Hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...

'', as a frustrated painter. He appeared on Rod Cameron's early syndicated series, '' City Detective'', '' Meet McGraw'' with

Frank Lovejoy Frank Andrew Lovejoy Jr. (March 28, 1912 – October 2, 1962) was an American actor in radio, film, and television. He is perhaps best remembered for appearing in the film noir '' The Hitch-Hiker'' and for starring in the radio drama '' Night Beat ...

, the ABC/WB drama, '' The Roaring 20's'', and '' Police Story''. Akins's other early appearances included a role as a policeman on ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...

'' in "Place of Shadows" (1956) and "Reward to Finder" (1957). He played another television cop, good-natured Sheriff's Detective Phillip Dix, in the first season of the ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'' in "The Case of the Half-Wakened Wife" ( episode 1-26) that aired March 15, 1958. He was in a first-season episode of ''

'' titled "Burial Ground of the Gods" (1958) that starred Jack Kelly. In 1965, Akins played El Supremo in "

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction television series produced by MGM Television, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who wo ...

" episode, "The Very Important Zombie Affair". In 1967, Akins played Lt. Finch in ''

The Lucy Show ''The Lucy Show'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962 to 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to ''I Love Lucy''. A significant change in cast and premise for the fourth season (1965–1966) divides the program into two distinct ...

'' episode, "Lucy Meets the Law". He portrayed prosecuting attorney Calvin Wolf opposite Carl Betz in an episode of ''

Judd, for the Defense ''Judd, for the Defense'' is an American legal drama originally broadcast on the ABC network on Friday nights from September 8, 1967, to March 21, 1969. Synopsis The show stars Carl Betz, who had previously spent eight years in the role of Dr. A ...

''. Akins was cast as Lou Myerson in the 1964 episode, "One Monday Afternoon", of the NBC education drama series, ''

Mr. Novak ''Mr. Novak'' is an American television dramatic series starring James Franciscus in the title role as a high school teacher. The series aired on NBC for two seasons, from 1963 to 1965. It won a Peabody Award in 1963. Synopsis The series follows ...

'', starring

James Franciscus James Grover Franciscus (January 31, 1934 – July 8, 1991) was an American actor, known for his roles in feature films and in six television series: '' Mr. Novak'', '' The Naked City'', '' The Investigators'', '' Longstreet'', '' Doc Elliot'', ...

, and as Dr. Roy Kirk in an episode, "When Do They Hang the Good Samaritan?", of the CBS political drama, ''

Slattery's People ''Slattery's People'' is a 1964–65 American television series about local politics starring Richard Crenna as title character James Slattery, a state legislator, co-starring Ed Asner and Tol Avery, and featuring Carroll O'Connor and Warren Oat ...

'' (which starred

Richard Crenna Richard Donald Crenna (November 30, 1926 – January 17, 2003) was an American film, television and radio actor. Crenna starred in such motion pictures as ''The Sand Pebbles'', ''Wait Until Dark'', ''Un Flic'', ''Body Heat'', the first three ' ...

). He played a kidnapper in a 1964 episode of '' The Fugitive''. In 1965, he was featured in an episode of ''

Kraft Suspense Theatre The ''Kraft Suspense Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced and broadcast from 1963 to 1965 on NBC. Sponsored by Kraft Foods, it was seen three weeks out of every four and was pre-empted for Perry Como's '' Kraft ...

'', playing a German infiltrator who went unsuspected. Also that year, Akins portrayed the head of an Irish immigrant family in ''

'' ("The Brawlers"). Akins had an earlier role in the first season of ''Barnaby Jones''; episode titled "Murder Go-Round". Before his signature character Sheriff Lobo, Akins appeared as owner-operator trucker Sonny Pruitt in NBC's '' Movin' On'', from 1974 to 1976, with

Frank Converse Frank Converse (born May 22, 1938) is an American actor. Early life Converse was born in 1938 in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1962, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in ...

. Akins starred in over 40 episodes of'' Movin' On'', plus a made-for-TV movie "In Tandem". He also starred as a Nashville police detective, Stoney Huff, in the crime drama '' Nashville 99''. Akins' best-known role of Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo had begun as a recurring character on the television series ''B.J. and the Bear''. After becoming a recognizable name in the late 1970s, Akins did testimonial TV commercials for PoliGrip, Rollins Truck Leasing, and

AAMCO Transmissions AAMCO is an American transmission (mechanics), transmission-repair franchising, franchise founded by Robert Morgan and Anthony A. Martino (who used the first letter of each name to form the names AAMCO and later MAACO) in 1957 in Philadelphia. M ...

. Akins found work in the late 1980s lending his voice talents to the work safety instructional video series, ''Safety Shorts'', in which he expounded the virtues of workplace safety to thousands of industrial employees, offering lessons on the importance of lockout/tagout procedures, personal protective equipment, and the

MSDS A safety data sheet (SDS), material safety data sheet (MSDS), or product safety data sheet (PSDS) is a document that lists information relating to occupational safety and health for the use of various substances and products. SDSs are a widel ...

documentation process. Akins made a golfing video with

Ron Masak Ronald Alan Masak (July 1, 1936 – October 20, 2022) was an American actor. He began working as a stage performer, and mostly was involved in theater until transitioning to film and television becoming a familiar character actor. From 1988 to 19 ...

, entitled ''Tom Kite and Friends''. Akins also made a latter-day appearance on '' In the Heat of the Night'', starring

Carroll O'Connor John Carroll O'Connor (August 2, 1924 – June 21, 2001) was an American actor, producer, and director whose television career spanned over four decades. He became a lifelong member of the Actors Studio in 1971. O'Connor found widespread fame a ...

Death

Akins died of stomach cancer in

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. I ...

on January 27, 1994, at the age of 67. He was cremated and his ashes were returned to

Altadena Altadena () ("Alta", Spanish for "Upper", and "dena" from Pasadena) is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in the Verdugo Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California, approximately 14 miles (23 km) from the downtown ...

Legacy

The Claude Akins Memorial Golf Classic, a six-person scramble-format golf tournament, takes place at Otis Park Golf Course in

, in August or September of each year. Proceeds from the event go to the Akins Scholarship and the Bedford Recreation Foundation Scholarship, given every year to a graduating senior at Bedford North Lawrence High School, as well as many projects involving recreation and improvements.

Selected filmography

Film

*'' Man in the Saddle'' (1951) *''

'' (1953) as Sgt. 'Baldy' Dhom (uncredited) *'' Bitter Creek'' (1954) as Vance Morgan - Henchman *''

Witness to Murder ''Witness to Murder'' is a 1954 American film noir crime drama directed by Roy Rowland and starring Barbara Stanwyck, George Sanders, and Gary Merrill. While the film received moderately positive reviews, it ended up as an also-ran to Alfred ...

'' (1954) as Police Officer (uncredited) *''

'' (1954) as Seaman Dlugatch aka 'Horrible' *'' The Raid'' (1954) as Lt. Ramsey (uncredited) *''

Shield for Murder ''Shield for Murder'' is a 1954 American film noir crime film co-directed by and starring Edmond O'Brien as a police detective who has become malevolent. It was based on the novel of the same name by William P. McGivern. Plot Lieutenant Barney N ...

'' (1954) as Fat Michaels *''

Down Three Dark Streets ''Down Three Dark Streets'' is a 1954 American film noir crime film directed by Arnold Laven and starring Broderick Crawford and Ruth Roman. The screenplay was written by Gordon Gordon and Mildred Gordon, based on their novel ''Case File FBI'' ...

'' (1954) as Matty Pavelich *'' The Human Jungle'' (1954) as George Mandy *''

The Adventures of Hajji Baba ''The Adventures of Hajji Baba'' is a 1954 American CinemaScope adventure film directed by Don Weis and starring John Derek and Elaine Stewart. Made in Southern California, it was released on October 1, 1954. In the credits it states that the f ...

'' (1954) as Chief Executioner's Aide (uncredited) *''

'' (1955) as Winkler *''

Man with the Gun ''Man with the Gun'' is a 1955 American black and white Western film starring Robert Mitchum. The film was released in the United Kingdom as ''The Trouble Shooter'' and is also sometimes entitled ''Deadly Peacemaker''. The supporting cast inclu ...

'' (1955) as Jim Reedy (uncredited) *''Battle Stations'' (1956) as Marty Brennan *''

The Proud and Profane ''The Proud and Profane'' is a dramatic war romance made by William Perlberg-George Seaton Productions for Paramount Pictures released in theaters on June 13, 1956. It was directed by George Seaton and produced by William Perlberg, from a screenp ...

'' (1956) as Big Soldier (uncredited) *'' Johnny Concho'' (1956) as Lem *''

The Burning Hills ''The Burning Hills'' is a 1956 American CinemaScope Western directed by Stuart Heisler and starring Tab Hunter and Natalie Wood, based on a 1956 novel by Louis L'Amour. Plot When Trace Jordan's brother is murdered and several of their horse ...

'' (1956) as Ben Hindeman *''

The Sharkfighters ''The Sharkfighters'' is a 1956 American adventure film about U.S. Navy scientists working to invent a shark repellent to protect military personnel down at sea. Directed by Jerry Hopper, it stars Victor Mature, James Olson, and Claude Akins. ...

'' (1956) as Chief 'Gordy' Gordon *'' Hot Summer Night'' (1957) as Truck Driver *''

The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm ''The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm'' is a 1957 American comedy film directed by Virgil Vogel. It is the tenth and last installment of Universal-International's ''Ma and Pa Kettle'' series starring Marjorie Main and introducing Parker Fennell ...

'' (1957) as Pete Logan *''

The Lonely Man ''The Lonely Man'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Henry Levin and written by Harry Essex and Robert Smith. The film stars Jack Palance, Anthony Perkins, Elaine Aiken, Neville Brand, Robert Middleton, Elisha Cook, Jr., Claude Aki ...

'' (1957) as Blackburn *'' Joe Dakota'' (1957) as Aaron Grant *''

The Defiant Ones ''The Defiant Ones'' is a 1958 American adventure drama film which tells the story of two escaped prisoners, one white and one black, who are shackled together and who must co-operate in order to survive. It stars Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier ...

'' (1958) as Mack *''

Onionhead ''Onionhead'' is a 1958 comedy-drama film set on a U.S. Coast Guard ship during World War II, starring Andy Griffith and featuring Felicia Farr, Walter Matthau, Erin O'Brien, James Gregory, Joey Bishop, and Claude Akins. It was directed by ...

'' (1958) as Poznicki *'' Rio Bravo'' (1959) as Joe Burdette *''

'' (1959) as Jack Fontana *''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' () is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play '' Porgy'', itse ...

'' (1959) as Detective *'' Don't Give Up the Ship'' (1959) as Lt. Cmdr. Farber *''

Hound-Dog Man ''Hound-Dog Man'' is a 1959 film directed by Don Siegel, based on the 1947 novel by Fred Gipson, and starring Fabian, Carol Lynley, and Stuart Whitman. Plot In 1912, Clint McKinney and his younger brother Spud talk their father Aaron into lettin ...

'' (1959) as Hog Peyson *'' Yellowstone Kelly'' (1959) as Sergeant *''

'' (1960) as Ben Lane *'' Inherit the Wind'' (1960) as Rev. Jeremiah Brown *''

Claudelle Inglish ''Claudelle Inglish'' is a 1961 American film directed by Gordon Douglas and based on the 1958 novel by Erskine Caldwell. It stars Diane McBain and Arthur Kennedy. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1962 for Best Costume Design ( Howard S ...

'' (1961) as S.T. Crawford *''

'' (1962) as Sgt. Kolowicz *'' Black Gold'' (1962) as Chick Carrington *''

'' (1964) as Seely Jones *''

The Killers The Killers are an American rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingd ...

'' (1964) as Earl Sylvester *''

Ride Beyond Vengeance ''Ride Beyond Vengeance'' is a 1966 American Western film starring Chuck Connors. The film was directed by Bernard McEveety and written and produced by Andrew J. Fenady, adapted from the story "The Night of the Tiger" by Al Dewlen. The executiv ...

'' (1966) as Elwood Coates *''

Incident at Phantom Hill ''Incident at Phantom Hill'' is a 1966 American Techniscope Western film directed by Earl Bellamy and starring Robert Fuller, Jocelyn Lane, Dan Duryea and Tom Simcox. The story involves a Union gold shipment, which is stolen and buried in th ...

'' (1966) as Krausman *''

'' (1966) as Frank *'' First to Fight'' (1967) as Capt. Mason *'' Waterhole #3'' (1967) as Sgt. Henry Foggers *'' The Devil's Brigade'' (1968) as Pvt. Rocky Rockman *'' The Great Bank Robbery'' (1969) as Slade *''

A Man Called Sledge ''A Man Called Sledge'' is a 1970 Italian Spaghetti Western film starring James Garner in an extremely offbeat role as a grimly evil thief, and featuring Dennis Weaver, Claude Akins and Wayde Preston. The film was written by Vic Morrow and Fran ...

'' (1970) as Hooker *''

Flap Flap may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Flap'' (film), a 1970 American film * Flap, a boss character in the arcade game ''Gaiapolis'' * Flap, a minor character in the film '' Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland'' Biology and he ...

'' (1970) as Lobo Jackson *'' The Night Stalker'' (1972) as Sheriff Butcher *'' Skyjacked'' (1972) as Sgt. Ben Puzo *''

'' (1973) as General Aldo *'' Timber Tramps'' (1975) as Matt *'' Tentacoli'' (1977) as Sheriff Robards *''Killer on Board'' (1977) as Oscar Billingham *'' Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo'' (1977) as Bert Springer *'' Concrete Cowboys'' (1979) as Woody Stone *'' The Baron and the Kid'' (1984) as Harley *''Battle of the Monster Trucks'' (1985) *'' Monster in the Closet'' (1986) as Sheriff Sam Ketchem *''Manhunt for Claude Dallas'' (1986) as Bill Pogue *'' The Curse'' (1987) as Nathan *''Pushed Too Far'' (1988) as Sheriff Jim Forrest *'' The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw'' (1991, TV Movie) as President Theodore Roosevelt *''

Incident at Victoria Falls ''Incident at Victoria Falls'' (also known as ''Sherlock Holmes and the Incident at Victoria Falls'' and ''Sherlock Holmes: The Star of Africa'') is the 1992 sequel to ''Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady'', and the second and final film in the ...

'' (1991, TV Movie) as Theodore Roosevelt *''Where Evil Lives'' (1991) as Jack Devlin *'' Falling from Grace'' (1992) as Speck Parks *'' Seasons of the Heart'' (1993) as Pastor William Clay *''Twisted Fear'' (1994) as Detective Lucky Douglas

Television

*'' Dragnet'' - episode "The Big Drink" - Ellis (1954); episode "The Big Mistress" - Sgt. Jack McCreadie (1954)Tr *''

'' - 10 episodes - various (1955-1972) *'' The Adventures of Superman'' - episode "Peril by Sea" - Ace Miller (1956) *''

'' - episode "Desert Island" - (1956) *''

The Adventures of Jim Bowie ''The Adventures of Jim Bowie'' is an American Western television series that aired on ABC from 1956 to 1958. Its setting was the 1830s-era Louisiana Territory. The series was an adaptation of the book ''Tempered Blade'', by Monte Barrett. Synop ...

'' - episode "Land Jumpers -Manion" - a settler (1956); episode "A Grave for Jim Bowie" - Miciah "Big" Hart (1958) *''

Sheriff of Cochise ''The Sheriff of Cochise'' is an American police crime drama television series of 79 black-and-white episodes broadcast from 1956 to 1958. The show has two seasons of 39 episodes, and there is an additional standalone episode. Each episode runs ...

'' - episode "Manhunt" - Harry Clegg (1957) *''

Have Gun – Will Travel ''Have Gun – Will Travel'' is an American Western series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on both television and radio from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Richard Boone was rated number t ...

'' - episode "The Great Mojave Case" - Dever (1957) *''

'' - episode "Trail to Sunset" - West Flagler (1957) *''

'' - episode "Thicker Than Water" - Mr. Marlowe (1957) *''

'' - episode "The Gold Buckle" - Lex Springer (1957) *''The Adventures of McGraw'' - episode "Mojave" - Jim Bennett (1957) *''Wagon Train'' - episode "The John Cameron Story" - Rich Tacker (1957) *'' Tales of Wells Fargo'' - 5 episodes - various (1957–1961) *''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enroll ...

'' - episode "The Long Search" - Sheriff Bob Walters (1958) * ''Wagon Train'' - episode "The Monty Britton Story" - Garth Redmond (1958) *''

Season 1 Episode 26 "The case of the Half-Wakened Wife" (1958) *''

'' - episode "Burial Ground of the Gods" - Paisley Briggs (1958) *''

'' - episode "The Safe Guard" - Floyd Doniger (1958) *''

Yancy Derringer ''Yancy Derringer'' is an American action/ adventure series that was broadcast on CBS from 1958 to 1959, with Jock Mahoney (1919–1989) in the title role. The show was produced by Derringer Productions and filmed in Hollywood by Desilu Produ ...

'' - episodes "Gallatin Street" and "Collectors Item" - Toby Cook (1958-1959) *''

77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each episode was o ...

'' - episode "Lovely Alibi" - Ed Bird (1959) *''

'' - episode "Melany" (1959) *''

'' - episode "The Death of Bat Masterson" - Jack Fontana (1959) *''

'' - episode "Ransom" - "Simmy" the Comanchero (1960) *''

''- episodes The Unhired Assassin part 1 as Jake'Dodo'Ryan (1960), The Monkey Wrench as Karl Hansa (1962), The Spoiler as Vince Majesky (1963) *'' Laramie'' - episode "Death Wind", s1 ep20 - Sgt. Maj. Tom Cole (1960) *''

'' - episode "The Story of Juiesberg" (1960) *''

'' - episode "Fire in the Hole" - Jumbo (1960) *'' Wanted: Dead or Alive'' - episode "Prison Trail" - Jack Kelly (1960) *'' The Rebel'' – episode "The Waiting" – Tom Hall (1960) *''

'' - episode "The Roger Bigelow Story" - Wes Varney (1960) *''

'' - episode "Duel on the River" - Beaudry Rawlins (1960) *'' Bonanza'' - episodes "Desert Justice" (1960) as Marshal Emmett Dowd, "The Mill" (1960) as Ezekiel (1960), "Sam Hill" (1961) as Sam Hill and "The Deserter" (1962) as Col. Edward J. Dunwoody * ''

'' - episodes "

" as Steve Brand (1960) and " The Little People" as Commander Fletcher (1962) *''

'' - episode "The Selena Hartnell Story" - Will Cotrell (1961) *'' Rawhide'' - episode "The Sendoff" - Mr. Karse (1961) *'' Laramie'' - 4 episodes - various (1960-1963) *'' The Fugitive'' - Season 1 Episode 27 - Ralph Simmons (1964) *'' Daniel Boone (1965) - as Toka in S1 E17 · "A Place of 1,000 Spirits" *''

'' - "Bad Lady From Brookline" - as Sy (1965) *''

The F.B.I. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...

'' - episode "How to Murder an Iron Horse" - Ben Gambriella (1965) *''

'' - "The Brawlers" - (1965) *''

'' - "The Very Important Zombie Affair" - El Supremo (1965) *''

A Man Called Shenandoah ''A Man Called Shenandoah'' is an American western series that aired Monday evenings on ABC-TV from September 13, 1965 to May 16, 1966. It was produced by MGM Television. Some of the location work for the 34 half-hour black and white episodes we ...

'' - episode "Obion-1866" - Frody Brown (1965) *'' Branded'' - episode "Vindicator" - Ned Travis (1965) *''

'' - episode "But Is It Art?" - Milwaukee Ames (1966) *''

'' - episodes "Ask Me No Questions" as Mastin, "Ollie Joe" as Charlie Pelton and "Nightmare on the Red Ball Run" as Rosie (1966–1967) *'' Laredo'' - episodes "Limit of the Law", "The Treasure of San Diablo", "Hey Diddle Diddle", "A Question of Guilt", and "Walk Softly" - Cotton BuckMeister (1966–1967) *''

The Guns of Will Sonnett ''The Guns of Will Sonnett'' is a Western television series set in the 1870s that was broadcast in color on the ABC television network from 1967 to 1969. The series, which began with the working title, "Two Rode West", was the first production co ...

'' - episode "Ride the Long Trail" - Turnbaugh (1967) *''

Hondo Hondo may refer to: Places * Rio Hondo (disambiguation), the name of several locations, derived from the Spanish word for "deep" Canada * Hondo, Alberta, an unincorporated community United States * Hondo, New Mexico, an unincorporated co ...

'' - episode "Hondo and The Gladiators" - Brock (1967) *''

'' - episode "Lucy Meets the Law" (1967) *''

'' - episode "Dark Journey" - Jason Peale (1972) *''

McMillan & Wife ''McMillan & Wife'' (known simply as ''McMillan'' from 1976–77) is an American police procedural television series that aired on NBC from September 17, 1971, to April 24, 1977. Starring Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James in the title roles, the ...

'' - episode "The Face of Murder" - Freddie O'Neal (1972) *''

The Rookies ''The Rookies'' is an American police procedural series that aired on ABC from 1972 until 1976. It follows the exploits of three rookie police officers working in an unidentified city for the fictitious Southern California Police Department (SC ...

'' - episode "Margin For Error" - Officer Buck Sanborn (1972) *''

The Streets of San Francisco ''The Streets of San Francisco'' is a television crime drama filmed on location in San Francisco and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros. Television (QM produced the show on its ...

'' - episode "A String of Puppets" - Bob Mason (1972) *''

Cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...

'' - episode 3x05, "Target in the Mirror" - Lt. Bill Blaine (1973) *''

Barnaby Jones ''Barnaby Jones'' is an American detective television series starring Buddy Ebsen as a formerly retired investigator and Lee Meriwether as his widowed daughter-in-law, who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles, California. The show was o ...

'' - episode "Murder-Go-Round" - Eli Rile (1973) *'' Mission: Impossible'' - episode "Speed" - Sam Hibbling (1973) *'' Police Story'' - 3 episodes - various (1973-1978) *''In Tandem'' - TV movie (pilot for '' Movin' On'') - Sonny Pruitt (1974) *'' Movin' On'' - 45 episodes - Sonny Pruitt (1974–1976) *'' McCloud'' - episode "The Colorado Cattle Caper" (1974) *'' Mannix'' - episode "Mask for a Charade" - Sgt. Al Reardon (1974) *''

The Rhinemann Exchange ''The Rhinemann Exchange'' is a novel of suspense by Robert Ludlum, set in the middle of the Second World War. Plot summary On the eve of the Second World War, David Spaulding, a radio voice actor, is recruited by Colonel Ed Pace to run a secret ...

'' (1977) (TV miniseries) as Walter Kendall *''

B. J. and the Bear ''B.J. and the Bear'' is an American action comedy television series which aired on NBC from February 10, 1979, to May 9, 1981. Created by Glen A. Larson and Christopher Crowe, the series stars Greg Evigan. The series was produced when the CB ...

'' - at least 5 episodes - Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo (1978–1979) *''

'' - 38 episodes - Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo - (1978–1979) *'' Concrete Cowboys'' - episode "Concrete Cowboys" - Woody Stone (1979) *''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Gu ...

'' - episode "Lillian Russell/The Lagoon" - Calvin Pearson (1981) *'' Darkroom'' - episode "Uncle George" - Bert Haskell (1981) *'' The Master'' - episode "Max" - Mr. Trumball (January 20, 1984) *''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

'' - 4 episodes - Ethan Cragg (1984) *''

Tall Tales & Legends ''Tall Tales & Legends'' (also known as ''Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales & Legends'') is an American folklore anthology television series of 9 episodes created by television and film actress Shelley Duvall, who also served as Executive Producer and Pr ...

'' - episode "Pecos Bill" - Grandpa/Narrator (1986) *''

Dream West ''Dream West'' is a 1986 American television miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain and directed by Dick Lowry. Development The seven-hour miniseries was broken into three parts (2 hours, 2 hours, and 3 hours). Part 1 aired on Sunday, April 13 ...

'' - TV mini-series - Tom Fitzpatrick (1986) *'' Matlock'' - episode "The Thoroughbred" - Sam Taylor (1989) *''

Hunter (1984 American TV Series) ''Hunter'' is an American crime drama television series created by Frank Lupo, which ran on NBC from September 18, 1984 to April 26, 1991. It stars Fred Dryer as Sgt. Rick Hunter and Stepfanie Kramer as Sgt. Dee Dee McCall. The title characte ...

'' - episode "The Legion" - Andy (1990) *'' In the Heat of the Night'' - episode "An Eye for An Eye" - Benjamin Sloan (1991) *''

Eerie, Indiana ''Eerie, Indiana'' is an American horror science fiction television series that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1991, to December 09, 1993. The series was created by José Rivera and Karl Schaefer, with Joe Dante serving as creat ...

'' - episode "The Hole in the Wall Gang" - Grungy Bill (1992)

References

External links

* * * *
Safety Shorts
'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Akins, Claude 1926 births 1994 deaths American male film actors American male television actors American male stage actors Male Western (genre) film actors Northwestern University School of Communication alumni People from Cherokee County, Georgia People from Pickens County, Georgia Male actors from Georgia (U.S. state) Deaths from cancer in California Deaths from stomach cancer 20th-century American male actors People from Bedford, Indiana Male actors from Indiana United States Army personnel of World War II Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state) Western (genre) television actors