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Luke Askew

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Luke Askew
Born
Francis Luke Askew

(1932-03-26)March 26, 1932
Macon, Georgia, U.S.
DiedMarch 29, 2012(2012-03-29) (aged 80)
Lake Oswego, Oregon, U.S.
Alma mater
OccupationsActor, musician
Years active1967–2010
SpouseMaggie Askew[1]
Military career
Allegiance United States
Branch
 United States Air Force
UnitStrategic Air Command
Conflicts
Korean War

Francis Luke Askew (March 26, 1932 – March 29, 2012)[2][3] was an American actor and musician, best known for his appearances in Western films.

Early life and education

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Askew was born on March 26, 1932, in Macon, Georgia, to Milton Dillard Askew (1904–1976) and Dorothy Doolittle (1910–1969). Askew attended the University of Georgia and the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University.[4] In his collegiate years, Askew served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, serving in the intelligence division of Strategic Air Command.[5]

Career

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Acting

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After appearing in Off-Broadway plays, Askew made his film debut in Hurry Sundown (1967), but was first noticed as an actor for his role in Cool Hand Luke (1967). The following year he worked with John Wayne in The Green Berets (with his hair cut short).[6]

In 1969, he worked with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in Easy Rider, with his "Hitchhiker" character (credited as "Stranger on Highway") achieving worldwide popularity and also making Askew a recognizable face in subsequent films.[7] He would later took part in Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage (1999), a documentary about the making of Easy Rider,[8] and the 2003 documentary Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood.

Askew starred for the first time in a role in the almost-forgotten Spaghetti Western Night of the Serpent (La notte dei serpenti; 1969), which is now considered a cult film.[9] He continued to work as an actor after that, predominantly appearing in supporting or villain roles in genre films like The Warrior and the Sorceress (1984) and Dune Warriors (1991), as well as guest roles on television series; this includes work on such series as: Bonanza, The High Chaparral, Mission: Impossible, Cannon, The Rockford Files, Quincy, M.E., The Six Million Dollar Man, T. J. Hooker, L.A. Law, MacGyver, Walker, Texas Ranger, Murder She Wrote, and HBO's Big Love.

Other work

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In addition to his acting career, Askew was also a rock and blues singer who frequently performed at the Gaslight Cafe.[7] According to Bob Dylan, when Luke sang at it was like a "guy who sounded like Bobby Blue Bland".[10]

Death

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Askew later moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon.[2] He died at Lake Oswego on March 29, 2012, three days after his 80th birthday, due to lung cancer.[2][11]

Partial filmography

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Television

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  • Mission: Impossible (1968) – The Execution .... Victor Pietro Duchell
  • The High Chaparral (1969) – Shadow on the Wind .... Johnny Ringo
  • Bonanza (1971; part of last season that was not aired*) – Kingdom of Fear .... Deputy Hatch
  • Bearcats! (1971) – Man in a Cage .... Greer
  • S.W.A.T. (1975) – Murder By Fire .... Todd
  • Police Story (1975/1976; 2 episodes) – (1) Headhunter .... Eamon Kinsella Royce; (2) Blue .... Nicholson
  • BJ and the Bear (1979) .... Blackwell
  • Knight Rider (1983) – A Nice, Indecent Little Town .... Ron Austin
  • T.J. Hooker (1983) – The Shadow of Truth .... Brad Thurman
  • Big Love (2007–2010) .... Hollis Green (final appearance)

References

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  1. ↑ Slotnik, Daniel E. (April 13, 2012). "Luke Askew, Character Actor, is Dead at 80". The New York Times.
  2. 1 2 3 Bailey Jr., Everton (April 13, 2012). "Lake Oswego actor Luke Askew, featured in HBO's 'Big Love', 'Easy Rider' and others, dead at 80". The Oregonian. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Obituary: Luke Askew". The Oregonian. April 5, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2021 – via Legacy.
  4. 1 2 "'Angel Unchained' At Sunset Tonight", Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville, Tennessee, volume 163, number 19, January 24, 1971, page 6-D
  5. ↑ Luke Askew, Bio Amazon.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  6. ↑ "'The Green Berets' Is Adventure Drama Starring John Wayne", Messenger and Inquirer, Owensboro, Kentucky, number 203, July 21, 1968, page 5-C.
  7. 1 2 "Biography: Luke Askew", Bossier Press, Bossier City, Louisiana, volume 43, number 51, April 20, 1972, page 16.
  8. ↑ Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage IMDb
  9. ↑ Collector's movies – Spaghetti Westerns. Trash Palace. accessed March 2, 2016.
  10. ↑ Luke Askew profile Deprecated link archived 2013-02-02 at archive.today, ShooFeeTV; retrieved August 12, 2012.
  11. ↑ Hinman, Michael (April 15, 2012). "'Big Love's' Luke Askew Dies, 80". The Oregonian. Portland. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2021 – via InsideBlip.com.
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