Luke Askew

Luke Askew
Born(1932-03-26)March 26, 1932
Macon, Georgia, U.S.
DiedMarch 29, 2012(2012-03-29) (aged 80)
Lake Oswego, Oregon, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1967–2010
SpouseMaggie Askew[1]

Francis Luke Askew (March 26, 1932 – March 29, 2012)[2][3] was an American actor. He appeared in many westerns, and had a lead role in the spaghetti Western Night of the Serpent (La notte dei serpenti; 1969).[4] He also had a small but key part in the 1969 classic movie Easy Rider.

Biography

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, Mercer University, and Walter F. George School of Law.[5] 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.[6]

He started his professional career in radio and television, and as a rock and blues singer.[7] He 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).[8] In 1969, he worked with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in Easy Rider.[7]

Askew continued to work as an actor after that, predominantly appearing in 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.

He also took part in Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage (1999), a documentary about the making of Easy Rider,[9] and the 2003 documentary Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood. Askew sang Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Jimmy Reed songs at The Gaslight Cafe. According to Bob Dylan, when Luke sang at The Gaslight Cafe it was like a "guy who sounded like Bobby Blue Bland".[10]

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]

Selected filmography

Television

References

  1. ^ Slotnik, Daniel E. (April 13, 2012). "Luke Askew, Character Actor, is Dead at 80". The New York Times.
  2. ^ a b c 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. ^ Collector's movies – Spaghetti Westerns. Trash Palace. accessed March 2, 2016.
  5. ^ a b "'Angel Unchained' At Sunset Tonight", Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville, Tennessee, volume 163, number 19, January 24, 1971, page 6-D
  6. ^ Luke Askew, Bio Amazon.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Biography: Luke Askew", Bossier Press, Bossier City, Louisiana, volume 43, number 51, April 20, 1972, page 16.
  8. ^ "'The Green Berets' Is Adventure Drama Starring John Wayne", Messenger and Inquirer, Owensboro, Kentucky, number 203, July 21, 1968, page 5-C.
  9. ^ Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage IMDb
  10. ^ Luke Askew profile 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.