Well, He Played Good Villians Then
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Claude Akins
richard.fuller1 — 13 years ago(January 19, 2013 10:00 AM)
About the first place I saw him was Sheriff Lobo, well BJ and the Bear, and didn't like Greg Evigan that much. Thought Mills Watson played too much of a buffoon.
Just watched his turn as a very bad guy on Wagon Train with Michael Rennie and Carolyn Jones.
He wore that horrible 'native makeup' in the I Love Lucy episode that hilighted his upper lip just too much. Funny how he went from 'a star' appearing on I Love Lucy to 'guest-starring' as a police chief on an episode of the 60s Lucy Show.
Watching him5b4 here on Wagon Train, then seeing some Bonanza appearances, especially the one with Edgar Buchanan (Uncle Joe from Petticoat Junction, whom I just can't stand), all I can conclude is Akins clearly played unlikable sorts very well, as I could never stand anything I saw him in, with the only possible exception being the sheriff on Murder She Wrote. For some odd reason, that suited him.
But by all accounts he was a nice guy, so I'll give the villian recognition to him. -
ben-thayer — 11 years ago(January 26, 2015 02:07 PM)
Hi Richard - looks as if you and I are visiting a few of the same discussions.
Check out the Gunsmoke episode "Bad Lady From Brookline". It guest stars Betty Hutton and Claude Akins. It's somewhat of a different role for Mr. Akins, with a bit of a romantic turn.
But y'know, a lot of actors played bad guys on Gunsmoke and the like in their early years. George Lindsay - lovable cousin5b4 Goober - guest starred on Gunsmoke 6 times, and was pretty much always a bad guy. Same with Harry Dean Stanton and Warren Oatesalthough Oates did on occasion show a more humorous turn in his parts.
But Mr. Akins topped everyone in that category. And if you want to see Mr. Akins' baddest bad guy (IMHO of course), my choice would have to be the episode "The Cabin". Man, talk about a bleak storythat one is it. Coincidentally, Mr. Akins' partner in this episode is Harry Dean Stanton.
But from what I understand, a lot of actors simply love playing the bad guy. Mr. Akins was certainly very good at it.
P.S. - I met Mr. Akins in the late 80she seemed like a really nice guy. Nothing at all like his roles! -
Byrdz — 10 years ago(September 18, 2015 10:21 AM)
with the only possible exception being the sheriff on Murder She Wrote
That was Tom Bosley playing the sheriff. Claude was a fisherman. He was in only 4 early MSW episodes and never was a weekly regular. Too bad, as Ethan was a great character and he seemed to be having fun with it. -
Byrdz — 10 years ago(October 22, 2015 03:20 PM)
There is an interview on You Tube where Claude says that he liked being hired to play a "bad guy' because there were usually several bad guys but only one hero in a film.
In the 50's and 60's when I first noticed Claude .. I said to my family .. "He must be a really nice guy they keep hiring him !!!" How true it seems to have been !
One of my favorite villains is the Preacher in
Inherit the Wind (1960)
and Speck in
Falling from Grace (1992)
. When he gets smacked
with the frying pan I said .. WOW the Old Claude is BACK !!!!