In The News

Character actor Luke Askew passes away

Character actor Luke Askew passes away

THE death has taken place of the character actor Luke Askew. He was 80.

His talents as an actor were quickly recognised by directors in Hollywood and he was very soon in demand. His early films were to turn out to be among the most memorable of his long career.

He began his career in 1967 with a role in Otto Preminger’s Hurry Sundown which starred Michael Caine and Faye Dunaway. Within months he was starring with Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke (1967), in which he played a sadistic prison guard.

After a role in The Green Berets (1968) with John Wayne, he was to play the character for which is probably best remembered — the hippie hitchhiker in Easy Rider (1969). His stranger on the highway character brings the film’s stars Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper to a hippie commune.

Over the years Mr. Askew was to appear in a wide range of films and TV shows including The Culpepper Cattle Co (1972), Rolling Thunder (1977), The Rockford Files, L.A. Law and Quincy M.E. 

His last role was as Hollis Greene in a number of episodes of the TV series Big Love (2007-2010).

To see an interview with Mr. Askew, click here.

 

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