Luke Askew | |
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| Born | (1932-03-26)March 26, 1932 Macon, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | March 29, 2012(2012-03-29) (aged 80) Lake Oswego, Oregon, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1967–2010 |
| Spouse | Maggie Askew[1] |
Francis Luke Askew (March 26, 1932 – March 29, 2012)[2][3] was an American actor. He appeared in manywesterns, and had a lead role in thespaghetti WesternNight of the Serpent (La notte dei serpenti; 1969).[4] He also had a small but key part in the 1969 classic movieEasy Rider.
Askew was born on March 26, 1932, inMacon, Georgia, to Milton Dillard Askew (1904–1976) and Dorothy Doolittle (1910–1969). Askew attended theUniversity of Georgia,Mercer University, andWalter F. George School of Law.[5] In his collegiate years, Askew served in theU.S. Air Force during theKorean War, serving in the intelligence division ofStrategic 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 inHurry Sundown (1967), but was first noticed as an actor for his role inCool Hand Luke (1967). The following year he worked withJohn Wayne inThe Green Berets (with his hair cut short).[8] In 1969, he worked withDennis Hopper andPeter Fonda inEasy Rider, with his "Hitchhiker" character (credited as "Stranger on Highway") achieving worldwide popularity and also making Askew a recognizable face in subsequent films.[7]
Askew starred for the first time in a role in the almost-forgottenSpaghetti WesternNight of the Serpent (1969), which is now considered acult film. He continued to work as an actor after that, predominantly appearing in supporting or villain roles in genre films likeThe Warrior and the Sorceress (1984) andDune 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'sBig Love.
He also took part inEasy Rider: Shaking the Cage (1999), a documentary about the making ofEasy Rider,[9] and the 2003 documentaryEasy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood. Askew sangMuddy Waters,Howlin' Wolf andJimmy Reed songs atThe Gaslight Cafe. According toBob Dylan, when Luke sang at The Gaslight Cafe it was like a "guy who sounded likeBobby Blue Bland".[10]
Askew later moved toLake Oswego, Oregon.[2] He died at Lake Oswego on March 29, 2012, three days after his 80th birthday, due to lung cancer.[2][11]
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