Claude Akins, a broad-shouldered and beefy individual, was characterized by his wavy black hair and deep, booming voice. Throughout his career, he showcased his versatility by playing both sneering, cowardly villains and hard-nosed cops with equal ease.
Born to a police officer, Akins never struggled to find work, appearing in nearly 100 films and 180+ TV episodes over a period of more than 40 years. He initially attended Northwestern University, but his academic pursuits were interrupted by his service with the US Army Signal Corps in World War II, where he served in Burma and the Philippines.
Following his return, Akins rekindled his interest in art and drama, making his screen debut in 1953's From Here to Eternity. He quickly gained recognition for his roles in TV shows such as Dragnet, My Friend Flicka, Gunsmoke, and Zane Grey Theatre, as well as his cinematic performances in films like Rio Bravo, The Defiant Ones, Merrill's Marauders, and The Killers.
In the early 1970s, Akins appeared in several supernatural TV films, playing "no-nonsense" sheriffs in The Night Stalker and The Norliss Tapes, and was unrecognizable under his simian makeup as war-mongering Gen. Aldo in Battle for the Planet of the Apes.
Akins continued to star in films and TV until his death from cancer in 1994. Off-screen, he was reportedly a very gregarious, likable, and friendly person, married to Theresa "Pie" Fairfield for over 40 years, and had three children, Claude Marion Jr., Michele, and Wendy.
