Luke Askew


Francis Luke Askew was an American actor. He appeared in many westerns, and had a lead role in the spaghetti Western Night of the Serpent. He also had a small part in the 1969 cult classic Easy Rider.

Biography

Askew was born on March 26, 1932 in Macon, Georgia to Milton Dillard Askew and Dorothy Doolittle. Askew attended the University of Georgia, Mercer University, and Walter F. Jay School of Law. Askew served in the United States Air Force during his college years.
He made his film debut in Hurry Sundown, but was first noticed as an actor for his role in Cool Hand Luke. The following year he worked with John Wayne in The Green Berets. The following year he worked with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in Easy Rider.
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, ', 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, a documentary about the making of Easy Rider, and the 2003 documentary '. 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".
Askew later moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon. He died in Portland, on March 29, 2012, three days after his 80th birthday, from lung cancer.

Selected filmography

Knight Rider