Louis Antonio (born January 23, 1934) is an American actor and TV director best known for performing in the films Cool Hand Luke and America America. He also starred in two short-lived TV series, Dog and Cat, and Makin’ It.
Early years
Born in Oklahoma City of Greek descent (the family name was originally Antoniou), he made a name for himself as a sports reporter on the Daily Oklahoman.
Career
In January 1962, Antonio was a guest artist at Elmwood Playhouse in Nyack, NY, where he directed Enid Bagnold’s The Chalk Garden. In the mid-60s, Antonio began his career as a television actor, sometimes starring in multiple episodes of the same series, as different characters. These series included The Rookies, The Naked City, Mission: Impossible, Gunsmoke, The Fugitive, Twelve O’Clock High, The Monkees, The F.B.I., The Defenders, The Mod Squad, Dan August, Cannon, Hawaii Five-O, Night Gallery, Bracken’s World, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, and I Dream of Jeannie. Antonio memorably guest-starred as the human version of a chimpanzee-turned-human on a popular fifth-season episode of Bewitched titled “Going Ape”, which also guest-starred Danny Bonaduce. He also starred as Barney in The Snoop Sisters.
On Star Trek, he co-starred with Frank Gorshin in “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” (1969), which eventually became one of the most popular of the series. In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter rated “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” the 11th best television episode of all Star Trek franchise television shows prior to Star Trek: Discovery including live-action and animated series but not counting the movies. Also in 2016, SyFy ranked guest stars Frank Gorshin and Lou Antonio (as Bele and Lokai, the black and white aliens), the 10th best guest stars on the original series.
As a director, Antonio mostly worked in television, notably including: The Flying Nun, The Young Rebels, Banacek, The Partridge Family, The Rockford Files, Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, Picket Fences, American Gothic, Party of Five, Dawson’s Creek, Chicago Hope, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and The West Wing. His last work was on Boston Legal in 2007.
Personal life
Antonio was married to fellow Actors Studio member, Lane Bradbury and they had two daughters. The couple divorced in 1980. Their daughter Elkin Antoniou is a writer, director and award-winning documentarian.
Antonio’s elder brother, Jim Antonio, and sister-in-law, Hildy Brooks, are also actors.
Filmography
Have Gun-Will Travel (1960, TV Series) – Ted Greive
Splendor in the Grass (1961) – Oil Field Worker at Party (uncredited)
Macbeth (1961, TV Movie)
Naked City (1961–1963, TV Series) – Charlie Tepperoni / Ernie / Al Machias / Civil Service Applicant
Breaking Point (1963, TV Series) – Paul Knopf
Route 66 (1963, TV Series) – Tony Donato
The Defenders (1962–1963, TV Series) – Danny Norton / Bo Jackson / Sam
America, America (1963) – Osman
For the People (1965)
Twelve O’Clock High (1964–1965, TV Series) – Capt. Bing Pollard / Capt. Wade Ritchie
The Virginian (1966, TV Series) – Niles Tait
The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1966, TV Series) – Jocko
Hawaii (1966) – Rev. Abraham Hewlett
Hawk (1966, TV Series) – Frankie Gellen
The Fugitive (1963–1966, TV Series) – Don / Matt Mooney / Vinnie
The Road West (1967, TV Series) – Mike Kerkorian
The Monkees (1967, TV Series) – Judd
Cool Hand Luke (1967) – Koko
I Dream of Jeannie (1968, TV Series) – Charley
The Danny Thomas Hour (1968, TV Series) – Stefanos
Bonanza (1968, TV Series) – Davey
Insight (1968-1980, TV Series) – Burglar / J.P.
Star Trek (1969, TV Series) – Lokai
Gentle Ben (1969, TV Series) – Kee Cho
Gunsmoke (1965–1969, TV Series) – Mace / Smiley / Curt Tynan / Rich / Harve Kane
Bewitched (1969, TV Series) – Harry Simmons
Sole Survivor (1970, TV Movie) – Tony
Here Come the Brides (1969–1970, TV Series) – Telly Theodakis
The Flying Nun (1970, TV Series) – Stone Mason (uncredited)
The Phynx (1970) – Corrigan
The Mod Squad (1970-1971, TV Series) – Arnold Kane / Case
Bracken’s World (1970, TV Series) – Hal Ingersol
Storefront Lawyers (1970, TV Series) – Walter Babson
Dan August (1971, TV Series) – Gordon Krager
Hawaii Five-O (1971, TV Series) – David Harper
Cannon (1971, TV Series) – Arnie Crawford
Mission: Impossible (1970–1972, TV Series) – Rudy Blake / Robert Siomney
Cade’s County (1972, TV Series) – Frank Cameron
Night Gallery (1973, TV Series) – Jake
Partners in Crime (1973, TV Movie) – Sam Hatch
The F.B.I. (1971–1973, TV Series) – Parrish / Arlen Parent
The Snoop Sisters (1973–1974, TV Series) – Barney
The Rookies (1973–1974, TV Series) – Jack Lembo / Jay Warfield
Dog and Cat (1977, TV Series) – Det. Sgt. Jack Ramsey
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977, TV Series) – The Director
Makin’ It (1979, TV Series) – Joseph Manucci
Where The Ladies Go (1980, TV Movie) – Hugo
Thirteen at Dinner (1985, TV Movie) – Movie Producer (uncredited)
Face to Face (Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation; 1990, TV Movie) – Dr. Calvin Finch
Frankie and Johnny Are Married (2003) – Lou Antonio
As director
Heroic Mission (1967)
Then Came Bronson (1969)
The Flying Nun (1969–70)
The Young Rebels (1970)
Getting Together (1971)
The Partridge Family (1971–1972)
Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law (1971-1973)
Banacek (1972)
The Rookies (1973)
Griff (1973; also writer)
Love Is Not Forever (1974)
Fools, Females and Fun (1974)
Amy Prentiss (1974)
Someone I Touched (1975)
McCloud (1972–1975)
McMillan & Wife (1975–1976)
The Rockford Files (1974–1976)
Lanigan’s Rabbi (1976)
Delvecchio (1976)
Rich Man, Poor Man Book II (1976)
Something for Joey (1977)
The Girl in the Empty Grave (1977)
The Gypsy Warriors (1978)
The Critical List (1978)
A Real American Hero (1978)
The Chinese Typewriter (1979)
Silent Victory: The Kitty O’Neil Story (1979)
Heaven on Earth (1979)
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (1979)
The Contender (1980)
We’re Fighting Back (1981)
The Star Maker (1981)
The Steeler and the Pittsburgh Kid (1981)
Something So Right (1982)
Between Friends (1983)
A Good Sport (1984)
Threesome (1984)
Rearview Mirror (1984)
Thirteen at Dinner (1985)
One Terrific Guy (1986)
Shell Game (1987)
Pals (1987)
Mayflower Madam (1987)
The Outside Woman (1989; also producer)
Dark Holiday (1989; also executive producer)
Face to Face (Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation; 1990)
Sporting Chance (1990)
This Gun for Hire (1991)
Lies Before Kisses (1991)
The Last Prostitute (1991)
The Rape of Doctor Willis (1991)
A Taste for Killing (1992)
Nightmare in the Daylight (1992)
The Contender (1993)
Party of Five (1994)
Diagnosis: Murder (1994)
Chicago Hope (1995)
The Cosby Mysteries (1995)
American Gothic (1995)
Picket Fences (1993–1996)
Dark Skies (1996)
Mr & Mrs. Smith (1996)
Spy Game (1997)
Roar (1997)
Dawson’s Creek (1998)
Vengeance Unlimited (1998)
To Have & To Hold
Wasteland (1999)
The Force (1999)
Get Real (1999)
Felicity (2000)
The West Wing (2001)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2001)
UC: Undercover (2001)
The Guardian (2001)
First Monday (2002)
The Handler (2003)
Numb3rs (2003)
Reunion (2005)
Boston Legal (2006–2007)
External Links
Actor Lou Antonio – Wikipedia
