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Lou Antonio

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Lou Antonio
Antonio in 1973
Born
Louis Demetrios Antoniou

(1934-01-23) January 23, 1934 (age 90)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • director
Years active1960–2007
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1965; div. 1980)​
Children2

Louis Antonio (born January 23, 1934)[1] 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 life and education

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Antonio was born Louis Demetrios Antoniou in Oklahoma City of English, French, and German descent on his mother's side and Greek on his father's side (the family name was originally Antoniou).[citation needed] During his teens, he worked as a sports reporter on the Daily Oklahoman.[2]Antonio attended the University of Oklahoma on a journalism scholarship and earned a degree in French.[2]"A Dog's Life for Lou", The Robesonian, May 1, 1977, p. 13.</ref> He also took college courses in acting and appeared on stage.[2] He later moved to New York City and studied acting Lee Strasberg, Curt Conway and Lonny Chapman.[2]

Career

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In January 1962, Antonio was a guest artist at Elmwood Playhouse in Nyack, New York, where he directed Enid Bagnold's The Chalk Garden. In the mid-1960s, 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, Night Gallery, Gunsmoke, The Fugitive, Twelve O'Clock High, The Monkees, The F.B.I., The Defenders, The Mod Squad, Dan August, Cannon, Hawaii Five-O, Bracken's World, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, and I Dream of Jeannie.[3] Antonio memorably guest-starred as the human version of a chimpanzee-turned-human on a popular fifth-season episode of Bewitched titled "Going Ape" and played Barney in The Snoop Sisters.[3]

On Star Trek, he co-starred with Frank Gorshin in “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” (1969),[3] 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.[4] Also in 2016, SyFy ranked Antonio and Gorshin (as Bele and Lokai) as the 10th best guest stars on Star Trek: The Original Series.[5]

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.[3]

Personal life

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Antonio was married to fellow Actors Studio member, Lane Bradbury[6] and they had two daughters. The couple divorced in 1980.[6] Their daughter Elkin Antoniou is a writer, director[6] and award-winning documentarian.[7]

Antonio's elder brother, James Antonio,[8] and sister-in-law, Hilda Brawner,[9] are also actors.

Filmography

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As director

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References

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  1. ^ Rose, Mike (January 23, 2023). "Today's famous birthdays list for January 23, 2023 includes celebrities Mariska Hargitay, Chita Rivera". Cleveland.com. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference DOG was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d "Lou Antonio". TVGuide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  4. ^ ""Homefront" and "Paradise Lost" - 'Star Trek': 100 Greatest Episodes". HollywoodReporter.com. The Hollywood Reporter. September 8, 2016. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
  5. ^ Kaye, Don (2016-09-16). "The 17 best Star Trek: The Original Series guest stars (hero or villain)". SYFY WIRE. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  6. ^ a b c O'Dowd, John (2008). "Lane Bradbury, a Life of Meaning and Purpose". John-ODowd.com.
  7. ^ "Elkin Antonio : Best Documentary (Humanitarian)". thewifts.org. The Women's International Film & Television Showcase. 2013.
  8. ^ Treanor, Aline Jean (March 1, 1959). "It's A Sooner Show". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 3.
  9. ^ Wincehell, Walter (April 29, 1965). "Stage Door". Wilkes-Barr Times Leader. p. 23. James Antonio of "Othello" and actress Hilda Brawner (wed at city hall last week)...
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