Lou Antonio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lou Antonio
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Antonio in 1973
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| Born |
Louis Demetrios Antoniou
January 23, 1934 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1960–2007 |
| Spouse(s) |
Lane Bradbury
(m. 1965; div. 1980) |
| Children | 2 |
Lou Antonio (born January 23, 1934) is an American actor and TV director. He is famous for his roles in the movies Cool Hand Luke and America America. He also acted in TV shows and later became a successful director for many popular series.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Lou Antonio was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His family name was originally Antoniou, showing his Greek roots on his father's side. His mother's family was from England, France, and Germany.
When he was a teenager, he worked as a sports reporter for a local newspaper. He went to the University of Oklahoma and studied French. He also took acting classes, which sparked his interest in performing. After college, he moved to New York City to study acting with famous teachers.
A Career in Hollywood
Acting on Screen
In the 1960s, Antonio started his career as a TV actor. He often appeared as a guest star on many different shows. This means he would act in one or two episodes of a series, often playing a new character each time.
Some of the popular shows he guest-starred in include:
- The Monkees
- I Dream of Jeannie
- Bewitched
- Hawaii Five-O
- Mission: Impossible
One of his most memorable roles was on the science fiction show Star Trek. He appeared in the 1969 episode "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield". He played Lokai, an alien whose face was half black and half white. His character was chasing another alien from his planet who was the opposite, half white and half black. The episode was a powerful story about prejudice and became one of the most famous in the series.
Directing Television
After a successful acting career, Antonio began directing television shows. A director is in charge of the creative vision of a show or movie, guiding the actors and the crew. He directed episodes for many well-known series across several decades.
Some of the shows he directed include:
- The Partridge Family
- The Rockford Files
- Party of Five
- Dawson's Creek
- Chicago Hope
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
- The West Wing
His work as a director showed his talent behind the camera as well as in front of it. His last directing job was for the show Boston Legal in 2007.
Personal Life
Antonio was married to actress Lane Bradbury. They had two daughters together before their marriage ended in 1980. One of their daughters, Elkin Antoniou, is also a writer and director.
Acting runs in the family. Antonio's older brother, James, and his sister-in-law, Hilda Brawner, are also actors.
Selected Film and TV Work
Here are some of Lou Antonio's most notable projects as an actor and director.
As an Actor
- America, America (1963) as Osman
- Cool Hand Luke (1967) as Koko
- The Monkees (1967) as Judd in the episode "Hillbilly Honeymoon"
- Star Trek (1969) as Lokai in the episode "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"
- Bewitched (1969) as Harry Simmons
- Hawaii Five-O (1971) as David Harper
- Mission: Impossible (1970-1972) as Rudy Blake / Robert Siomney
- Thirteen at Dinner (1985) as a movie producer
As a Director
- The Partridge Family (1971–1972)
- The Rockford Files (1974–1976)
- Something for Joey (1977)
- Thirteen at Dinner (1985)
- Picket Fences (1993–1996)
- Chicago Hope (1995)
- Dawson's Creek (1998)
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2001)
- The West Wing (2001)
- Boston Legal (2006–2007)
