Hoke Howell(1929-1997)
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
A consummate character actor whose deep Southern drawl (courtesy of a
Georgia birth and South Carolina upbringing) made him a highly
sought-after personality. Howell began his career on Broadway in "Make
A Million." Hollywood took note of his accent and tried to make the
best use of it, from a minor role in Splendor in the Grass (1961) to
the Preacher in Grand Theft Auto.
Equally at home on the small screen, Howell was a familiar face on television throughout the 1970's and 80's. A few of his guest spots included The Andy Griffith Show, Green Acres, Here Come the Brides, Columbo, JAG, The Fall Guy, Hunter, Webster, Happy Days and Scarecrow & Mrs. King.
His career followed in the vein of other famous character actors like John Carradine, Harry Dean Stanton, Pat Hingle and Woody Strode (his co-star in Kingdom of the Spiders). No matter the movie, Howell acted as if it was a plum role. From big-budget films like Far And Away and Geronimo: An American Legend to cult classics (Humanoids From the Deep, Kingdom of the Spiders) to low-budget flicks (Star Hunter, Alien Species), Howell made himself at home. Even the exploitation industry found its uses for Howell, giving some respectability to titles like Slaughter's Big Rip-Off, Bikini Drive-In, Vice Girls and Bikini Hoe-Down.
Though known mostly for his acting skills, Howell did try his hand at the other side of the camera. He wrote screenplays for Click: The Calendar Girl Killer, One Block Away and B.O.R.N. and also three episodes of "The Rookies." He was also an associate producer for B.O.R.N.
Equally at home on the small screen, Howell was a familiar face on television throughout the 1970's and 80's. A few of his guest spots included The Andy Griffith Show, Green Acres, Here Come the Brides, Columbo, JAG, The Fall Guy, Hunter, Webster, Happy Days and Scarecrow & Mrs. King.
His career followed in the vein of other famous character actors like John Carradine, Harry Dean Stanton, Pat Hingle and Woody Strode (his co-star in Kingdom of the Spiders). No matter the movie, Howell acted as if it was a plum role. From big-budget films like Far And Away and Geronimo: An American Legend to cult classics (Humanoids From the Deep, Kingdom of the Spiders) to low-budget flicks (Star Hunter, Alien Species), Howell made himself at home. Even the exploitation industry found its uses for Howell, giving some respectability to titles like Slaughter's Big Rip-Off, Bikini Drive-In, Vice Girls and Bikini Hoe-Down.
Though known mostly for his acting skills, Howell did try his hand at the other side of the camera. He wrote screenplays for Click: The Calendar Girl Killer, One Block Away and B.O.R.N. and also three episodes of "The Rookies." He was also an associate producer for B.O.R.N.
