Joseph H. Higgins (July 12, 1925 – June 15, 1998) was an American commercial, film and television actor.[3] He was known for playing the role of "Jake Shakespeare" in the American legal drama television series Arrest and Trial, with also being known for playing the recurring role of "Nils Swenson" in The Rifleman.[2]

Joe Higgins
Higgins in The Dukes of Hazzard, 1982
Born	Joseph H. Higgins[1] (1925-07-12)July 12, 1925 Logansport, Indiana, U.S.
Died	June 15, 1998(1998-06-15) (aged 72) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Dayton Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University
Occupation	Commercial, film and television actor
Years active	1930s–1987
Spouse	Jackie Higgins[2]
Children	3[2]

Life and career

Higgins was born in Logansport, Indiana.[2] At the age of nine, he began his acting career, in which he moved to Dayton, Ohio.[2] Higgins attended at the University of Dayton, while he acted on radio.[2][4] He also earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree at the Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University.[2] Higgins began his film and television career in 1960, where he played the recurring role of blacksmith "Nils Swenson" in the western television series The Rifleman.[4]

Later in his career, Higgins guest-starred in television programs, Gunsmoke, The Guns of Will Sonnett, Bonanza, That Girl, Petticoat Junction, The Monkees, The Big Valley, Green Acres, Hill Street Blues, The Fall Guy, Death Valley Days, The Detectives, I Dream of Jeannie and The Twilight Zone.[4] He also co-starred and appeared in films, such as, Flipper (and its sequel Flipper's New Adventure), The Perils of Pauline, Sixpack Annie, Namu, the Killer Whale and Record City.[4] He co-starred in the legal drama television series Arrest and Trial,[4] where he played the role of "Jake Shakespeare", in which Higgins also co-starred in Sigmund and the Sea Monster, where he played the role of the local sheriff "Chuck Bevans".[5]

In 1969, Higgins appeared on Chrysler Corporation's Dodge Division television commercials, where he played the role as the "Safety Sheriff". He appeared on Dodge commercials, from 1969 till 1975[2] and would win a Clio Award, for his performance.[2] In 1970 Higgens would further serve as Dodge's Safety Sheriff participating in a national public relations campaign. Traveling across the US Higgens would promote Dodge and safety appearing at fairs/events and local news TV promotions. Higgins was chosen to play the sheriff on the NBC television pilot of Cat Ballou.[6] He mainly played as sheriffs on commercials,[4] being perhaps best known for playing "Sheriff J.W." on Dodge commercials.[7] Higgins got the job to be the "spokesman" for the General Electric Company, being the spokesman from 1976 to 1982.[2] He was later asked by Chief of the Kansas City Police Department and second director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Clarence M. Kelley, to join the "task force team", in 1979.[2]

Death

Higgins died in June 1998 of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 72.[2][4]

References

External links

• Joe Higgins at IMDb
• Joe Higgins at the TCM Movie Database
• Joe Higgins at AllMovie
• Rotten Tomatoes profile