STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Who can forget those 3 famous words! "WHAT IT IS"? Antonio Fargas was best known WORLD WIDE for the Lovable, Street Wise, People Expert, Huggy Bear on Starsky and Hutch. Antonio is very PROUD of his Character to this day.
Antonio Fargas was quoted as saying:
"I was always a dreamer. I loved the escapism that television and films gave me. As a child I watched figures on the screen and fantasized that those cool men in the movies were me. So now, you see, I can honestly say my dreams have come true."
Antonio Juan Fargas was born on August 14, 1947 in New York City. He came from a big family and he grew up with 10 brothers and sisters and he had a very happy childhood. Antonio was very lucky to have the support of his parents. It was his mother who spotted an ad in a local newspaper and encouraged him to audition for his first role.
He started acting at the age of 14 and in 1961 he landed his first role in a gangster film called, "The Cool World". No matter what character Antonio plays he puts his whole heart and soul into them. He is famous for giving energy and stamina to each one of his characters. Antonio can make you laugh until your sides burst or can thrill you into hiding under the covers.
He got a big break when he got the lead role in Shirley Clark's, "Coal World".
Antonio was still in high school when he moved from in front of the camera to in front of a live audience starting his theatre career. He landed a role in a Leroi Jones' play called "Toilet".
Antonio was touring in Europe playing the juvenile lead in a play called "Amen Corner" and had to miss his high school graduation ceremony. After his tour he returned to New York only to find his acting jobs at a minimum. He did like most actors do waiting for their big break, he took side jobs like being a waiter, busing tables, he was an usher for CBS and even a mailboy while doing small acting jobs on the side.
Antonio never gave up his hopes and dreams of becoming a great actor and landing that one part that would make him a household name. He was invited to audition for a role in a film called, "Across 110th Street". That was it! That is the day that Huggy Bear was born without him even knowing it. The director, Barry Shear was also scouting out talent for a "Pilot" movie by the name of "Starsky and Hutch" [also starring Paul Michael Glaser, David Soul and Bernie Hamilton]. Barry Shear was so impressed with Antonio that he casted him as our lovable, street wise, Huggy Bear for the Pilot and the series of Starsky and Hutch. In return Antonio made Huggy Bear a household name that was born in 1975 and lives on to this day! Huggy Bear was Starsky and Hutch's informant that knew anything and everything about the word on the street. The day he walked through those red curtains in the XXX rated moviehouse was the day he made history in his life and in the life of many others. At first Antonio wasn't sure about the name Huggy Bear?? Then he put himself into the character and made it come alive. Antonio was quoted saying, "When I saw the name Huggy Bear I didn't think it would suit me personally," he chuckles. "But I made the name synonymous with Antonio Fargas, and the character came to life. The idea for the name came from the creator of the show. He was driving home and he heard a disc jockey on the radio whose name was Huggy and thought it would make a really great name for my character in the show. As it turns out, he was right."
Although Antonio has been quoted as saying "Being a character actor, I was rarely the star. I was usually the co-star or the special guest. But my character was always juicy. I got the opportunity to play different, strange and interesting characters. I saw every role as precious. I loved every character. I have no problem being what I equate to, like Jimmy Cagney or Clint Eastwood, who do one thing very well and are known for that. But even within the genre that I'm so-called typecast in, you know, I've played gays, pimps and lawyers. I'm a character actor not a leading man and I don't aspire to that, you know? I just aspire to be good at my craft. And I still think there's a lot of room for variety and depth." He has every right in the world to be proud and to hold his head high for his wonderful accomplishments, to all of his fans he is the STAR.
Besides his acting career Antonio has been busy with his own production company which he has named Bumpit. Featured artist include, LuVelli, Young Hog, and Jeffree.
Thanks Judy for the use of the Photo's!
