Akins was cast as Lou Myerson in the 1964 episode, "One Monday Afternoon", of the NBC education drama series, "Mr. Novak", starring James Franciscus, and as Dr. Roy Kirk in an episode, "When Do They Hang the Good Samaritan?", of the CBS political drama, "Slattery's People" (which starred Richard Crenna). He played a kidnapper in a 1964 episode of "The Fugitive". In 1965, he was featured in an episode of "Kraft Suspense Theatre", playing a German infiltrator who went unsuspected. Also that year, Akins portrayed the head of an Irish immigrant family in "The Big Valley" ("The Brawlers"). Akins had an earlier role in the first season of "Barnaby Jones"; episode titled "Murder Go-Round".