Hogan's Heroes

Hogan's Heroes
File:Hogan's Heroes Title Card.png title card
Created by	Bernard Fein Albert S. Ruddy
Starring	Bob Crane Werner Klemperer John Banner Robert Clary Richard Dawson Ivan Dixon Larry Hovis Kenneth Washington
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	6
No. of episodes	168
Production
Production locations	Hollywood, California Culver City, California
Running time	23 minutes
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	September 17, 1965 – July 4, 1971

Hogan's Heroes is an American television situation comedy that ran for 168 episodes from September 17, 1965, to July 4, 1971, on the CBS network. Starring Bob Crane as Colonel Robert E. Hogan, the show was set in a German prisoner of war (POW) camp during the Second World War. The program featured Werner Klemperer as Colonel Wilhelm Klink, the commandant of the camp; John Banner as the portly inept sergeant-of-the-guard, Schultz; and a crew of Allied prisoners who assisted Hogan in running a Special Operations group from the camp.

Hogan's Heroes was produced by Bing Crosby Productions and CBS Productions.

Premise

The setting was a fictional version of Stalag 13, a POW camp for captured airmen located near the town of Hammelburg and run by the Luftwaffe; its location was 106 kilometers from Heidelberg. It bore no resemblance to its real-life counterparts, Oflag XIII-B and Stalag XIII-C.

The show's premise was that the POWs were actually active war participants, using the camp as a base of operations for Allied espionage and sabotage against the Nazis. The prisoners could leave and return almost at will via a secret network of tunnels and had radio contact with Allied command. They were aided by the incompetence of the camp commandant, Colonel Klink, and the Sergeant Of The Guard, Sergeant Schultz. Hogan would routinely manipulate the incompetent Klink and get Schultz to look the other way while his men conducted secret operations. Klink and Schultz were in constant terror of being transferred to the Russian Front, and Hogan took pains to keep the hapless German duo firmly in place. Klink had a perfect record of no escapes while he commanded the POW camp. Hogan actually assisted in maintaining this record, and made sure any prisoners who needed to be spirited away had been transferred to someone else's authority before their escape was enacted. The program for a sitcom was unique as it combined elements of surrealism and dynamic action/adventure storytelling. Other examples of programs of the era that combined genres while reflecting general social tensions are Mission: Impossible and The Wild Wild West.

Cast

Allies

Colonel Hogan

American Army Air Corps Colonel Robert E. Hogan (Bob Crane), senior ranking POW officer, is the leader of the group. He is from Bridgeport, Connecticut and born in Cleveland, Ohio. He was shot down while on a raid on Hamburg in an operation masterminded by Colonel Biedenbender, who was promoted to general for this achievement. In contrast to Colonel Klink, Hogan graduated third in his military class. The character was named by series creator Bernard Fein after his friend, the American soap opera and character actor Robert J. Hogan, who appeared in two episodes of Hogan's Heroes.

In the episode "Two Nazis for the Price of One", it is revealed by Major Hochstetter of the Gestapo that Colonel Hogan was the commander of the 504th bomb group that had been reassigned to the "Manhattan Project". In real life, the 509th Bombardment Group was in the group that dropped the atomic bombs (that were created under the code name "Manhattan Project") on Japan in August, 1945

Sgts. Kinchloe and Baker

African-American Staff Sergeant James (aka Ivan) "Kinch" Kinchloe (Ivan Dixon) is primarily responsible for radio, telegraph, and other forms of electronic communications. In the series pilot, Kinchloe is introduced as Hogan's 'Chief Of Staff', and, in addition to his communications expertise, is observed speaking fluent French to LeBeau. This was a large step for a 1960s TV show, to have an African-American actor identified in such a manner. In a later episode, when it looks like Colonel Crittenden (Bernard Fox) was going to be the new Senior Prisoner Of War officer, Hogan introduces his men, with Kinchloe cited as 'Chief Of Operations'. A talented mimic, Kinchloe easily imitates German officers speaking over the radio or telephone. When Hogan needed a strictly audio impression of Adolf Hitler, the men generally agreed that Kinchloe was the better choice for the job over Sergeant Carter.

Kinch was from Detroit and had worked for the telephone company. In one episode he mentions that before the war he was a Golden Gloves boxing champion. Of course, in an episode that had General Burkhalter (Leon Askin) making reference to the Jesse Owens victories during the 1936 Olympics and Adolph Hitler not being happy that a Negro won events over German athletes, Kinchloe knocks out the heavyweight champ of Stalag 13 (Battling Bruno) while Burkhalter was in the camp. Kinchloe wound up fighting Bruno again, drawing out the fight in a delaying action while Hogan and the others accomplish their usual sabotage. Upon completion of the mission, Hogan yells to Kinch to end the fight, and Kinch laid the German out with one punch whereupon Hogan throws in the towel and surrenders the fight to prevent the obvious disaster of an African-American POW defeating the 'master race's finest boxer'. At the end of the episode, Hogan reminds Klink to tell 'Battling Bruno' that he is the winner, "when he wakes up".

Following Dixon's departure from the show, the producers replaced his character in the sixth season with another African-American Sergeant Baker (Kenneth Washington). The tasks assigned to Sergeant Baker are identical to those of Staff Sergeant Kinchloe. However, Newkirk was elevated to the 'Chief Of Operations' role. The details of Kinch's departure were never explained on the show.

As Kinchloe and Baker were African-American, their ability to participate in some undercover activities outside of the camp was limited. In one operation, Kinchloe played the role of a doorman at a nightclub in Paris in order to get close to the owner. He also impersonated an African prince. In other operations, Kinchloe and Baker helped the Heroes in various sabotage activities.

Sergeant Carter

American Technical Sergeant Andrew J. Carter [Lieutenant in the pilot episode] (Larry Hovis) is in charge of ordnance and bomb-making. He also shows talent in chemistry and can produce formulas as needed. Carter is often called on to impersonate German officers and, most convincingly, Adolf Hitler. Carter, as Hitler, responds to a group of German officers saying "Heil Hitler" with "Heil Me." While bright and enthusiastic at his specialties, Carter often shows a lack of common sense otherwise. He formerly worked at a drug store in Muncie, Indiana; in one episode, he bragged that he had won a snowman-building contest in Bullfrog, North Dakota. His awards include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Commendation Medal and Good Conduct Medal. Carter is a Native American; his Sioux name is Little Deer Who Goes Swift And Sure Through Forest. Hovis was married, and refused to remove his wedding ring while filming the show as the single Sergeant Carter. Thus, Carter is usually shown wearing gloves, and his left hand is rarely shown in the show.

Corporal LeBeau

French Air Force Corporal Louis LeBeau (Robert Clary) is a chef. LeBeau is also a master of covert operations, and has taken the precaution of befriending the camp's guard dogs. As a result, he is able to enter their compound through a secret entrance under a doghouse without the dogs raising the alarm. He also used to hide in small spaces, such as the safe in Colonel Klink's office and crates. In many episodes, LeBeau bribes Schultz with food, especially LeBeau's apple strudel. Schultz and Klink (but mainly Schultz) refer to Le Beau as "Cockroach." In the first two seasons LeBeau made the uniforms and suits, although this job increasingly went to Newkirk. In fact, by the fifth season episode "Gowns by Yvette", it is suggested that LeBeau cannot even sew a stitch, though he claims creative responsibility for the dress Newkirk eventually sews. LeBeau suffers from hemophobia.

Corporal Newkirk

Royal Air Force Corporal Peter Newkirk [Lieutenant in the pilot episode](British actor Richard Dawson) is the group's conman, magician, pick-pocket, card shark, forger, bookie, lock picker, safe cracker and impersonator of German officers (and on one occasion, Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during the war). He also is in charge of making uniforms and assisting in distracting the Germans to perform other sabotage. This series marked Dawson's second appearance on American TV (he had earlier appeared on an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show in 1963). Dawson auditioned for the role of Hogan, but was told he didn't sound American enough. Curiously, in the version translated for broadcast in Germany, Newkirk's pronounced British accent was replaced by a simulation of stuttering. Newkirk is also a skilled tailor, often called upon to make or alter uniforms and other diguises. Newkirk was also teamed with Carter and his irritation at Carter's bumbling antics and lack of common sense was often used for comedic effect.

Germans

Colonel Klink

File:Werner Klemperer Klink screenshot.jpg

Werner Klemperer as Col. Klink

Kommandant Oberst (Colonel) Wilhelm Klink (Werner Klemperer) is an old-line Luftwaffe officer of aristocratic (Junker) Prussian descent, and a social climber. He was born in Leipzig, though he refers to Düsseldorf, where he attended the Gymnasium, as his home town. After failing exams to study law and medicine, he received an appointment from Kaiser Wilhelm II to a military academy, through the influence of his uncle, the Bürgermeister's barber, and graduated 95th in his class. He has fencing armor in his dining room and wears a monocle. One episode has a brief shot of his office showing that Klink has a pompous coat of Arms on his wall. In another episode when he thinks he is going to be rich, he claims his 500-year-old name will actually have some money as well. A veteran aviator of the First World War, Klink happily lives out the end of his military career in the relative comfort and safety of a prison camp commandant's billet—although in one episode he wished he was piloting a Heinkel again. He has been a colonel for 20 years with an efficiency rating a few points above "Miserable". In one episode he tried to flatter Schultz so as to be a bookkeeper with Schultz's Toy company after the war. He is portrayed as a vain, bumbling, self-serving bureaucrat, rather than an evil person. Hogan is able to easily manipulate Klink through a combination of appealing to his vanity through excessive flattery and playing on his fears of being sent to the Eastern Front.

In one episode, Klink is told by General Burkhalter that to climb higher socially, he would need to marry into an important family; Burkhalter then tells him that his widowed sister and niece would be arriving. Klink initially thinks the beautiful niece is the one to which Burkhalter is referring, but finds out that it is actually Burkhalter's sister, Frau Linkmeyer, who is looking to get married—which is Klink's worst nightmare. Klink narrowly escapes with the help of Hogan. In a later episode, we find that the two other commandants under General Burkhalter also narrowly escaped marriage to the general's sister.

Colonel Klink received the Citation of Merit-Second Class (fictitious) from General Stauffen. The general had visited Stalag 13 to get a briefcase from Hogan filled with explosives and a thirty-minute timer in order to kill Adolf Hitler, all under the unsuspecting eyes of Klink. This is typical of the scenarios in which Hogan would entangle Colonel Klink, where Klink's ego is used against himself. A running gag in the series is that Klink gets doused in the face with water at four times for comedic effect. Another running gag is that Klink is a terrible violinist and is only able to play The U.S. Air Force song (in real life, Klemperer was a trained violinist). Another gag is that of Klink saving his most treasured possession—a World War I spiked Pickelhaube helmet he keeps on his desk. Yet another gag involved Hogan stealing Klink's cigars from his desk during their (often brief) meetings, and inquiring as to whether Klink would like one too.

Sergeant Schultz

Oberfeldwebel (Master Sergeant) Hans Georg Schultz, serial number 23781 (John Banner) is Klink's bumbling, highly unmilitary 295-pound Sergeant Of The Guard. Schultz is a basically good-hearted man who, when confronted by evidence of the prisoners' covert activities, will simply look the other way, repeating "I hear nothing, I see nothing, I know nothing!" (or, more commonly as the series went on, simply "I know nothing – NOTHING!") in order to avoid being blamed for allowing things to have gotten as far as they already had—which might see him given a one-way trip to the Eastern Front. This eventually became a catch phrase of the series. Though generally shown as being borderline incompetent, he has (on occasion) proven his mettle, as can be seen in episodes such as A Funny Thing Happened on the way to London, where he catches Hogan 'assisting' another man attempting to escape; he even goes so far as to stand up to Hogan, moving him along at gunpoint. Schultz, in the sixth season, receives a temporary promotion to Kommandant of Stalag 13. In the episode Kommandant Schultz, Burkhalter brings an order from Berlin to all Luft Stalags to begin Officer training for their most senior non-commissioned officers. Schutlz does so well in the job that Hogan AND Klink have to join forces to discredit Schultz and get him reduced back to sergeant-of-the-guard.

Like Klink, he is a veteran of World War I. His hometown is Heidelberg, and in civilian life he is the owner of Germany's biggest and most successful toy manufacturing company, The Schatzi Toy Company. With the onset of war, Schultz was involuntarily recalled to military duty and lost control of his toy factory as it was converted to military use. He has a wife, Gretchen (played by Barbara Morrison in Season 2, Episode 24) and five children whom he sees only on infrequent leave. LeBeau once refers to Schultz as a Social Democrat, a party which the Nazis banned in 1933, and Shultz on several occasions is shown to be very disgusted by Hitler in particular and the Nazis in general. Schultz carries a Krag-Jørgensen rifle which he never keeps loaded and tends to misplace or even hand to the POWs when he needs to use both hands. He wears a fictitious version of the Iron Cross (4th Grade) awarded by General Kammler, a friend from World War I, who addresses Schultz by first name, and whom Schultz addresses as Lieutenant Kammler. Schultz needs glasses to read and is described by Klink as being "in his forties." In reality, Banner was in his late fifties.

Helga and Hilda

Helga (Cynthia Lynn, 1965 to 1966) and Hilda (Sigrid Valdis, 1966 to 1971) served as secretaries to Colonel Klink. Both were portrayed as having an ongoing romantic relationship with Colonel Hogan. Both also assisted Hogan and his men in various ways, including providing tidbits of information or access to papers or equipment.

Sigrid Valdis and Bob Crane were married in 1970.

Recurring characters

• General der Infanterie Albert Hans "Hansy" Burkhalter (Leon Askin) is Klink's superior officer who frequently tires of Klink's babbling and his incompetence, telling him to "shut up" and threatening to send him to the Russian Front. Burkhalter was mystified by Stalag 13's perfect record, as no prisoners ever escaped under Klink's watch, and this helped assuage his taking further actions against Klink. Burkhalter affected to live a Spartan existence like a good German officer, but in reality he loved the good life, even in war. He was scared to death of Mrs. Burkhalter, testifying to this several times during the series and after Hogan managed to get a few photos of the general with very attractive women. As the series progressed, he suspected Hogan's greater role at Stalag 13; however, in the end, Burkhalter, like the others, came to depend upon Hogan to get them out of trouble with the High Command when one scheme or the other ran off the tracks. Burkhalter is promoted from colonel to general by the High Command between the first and second episodes. His rank is equivalent to being at least a two-star general in the American forces.

• Major Wolfgang Hochstetter (Howard Caine) of the Gestapo. Hochstetter is an ardent Nazi who never understands why Hogan is often allowed to barge into Klink's office at will. Hochstetter frequently demands of Klink "Who is this man?" or "What is this man doing here?!" with increasing stridency. Klink is justifiably afraid of him, but Burkhalter, who despised Hochstetter just as Klink did, was certainly not. In "War Takes a Holiday," Hogan tricks Hochstetter into lending his car to several underground leaders (presented by Hogan as potential captains of industry), who use it to escape just as Hochstetter's superiors arrive. Howard Caine played several other German officers in the show before becoming Major Hochstetter. Throughout the series, the rank insignia on Hochstetter's collar is that of a Standartenführer which translates to Oberst (colonel) in the Wehrmacht—a Major in the SS would be a Sturmbannführer.

• Colonel Rodney Crittendon (Bernard Fox), DSO, CBE, MC and Bar, DFC, AFC an RAF Group Captain. Crittendon is a British officer who crosses paths several times with Hogan and his crew. Crittendon believes that a POW's only focus should be escape. When first transferred to Stalag 13 from Stalag 18, Hogan poses a hypothetical question to Crittenden asking what he would do if he were aware the POWs were engaged in spying and sabotage. Crittenden replies that he would report them to the German authorities, thus preventing himself from being included in the official mission of the Stalag 13 POWs. In an early episode, Klink has him transferred from another camp because he is senior to Hogan, putting him in charge of the POWs. Crittendon was also known for developing and attempting to execute various forms of prison camp escapes that never worked, and for coming up with the secret "Crittendon Plan", which turned out to consist of planting geraniums along the sides of runways to cheer up returning British pilots. The rank "colonel" is inaccurate since, although the pay grades are equivalent, a group captain is never addressed as "colonel".

• Marya (Nita Talbot) is a spy who works occasionally with Hogan, but whom he doesn't entirely trust. She often appears as the trusted paramour of some high-ranking German officer or scientist. She, Hogan, and LeBeau met in Paris during the second season A Tiger Hunt In Paris, Parts 1 and 2 where she learns of his Stalag 13 activities. Her mission is to either discredit or destroy her paramours, as she notes that ...Hitler can't be expected to kill all of his generals... Her schemes often come into conflict with Hogan's plans, but she nevertheless always proves faithful to the Allied cause. She is described as a "White Russian", but it is unclear whether this refers to her possible ethnicity as a Belarusian or her possible political allegiance to the Russian anti-communist White Movement. She is constantly flirting with Hogan, to his discomfort, and also flirts with LeBeau, who believes her to be an innocent, decent woman who won't sell out the Heroes. Her trademark line, said with an exaggerated Russian accent, is "Hogan, Dah-link".

• Tiger (Arlene Martel), is a beautiful female French Underground contact, who has a running romance with Hogan. Hogan has noted that Tiger has saved his life at least once. Hogan describes Tiger as 'the' leader of the French Underground. He has freed her from the Gestapo twice: once on the way to Berlin via train, and once springing her from Gestapo headquarters in Paris, France.

• Captain Fritz Gruber (Dick Wilson) is Klink's deputy. He is in charge of the camp when Klink is not available or on vacation. In one episode he even became the "Kommandant", when Burkhalter put him in charge of the camp instead of Klink. To ensure Klink is reinstated as Kommandant, Hogan orders three prisoners to escape and hide from Gruber's search parties. Gruber is unable to recapture them so Burkhalter turns to Klink to recapture the prisoners, which he does with the help of Hogan. General Burkhalter sees that he had made a mistake and gives Klink his old job back, and Gruber remains deputy.

• Corporal Karl Langenscheidt (John Cedar), one of Shultz's guards. Langenscheidt often informs the distraught Colonel Klink when an important guest arrives, much to Klink's displeasure. Langenscheidt often arrives at the worst of times. In one episode Langenscheidt gets involved in one of Hogan's schemes to forge a priceless painting which General Burkhalter intends to give to Hermann Göring. Klink sends Schultz and Langenscheidt to keep Hogan from escaping while they are in Paris.

• Frau Gertrude (Burkhalter) Linkmeyer (Kathleen Freeman) is General Burkhalter's sister. She is usually in a one-sided relationship with Klink (who is scared to death of her), but Hogan manages to split the two one way or another. A running gag in several episodes with her is that Klink can run away with her M.I.A. husband Otto (in one episode Hogan commented "You two can start a club"); another running gag is Klink threatening to have Hogan shot for even suggesting Klink will marry Linkmeyer. She only appears in episodes with General Burkhalter.

• Maurice Dubay (Felice Orlandi), is a French Underground contact who appeared in several episodes. (Orlandi's real-life wife, Alice Ghostley, appeared in two episodes, one time assuming the role of Frau Linkmeyer.)

Pilot episode

The pilot episode, "The Informer", was produced in black-and-white. As with many pilot episodes, there are several differences from the series proper, such as Burkhalter being introduced as a colonel, instead of a general. There were many changes to Larry Hovis's character of Carter. In the pilot, he was credited as a guest star and is shown as a lieutenant, rather than a sergeant. "Lt. Carter" had recently escaped from another camp and at the end of the episode, is en route to England.

Leonid Kinskey appeared in the pilot episode as Vladimir Minsk, a Soviet POW who specializes in tailoring. Kinskey ultimately turned down his contract, contending that the subject matter was being treated too lightly.

In the pilot, Klink's secretary is actually part of Hogan's team and had access to the tunnels. In the series, she is merely willing to look the other way in exchange for a kiss from Hogan or some other form of affectionate gesture. Eventually, during the series' run, it is implied that she and Hogan have a running romance, especially when she hints at getting a diamond engagement ring in exchange for her help.

Theme music

The theme music for Hogan's Heroes was composed by Jerry Fielding, the drums being played by Bob Crane. The title of the theme music is "March" or "Hogan's Heroes March." There are lyrics to the title music. While they were never sung in the show, they were performed on an album titled "Hogan's Heroes Sing The Best of World War II". On the album, the performed lyrics are as follows:

Heroes, heroes, husky men of war,

Sons of all the heroes, of the war before.
We're all heroes up to our ear o's,
You ask the questions,
We make suggestions,
That's what we're heroes for.

All good heroes love a nifty fight,
Open up the bomb bays, brighten up the night.
We earn laurels solving your quarrels,
You throw the roses,
We punch the noses,
That's what we're heroes for.

What's a hero do?
We're never gonna tell ya
Cause we wish we knew.
That's why we heroes are so few.
We've got a slogan,
From Colonel Hogan,
And Colonel Hogan's a hero too.

Never flinch, boys, never be afraid,
Heroes are not born, boys, heroes all are made.
Ask not why, boys, never say die, boys,

Answer the call, remember we'll all be heroes forever more.

Note: The lyrics printed in various publications of TV Theme music are slightly different than the performed lyrics.

Series timeline

The exact chronology of the series was never established, but references are made in certain episodes.

• The pilot gives the year as 1942.
• In another episode, Hogan says to Klink, "But you know, sir, you can't believe all the rumors you hear around here. We even heard the Russians won at Stalingrad." The Battle of Stalingrad lasted from July 1942 to February 1943.
• One episode shows Hogan holding up a sign that reads, "Colonel Klink and his magic violin presents: "Great Escapes of 1943."
• The episode "Go Light on the Heavy Water" appears to be set in the period following the bombing of the Norwegian heavy water plant in November 1943.
• One episode is set on the eve of D-Day, 6 June 1944.
• Another episode involves Hogan providing a German with a briefcase equipped with a timebomb intended to kill Hitler, referencing Claus von Stauffenberg's failed assassination plot of 20 July 1944.
• In one case, Hogan makes reference to a kamikaze, whose operations began in mid-to-late 1944.
• Another episode has Kinchloe receiving vital news that "The St. Louis Browns lead the Yankees...", which would be around September, 1944. (That was the only season the Browns would ever win the American League pennant.)
• In the episode "Monkey Business", a sign outside the barracks reads December 13, 1944.
• In the second season episode, "General Swap", Sgt. Kinchloe mentions that the Heroes have been in Stalag 13 for two years.
• In the "rocket gun" episode Klink remarks that the Allied Forces will be "stopped" before they get to Munich which was captured on April 30, 1945.
• In the final episode "Rockets of Romance", Hogan states that he has been a POW for three years.

As with some other war-related series such as M*A*S*H, the program lasted longer than the actual events. While the series ran for six seasons, U.S. direct involvement in the Second World War was less than four years (7 December 1941 - 2 September 1945). The War in Europe ended May 7, 1945.

Under the end credits, a World War I Imperial German Spiked Pickelhaube Helmet has a World War II United States Army Air Force Officers cap hanging on the spike.

Controversies

Although the entire series appears to have taken place during the harsh German winters (with patches of fake snow on the ground, frost on the windows, etc.) many shots show deciduous trees with all of their foliage in the background.

The producers of the 1953 feature film Stalag 17, a World War II prisoner of war film released by Paramount Pictures (which now owns the DVD rights to Hogan's Heroes), unsuccessfully sued Bing Crosby productions for infringement. In his book, My War, Andy Rooney, who was friends with Don Bevan and Ed Trzcinski—the authors of the original Stalag 17 play—relates that "...someone at CBS apparently ripped off their idea and made a television series called Hogan's Heroes of it. The television program had too many similarities in character and plot to be coincidental, and when Don and Ed sued the network they won a huge award."

In 2002, TV Guide named Hogan's Heroes the fifth worst TV show of all time. The listing for Hogan's Heroes in particular accuses the show of trivializing the suffering of real life POWs and the victims of the Holocaust with its comedic take on prison camps in the Third Reich. However, the Luftwaffe, who had jurisdiction over captured enemy aviators and air crews (irrespective of whether they be of their respective nation's army, air force, navy or other service) is generally agreed to have provided noticeably more comfortable and gentlemanly accommodations than the Wehrmacht or SS, stemming from their First War philosophy that aviators were "knights of the air" and to be treated with chivalry.

• For comparison, the same year (2002), TV Guide listed Seinfeld as number one on their list of 50 Best Shows of All Time while Star Trek: The Original Series which, thus far, spawned 5 TV sequels (4 being live action plus the Animated Series) and 11 films, failed to make the "50 Best" list at all.

Comedian Tony Figueroa has offered a possible explanation for the disparate views of the program by modern audiences. He believes that some viewers look badly upon the show because they think it trivializes the atrocities of war or because they have fundamentally misapprehended the setting of the show.

These Hogan's Heroes critics who confuse the POW camps with the concentration/death camps speaks more about the quality of the general public's level of historical awareness than the quality of what William Shatner would call, "Just a TV show!"

Reception

During the original run of the program, Hogan's Heroes was three times nominated for the Emmy for Best Comedy Series. The television academy's faith in the show seems to be generally, if unscientifically, confirmed by some modern viewers. As of 2008, online participants overwhelmingly deemed it a show that "never jumped the shark". Likewise, about 93% of respondents at tv.com rated the show as "good" or better, as of 2008. As with all polls, however, these conclusions may or may not be representative of the general public's views.

Jewish actors

The actors who played the four major German roles—Werner Klemperer (Klink), John Banner (Schultz), Leon Askin (Burkhalter) and Howard Caine (Hochstetter)--were Jewish. Furthermore, Klemperer, Banner, Askin and Robert Clary (LeBeau) were Jews who had fled the Nazis during World War II. Clary says in the recorded commentary on the DVD version of episode "Art for Hogan's Sake" that he spent three years in a concentration camp, that his parents and other family members were killed there, and that he has an identity tattoo from the camp on his arm. Likewise John Banner had been held in a (pre-war) concentration camp and his family was exterminated during the war. Leon Askin was also in a pre-war French internment camp and his parents were killed at Treblinka. Howard Caine (Hochstetter), who was also Jewish (his birth name was Cohen), was American, and Jewish actors Harold Gould and Harold J. Stone played German generals.

As a teenager, Werner Klemperer (Klink) (son of the great conductor Otto Klemperer) fled Hitler's Germany with his family in 1933. During the show's production, he insisted that Hogan always win over his Nazi captors. He defended his playing a Luftwaffe Officer by claiming, "I am an actor. If I can play Richard III, I can play a Nazi." Banner attempted to sum up the paradox of his role by saying, "Who can play Nazis better than us Jews?" Ironically, although Klemperer, Banner, Caine, Gould and Askin play typecast World War II German types, all had actually served in the US Armed Forces during World War II—Banner and Askin in the US Army Air Corps, Caine in the US Navy, Gould with the US Army, and Klemperer in a US Army Entertainment Unit.

German popularity

The show was not broadcast in Germany over German TV until 1992. The original dubbed version was titled Stacheldraht und Fersengeld (Barbed Wire and Turning Tail); it was then re-dubbed and released in 1994 as Ein Käfig voller Helden (A Cage of Heroes), which gained considerable popularity (the show was broadcast over US Armed Forces Network in 1974 for about one week, but the German government strongly requested its removal, which was acted upon by the management of Armed Forces TV).

In the newer German version, the Germans speak in various different accents, which make it funnier to a German audience than Standard German would. It amplifies the contrast between Klink (who portrays the Prussian stereotype but has a Saxony accent) and Schultz (who portrays the Urbayern Bavarian stereotype). Furthermore Klink's choice of vocabulary and memorable quotes add jokes which would not be present in a direct translation of the English language original. Another major change is that Newkirk, who speaks with a British accent in the original, is changed to an exaggerated stutterer in the German version. Yet another character change is Schultz's first name, which is Hans in the English version, is changed to Georg. Apart from that there are numerous deviations from the original plot, introducing elements which were not present in the original. Amongst other things it introduces a new character, Kalinke, who is Klink's cleaning lady and permanent mistress. She is referred to, but never seen. Klink describes her as performing her cleaning duties in the nude.

Hogan's Heroes in HD

Universal HD broadcasts Hogan's Heroes in High Definition.

DVD releases

CBS Home Entertainment (distributed by Paramount) has released all six seasons of Hogan's Heroes on DVD in Region 1 as full season sets. The series was previously released by Columbia House as individual discs, each with five or six consecutive episodes.

DVD Name	Ep #	Release Date
The Complete First Season	32	March 15, 2005
The Complete Second Season	30	September 27, 2005
The Complete Third Season	30	March 7, 2006
The Complete Fourth Season	26	August 15, 2006
The Complete Fifth Season	26	December 19, 2006
The Sixth & Final Season	24	June 5, 2007
The Complete Series	All	November 10, 2009

In popular culture

In a scene from the film Turistas, a character is seen watching the show on television.

Mad magazine #108 (January 1967) parodied the show as "Hokum's Heroes". An additional one-page parody called "Hochman's Heroes" took the show's premise to the next level by setting it in Buchenwald concentration camp.

In the Batman episode "It's the Way You Play the Game," Colonel Klink appears in one of the show's trademark window cameos as Batman scales the side of a building.

In 1974 the Stalag 13 buildings were used for the notorious concentration camp Nazi exploitation film Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS.

Colonel Klink (voiced by Klemperer himself) appears on The Simpsons in the episode "The Last Temptation of Homer", as a guardian angel who shows Homer what his life would be like without Marge.

The Simpsons episode "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken" features a parody of the song "Kids" from the musical Bye Bye Birdie. One of the lines goes "Adults! You run our lives like you're Col Klink!/Adults! You strut around like your farts don't stink!"

Furthermore, one of the Germans that buy Burns's power plant in The Simpsons episode "Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk" seems to allude to Sergeant Schultz. This is mentioned by the character himself: "The new owners have elected me to speak with you because I am the most non-threatening. Perhaps I remind you of the lovable Sergeant Schultz on Hogan's Heroes."

Colonel Klink and Sergeant Schultz appear in the Robot Chicken episode "Metal Militia", voiced by Seth Green. In a segment that parodies this show, Hulk Hogan and other wrestlers were in the place of Colonel Robert E. Hogan and his inmates as they plan to make their escape at the time when Adolf Hitler pays a visit to Colonel Klink's Stalag 13 camp.

Recess aside from the opening theme that musically resembles Hogan's theme, the general set of the story lines are derivative of Hogan's Heroes. In one episode, The Old Folks Home, when a retiree, Logan, tells T. J. of his past in the war and a small flashback shows that the retiree's past clearly resembles Hogan's Heroes. Logan stands with his group in front of a barracks with the number 13 on it, and the commandant wears a monocle and carries Klink's military crop.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter has been nicknamed "The General" by ESPNs Chris Berman after the General Burkhalter character. Berman will usually say his name followed by something like "Klink! You are an idiot!"

The Family Guy episode Emission Impossible sees character Cleveland Brown muttering Schultz's famous "I SEE NOTHING, NOTHING!" as he sees Stewie exit the body of a robot built to resemble Peter.

The Decepticon Blitzwing in Transformers Animated speaks in a German accent, and the face of his "Icy" persona has one optical sensor shaped like a monocle.

In an episode of "Alf", Brian Tanner and Alf are reviewing Brian's World War II quiz. The question is "Who began World War II?" When told that it wasn't Col. Klink, Alf replies that it must have been Sgt. Schultz, although he "didn't think he had it in him."

In the "Pop Art" episode of "Good Eats" concerning homemade popcorn, host Alton Brown is having trouble finding a name for the unpopped pieces. When he calls them 'old maids', an Old Lady appears and hits him with an umbrella. When he calls them 'little orphans' a Charles Dickens style orphan appears and kicks him in the shins. When he hesitatingly calls them 'bad kernels', a monocle wearing actor (actually camera operator Ramon Engle) portraying Col. Klink appears and says "Maybe you need to spend some time in the cooler, Mr Brown!" Alton offers him some popcorn to which he says "Nein!"

In the "Wings over Hooterville" episode of "Green Acres", Lisa tells the locals how she and Mr Douglas met during WWII when he was shot down. During the flashback we see him shot down and as he radios to his commander his situation, his Commander suggests "If the Krauts capture you, demand to be sent to Stalag 13. Ask for a chap named Hogan."

In the "It's Gerald's Way or the Highway" episode of "The Goode Family", Gerald is sure his tough but tender talk and vegetarian stew will be enough to calm down some Nazi Skinheads. His daughter Bliss suggests to be on the safe side "...we should have Hogan's Heroes playing in the backround so they can see the lighter, zanier side of Nazism."

Merchandise

In 1965, Fleer produced a 66 trading card set for the series.

Between 1966 and 1969, Dell Comics produced 9 issues based on the series, all with photo covers.

In 1968, Robert Clary, Richard Dawson, Ivan Dixon, and Larry Hovis cut an LP record, Hogan's Heroes Sing the Best of World War II, which included lyrics for the theme song. The record did not sell well and as a result is today considered a collector's item.

In 1968 MPC (Model Products by Craft Master, Model Products Corp.) released a model jeep in 1/25th scale with spurious markings labeled as "Hogan's Heroes World War II Jeep". In 2003 another model (from the same mold, but with slightly different – though still spurious – decals) was released by AMT/ERTL. It cannot be built as a correct WW2 military jeep, regardless of markings, without body work due to the fact it has a tailgate opening; but it includes alternate parts to build a correct CJ-2A.

See also

• Stalag 17
• The Great Escape
• Stalag XIII-C
• OFLAG XIII-B - real-life officers camp located outside Hammelburg.
• Vinh Moc tunnels
• Auto Focus

External links

• Hogan's Heroes Fan Club
• Hogan's Heroes Wiki
• Hogan's Heroes at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com
• Maps and Drawings of Hogan's Heroes' Stalag 13
• Hogan's Heroes Fan Fiction and Club