When I watched Hogan's Heroes, I thought the scar on Leon Askin's face was a result of military training (sabre duels, popular in German military training) I was grateful to learn it carried much greater honor. A wonderful actor!
The cast of that show was put together so well and the writing was good too. I remember the episode where Burkhalter caught a prisoner holding Shultzs rifle while he was eating, lol.
Thanks for sharing. Leon led a productive life for 97 years. He was in so many movies and shows it is hard to list them all. He played the Straight Man perfectly on Hogan's Heroes. How he kept a straight face when acting with Col Klink, and Sgt Schultz is beyond me.
How true, & also a Huge, Glorious example of "taking the High Road", being the "Better Man, or Woman", & being able to laugh about what hurts most! Truly awesome dude, & IMHO, one of thee funniest, yet authentic parodies of a Nazi Officer, ever portrayed. Thanks Leon, RIP General!
@@b42baritone, your not even listing the half of it. It's obvious that, in every possible way, the powers that be, did whatever they could to honor the victims, & their friends & families, of the Evil Horrors, committed against the whole of Europe, & indirectly, the entire World, by the Nazis.I think it was the best, most in their face, way of sticking it to the those bass - turds!!!
"You had better get your house in order Klink or the next time you want caviar you won't have to import them... you can catch them yourself... on the Volga..."
@Cecilly Anne "He was always threatening to transfer Klink to the Russian front." The thought of going to the Russian front probably kept a lot of German soldiers in line back then.
Didn't know he got that scar from the SS. Sounds like he had a rough early life and made the best of it. Lived a long life as well. Good for him, always thought he was under rated as general Burkhalter. RIP
I knew that most of the guys who played germans on HH were jews that escaped from the Nazis, but I had no idea that askin's scar was real. I thought it was makeup for his role of Burkhalter.
I'm brand new to the channel, my god is it awesome! Has Cool Classics made any videos on Corporal Louis LeBeau? Like many other characters, he had run ins with the Nazis and spent a few years in a concentration camp.
@Cecilly Anne Oh cool Cecilly, I'll search around online to see if I can find a copy. Characters on the show often poked fun about Clary's height; personally, however, I think growing up in a concentration camp stunted his growth.
I loved the show Hogans Heroes. I used to come home from school in the 90's and every afternoon they would show it. I know they were only re runs but the show had a great effect on me. They would also play shows like M*A*S*H and looney tune cartoons.
Sorry not to have known earlier about him. But thanks for sharing about all of them. My Grandmother lived on the Russian Polish boarder but got to America around 1913. Many family members died at German hands. So glad to hear of those who survived and did so much later.
There are tons and tons of great jokes throughout the series, but one of my top picks was the one where the stalag hosted the ladies tea and Klink comments to the general about "the fat little woman in the red dress has been eating steadily..!" to which he replies "That's my wife!" The nervous babbling Klink does and then the joke Hogan makes about "wouldn't it be funny if she was the impersonator" is comic gold!!
Wow! He had a part in that Monarch's funeral. Part of the eulogy goes that, I think, a priest knocks on the pulpit as if it's Emperor Joseph at the Gates of Hevean. St. Peter calls out who is there? Emperor Joseph rattles off his long exhaulted title. St. Peter replied you are not known here. Emperor Joseph humbled thinks for a moment and knocks again. St. Peter asked who is there? Joseph says a poor and lowly sinner known only to Jesus... St. Peter says you are known by the Lord comeforth into his house!
The tragedy for the Imperial German and Austro - Hungarian Jewish population was that they loved their respective countries. The Imperial Austrian army had Jewish generals who were very patriotic - look at the number of Jewish officers and men who died fighting in the Imperial German army . The misery inflicted on these two empires by the victors post war wrought consequences that were just abysmal. The fact that Askin went back to Austria in retirement says a lot about him as a person. Sadly those consequences are still with us today.
I loved him as General Burkhalter, in "Hogan's Heroes"!! When he told Colonel Klink: "Enough Klink...This Is Not A Social Visit"!! He made me crack up so hard!! Thanks for the laughs!! RIP Leon Askin!!
Loved his character on Hogan's Heroes. It is cool to know more about his life, and I did not realize he was in so many movies, etc, so I will have to pay more attention when watching Classic films and shows.
Wow, what hard lives so many of these actors had before they made it in Hollywood. I always wondered where that scar came from. How sad that he was beaten. I am glad that he did well later in his life. Thank you for sharing.
I remember his character always threatening Col Kline with a stint on the Eastern Front. He played the role so well, and he had a pretty good life too, thanks for another amazing clip.
Nothing sad about living to 97! After Clary (who is still alive as you know) he was the most long-lived of the semi-regular cast. Know there are still some others around like Talbot, Washington...
I can't stop watching Hogan's Heros on the DVD set I have. He was actually called Colonel Burkhalter on the very first Hogan's Heros show. And he was also a guest star on at least one of the Daniel Boone TV series shows too.
I was introduced to Cool Classics today at 9:47 and have spent the last 3 hours picking myself up off the floor. I am 66 years old and like they say, some things do get better with age. It's not me, but the fine old shows I grew up with and the pleasure they have brought me...but more importantly, the great stories of the great people that have supplied the laughter for my 66 years...Cool Classics is badass personified, thank you!
Never knew Leon askin was in so many films and shows. He was also in Young Frankenstein to play a lawyer but never made the final cut. Such great content here. Thanks!
Lol I’m SO ENJOYING watching all these biographies of the Hogans Heroes characters!! So much History!!! Thank You! Hogans Heroes was my favorite show when I was a kid/young adult. Thank you again!!!
One of the many great actors to appear on Hogan's Heros. Versital beyond belief Mr. Askin was right up there with the best. Comedy, adventure crime drama ect... he could and did do it all. I am so glad he escaped the fate of his family. Well done Leon
Robert Clary (Corporal Louis LeBeau) and Leon Askin (General Burkhalter), of the entire cast of “Hogan’s Heroes” really get my respect- what with all the horrors they went through! Truly remarkable men and actors!
alot more depth to this show than people know, thanx for this video because only a handful of my friends and I who are lifelong fans of the show are aware of the depth of the actors who gave us something more than just comedy
Excellent review of Leon Askin's amazing acting career. It's clearly evident you do your research very well. Hogan's heroes is one of my favorite comedy series. Thanks.
Wow, what a interesting video this is. He had a long and successful life and lived to 97! And he had lots and lots of fans. Sweet revenge for the pond scum that murdered his parents but did not get him. Thanks for posting these for all the Hogan’s Heros actors that we all love so much. I loved watching the show the first time around! Now I have them all on DVD and still love watching them.
This man came from an era where actors had character. There was a "fullness" in most of them, mainly from life lessons they had to endure. Completely unlike what we have today for the most part. The current ones think they are "stars", they have no idea what "stars" really are.
The best HH episodes are with him and Hochstetter. Brilliant show all the way around, actors, characters, writers, etc. My TiVo records every episode and HH is the show I watch just before I go to sleep.
Yeah, he got promoted to general, but later they said he was the general that assigned Klink to the camp... so the continuity off. Not a problem because the show is wonderful ha ha 😎
You have mentioned The Monkees. I would love for you to do a video on each of The Monkees, if you haven't already. They are my favorite. Of course, I didn't see the show the first time around as I wasn't born yet. But when I did see it, I fell in love with it. I have to admit that Davy was my favorite. Okay, about Leon Askin, it's so amazing what he had to overcome to get the success he got. Rest in peace.
Once General Burkhalter said.... "A lot of high level talking" (then he looks at Klink) "with a lot of low level thinking" Klink then looks all flustered. Too funny. A so well delivered line by the General. Being overweight, he resembled Hermann Göring,
It was funny to watch Klink try and be on his best behavior when Burkhalter showed up. But I had to also respect Burkhalter because there were a couple of times he stood up to Major Hochstetter when everyone else feared him.
Yes, he was a talented actor and was perfect as General Burkhalter on Hogan's Heroes but there was a lot more to his life. What is really interesting is his life before he came to the US. Getting that scar from the SS, losing his employment simply because he was Jewish, living in France and serving in the US military, make those parts of his life extremely interesting.
I simply loved this show and at the time I didn't know that 3 of characters were originally were from Europe. I knew that 1 character was from England and the other one from France but it still was a great show. He was a great actor and very funny and I just loved his accent
And a fine actor Leon Askin was! It takes true acting to play a part so well to play a part of what destroyed his family! I admire him and I hope he is reunited with his family in God's kingdom!! As well as John Banner and Werner Kemperer!
It's funny when you listen to the way they say his name on the show from time to time! Sometimes it's "Burkhalter" and other times it will be "Bulkharter"!
The best Klink-Burkhalter scene was when Klink was on vacation at a ski lodge. Upon being informed that a Gen. Burkhalter was looking for him, he started in with some rather unflattering descriptions of the General, including referring to him as a "nasty old tub of lard", unaware that the general was standing right behind him with an evil grin, ready to pounce. XD XD XD XD
I cannot possibly imagine the pain and suffering that Leon Askin had to endure while being beaten unmercifully just because of his Jewish ancestry. Knowing that his family died in Treblinka would only add insult to injury. Maybe playing the role of General Burkhalter was in some way therapeutic for him. I also loved him in that role, especially when he would yell out "KLINK!!!!!!" as loud as he could. Leon Askin also appeared on an episode of Honey West with the late Anne Francis. He played a criminal. Thanks for posting this great video.
Wow, aged 97! He was a big guy which usually means heart disease, diabetes, cancer, but not him. Maybe he did what he loved to do all his life, and that's why he lived so long.
He was also in an episode of The Outer Limits. He was the manager of a specialty steel fabrication company. It was a strait part, not comedic. I did recognize him, and appreciated his acting in the part.
@@ronaldgarrison8478 Ivan Dixon was also in the Outer Limits first season episode "The Human Factor' with Sally Kellerman and Gary Merrill. What a great era for character actors! They were all so good.
