Sergeant Schultz's (John Banner) TRUE Thoughts on Hogan's Heroes Show Revealed!

[@Irisheddy]

I love the show. Sergeant Schultz was easily the most likable character.

[@peterpresutti4064]

He probably my favorite to

[@misterwhitman4368]

When I was a little boy and I would play Army with my pals, I would always want to play the German Soldier. On the T.V. show "COMBAT"The Germans looked great in those snappy uniforms, and somehow would always manage to find a farm house occupied with a beautiful young French girl and the last bottle of wine for about ten miles!

[@grantw.whitwam9948]

His role in the show was someone who was forced into the war as most people were, he was just hoping it would end.

[@kendallrivers1119]

All of them were likable but Schultz, Hogan, Klink, Burkhalter and Major Hochstetter were the best and funniest characters for sure!

[@mybingobrain]

Don't you remember "36 Hours", from 1964 where John Banner plays a similar character, Ernst, a German soldier who switches sides for money and aids Eva Marie Saint and James Garner's escape from Nazi Germany over the Alps to Switzerland? He was Schulz before there was a Schulz. Great movie. Check it out!

[@CR-zh8xj]

Sgt. Schultz was an amazing character. The gentle giant of the camp, not wishing to see anyone get hurt ... on either side. I feel he portrayed the enlisted man's view of work at the camp. He showed pride for the fatherland, he was a good soldier and followed orders, yet he didn't mind laughing when some silly rule got broken ... especially if it affected the Kommandant. He believed in laughing, not pointing and laughing. A truly good man.

[@DDD653]

he actually reminds me about sgt. garcia in the old Zorro series from 1957, because both men were heavy men

[@davidholbrook7579]

Very well said an astute observation. I concur.

[@mybingobrain]

Don't you remember "36 Hours", from 1964 where John Banner plays a similar character, Ernst, a German soldier who switches sides for money to aid Eva Marie Saint and James Garner escape Nazi Germany over the Alps to Switzerland? He was Schulz before there was a Schulz. Great movie. Check it out!

[@michaelwier1222]

Not all Germans were Nazis, not all Nazis were German. John Banner played a good German. Thanks for the video

[@jeffreymcfadden9403]

all German officers were expected/required to join the NAZI party.

[@robinlillian9471]

Jeffrey McFadden: Being forced to officially join the NAZI party did NOT make you BE a NAZI. At the start, German people often did it, so they wouldn't be under suspicion. I know of a specific case of people who joined and then RISKED THEIR LIVES to save Jews and get them out of the country. The character of Schultz obviously did not want to be a soldier.

[@howardlovecraft750]

Well said guy.

[@alainarchambault2331]

@@jeffreymcfadden9403 There's the Wiermach and then the SS. Schultz was just a retread from WW1, and all he wanted was just to survive the war. So he played both sides.

[@OUigot]

"A lot" of Germans weren't Nazi's. But, a lot of them were soldiers doing what they were ordered to do, just like American soldiers did what they were ordered to do when they invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, Korea, Vietnam, etc.

[@paulstan9828]

I always looked at Sargent Schultz as a kind old uncle who was a victim of circumstances just trying to make the best out of a bad situation, survive and do the right thing. I also believe what some cast members said, “ Here was a chance to make fun of an evil regime.”

[@earthnatureanimalslove]

I agree with you!

[@badad0166]

" Go along to get along and keep your head down. I am here by fate, not by choice. I just want to go home." -that is what I feel he was representing. We all understood his plight instantly and hoped for his survival. The hapless "I'm just doing my job" character garners our sympathy because we all know we would probably "fall in line" just to get through...

[@mybingobrain]

Don't you remember "36 Hours", from 1964 where John Banner plays a similar character, Ernst, a German soldier who switches sides for money to aid Eva Marie Saint and James Garner escape Nazi Germany over the Alps to Switzerland? He was Schulz before there was a Schulz. Great movie. Check it out!

[@paulstan9828]

mybingobrain I saw that one it was a good movie. I was shocked to see Schultz. Ha!!

[@themoelandershow2636]

@@badad0166 He even said in a season 1 episode to Hogan: "If you'll ever escape for real, please take me with you."

[@garywebb7481]

The older I get the more I realize Sergeant Shultz was a genius

[@jimbosc]

Ice box cookies?????

[@foreverlifegolf]

I say that all the time...a Disciple of Socrates... He seen everything in the camp !! Knew to keep his mouth shut😁

[@marccondon4136]

just wanted to go home and resume operating the Shotzi Toy Company.

[@rsrt6910]

According to cannon, before and after the war, Sergeant Shultz was a highly successful businessman and owner of a toy factory.

[@marccondon4136]

@@rsrt6910 Schotzi Toy Company

[@robynsmith3276]

I'll never forget something my father told me. He was a soldier in the Second World War, and lost his eyesight at age 19. And when I was little I asked him if he was angry at the Germans. He told me The person who set off the mortar shell that blinded him, was probably someone just like him, not wanting to hurt anyone but just serving their country. My dad never felt anger toward that guy. Schultz is that guy...doing service for his country, but not wanting to hurt anyone. 💖 just like my dad who is the sweetest guy in the world!😊 Thank you again for this video!

[@rexrabbiteer]

Thank you for you're fathers service. he sounds like a great and wise man

[@BillMorganChannel]

I was friends with a Captain of an LST (transport ship). His name was Walter Riter we had lunch once a week and he told me about WW2. He said they would move Japanese prisoners and was very strict to his crew to "Don't hurt those fellows! They are serving their country just like you are serving yours!" What a great man.

[@tomryugo5742]

NPR Story Corp had a story by a World War II veteran who was on patrol after D-Day. He heard a sound and spotted a German soldier. He yelled at the German to drop his gun but the German started to raise his rifle, leaving him no choice but to fire. The German fell dead. The American turned him over and discovered the German soldier was barely more than a boy - maybe 18-20 - with blonde hair and blue eyes and looked like an angel from a stained glass window. The next night, he saw the German in his dreams. And the next night. And every night. The sight of that young German lying dead haunted him for the rest of his life and he was nearly 90 when he told his story.

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

My father was a World War II veteran as well. My mother was a nurse during World War II in London. She was trapped in bomb shelters by direct hits twice. She lost her hearing in her right ear and part of her hearing in her left ear as a result. Neither of my parents had any animus towards the German people as a whole. They had some rather rude comments about it at off Hitler and some Nazis. Our father being six armored he was at the liberation of buchenwald. I know that scarred him because it was one of the few things that he never spoke about. I found out about the liberation of buchenwald to my readings on World War II. I asked him about it and he answered me and never did I or he discuss or mention buchenwald again. I can tell you this he was horrified and angry at the people that were running the camp and that were involved in the Holocaust. But the average German Soldier and civilian he didn't have any problems with. Even the SS the only thing dad would say about them as those bastards could fight and they were fanatics. But he said that in a respectful way not in a hateful way. we lived in Germany in the 60s and my parents totally enjoyed being there and the people. I have only fond memories of living in Germany. I can understand your dad's perspective I respect his point of view and I agree with it. I also I'm grateful for men like your father and mine you sacrifice so much for the world I live in today.

[@allanrichardson1468]

John Rodrigues Did you by any chance use the dictation feature on your iPhone? “Rather rude comments about it at off Hitler and some Nazis.” It seems like “Adolf Hitler” was spelled phonetically as “at off Hitler,” and it doesn’t look like something auto correct would do. Interesting! As for the comment itself, I totally agree! Even some of the scientists who worked for the Nazis may not have been 100% with the Nazi goals. Wehrner von Braun was more interested in rockets for space travel than in bombing London (and was detained by the Gestapo a couple of days when he was overheard saying so), and historians have questioned whether Werner Heisenberg was using the shortage of heavy water to stall the A-Bomb project (you can’t be sure about Heisenberg anyway: inside physics joke there).

[@naturestudy100]

"Col. Hogan, if you ever do escape, Please take me with you!"

[@MsBackstager]

Just as long as you don't follow what really happened to Bob Crane :(.

[@DDD653]

@@MsBackstager what happend to or with bob crane, was it something tragical, like suicide?

[@MsBackstager]

@@DDD653 While he slept, he was bludgeoned to death by a camera tripod.

[@Kryten428]

naturestudy100 - I think that is my favorite line in the whole series.

[@MatthewPettyST1300]

@@MsBackstager and if I remember his biography, they never caught the killer. It's still unresolved to this day. Didn't this happen not to long after the ending of Hogan's Heroes.

[@larryweller7948]

Sergeant Schultz was revealed in Hogan's Heroes to be owner of the schatzi toy company. And even clink came to him for a possible job after the war

[@TheAtomicLich]

i always love that about him, the toy maker forced to be a guard

[@ommeknakrich1107]

In the German version he was Owner of a Lingerie and ladies underwear Company called Schatullen Krönung !

[@bowlchamps37]

@@ommeknakrich1107 Yes, the episode was just on this week.

[@enricosanchez894]

I seem to recall another episode where he mentioned he was career military, and was a few years away from being able to retire.

[@marilyn6979]

did not know..so. crazy like a fox?

[@synthplayer]

In one episode, we found out that Schultz owned a toy factory before the war. In another, we learned that he had served in WWI and received a medal for saving a Lt. Colonel's life. And, again, in yet another episode, Schultz cried out, "I swear I'm loyal! I'm loyal to ANYONE!" Schultz was a person who was just struggling to survive the insanity of other people's maniacal hatred. As far as criticizing John Banner for taking the role, I think Werner Klemperer said it best when he asked, "Who better to make fun of the WWII era Germans than us Jews?!" P.S. John Banner was in other roles before and after Hogan's Heroes. He was more versatile than you might think.

[@anarchistatheist1917]

The Lt colonel was actually second lieutenant kammler later to become General Kammler.

[@jeffcantrell2497]

The bigger thing on Banner, Klemperer, Askin and Caine... the principle Germans of the show. All Jewish but also all WWII US military veterans. Clary was a in a concentration camp during the war, and his story is heartbreaking. Banner and Klemperer both had to flee Europe before the war. Always found that fascinating about these men.

[@johnmcdavid2307]

Amazing how the U. S. generation that fought and sacrificed everything in that War awarded this Emmy's, but now we're up tight about it!

[@earthnatureanimalslove]

And everyone expects everything handed to them. No one today would likely sacrifice like they did then. Not capable of it. How sad.

[@misterwhitman4368]

I must go to my safe space. . .it is hidden under the Wood stove!

[@oldfogey3272]

John I think were uptight about Hogan heros today because we see our country heading the way Germany went in the 30s! For the youth, they are up tight because they over react to everything deemed offensive!

[@donnicholas7552]

To me, Schultz comes across as a decent good guy. He is the "enemy," but he ignored a lot of what Hogan and his crew were doing. He could've easily ratted them out, but he didn't. I agree with Banner's views on why he played the character.

[@mybingobrain]

Don't you remember "36 Hours", from 1964 where John Banner plays a similar character, Ernst, a German soldier who switches sides for money to aid Eva Marie Saint and James Garner escape Nazi Germany over the Alps to Switzerland? He was Schulz before there was a Schulz. Great movie. Check it out!

[@melissastruxness512]

Schultz was definately a good guy. He never saw anything lol

[@kendallrivers1119]

He was a stooge so he was harmless mostly lol but was on the enemy's side.

[@glenmoss02]

Everybody loves Shultz. I heard (I believe it was during an interview with Werner Klemperer) that Banner lost most of his family in the camps. I'd say to Banner's critics that that fact alone gave him the right to play any role he chose. RIP.

[@kurtb8474]

I think Schultz was more or less forced to serve the Reich like many German soldiers. He could've been shot at even the slightest hint of treason. He just wanted to survive. My mother-in-law is from Germany and she was a toddler during the war. She vaguely remembers the presence of German troops on the streets. An officer even rented one of their rooms in their house. She LOVES Hogan's Heroes! My father-in-law once said that HH makes the Germans look stupid. I said no, it makes the Nazis look stupid. The German civilians were portrayed as normal and often intelligent people.

[@kathyangileri8494]

I loved💚💜💙💛❤👍Loved...Loved...Hogans Heroes💚💜💙💛❤😸⭐😁

[@patriciab3163]

Hi,Thank you for putting this online. Hogan's Heroes is my ALL Time favorite tv show. I watched it when it first came on television. I even bought the entire series on DVD's. IT WAS AND IS THE BEST TV SHOW EVER!!

[@patriciab3163]

I live in ND so (naturally) people up here watch alot of television. :)

[@davefrommaine9822]

People don't realize how brilliant he was. He was pretty funny too when it came to lebeau's cooking! Great video!

[@earthnatureanimalslove]

Always some of my favorite scenes. 😊

[@misterwhitman4368]

The Actor that portrayed Lebeau had been locked up for a while in a concentration camp!

[@deafmusician2]

I thought it was funny how he referred to him as "that little cockroach"...

[@deafmusician2]

@@misterwhitman4368 yup, only survived by his singing and dancing... Amusing the Germans. Sad.

[@ernestinemaloy2820]

@@deafmusician2 except lebau didnt think it was funny when schultz called him cockroach he always gave schultz a dirty look you could tell he hated being called that...

[@jerryhatley5004]

Schultz was loved by his generation of kids the way Curly of the 3 Stooges was loved by that generation of kids.......

[@saraross8396]

Anne Frank famously wrote in her diary, "I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are really good at heart." She was hiding from the Nazis in an attic when she did. John Banner seems to be of a similar mindset. Like Klemperer he served in the U.S. Army during the war. I've often thought that if anyone had a right to make fun of something so terrible it was them. Humor often helps us to recover, so laughing at it may have helped everyone.

[@misterwhitman4368]

Anne Frank walked into a Bakery and asked the woman behind the counter: "How much dose the Challah-cost?"

[@chenrobbins]

Too right. If you are easily triggered, don't ever hang out with folks who were Infantry when they get together in a group, especially if they are drinking. Dark humor reaches a whole new level...

[@jillsmcfarland2001]

A dude wrote all of that.

[@anarchistatheist1917]

Schultz portrayed by John Banner was my favorite character of the show. It's sad that he was the first of the cast to pass. I believe if there was an final episode of the show, Schultz and klink would have been released very soon after surrendering to the allies. Maybe even given some assistance to get back to civilian life with hogan and his men's help.

[@deafmusician2]

I can just imagine the final show, showing Klink the whole setup, all the while Shultz is standing behind trying to look surprised..

[@gregboyington4896]

Schultz would have ended up running his famous toy factory that was taken over for the war effort and Klink would end up working for Schultz, like what was eluded to in the episode when they trick them into thinking the war was over. Hogan would be the there to tell the allies, "we wouldn't have won as quickly without the help of Klink"

[@howardbeck3400]

I always felt that the good Sgt. knew a lot more than he let on. In fact he probably aided the good Colonel behind the scenes.

[@artayers2372]

This is my opinion as well. He looked the other way at a lot of things that went on in the camp.

[@Jared_Wignall]

It’s really interesting to find out what the cast members of these shows thought of their characters, particularly regarding a show like this where some of the cast actually lived through the times the show took place. Very interesting to hear their perspective. Thanks for the video Rick! Keep up the great work!

[@911VideoNews]

Huge fan of John Banner's character!

[@grumpygrumpgrump136]

Sgt. Schultz was my main motivation for watching the show. He was a very lovable character. This world needs a lot more John Banner type people now days for sure.

[@Losttoanyreason]

Love Shultz. He is the everyman ever drafted and forced into a war he doesn't want to be a part of but knowing his life depends on him at least going through the motions. Shultz does just enough to get by. I always enjoy the scene where he asks Hogan to take him with him if he ever escapes. He doesn't like the situation he is in but is just trying to get through it without being executed or sent to the Russian front. He holds no personal animosity towards the prisoners. As he says he doesn't want to take sides, LOL.

[@djolley61]

"I see nothing" seems to be very German. I spoke to a lady in Norway that lived through the war. She saw some prisoners doing work and asked if she could give them water. The German guard said, "I see nothing".

[@jeffadel5719]

John Banner had the greatest facial expressions. I love to watch him when he's in the background, and not actively part of the scene. He's always reacting to what's going on, often in an amusing way.

[@donaldoehl7690]

My father was POW in Germany after being captured in the Battle of the Bulge in 1945 and he found this show to be very funny. He liked how they portrayed the Germans and Gestapo, etc. It was one of his favorite shows during its run. He especially loved Sgt Schultz as all us kids at the time did too.

[@MrTweaver500]

The actor who played Klink, also a Jew, summed it up properly. He said he would only play the role if Klink NEVER won. That cast was amazing! Most of the Germans were Jews, and Le' Beau was really French and had actually been in a Nazi prison camp!!!

[@yuvgotubekidding]

He played Shultz brilliantly. He was aware of many missions and extricated himself when he could. His main objective was to save his own hide. I like the episode where he reveals he was president of a toy company before the war. Think it was the one were they convinced everyone including Hottstettler the war was over.

[@cunni241967]

I loved John banner's portrayal of his character, it was like his way of getting back at the Germans, his character was simply a guy who really had no hate for the prisoners and had no love for the war, he just wanted to finish his time and return home, his character made us all laugh, he was like a giant teddy bear

[@chrisdooley6468]

I always thought Schultz was very very smart. He knew that the First Reich wasn’t going to last and he played both sides to make he survived the ordeal. Plus his biggest fear was always about being sent to the front, so it would be in his best interest to keep things calm and everyone happy at Stalag 13. Idk I enjoyed everyone on the show but John was my favorite I think, followed by LeBeau

[@Wailwulf]

Think you meant Third Reich First Reich: Holy Roman Empire (962-1806) Second Reich: German Empire (1871-1918) Third Reich: NAZI Regime (1933-1945)

[@rustysawyers5109]

Mine was Klink, the eternal brown noser. He played it excellent.

[@AmbienceWorld]

I used to think Schultz was a bit simple with the heart of a child. Until I watched an episode where it was revealed he was actually a very rich man, the owner of a toy factory. As I got older, and read more about history, I realised had Schultz had been a real character, he would have been a officer outranking Klink, because rich people are never enlisted.

[@gheffz]

Schultz's even went on missions with the Heroes ... so he was definitely someone who did not take sides !

[@lauriemclean1131]

Loved the show, and loved the very believable character of Shultz. I did not see him as stupid, but as a nice guy who knew what was going on but would do anything to avoid conflict. He was just a regular guy trying to do his job and go home at the end of the day. I still have fun with his "I see NOTHING! I hear NOTHING! I know NOTHING!" line. It is a classic that people still recognize and love. The show was so well written and is such a beloved classic.

[@MsBackstager]

That's my motto. Schultz had to survive and that's why he saw and heard nothing.

[@okjoe5561]

They mentioned he was in WWI and was drafted again (which was common). Schultz was just putting in his time, he wasn't a Nazi. Klink was in WWI too and was a pilot (an inept one, of course).

[@photone]

Actually, Klink was supposedly an Ace in WW-I and suffered 'Shell Shock'...what we call PTSD today...and he was given commands of a POW camp as it was a more cushy job. Also, there are those who think Klink may have been Nimrod.

[@okjoe5561]

@@photone An ace? I thought there was an episode where they said Klink was a coward as a pilot. I haven't seen it in years, though.

[@anarchistatheist1917]

In the episode 'the rise and fall of sergeant schulz' we find out that schultz served in the first world war in the ardennes with and saved the life of a second lieutenant kammler. Later that second lieutenant would become colonel general Kammler, and award schultz, and treat him well.

[@markpalsgrove902]

My Dad and I watched Hogan's Heroes back in the day, Dad being a world war 2 veteran, we both laughed our asses off and Sgt. Schultz was my pop's favorite! Thanks for the video!

[@wilsoncrunch1330]

Even the Jewish actor that played Colonel Klink had stated that the only way he would play Klink is if he never won and always lost to the prisoners and could play him as inept.

[@misterwhitman4368]

I used to see Werner Klemperer in the 70's in the dining room of Schwab's Drugstore on Sunset Blvd.

[@merlin-ju6fu]

My favorite moment of Hogan Heroes is when Sgt Shultz says to Colonel Hogan " The Russian woman is here. For the first time in my life, I am glad I am me and NOT you. " Also, I have been trying to find a quality cotton shirt that has a picture of Sgt Schultz that has his trademark line. So when something bad happens, I just point to the shirt. :)

[@TheGreatCorruptor]

"I am as loyal a German as anyone in this room!" Sgt Schultz. He was in the prisoners' barraks at the time surrounded by Hogan and company.

[@frankmartinez1015]

John Banner was just acting, and he was funny at it. Banner was the main reason why i watched Hogans Heroes. If his character offends anybody then don’t watch it.

[@earthnatureanimalslove]

Yes, Schultz was a wonderful and loveable character!!! I loved him on the show. He had no ill will I believe. He seemed to almost sympathize with the POWs. I think he did a good thing by portraying a German officer in the manner that he did. Almost poking fun at them , after all it was a comedy right? It shows no ill will on his part (being Jewish).

[@Paladin1873]

Some members of my extended family were caught in the Holocaust. Most, however, managed to escape before the door was slammed shut by the Nazis because my grandfather, who was a naturalized American citizen, helped arrange their emigration. In 1937, he, my grandmother (who was American by birth), and my eight year old father traveled to Germany to make the final arrangements for their escape. The last of them departed in 1938 and just barely managed to do that. They left behind their heritage, their homes, and their livelihoods. Some were embittered by the experience and hated all Germans to the day they died. Others were thankful to eventually come to America where they started over with various degrees of success. A few fought in the war, and some died fighting it. I can't speak for all of them but I can say this much. My Dad and I enjoyed watching Hogan's Heroes. Colonel Klink looked similar to my late grandfather (he died a couple of years before the show first aired). Granddaddy was bald and played the violin, but unlike Kink, he played it well. We considered the show to be a parody of Stalag 17 and The Great Escape, and we never took it seriously, though at times it did touch on serious themes. To think there were no "good Germans" is idiotic. To say the Nazis committed all the atrocities is overly simplistic. Even good Germans at times committed horrific acts or stood by and did nothing while such acts were perpetrated. They were living in a despotic dictatorship controlled by terror, and in that regard they were much like our ally at the time, the Soviet Union. It is hard for modern Americans to comprehend these realities because we've never lived under such terrifying rules. Men like Banner, Klemperer, and Clary understood this much better than most Americans. If they could put these horrors in perspective and give the war an absurdly comic overtone, who are we to complain?

[@cyndidickson4908]

Leon Askin (General Burkhalter) was another who experienced the Nazis first hand. That scar on his cheek was real. It was given to him by a German soldier. Sorry, I don't recall the circumstances.

[@Paladin1873]

@@cyndidickson4908 Yes, he just barely managed to escape the Nazis. As I recall, he was living in another country and showed them this address while visiting Germany or Austria, so they let him go. He soon relocated to the US.

[@moonglow1311]

There was film made in 1953 which starred William Holden titled, 'Stalag 17'. It also had a good German named Sgt. Schulz, who would warn the prisoners of impending doom to occur in the barracks. Btw, the creators of Stalag 17 sued Hogan's Heroes for plagarism in 63., claiming they were in the process of creating a TV series based on the 1953 film. The lawsuit was settled out of court.

[@kurtb8474]

Watch Stalag 17 again. That Schultz, played by veteran actor Sig Ruman, was not a good guy. He was the messenger between the barracks spy and the Kommandant. He was condescending and somewhat cold-hearted towards the prisoners.

[@moonglow1311]

@@kurtb8474 I agree with you to a certain point. Yes, he played the middleman, but he was also a jokester, who shared portions of his personal life while he was in the US (which he was fond of and wanted to return to after the war). He would warn the men to get out of bed and out of the barracks for roll call in the morning. Yes, we can say he played both sides of the coin.

[@missoulamissoula]

Any who has read "The Good Soldier Schweik", by Jaroslav Hasek, one of the great anti-war novels of WWI would immediately realize that the character of Schultz was directly created from Schweik. The "wise fool" is a great archetype.

[@Chris-2-of-3]

Why can't people just leave other people alone?

[@misterwhitman4368]

That is one of the worlds oldest questions!

[@mlneale1959]

I watched a program that pointed out that Hogan's Heroes was a spoof of all the other WWII shows that were on at about the same time. Shows like Combat and 12 O'Clock High took everything serious. Hogan's Heroes poked fun, without trivializing. One of the episodes even has Schultz making the comment, "I have to be on our side, sometimes." None of the regular German officers, or enlisted wanted to fight.

[@gramps6334]

Never took his role as anything but funny. He was more a friend to the prisoners than not. One of my favorite characters.

[@mybingobrain]

Don't you remember "36 Hours", from 1964 where John Banner plays a similar character, Ernst, a German soldier who switches sides for money to aid Eva Marie Saint and James Garner escape Nazi Germany over the Alps to Switzerland? He was Schulz before there was a Schulz. Great movie. Check it out!

[@pldilosa]

I personally think all these questions are so ridiculous and over the top...John Banner was a professional actor who got the part as Sargent Schultz. It was obviously because of his interpretation of the script, and the parts of himself he wanted to project into the character. His comedic timing was impeccable and he did a bloody great job.....end of story.

[@WmHorus]

You have to also remember this was a Luftwaffe Camp run for Air Corps Prisoners. Just as not all Germans were Nazi's, not all soldiers agreed with Govt Policies. Shultz was just trying to make it out alive and not hurt anyone.

[@davidcarroll8735]

Love Hogan’s Heros, thanks for putting this together! Our favorite line: Season 4 Episode 18 where Shultz is the under cover spy Hogan is trying to give false information to and doesn’t remember the code phrase: “The snow flies south before it happens to the birds? Could you, by any chance, mean, "The birds fly south before the first snow"? Doesn't sound right, but it's not bad. It's perfect.”

[@deafmusician2]

Lol...

[@lindachavezw...246]

As I see it, he's an actor...its not him. Its only the character. Thats what acting is...only make believe

[@jameslaw3740]

Finally a intelligent statement , I wish others could see your rationality. Who cares what Brad and whoever he's sleeping with today are doing . Live in the real world people, movie actor are just ordinary people with more money than you , that is all. They put their pants on One leg at a time just like you And they probably would like their privacy just like you. How would you like a idiot shoving a camera in your face or grabbing your children to take pictures of them just so other morons can buy a tabloid paper and learn all about your life whether it be TRUE or not !

[@fouledanchorfarm1192]

@@jameslaw3740 There have been actors that have been attacked for the roles they play. People need to take a step back and think for a minute!!

[@odarn8911]

When I was stationed in the Sunni Triangle in Central Iraq, there wasn't a single TOC (Tactical Operations Center) that did not have his picture on the wall! Underneath it there may be "Our Hero", "Our model", Our role model", "The perfect Sargent", or others. Most of us with three to six stripes were always able to come up with the "I know nothing!" line at some point whenever things got just crazy and after having to put up with some idiot officer who knew everything! John Banner was the quintessential Teddy Bear Sargent. He did such a wonderful job making certain that he spoke for so many of us in his rank and situation. We always knew that there was much more going on and we wanted no part of it. Just let us do our job and protect our troops and maybe, just maybe, we would all get out alive. LOL John was a vital part of the team and it is very possible that the show would not have done nearly as well if he were not there. RIP John and thank you for all that you did in your live and for making ours just that much better.

[@gunnere-5936]

I just enjoyed the show. Thank God I was a teenager then so I didn’t have to listen to people over think and analyze every little thing. How can people live like that. It’s mind boggling and just plain stupid.

[@deaustin4018]

back in the 70s, I and my US army buds watched this. Schultz was the star for us -- live and let live, which is what we wanted to do. One of my bud's father was a WWII German vet. He used to watch the show, shook his head, kept muttering, "never happened, never happened."

[@patsheppard2616]

I heard you commentary about sergeant Schulz. I been watching and enjoying Hogans Hero’s on you tube. What I’ve noticed besides what you mentioned about the sergeant was that as we got past the first few years you see Hogan dragging the sergeant into his adventures in espionage and mayhem in the local area. He always blackmailed him with reason to get his silence. Even Colonel Klink was used by Hogan to complete his underground activity’s against the Gestapo. It was a balancing act that required great finesse and an understanding of human nature. Everything put a lot of pressure on this intrepid group of men. Only as a comedy could it have survived. Even then, if you were a regular viewer, you came to see how Hogans group kept an eye on everything the Germans did. There were times they were tricked or fooled by the enemy but they would think of a plan to overcome the problem and level the playing field for themselves. We all know the real time suffering of a prison camp. They don’t spare you from seeing the men cold and Hungary. They persevered through a lack of warm clothes, never enough heat in the barracks. Never enough food. I will always remember Lebou in the forest at night looking for mushrooms. It was a comedy done with reality all around. I noticed that the Germans who came to the camp could see through Hogans BS. But those in close proximity to Hogan were heavily influenced by him. He preyed on their fears and weaknesses. He could be civil and give bribes to Sergeant Schulz. It could appear friendly but both men were hiding those moments from everyone. Sergeant Schulz wanted to be friends and the war to be over. A life lived looking over your shoulder was doomed. He was told by everyone but Hogan what a poor soldier he was. Once I knew that he use to run the Shotzy Toy Company I knew he was basically a gentle man at heart who loved children. All the little kindnesses that the Americans showed him by giving him food scored because he was rejected as a real soldier by all the Germans. I think he was able to do what was needed in his job. He was too old and he was unfit. But he did learn to command men. Sergeants are important in any army. There were many times when he knew secrets and tried to tell his colonel but was brushed off. He was a loyal German soldier but not respected. He did not want to hurt anyone he knew but he would to protect himself from being transferred. I thought that Hogan pushed him to his limits to see how much he could get away with. The pressure on Sergeant Schulz was bad at times.

[@jons.6216]

I think Schultz was a pretty good example of the human side of the war at the time by his constant lackluster view of what he had to do as a "duty" to his country as opposed to what he would rather be doing! Perfect example of this was the episode where the prisoners staged the "war being over" and he, Hogan and Klink were discussing their plans for the future. (This, BTW even shows more humanity in Klink himself!). Schultz reveals that he owns the Schotzy Toy Company and would go back to that, etc.! One of my favorite moments of Schultz versus the shenanegans of the prisoners was the time Hogan decided they had no time to waste on their latest assignment and someone goes over to the infamous spring loaded bunk entrance to the tunnel and opens it up right in front of a perplexed Sargent Schultz! Funny stuff!😜

[@misterwhitman4368]

I fully agree with the words of John Banner. Germans are not evil and not all Germans were Nazis and not all Nazis behaved or believed the same way. "Hogan's Heros" was a Television show and not REAL life! Schultz was a guy that just wanted to survive and have no trouble. (The only truly EVIL bad guy on Hogan's Hero's was Major Hochstetter (portrayed by the fine Jewish actor Howard Caine. his last name at birth was "Cohen" )the 1940's in Germany was a time when only one political opinion was tolerated (kinda like 2019 ! hahahaha!) but seriously, It is the great fortune of an Actor to step into the personalities of so many characters. If a writer or an Actor can flip something that is ugly and horrific and make it funny, they have momentarily cured the cancer of sadness and doom. When An Actor finds a role that makes him (or her) well known to the public as that character (and the public may confuse what is the character and what is the Actor, as a person) at that point the Actor has (in my opinion ) struck GOLD! (such as the Actor that portrays "Doctor Scuba" in the web series "FUCKED! in Space") other than that. . ."I know NOTHING! I see N O T H I N G!"

[@revrobertgill]

I honestly did like Schultz he was the most funniest character in that show. I honestly believe in my own heart there’s no way hogans heroes what I’ve done so good if it wasn’t for Sergeant Schultz is particularly . John Banner did a great job

[@gl5368]

Yes clocked in and clocked out but more forced to be there. He and Col.Klink both would have left in a second if they could. I also don't understand why the outcry about a Jew playing a Nazi. The Three Stooges did that decades before and people loved it. Great video!

[@BigDaddy_MRI]

Sgt. Schultz was just a man, who owned a toy company, doing his best to get through a horrible bump in the road of life. His character was one of just trying to do the minimum to conform to the mandates and honestly, I think he knew much more than Hogan or Klink ever knew he did. Often he would surprise them both. He was an unsung hero and brilliant person who wanted everyone around him to believe he was not the brightest candle. And it worked. John Banner played this character perfectly. And I don’t see any conflict with his real life beliefs and a role he played in a comedy show. Many people hated this show because in real life, these camps were terrible. Worse than terrible. And many understood it was a comedy, but inappropriate. In the long run, some see comedy for what it is and others do not. RIP John Banner. You did good.

[@brianrebmann5398]

Great video and interesting topic. I think that John Banner had the right idea as playing the whole thing for humor and not taking it seriously

[@roberttelarket4934]

Why can't some people get over the fact HH was a comedy. Further that was a prisoner of war camp not a concentration camp a far far far worse place. A prisoner of war camp was not a holiday but you could survive except for those holding eastern European slavic soldiers. Far more terrible if you were in a Japanese prisoner of war camp! Not all Germans were Nazis. There were many left over communists after 1933 and others who were against the Nazis. Possibly as many as 50% of the population. So don't pass judgment on Schultz.

[@roberttelarket4934]

@Мармеладов ТВ: The producers and studios I'm sure considered this and took a chance. It was over 20 years after the war. So they turned the tables on the Germans as bungling fools.

[@MsBackstager]

HHs reminds me of Mel Brook's (also Jewish) THE PRODUCERS. In order to cope with the tragic war, one makes fun of it.

[@rickloberger7739]

Sgt Schultz was a soldier against his will. He was a toy maker that was drafted into the Army. I don’t believe he had a bad bone in his body. Great series, good job talking about it and bringing back memories.

[@daler.steffy1047]

Your analysis of Sergeant Schultz's role was spot on. Thank you for such an accurate analysis of John Banner's character.

[@mheermance]

It was clear Shultz was playing dumb. He didn't want to participate in the war, and played the bumbling fool, which got him assigned to stalag 13.

[@peejay22]

I love Schultz. One of my favorite characters. I watch back to back episodes nightly. Such a good show. Schultz’s character has a big and tender heart. I saw an interview with Robert Clarey and he stated they the were Jews but they needed the job and the income. All their rolls were wonderful. Thanks for your posts.

[@dazzlerjohnwatchman8215]

Great job, Schultz is a comedy legend and I disagree he was just a simple character. As the owner of the shartzi toy company prior to the war, he was intelligent, educated and responsible. He just played the fool to get through the war unscathed.

[@tinomacchia5410]

To say that John Banner's portrayal of Sgt. Schultz was exceptional would be a gross understatement. I'd compare him to Curly Howard as far as pure comedic perfection!

[@Porsche996driver]

There’s an old saying that applies to SGT Schultz outlook and perspective as he saw everything - “Ignorance is Bliss!” aka “I see Nothing!”

[@roberthuttle]

My mother's family, straight from Germany around 1930. My mom never said one thing sideways about Hogan's Hero's. Was my Dad's favorite show. I think the Germans are just not an overly sensitive people.

[@kennybailey140]

John Banner was absolutely great. Facial expressions are flawless

[@photone]

Schultz was NOT stupid...you don't become owner and CEO of a successful company of any kind by being stupid. He was older, was drafted, and was just, basically, biding his time until the war ended. And he was definitely one of the good guys.

[@darrylmcleman6456]

John Banner played a brewmaster in an old black and white Untouchables video I recently saw on KZbin and he used the "I Know Nothing" line in that show. I think that was a film made long before Hogans Heros !

[@BarnegateBoys]

In one episode, the Shultz character was revealed to be the owner of the biggest toy company in Germany but the Nazi's took his toy factory to make military stuff. He loved children. Shultz was a big kid at heart. He was a loyal German but not a Nazi. He just wanted to serve his time then go back to making toys after the war

[@johnny-becker]

I've always seen at the actors sort of making fun of Hitler. By their characters always "losing" or having a wool put over their eyes, being duped or simply being laughed at is their way of making fun of Hitler and calling that [explicit word] a joke, a nothing, a doormat or creature even a worm would not crawl on.

[@cobra5087]

And in one episode he says to Hogan” if you escape. Will you take me with you”

[@NativelyBornAmerican]

Schultz played the part brilliantly. It was utterly impossible to hate, or even dislike him. He was so cool to the gang, I hated it when he got in trouble. And that he was wealthy as hell as the owner of a toy factory (revealed in an episode) made him all the more awesome.

[@shannonengland5760]

I loved this show, all of the characters were amazing. I don't think MASH could have been possible without this show.

[@1970Dobby]

I Absolutely loved the character of Sgt. Schultz, and I couldn't imagine any other actor portraying that role! "I Know Nothing! I See Nothing!" is a quote I still use, till this day! I own All Six Seasons of "Hogan's Heroes", on DVD! And I can watch certain episodes dozens of times, and still laugh my butt off! It's sad the show was cancelled before the possibility of a Grand Ending Finale! And although I'm a Diehard of the show, since I grew up with it, I'm Not Diehard enough to watch Every Episode and make an "Official Count" of exactly how many times, Sgt. Schultz said, "I Know Nothing! I See Nothing!" or any variations close to that quote, throughout All Six Seasons! But there's probably some individuals, that have done so! And incidentally, even though he and his wife had No children of their own, he absolutely loved kids!

[@ronhock7386]

My father was a Sargent in the Army Air Corps in WWII. He was assigned to a U.S. POW camp incarcerating German soldiers in Galveston, Texas. He said that virtually all the German POWs were just conscripts, not Nazis.

[@diannaskare7829]

To this old lady, from a child to now, Sargeant Shultz seemed to be someone who liked to enjoy life when possible, but mostly it seemed he was just another German Citizen trying to survive in a country that had gone mad! He was a gentle soul that was trying to do well for his Nation while not having to be in action, lose his position, having to harm anyone, or to be harmed BY anyone! lol He was my favorite growing up... he made me laugh "Colonel Hooogaaaan!!!"! lol

[@diosoth]

Schultz knew full well that Hogan was running an underground operation but they kept him out of it for his own safety & he was passive enough to not get directly involved. They showed him the bunkbed tunnel entrance & he caught them out & about multiple times. He had a family to support, Hogan respected that, they were content with Schultz turning a blind eye and making things easier for them, rather than recruiting him directly.

[@Bookhermit]

Schultz knew nearly EVERYTHING that was going on. He had been the owner of a large toy manufacturing company before the war. He did whatever he could to help the prisoners that didn't endanger himself too much. The "know nothing" reputation was the best possible armor for most situations he found himself in.

[@kathyangileri8494]

I loved the show and watched every episode!😸❤

[@ChuckJansenII]

John Banner played Sgt Schultz with humanity and humor. From everything I have heard about him he was a beautiful gem of a man. When you speak of Arsenic and Old Lace, my father had a story. When he was in school they did the play but had to change the Elderberry Wine to Grape Juice in the script. The 'Yellow Fever' victims in panama were not a problem but mentioning wine was a problem. Though one of Cary Grant's least favorite films, it is one of my favorites. "Come on Sarge. Who wants to look at that puss. He looks like Boris Karloff!"

[@davidstoyanoff]

Banner was a good actor. He was given a job and he did it very well.

[@UncleAL86]

Sgt Shultz was a truly pure soul. He was a lot smarter than he let on, and I’m sure he knew every little thing that was going on in the camp.

[@tomjohnsson5957]

Also listening to Robert Clary, who dedicated most of his life to Holocaust awareness, he said getting steady job on a sitcom that ran for six seasons was a career win. The cast worked so well but John Banner was probably that loveable in person.

[@Gilbertperdomo]

Shultz owned a prominent toy factory in Germany according to an episode. He was just a good man in a difficult position. Great show!

[@SPG25]

Schultz explained it beautifully in an episode. With his philosophy on life. "People should always be very kind to each other, and not worry about trouble. Because, it never rains, it pours." So even without John Banners thoughts, that's schultz. Love John banner, love schultz. I wish they would've all escaped in the last episode and taken schultz with them. Maybe even klink with a k

[@stormwulf117]

The Nazis took away Schultz's toy factory and then drafted him into the Wermacht. It's obvious he just wanted to stay out of trouble and make it in one piece through the war. In the German dub of the series (titled "Cage Full of Heroes"), the voice for Klink was done in a Prussian aristocratic accent, where Shultz's was more common Bavarian.

[@outoforder1871]

"You think they'll let you have your old job back?" "Why not, I *am* the boss"

[@LoesserOf2Evils]

My father's side of the family is Jewish, so we have a complicated relationship with Germany. But I've visited Germany and I was warmly treated. I hope Germany has outgrown that type of behavior, but I know the news reports otherwise. As for Sgt. Schultz, I like him. I always have. I think he's a nice guy. He's caught up in an awful environment, and he's just trying to survive and still be a nice guy. If Hogan ever escaped back to England, I think it would have been cruel to leave Schultz behind partly because of his being a nice guy but mostly because of what the Nazis would have done to him (and Klink and everyone else in Stalag 13). I like what John Banner said about Schultz and his reasons for playing him. I'm glad he said it.

[@TheNortheastAl]

The 1960s was a different time and place from what we have now. The war was over 29 years before and there was a time for healing. Those like Shultz were accepted for the human being he was. A sympathetic character who probably was like many Germans who did not want to be at war, and even thought Hitler was a madman. My father told me they had German POWs stateside at his base. They would be in the kitchens and the service men would pass them cigarettes from time to time. I’m sure many of them stayed in the US after the war and became citizens. Schultz was a beloved character who helped makes the show successful. John Banner has many fans. It is ironic many of the cast were Jews, and used their characters for whatever personal reasons to get back at the Nazis. I don’t think Hogan's Heroes could be made today.

[@ronaldviens7862]

What a spiritual guy. That spirit was forged under the fire of rampant persecution's traumatizing of the human psyche; and is a notably significant indication of the power an open mind wields when confronted with existential threats and assaults. In some individuals, the influence of that power has demonstrated a multiplying effect upon the healing process to those assaults, akin, to some, to a miracle. That was immediately what came to my mind when he was quoted concerning his ancestry and the role he played. This guy was asked something very personal, at the root of his self-identity, about one of the most horrific events that could befall a single race. His reply reflects an honesty about what sort of people he descends from, and his embrasure of that heritage--and also serves as evidence of a thoughtful, at times psychically brutal self-examination that led to his wonderfully simple psychology of being the person who can accept the "warts and all " of human living that accompany us on our journey to become a better example of human beings. Acceptance is the first step toward anything one intends to accomplish.

[@AR-jx6wr]

Schultz was a good guy.

[@artistjoh]

Hogan's Heroes is unusual in that the best characters in the show were Schultz, Klink, Hochstedder, and Burkhalter. Hogan may have had top billing, but it was the German's who were everyone's favorite and most enjoyed characters.

[@tomryugo5742]

Robert Clary - Louis LeBeau - wasn't just a Jew but a Holocaust survivor. It was thought that he'd lost his entire family to the death camps but he found some lost relatives in the 1970s. Leon Askin - General Burkhalter - was an Austrian Jew who lost his parents to the Holocaust. Werner Klemperer - Colonel Klink - was a German Jew whose father, Otto, was a renowned orchestra conductor. He took the family and fled Germany after Kristallnacht.

[@georgemcmillan9172]

Schultz was always my favorite charachter. In 5th grade, I had a notebook with him on the front. He may have acted stupid, but he knew what was up. To the point, if he needed to escape, Col. Hogan would have gotten him out!

[@nja3224]

Imagine HH without the character Sgt. Schultz. I’m not saying John Banner carried the show, but his character helped make it work. Growing up, I think he was my favorite. Today, he is still my favorite, although there are other characters who come a very close 2nd fav.