The Life of Leon Askin General Burkhalter Hogan's Heroes TV Show

[@freedomforever6718]

A beautiful life worth celebrating. 97 years.

[@peterlee4682]

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!

[@jenningsrozzell7557]

I, too thought it was make-up or he had attended University in Heidelberg. Didn't know it was from the Nazi's...what a total stud muffin. Captured flag rank attitude very well.

[@mikefromwa]

Thank you for giving attention to these amazing people, they all have interesting backstories and lives. Thank you for remembering them.

[@SJR_Media_Group]

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.

[@DiBiasehere]

Truth

[@SJR_Media_Group]

@@DiBiasehere We had some decent TV shows in the 60's and 70's.

[@kendallrivers1119]

​@SJR_Media_Group the best! Hogan's Heroes, Green Acres, I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, The Andy Griffith Show, Dennis the menace, All In The Family, Good Times, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, The Mary Tyler Moore Show etc.

[@SJR_Media_Group]

@@kendallrivers1119 Thanks for comment

[@claudiocorleone7856]

“ Shut up Klink!” …got me all the time laughing!

[@c.johnson1691]

I too love it when Gen. Burkhalter shows up. Between him and Sgt. Schultz, they made that show.

[@BinyominAdler]

@Andrew Phillips no that was Carter to Klink

[@juliebryne2903]

Cant forget klink! They ran a whole underground operation under klinks nose and he never figured it out!😂

[@kurthenze2900]

Fantastic story, fantastic actor. The cast of this show never ceases to amaze me! Wow. 👍

[@margannaful]

Wow, I had no idea he was so accomplished. Thank you for giving us his life story.

[@patrickflohe7427]

Nor did I! I was blown away!

[@hishers251]

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.

[@raymondjackson6069]

After all he went through, he flourished in his humanity adding a rare richness to the human paradigm. R.I.P.

[@pdunc1976]

i always found it amazing how he lived such a long life considering that he carried so much excess weight.RIP sir..

[@ronaldgarrison8478]

He may have lost it in later years.

[@HAL--ov4qu]

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.

[@juliebryne2903]

😂😂i remember that one too and the one where he was standing behind klink at the hotel while klink was badmouthing him to the hotel clerk calling him a"fat tub of lard"!😂😂😂

[@HAL--ov4qu]

@@juliebryne2903 I think it was Carter and he said something like "Oh look! Imagine a big bull elephant coming around the corner!" Shultz was grinning and suddenly turned pale as Burkhalter came around the corner lol.

[@juliebryne2903]

@@HAL--ov4qu the one i remember had klink at a ski lodge and bulkhalter got behind him.klink told the clerk if burkhalter called tell him im out and he said fat men are supposed to be jolly.hes just a nasty old tub of lard!😂

[@chrismaverick9828]

@@juliebryne2903"I haven't laughed like this in years!" Delivered with a smile and all the impending threat of a storm in the North Sea in winter.

[@MikeJBeebe]

That dude's a total legend! To be able to make fun of the people who killed your family has to be the apex of revenge.

[@b42baritone]

The same with Werner Klemperner, John Banner and Robert Clary. All Jewish survivor inside Nazi Germany.

[@sanityassassin8161]

@@b42baritone And Howard Caine as well, primarily as Gestapo Major Hochstetter.

[@dinoalbertini5261]

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!

[@dinoalbertini5261]

​@@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!!!

[@juliebryne2903]

​@@sanityassassin8161howard caine was from Nashville tn!

[@johnskerlec9663]

Wow. What a cool run. God bless you Leon for overcoming the worst to bring joy to the people. This is a fantastic series. Keep them coming. Thank you.

[@hambone5718]

I can think of NO OTHER actor who could have played the part of General Burkhalter better...

[@patrickflohe7427]

He was simply the best.

[@genehollon1472]

Michael, You are correct. His facial expressions w0w !!!!

[@davef.2811]

Such a talented and very adaptable man. Always a favorite on HH for us as kids.

[@bcfairlie1]

What a stellar career. What a great accomplishment. A great actor and a true survivor

[@harrisbobroff9813]

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.

[@heidivert830]

He was great and I think this wonderful learning about everyone from hogans heros

[@turbinexman]

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!!

[@littlecharlie4293]

Especially when he tried to pawn off his sister Gertrude to Klink.....lolol

[@chickey333]

"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..."

[@gj8683]

The writing was so good!

[@chickey333]

@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.

[@genecurrivan2799]

Well done!

[@Edelweiss-hh6tk]

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.

[@mariolibertad9972]

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

[@kdrapertrucker]

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.

[@jayklink851]

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.

[@jayklink851]

Never mind, just found the Robert Clary video :)

[@saagabragi6938]

It was from getting hit with a wrench by a gestapo interrogator.

[@jayklink851]

@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.

[@andrewgnys6285]

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.

[@e.a.corral4713]

Oh.....great he served our country. Lived a long busy life.

[@birage9885]

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.

[@douglasrock9414]

Wow.. Leon. A very talented and courageous hero. Period. He was blessed with long life and to be in his home country for the last decade. Total success. Love him👍🏻

[@kendallrivers1119]

General Burkhalter is one of the greatest and funniest villains in tv history! Major Hochstetter is right there with him. Mr. Askin did an amazing iob. Burkhalter, Klink, Hochstetter, Schultz and Hogan himself made that show what it was.

[@godfreymccammon4531]

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!

[@robinj.9329]

What an incredible life! Thank You for telling us about him!!!!

[@timothyhowie6171]

Why was Hogan's Heroes so successful? Because all the actors were in the real WW2 on site. That's the best background going into that sitcom. God bless them all for their great resilience endurance and sense of humour. Amin

[@jayklink851]

My god man, this is some excellent content! In my opinion, this channel should have WAY more views! Thanks for the content!

[@CoolClassics]

I appreciate that! I love Hogan's Heroes :)

[@chuckkennedy5656]

What a Great Actor and Human Being.

[@silverwood6705]

Great mini in-depth exposé's on a great cast for a truly funny show I enjoyed as a kid...

[@bertram_oredrock]

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.

[@antonfarquar8799]

At the age of 9 in 1916 he sang the eulogy hymn at Emperor Franz Josef von Hapsburg's funeral in Vienna.

[@ZuluLifesaBeech-]

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!

[@antonfarquar8799]

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.

[@72ocutter]

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!

[@1927su]

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!!!

[@CoolClassics]

I Love Hogan's Heroes 😁

[@jons.6216]

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!!

[@thecentralscrutinizer5105]

WoW... 97...and busy the whole time... Fantastic work!!!

[@JohnCran]

Ever since I've turned 61 I have come to the idea that anything over 80 is a good innings. So in his 90's Leon certainly had a very good innings.

[@borisbadinov1300]

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

[@crystalheart9]

This was a great video on Leon Askin. It's always so interesting seeing how many things actors have done during their careers.

[@gaius_enceladus]

I just LOVED him as General Burkhalter! He and Michael Caine (Major Hochstetter) were my favourite characters!

[@miahbeighley7708]

A legand on hogans heroes!! R. I. P. Sir.. I'm sorry for what you went through.. 😢🙏🇺🇸

[@famousvoiceimitator]

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.

[@miahbeighley7708]

I also have season one-4.. gota find 5&6... They lost all the class hollywierd had. Now just a bunch of stuff I don't want my kids to watch.

[@lawrencejohanson5178]

The writers on Hogan's Heroes were amazing.

[@timmytwodogs]

That was really enlightening and enjoyable. Thanks !

[@davidj.7227]

My favoroite Askin HH episode is The Blue Baron Strikes Again. He is so good in all of them.

[@josephclark4999]

Was that the one with Honey Hornberg and the Stuttgart Steppers?

[@davidj.7227]

Yes it is. "Klink it is Saturday night AND THAT'S AN ORDER!!"

[@josephclark4999]

@Cecilly Anne That was funny,

[@CAROLDDISCOVER-2025]

Great episode. And you don't know how many people have tried to tell me he was from Australia 🦘🌏! He played a part very well.

[@superg3962]

Damn I remember him in HH when I was a kid- what a great story!

[@StraightShooter.]

He was really a beloved Actor! He help make Hogan's Heroes a success!

[@fjfjrfjfjr]

Thank you!!

[@dennisswaim8210]

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

[@cababyboomerq6012]

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.

[@petecartwright5211]

Well done. Interesting and compelling subject. The pages that were inside some of these old actors proved you can't judge books by their covers.

[@guysalzmann9302]

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...

[@robinrodriguez480]

Nothing sad at all we all should have such sad lifes😝😝

[@balancedactguy]

General Burkhalter always had a great way of saying "KLINK......you IDIOT!"

[@turbinexman]

Always made me laugh!!

[@balancedactguy]

@@turbinexman Yup! Great show!!

[@carpenterpilot487]

Thats amassing man, man he live a long life wow!

[@genecurrivan2799]

Wonderful actor... Absolutely amazing the guy lived till 97 with such a gut... Good things happen to good people, it would appear

[@nja3224]

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.

[@CoolClassics]

I feel the same way :)

[@knighttuttrupriprock9733]

Good stuff! Thanks

[@borisbadinov1300]

thanx so much for this

[@fizixx]

He was one of my favorite characters on the show, although I liked them all really.

[@berniceoberland7427]

Thanks for this. I'm a Leon fan and I learned a lot. BTW he's in Adventures of Superman (George Reeves) and at least one Fritz Lang movie.

[@chrismaverick9828]

His acting was superb. Intonation, pacing, delivery, and even his facial humor. One has to wonder about the character, after all the times he had to play ball with Hogan's schemes to save his own neck, if he ever figured it all out and kept quiet because it would implicate him to the Nth degree.

[@davidhall8874]

What an awesome guy!!!

[@davidbrawn2828]

I like the way Hogan's Heroes some were Jewish and victims of the Nazis. Who better to make fun of the Nazis.

[@macsdaddy3383]

That's the only way Werner Klemperer (whom I had the opportunity to actually meet in-person once) told directors & producers he would agree to play the role of Col. Klink,..e.g. that the Germans they were all portraying would end up always being laughing stock losers at each episode end.

[@brianjones7660]

Mac's Daddy I believe Robert Clary (LeBeau) was an inmate at Dachau , so he always wore long sleeves to cover his inmate tattoo.....amazing.

[@sdgakatbk]

Listening to interviews with Klemperer and Clary and knowing more about Askin shows how some of the actors in this show were really cool people outside of Hogan's.

[@BobbyAllenBryant]

I think that it was a testimony of each actor’s character because the Nazis traumatized so many people and left horrible scars. To me, this took a lot of courage.

[@respectbossmon]

@@brianjones7660 He was interviewed on the Howie Carr show several years ago. Apparently, the majority of the cast and crew of Hogan's Heroes were survivors of The Holocaust, or had escaped but lost family members. He said most had done the show because it was work, *and* it gave them all a chance to lampoon those who gave them so much pain. At the time he was promoting a 'coffee table' book in which was a collection of photos of the Hogan's Heroes cast and crew during and after The Holocaust.

[@jimmyhuesandthehouserocker1069]

General Burkhalter was always my favorite Hogan character, he was such a good straight man, with his dry sarcastic wit and observations of Klink.

[@ronaldjones5589]

In a word, He was GREAT

[@solbrh8302]

its realy great telling he s history. thaks a lot.

[@ernestpaul2484]

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.

[@jeannehall6546]

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!

[@DMS-pq8]

The Happy Days episode he was on is one of my favorites of the series

[@briansmith8967]

Nice video!

[@JIm-w1b]

Burkhalter with his straight faced dry sarcastic wit, has always been my favorite Hogans character

[@peteyspaletas2023]

Good for me that I have ME TV. I'm thankful.📺❤

[@videoman1970]

Your videos are great!

[@CoolClassics]

I appreciate that!

[@notsosilentmajority1]

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.

[@Farrah300]

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.

[@jamesstipe4275]

My dad loved him in theaters Funny he lived so long at his size

[@richconner6389]

During the pilot of Hogans Heroes he’s referred to as Colonel Burkhalter instead of general.

[@CoolClassics]

Yep they gave him a bump in ranking so that he could boss Klink around more lol

[@macsdaddy3383]

A man's got the right to get himself promoted in the German Army doesn't he?

[@josephclark4999]

@@CoolClassics Great video. Thanks.

[@TitoTimTravels]

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 😎

[@josephclark4999]

@@TitoTimTravels Great show. Watched it last night.

[@garycarpenter2980]

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

[@jetboyblue4478]

Amazing video

[@SLLEPNAD]

He was awesome.

[@stephendavidbailey2743]

Like so many character actors, Askin had more talent than many stars. He was my favorite on Heroes.

[@rubentrevino6288]

wow badass video mate

[@CoolClassics]

Thank You :)

[@josephclark4999]

This guy was funny!!! Too many funny lines to mention.

[@toddburgess8285]

He was also Col. Burkhalter on the pilot episode when it was known as Camp 13.

[@nigelstrangeways7330]

A real man of the world!! RIP

[@vancepomerening4794]

Amazing life! Reminds me of Peter Lorre.

[@general_burkhalter]

*Obviously The Greatest Actor Of All Time*

[@kevinmelecio9488]

He also appears in one of the deleted scene of the movie Young Frankenstein !

[@TWayneD1020]

Another great actor !!

[@charlesforbin6937]

WOW!

[@norms3913]

I love it when klink called burkhalter a fat tub of lard lol

[@josephclark4999]

And Burkhalter would be standing right behind him!!!

[@norms3913]

@@josephclark4999 with a evil look in his eyes lol

[@gregorymccoy6797]

I am happy he had an active career for so long. I hate to hear of good actors who struggle to find work.

[@matksaurbier1050]

It's amazing how Howard Caine and Leon Asken were Jewish or had a Jewish background played German officers. They were both awesome in Hogans Heroes.

[@lesfox2010]

I read somewhere that all Nazis in the show were Jewish actors.

[@turboshaft981]

I was able to see him in many of his television roles , He fit those roles perfectly , Anyone know if he was the one who had that small part at the ending of the moon is blue ?

[@ronaldgarrison8478]

I remember him most for his short appearance on The Outer Limits (The Inheritors, part 1). "As though the Devil had him under his thumb!"

[@edp2260]

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]

Yes, short but well played. Also Ivan Dixon in the same episode, with many more lines.

[@edp2260]

@@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.