Leon Askin
Leon Askin (Born: September 18, 1907, Vienna, Austria-Hungary (now Austria), Height 6ft [1.83m]) was an Austrian-American actor who enjoyed a successful career in both theater and television. He is best known for his portrayal of General Albert Burkhalter in the hit sitcom "Hogan's Heroes," a role he played for six seasons from 1965 to 1971. Born Leo Aschkenasy in Vienna, Austria, in 1907, Askin developed an interest in acting at a young age. He studied at the Max Reinhardt Seminar, a prestigious acting school in Vienna, and began his career on the stage in the early 1930s. With the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany, Askin, a Jew, was forced to flee Austria in 1938. He emigrated to the United States, where he continued to work in theater. He also began appearing in films and television shows, often playing villainous roles due to his imposing stature and commanding presence. Askin's most famous role came in 1965 when he was cast as General Burkhalter in "Hogan's Heroes." The show, which chronicled the exploits of a group of American prisoners of war running a secret operation from a German POW camp, was a huge success, and Askin became a household name. After "Hogan's Heroes" ended in 1971, Askin continued to work steadily in television and film. He appeared in numerous guest roles on popular shows such as "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "The Rockford Files," and "Murder, She Wrote." He also had recurring roles on the soap operas "General Hospital" and "Santa Barbara."
Askin's film credits include such movies as "The Dirty Dozen," "The Night of the Generals," and "The Boys from Brazil." He also continued to work in theater throughout his career, appearing in both Broadway and off-Broadway productions. Askin remained active in acting well into his later years. He published an autobiography, "Quietude and Quest: Protagonists and Antagonists in the Theatre, on and Off Stage as Seen Through the Eyes of Leon Askin," in 1997. He also received numerous awards for his work, including the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art in 1988 and the Silver Cross of Honor in 1994.
Askin died in Vienna in 2005 at the age of 97. He is remembered as one of the most versatile and talented actors of his generation.
Known for
Three's Company
Hogan's Heroes
General Burkhalter
Happy Days
The Outer Limits
Shop Superintendent
Mission: Impossible
Riva
Daniel Boone
Roquelin
Matinee Theater
General Rabat
Switch
Prince Dimitri Marenka
Felony Squad
The F.B.I.
Arnold Bebenek
The 20th Century Fox Hour
The Monkees
Inspector Rex
Nachbar
Adventures of Superman
Prime Minister Frederick Vallen
Telephone Time
Honey West
The Count
Lux Video Theatre
Gustave
Lux Video Theatre
Felix Bassenak
Lux Video Theatre
Mike Czerny
Airplane II: The Sequel
Moscow Anchorman
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Marvin Elom
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
David X. Machina
Die Irre von Chaillot
Präsident
Studio 57
Fear of Heights
Vater Gusenleitner
The Veils of Bagdad
Pasha Hammam
The Robe
Abidor
Going Ape!
Zebrewski
One, Two, Three
Peripetchikoff
Der Schinderhannes
Three Lives
Dr. Stein
The Terror of Doctor Mabuse
Flocke
Knock on Wood
Laslo Gromeck
The Maltese Bippy
Axel Kronstadt
Medicopter 117 – Jedes Leben zählt
Francesco Del la Ribiola
Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls
Thor
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
Charles
Desert Legion
Major Vasil
Die Bräute
Rutte
It's About Time
Die gelbe Nachtigall
Jason
Guns for San Sebastian
Vicar General
Weit ist der Weg
Luiz
Saints and Sinners
Baron
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Drobash
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
The Man Behind the Badge
Entscheidung
Lajos Morva
Road to Bali
King Ramayana
The Perils of Pauline
Commissar
Biff Baker U.S.A.
Reicher
Secret of the Incas
Anton Marcu
Carolina Cannonball
Otto
The Peter Tchaikovsky Story
Anton Rubinstein
Meeting of Minds
General Electric True
Kubanisch rauchen
Waranovsky
Spy Chasers
Alex Baxis
Double Trouble
Inspector de Groote
Do Not Disturb
Langsdorf
Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers
Savage Island
Luker
Lucrezia
Alessandro VI
Assignment: Paris
Franz (uncredited)
Towarisch
Dimitri Gorotschenko
Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers
Genesis II
Overseer
Always Trouble with the Bed
Luigi Papagallo
OcchioPinocchio
Lo psichiatra
First Strike
Der Mann im Manne
Ed Keller
Karl May
Klotz-Sello
Frightmare
Wolfgang
Der schwarze Graf
Amschel Talmeier
Deadly Love
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
Samir
Hammersmith Is Out
Dr. Krodt
The World's Greatest Athlete
Dr. Gottlieb
Ene mene muh – und tot bist du
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?
Colonel Kastorp
Valley of the Kings
Valentine Arko, Antique Dealer
A Fine Pair
Chief Wellman
China Venture
Wu King
Lulu
Medizinalrat Dr. Goll
Pension Schöller
Fritz Bernhardi
The Last Blitzkrieg
Sergeant Steiner
The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz
Oscar
South Sea Woman
Pierre Marchand
Mistress of the World - Part II
Fernando
Parapsycho: Spectrum of Fear
The Caper of the Golden Bulls
Morchek
Death Knocks Twice
Peppe Mangano
Blind Justice
Dr. Leupold
Odd Jobs
Don Carlucci
Mistress of the World - Part I
Fernando
Die Fernsehsaga – Eine steirische Fernsehgeschichte
alter Adler
Rebel Flight to Cuba
General Cordobas
Perahim - die zweite Chance
Glück auf Raten
Hitler Stole My Ideas
God's Police Patrol
Felix
Verurteilt 1910
Regierungsrat Stukart
Bis dass das Geld euch scheidet…
Anwalt Dr. Plauert
Black Flamingos - Sie lieben euch zu Tode
Der Traum des Mr. Borton
Martin Borton
Leon Askin - (Über)Leben und Schauspiel. Private Anmerkungen
Himself