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
Matinee Theater
General Rabat
Hogan's Heroes
General Burkhalter
Happy Days
Mission: Impossible
Riva
Three's Company
The F.B.I.
Arnold Bebenek
Daniel Boone
Roquelin
The Outer Limits
Shop Superintendent
Switch
Prince Dimitri Marenka
The Monkees
Inspector Rex
Nachbar
The Man Behind the Badge
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Medicopter 117 – Jedes Leben zählt
Francesco Del la Ribiola
Telephone Time
Adventures of Superman
Prime Minister Frederick Vallen
Felony Squad
Studio 57
Honey West
The Count
Lux Video Theatre
Gustave
Lux Video Theatre
Mike Czerny
Lux Video Theatre
Felix Bassenak
Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers
Biff Baker U.S.A.
Reicher
Saints and Sinners
Baron
Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers
General Electric True
It's About Time
Meeting of Minds
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Drobash
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Der schwarze Graf
Amschel Talmeier
Airplane II: The Sequel
Moscow Anchorman
Karl May
Klotz-Sello
The Robe
Abidor
One, Two, Three
Peripetchikoff
Road to Bali
King Ramayana
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
Charles
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?
Colonel Kastorp
Double Trouble
Inspector de Groote
Knock on Wood
Laslo Gromeck
Guns for San Sebastian
Vicar General
Savage Island
Luker
Death Knocks Twice
Peppe Mangano
Secret of the Incas
Anton Marcu
Genesis II
Overseer
Going Ape!
Zebrewski
South Sea Woman
Pierre Marchand
Do Not Disturb
Langsdorf
Assignment: Paris
Franz (uncredited)
Frightmare
Wolfgang
God's Police Patrol
Felix
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
Samir
Blind Justice
Dr. Leupold
Mistress of the World - Part II
Fernando
Spy Chasers
Alex Baxis
A Fine Pair
Chief Wellman
The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz
Oscar
The Caper of the Golden Bulls
Morchek
The Last Blitzkrieg
Sergeant Steiner
Desert Legion
Major Vasil
The Maltese Bippy
Axel Kronstadt
Mistress of the World - Part I
Fernando
The Terror of Doctor Mabuse
Flocke
The Perils of Pauline
Commissar
The World's Greatest Athlete
Dr. Gottlieb
Valley of the Kings
Valentine Arko, Antique Dealer
Black Flamingos - Sie lieben euch zu Tode
Bis dass das Geld euch scheidet…
Anwalt Dr. Plauert
Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls
Thor
Hammersmith Is Out
Dr. Krodt
Ene mene muh – und tot bist du
Always Trouble with the Bed
Luigi Papagallo
Parapsycho: Spectrum of Fear
First Strike
Three Lives
Dr. Stein
China Venture
Wu King
The Veils of Bagdad
Pasha Hammam
OcchioPinocchio
Lo psichiatra
Pension Schöller
Fritz Bernhardi
Rebel Flight to Cuba
General Cordobas
Odd Jobs
Don Carlucci
Der Schinderhannes
Entscheidung
Lajos Morva
Lulu
Medizinalrat Dr. Goll
Lucrezia
Alessandro VI
Die gelbe Nachtigall
Jason
Perahim - die zweite Chance
Deadly Love
Kubanisch rauchen
Waranovsky
Fear of Heights
Vater Gusenleitner
Der Mann im Manne
Ed Keller
Glück auf Raten
Hitler Stole My Ideas
Der Traum des Mr. Borton
Martin Borton
Towarisch
Dimitri Gorotschenko
Verurteilt 1910
Regierungsrat Stukart
Carolina Cannonball
Otto
Die Fernsehsaga – Eine steirische Fernsehgeschichte
alter Adler
The Peter Tchaikovsky Story
Anton Rubinstein
Weit ist der Weg
Luiz
Die Irre von Chaillot
Präsident
Leon Askin - (Über)Leben und Schauspiel. Private Anmerkungen
Himself
Die Bräute
Rutte