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