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.
Filmography · 87
Hogan's Heroes
1965 · Burkhalter
Mission: Impossible
1966 · Riva
Matinee Theater
1955 · General Rabat
Happy Days
1974
Daniel Boone
1964 · Roquelin
Inspector Rex
1994 · Nachbar
Three's Company
1977
The F.B.I.
1965 · Arnold Bebenek
The Outer Limits
1963 · Shop Superintendent
Adventures of Superman
1952 · Prime Minister Frederi...
Telephone Time
1956
The Monkees
1966 · Nicolai
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1964 · Marvin Elom
Switch
1975 · Prince Dimitri Marenka
Honey West
1965 · The Count
Studio 57
1954
The 20th Century Fox Hour
1955
Felony Squad
1966
Medicopter 117 – Jedes Leben zählt
1998 · Francesco Del la Ribio...
Airplane II: The Sequel
1982 · Moscow Anchorman
The Man Behind the Badge
1953 · Leon
Biff Baker U.S.A.
1952 · Reicher
It's About Time
1966
Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers
1956
Saints and Sinners
1962 · Baron
Fear of Heights
1994 · Vater Gusenleitner
One, Two, Three
1961 · Peripetchikoff
General Electric True
1962
The Robe
1953 · Abidor
Secret of the Incas
1954 · Anton Marcu
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?
1966 · Colonel Kastorp
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951 · Drobash
Der schwarze Graf
1970 · Amschel Talmeier
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
1962 · Charles
Meeting of Minds
1977
Die Bräute
1998 · Rutte
Karl May
1974 · Klotz-Sello
Guns for San Sebastian
1967 · Vicar General
Double Trouble
1967 · Inspector de Groote
Road to Bali
1952 · King Ramayana
Valley of the Kings
1954 · Valentine Arko, Antiqu...
Do Not Disturb
1965 · Langsdorf
South Sea Woman
1953 · Pierre Marchand
Going Ape!
1981 · Zebrewski
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
1965 · Samir
Genesis II
1973 · Overseer
Knock on Wood
1954 · Laslo Gromeck
The Veils of Bagdad
1953 · Pasha Hammam
Frightmare
1983 · Wolfgang
The Caper of the Golden Bulls
1967 · Morchek
Assignment: Paris
1952 · Franz (uncredited)
Death Knocks Twice
1969 · Peppe Mangano
A Fine Pair
1968 · Chief Wellman
Hammersmith Is Out
1972 · Dr. Krodt
Odd Jobs
1986 · Don Carlucci
Desert Legion
1953 · Major Vasil
Savage Island
1985 · Luker
The World's Greatest Athlete
1973 · Dr. Gottlieb
The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz
1968 · Oscar
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
1962 · Flocke
Kubanisch rauchen
1999 · Waranovsky
The Last Blitzkrieg
1959 · Sergeant Steiner
The Perils of Pauline
1967 · Commissar
China Venture
1953 · Wu King
Hitler Stole My Ideas
1994
First Strike
1985
Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls
1973 · Thor
Lucrezia
1968 · Alessandro VI
Bis dass das Geld euch scheidet…
1960 · Anwalt Dr. Plauert
Mistress of the World - Part I
1960 · Fernando
The Maltese Bippy
1969 · Axel Kronstadt
Blind Justice
1961 · Dr. Leupold
Mistress of the World - Part II
1960 · Fernando
Carolina Cannonball
1955 · Otto
Parapsycho: Spectrum of Fear
1975
Der Schinderhannes
1958
Lulu
1962 · Medizinalrat Dr. Goll
Always Trouble with the Bed
1961 · Luigi Papagallo
Spy Chasers
1955 · Alex Baxis
Rebel Flight to Cuba
1959 · General Cordobas
Pension Schöller
1960 · Fritz Bernhardi
OcchioPinocchio
1994 · Lo psichiatra
God's Police Patrol
1968 · Felix
Ene mene muh – und tot bist du
2001
The Peter Tchaikovsky Story
1959 · Anton Rubinstein
Weit ist der Weg
1960 · Luiz
Black Flamingos - Sie lieben euch zu Tode
1998