Leon Askin
Actor
Born September 18, 1907 in Vienna, Austria
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.
Filmography
Ene mene muh – und tot bist du
Kubanisch rauchen
Waranovsky
Die Bräute
Rutte
Black Flamingos - Sie lieben euch zu Tode
Medicopter 117 – Jedes Leben zählt
Francesco Del la Ribiola
OcchioPinocchio
Lo psichiatra
Inspector Rex
Nachbar
Fear of Heights
Vater Gusenleitner
Hitler Stole My Ideas
Odd Jobs
Don Carlucci
Savage Island
Luker
First Strike
Frightmare
Wolfgang
Airplane II: The Sequel
Moscow Anchorman
Going Ape!
Zebrewski
Three's Company
Meeting of Minds
Karl May
Klotz-Sello
Switch
Prince Dimitri Marenka
Parapsycho: Spectrum of Fear
Happy Days
Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls
Thor
Genesis II
Overseer
The World's Greatest Athlete
Dr. Gottlieb
Hammersmith Is Out
Dr. Krodt
Der schwarze Graf
Amschel Talmeier
Death Knocks Twice
Peppe Mangano
The Maltese Bippy
Axel Kronstadt
A Fine Pair
Chief Wellman
God's Police Patrol
Felix
Lucrezia
Alessandro VI
The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz
Oscar
The Perils of Pauline
Commissar
The Caper of the Golden Bulls
Morchek
Guns for San Sebastian
Vicar General
Double Trouble
Inspector de Groote
Mission: Impossible
Riva
The Monkees
Nicolai
Felony Squad
It's About Time
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?
Colonel Kastorp
Do Not Disturb
Langsdorf
The F.B.I.
Arnold Bebenek
Hogan's Heroes
Burkhalter
Honey West
The Count
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
Samir
Daniel Boone
Roquelin
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Marvin Elom
The Outer Limits
Shop Superintendent
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
Charles
General Electric True
Saints and Sinners
Baron
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
Flocke
Lulu
Medizinalrat Dr. Goll
One, Two, Three
Peripetchikoff
Blind Justice
Dr. Leupold
Always Trouble with the Bed
Luigi Papagallo
Weit ist der Weg
Luiz
Bis dass das Geld euch scheidet…
Anwalt Dr. Plauert
Pension Schöller
Fritz Bernhardi
Mistress of the World - Part II
Fernando
Mistress of the World - Part I
Fernando
Rebel Flight to Cuba
General Cordobas
The Peter Tchaikovsky Story
Anton Rubinstein
The Last Blitzkrieg
Sergeant Steiner
Der Schinderhannes
Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers
Telephone Time
Matinee Theater
General Rabat
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Spy Chasers
Alex Baxis
Carolina Cannonball
Otto
Studio 57
Valley of the Kings
Valentine Arko, Antique Dealer
Secret of the Incas
Anton Marcu
Knock on Wood
Laslo Gromeck
The Man Behind the Badge
The Veils of Bagdad
Pasha Hammam
The Robe
Abidor
China Venture
Wu King
South Sea Woman
Pierre Marchand
Desert Legion
Major Vasil
Road to Bali
King Ramayana
Biff Baker U.S.A.
Reicher
Adventures of Superman
Prime Minister Frederick Vallen
Assignment: Paris
Franz (uncredited)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Drobash
Immediate Call