Leon Askin

Leon Askin Born September 18 1907 Vienna AustriaHungary now Austria Height 6ft 183m was an AustrianAmerican 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 Hogans 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 Askins most famous role came in 1965 when he was cast as General Burkhalter in Hogans 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 Hogans 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 Askins 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 offBroadway 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