Leon Askin

Known for ActingBorn 1907-09-18Died 2005-06-03 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. 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.Read more

Movies & web series

Die Fernsehsaga – Eine steirische Fernsehgeschichte

Immediate Call

Rebel Flight to Cuba

Perahim - die zweite Chance

Die Irre von Chaillot

Meeting of Minds

The Peter Tchaikovsky Story

Die gelbe Nachtigall

Verurteilt 1910

Spy Chasers

Studio 57

Black Flamingos - Sie lieben euch zu Tode

The Outer Limits

Three's Company

Happy Days

China Venture

Biff Baker U.S.A.

Hogan's Heroes

Mission: Impossible

One, Two, Three

Bis dass das Geld euch scheidet…

Pension Schöller

Inspector Rex

Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers

Three Lives

Kubanisch rauchen

Glück auf Raten

Hitler Stole My Ideas

Der Schinderhannes

Honey West

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Der schwarze Graf

Guns for San Sebastian

Daniel Boone

Saints and Sinners

Die Bräute

Switch

The Robe

Lulu

Mistress of the World - Part I

The Veils of Bagdad

Always Trouble with the Bed

The Monkees

Knock on Wood

Lux Video Theatre

Felony Squad

Medicopter 117 – Jedes Leben zählt