Leon Askin

Biography

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

Peripetchikoff

One, Two, Three

Parapsycho - Spektrum der Angst

King Ramayana

Road to Bali

Anton Marcu

Secret of the Incas

Colonel Kastorp

What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?

Abidor

The Robe

Langsdorf

Do Not Disturb

Lajos Morva

Entscheidung

Vicar General

La Bataille de San Sebastian

Overseer

Genesis II

Thor

Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls

Laslo Gromeck

Knock on Wood

Wolfgang

Frightmare

Peppe Mangano

Blonde Köder für den Mörder

Pierre Marchand

South Sea Woman

Luker

Savage Island

Otto

Carolina Cannonball

Valentine Arko, Antique Dealer

Valley of the Kings

Lo psichiatra

OcchioPinocchio

Alex Baxis

Spy Chasers

Anwalt Dr. Plauert

Bis dass das Geld euch scheidet…

Major Vasil

Desert Legion

Morchek

The Caper of the Golden Bulls

Fernando

Herrin der Welt - Teil I

Fritz Bernhardi

Pension Schöller

Luiz

Weit ist der Weg

Flocke

Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse

Charles

Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes

General Cordobas

Abschied von den Wolken

alter Adler

Die Fernsehsaga – Eine steirische Fernsehgeschichte

Vater Gusenleitner

Höhenangst

Perahim - die zweite Chance

Dr. Leupold

Unter Ausschluß der Öffentlichkeit

Martin Borton

Der Traum des Mr. Borton

Luigi Papagallo

Immer Ärger mit dem Bett

Oscar

The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz

Fernando

Herrin der Welt - Teil II

Tödliche Liebe

Anton Rubinstein

The Peter Tchaikovsky Story

Waranovsky

Kubanisch rauchen

Regierungsrat Stukart

Verurteilt 1910

First Strike

Moscow Anchorman

Airplane II: The Sequel

Black Flamingos - Sie lieben euch zu Tode

Sergeant Steiner

The Last Blitzkrieg

Medizinalrat Dr. Goll

Lulu

Pasha Hammam

The Veils of Bagdad

Dr. Gottlieb

The World's Greatest Athlete

Dr. Krodt

Hammersmith Is Out

Axel Kronstadt

The Maltese Bippy

Inspector de Groote

Double Trouble

Alessandro VI

Lucrezia

Jason

Die gelbe Nachtigall

Rutte

Die Bräute

Ene mene muh – und tot bist du

Präsident

Die Irre von Chaillot

Felix

Die Funkstreife Gottes

Dimitri Gorotschenko

Towarisch

Glück auf Raten

Samir

John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!

Ed Keller

Der Mann im Manne

Adolf Lanz - Mein Krampf

Der Schinderhannes

Chief Wellman

Ruba al prossimo tuo

Don Carlucci

Odd Jobs

Franz (uncredited)

Assignment: Paris

Zebrewski

Going Ape!

Himself

Leon Askin - (Über)Leben und Schauspiel. Private Anmerkungen

Wu King

China Venture

Commissar

The Perils of Pauline

Dr. Stein

Three Lives