"Hogan's Heroes" (1965) TV series 1965-1971

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Creators:

Bernard Fein
Albert S. Ruddy

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

17 September 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Plot:

The inmates of a German World War II prisoner of war camp conduct an espionage and sabotage campaign right under the noses of their warders.

Plot Keywords:

Sabotage | Prisoner Of War Camp | Prisoner Of War | Pow | Covert Operation

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 10 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. July 12	12:00 PM	TVLAND	Happiness Is a Warm Sergeant	#1.11
Sun. July 12	12:30 PM	TVLAND	The Scientist	#1.12

Cast

Bob Crane	...	Col. Robert E. Hogan (168 episodes, 1965-1971)
Werner Klemperer	...	Col. Wilhelm Klink (168 episodes, 1965-1971)
John Banner	...	Sgt. Hans Georg Schultz / ... (168 episodes, 1965-1971)
Richard Dawson	...	Cpl. Peter Newkirk / ... (168 episodes, 1965-1971)
Larry Hovis	...	Sgt. Andrew Carter / ... (168 episodes, 1965-1971)
Robert Clary	...	Cpl. Louis LeBeau / ... (167 episodes, 1965-1971)
Ivan Dixon	...	Sgt. James 'Kinch' Kinchloe / ... (145 episodes, 1965-1970)

Runtime:

30 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (pilot) | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | New Zealand:G (season 1) | USA:TV-PG | Australia:PG | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Cinema General Studios - 846 N. Cahuenga, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Bing Crosby Productions

Trivia:

The car seen entering the camp in the opening credits and from time to time during the series is a Mercedes model G4 Parade Car. The six-axle vehicle had four wheel drive (6 x 4) and was popular among the German Military elite.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Major Hochstetter's collar insignia is that of a Standatenführer or the U.S. Army equivalent is a full colonel.

Quotes:

Hogan: [the phone rings while Hogan's men are cracking a safe] Answer the phone, tell him it's the wrong number.
Carter: [answers the phone in a mock-German accent] I'm sorry, you've got the wrong number.
[pause]
Carter: So what if you haven't told me who you're calling yet? No matter who you're calling it's still the wrong number because I don't even have a phone!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Revenge of the Creature (#9.1)" (1997)

Clever, Witty and Hilarious

This TV show is set in World War II, and that in itself was a very bold move to base a sitcom in a such a dark period of human history. This show excels for having, for the most part a good and generally non-realised talented cast. The stories are entertaining and have a decent amount of tension yet it most definitely doesn't take itself too seriously.

As a previous comment pointed out this show was one of the first to portray an African-American as an equal to white people which was very bold and positive move for a 1960's show. Star Trek had at the same time given black people and women a status of equality to men when they cast Nichelle Nichols as an African American woman as a main character. So I am very pleased at the fact that the producers took a chance and made this character righfully as an equal.

The theme music is catchy, ok may be slightly annoying but Jerry Fielding did a competent job. I a m not sure who scores the rest of the episodes, it seems they reuse and make music for certain episodes and recycle whenever they can probably due to budget but its edited nicely. You may be able to know that film editor Michael Kahn started his editing career on this show and has edited many of Steven Spielbergs films to the present. This brings up the issue of production quality. Not bad for 1960's standards for a less than 30 minute job, editing is pretty good, music, cinematography is alright. Not fantastic but this the 1960s.

The aforementioned cast are filled with talent. Most notably is the principle cast, Schultz (John Banner), Klink (Werner Klemperer) and Hogan (Bob Crane). This show has had nothing but top notch actors and guest actors. Bob Crane may have dabbled in some undesirable off-camera infamous affairs but he is nevertheless a great actor.

Watch this show if you haven't, some episodes are forgettable, some are great, some are just fantastic.

One of the all time best comedies? I would say most probably so :).