The 'Hogan's Heroes' Controversies That Producers Tried To Hide
To many network executives, a sitcom set in a German prisoner-of-war camp sounded like a terrible idea. However, the smash success of Hogan's Heroes proved them all wrong. The antics of Robert Crane and his Allied buddies had audiences in stitches. As upbeat as the show was, the production wasn't exactly problem-free. The delicate subject matter and raging egos caused repeated uproars behind the scenes. For a couple of performers, working on the show felt like living in an actual prison!
1. Missing Sgt. Schultz
Despite being a fan favorite, Sergeant Schultz missed several episodes in season three. That wasn't the plan, either. Actor John Banner arrived drunk on set one day and stumbled into some very real razor wire. Looks like he "knew nothing" about safety!
2. Not so bad after all
Colonel Klink torments both his underlings and prisoners with atrocious violin playing, but actor Werner Klemperer was no slouch. The son of a famed composer, he worked as a concert violinist and Broadway singer in real life.
3. More musical talent
Like Werner, Bob Crane was a talented musician, except he had more chances to show off his chops. Besides playing the drums in a couple episodes, Bob famously played the percussion in the sitcom's theme song.
4. Accent issues
British born comedian Richard Dawson initially auditioned for the lead role of Robert Hogan, except he couldn't pull of a convincing American accent at the time. He overcame that disappointment by landing the part of Newkirk. Years later, he became the original host of Family Feud.
