Leon Askin
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 18, 1907
- Died
- June 3, 2005 (aged 97)
- Birthplace
- Vienna, Austria
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
Filmography
Ene mene muh – und tot bist du
Movie
Smoking Cuban Style
Movie · as Waranovsky
Black Flamingos - Sie lieben euch zu Tode
Movie
Die Bräute
Movie · as Rutte
Medicopter 117 – Jedes Leben zählt
TV · as Francesco Del la Ribiola · 1 ep
Leon Askin - (Über)Leben und Schauspiel. Private Anmerkungen
Movie · as Himself
Glück auf Raten
Movie
Die Fernsehsaga – Eine steirische Fernsehgeschichte
TV · as alter Adler · 2 eps
Die Fernsehsaga – Eine steirische Fernsehgeschichte
Movie · as alter Adler
Deadly Love
Movie
OcchioPinocchio
Movie · as Lo psichiatra
Fear of Heights
Movie · as Vater Gusenleitner
Hitler Stole My Ideas
Movie
Inspector Rex
TV · as Nachbar · 1 ep
Odd Jobs
Movie · as Don Carlucci
Savage Island
Movie · as Luker
First Strike
Movie
Frightmare
Movie · as Wolfgang
Airplane II: The Sequel
Movie · as Moscow Anchorman
Going Ape!
Movie · as Zebrewski
Three's Company
TV · 1 ep
Meeting of Minds
TV · 4 eps
Parapsycho: Spectrum of Fear
Movie
Die gelbe Nachtigall
Movie · as Jason
Switch
TV · as Prince Dimitri Marenka · 1 ep
Perahim - die zweite Chance
Movie
Verurteilt 1910
Movie · as Regierungsrat Stukart
Happy Days
TV · 1 ep
Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers
TV · 1 ep
Karl May
TV · as Klotz-Sello · 2 eps
Genesis II
Movie · as Overseer
Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls
Movie · as Thor
The World's Greatest Athlete
Movie · as Dr. Gottlieb
Hammersmith Is Out
Movie · as Dr. Krodt
Der schwarze Graf
TV · as Amschel Talmeier · 24 eps
Death Knocks Twice
Movie · as Peppe Mangano
The Maltese Bippy
Movie · as Axel Kronstadt
The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz
Movie · as Oscar
Lucrezia
Movie · as Alessandro VI
God's Police Patrol
Movie · as Felix
A Fine Pair
Movie · as Chief Wellman
Guns for San Sebastian
Movie · as Vicar General
The Caper of the Golden Bulls
Movie · as Morchek
Double Trouble
Movie · as Inspector de Groote
The Perils of Pauline
Movie · as Commissar
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?
Movie · as Colonel Kastorp
It's About Time
TV · 1 ep
Mission: Impossible
TV · as Riva · 1 ep
The Monkees
TV · as Nicolai · 1 ep
Felony Squad
TV · 1 ep
Do Not Disturb
Movie · as Langsdorf
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
Movie · as Samir
The F.B.I.
TV · as Arnold Bebenek · 1 ep
Hogan's Heroes
TV · as General Burkhalter · 64 eps
Honey West
TV · as The Count · 1 ep
Daniel Boone
TV · as Roquelin · 1 ep
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
TV · as Marvin Elom, David X. Machina · 1 ep
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
TV · 1 ep
The Outer Limits
TV · as Shop Superintendent · 1 ep
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
Movie · as Charles
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
Movie · as Flocke
Lulu
Movie · as Medizinalrat Dr. Goll
Saints and Sinners
TV · as Baron · 1 ep
General Electric True
TV · 1 ep
One, Two, Three
Movie · as Peripetchikoff
Blind Justice
Movie · as Dr. Leupold
Always Trouble with the Bed
Movie · as Luigi Papagallo
Towarisch
Movie · as Dimitri Gorotschenko
Bis dass das Geld euch scheidet…
Movie · as Anwalt Dr. Plauert
Weit ist der Weg
Movie · as Luiz
Mistress of the World - Part I
Movie · as Fernando
Pension Schöller
Movie · as Fritz Bernhardi
Der Traum des Mr. Borton
Movie · as Martin Borton
Mistress of the World - Part II
Movie · as Fernando
Entscheidung
Movie · as Lajos Morva
Rebel Flight to Cuba
Movie · as General Cordobas
The Peter Tchaikovsky Story
Movie · as Anton Rubinstein
The Last Blitzkrieg
Movie · as Sergeant Steiner
Die Irre von Chaillot
Movie · as Präsident
Der Mann im Manne
Movie · as Ed Keller
Der Schinderhannes
Movie
Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers
TV · 1 ep
Telephone Time
TV · 2 eps
Carolina Cannonball
Movie · as Otto
Spy Chasers
Movie · as Alex Baxis
The 20th Century Fox Hour
TV · 1 ep
Matinee Theater
TV · as General Rabat · 1 ep
Secret of the Incas
Movie · as Anton Marcu
Knock on Wood
Movie · as Laslo Gromeck
Valley of the Kings
Movie · as Valentine Arko, Antique Dealer
Studio 57
TV · 1 ep
The Robe
Movie · as Abidor
South Sea Woman
Movie · as Pierre Marchand
Desert Legion
Movie · as Major Vasil
The Veils of Bagdad
Movie · as Pasha Hammam
China Venture
Movie · as Wu King
Three Lives
Movie · as Dr. Stein
The Man Behind the Badge
TV · as Leon · 1 ep
Road to Bali
Movie · as King Ramayana
Assignment: Paris
Movie · as Franz (uncredited)
Adventures of Superman
TV · as Prime Minister Frederick Vallen · 2 eps
Biff Baker U.S.A.
TV · as Reicher · 1 ep
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV · as Drobash · 1 ep
Lux Video Theatre
TV · as Gustave, Mike Czerny, Felix Bassenak · 1 ep