Modern Screen - February 1966

Meet Hogan's Heroes - Bob Crane, Robert Clary, Dick Dawson

pp 42-43, 68-70

by Lou Larkin

Had anyone totd Bob Crane eleven months ago that if he were to star in a TV series about a re- sourceful and conniving group of prisoners of war in a Nazi camp, the show could become a hit, he would have said, "You're right, let's do it." He would have, because that's exactly what he said ten months. ago and he was right. For, at the moment, "Hogan" Crane and his scheming "heroes" are without a doubt the smash TV success of the year. Some of the reasons for this "instant hit" became remarkably evident recently when MODERN SCREEN did a three day stretch with Crane and the heroes In "Stalag 13," a barbed wire set at Desilu Studios, Hollywood. Getting to know Bob Crane, for example, is easy. "There are really only two important things in my life," said Crane, "my family and my work-and I work for my family. Fame, success, popularity, money and all those goodies are great as long as you can share them with those you love and those who love you. The unhap., piest man in the world is the quote, star, unquote, who at the end of the day must return to a lonely house. (Continued on page 68)

an~e1se it is perhaps this inordi- natelyconscientious attention to detail atidsense of obligation to the viewer that h~)uttheshQw on top.
. But despite his hard yearning for fame, Crane believes most of his success so far has been due to the "breaks" and not any ego-fed notion of great talent.
Crane's first big chance at star movie billing ended in failure after he was tested for a choice role in Warner's Never Too Late. The part went to Jim Hutton. It was a bitter disappointment Ior Bob and, "he was never so down."
The money end of the business ~eans .little to Crane. Once, a few years back, he ,vas offered $750 a week to carry a ra- dio show in Boston. "Where do I go from there?" Crane wanted to know.
'~sn't that enough?" responded the sur- prlsed bidder.
"Not if it's a dead end, it isn't," Crane said, and turned the job down-though it was more than twice the money he was
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timlniiKmga UJ.e e. Yet, in order to take the lead in Hogan's Heroes, Crane chucked an incredibly lu- crative salary of $75,000 a year to gamble on the success of the POW series.
'(If that series failed," said Bernie Fine, "Bob would have been a has-been before he ever was, and he knew it."
In a town that understands only money, power and success, Crane's gamble was considered incredible, yet he was deter- mined to follow his instincts.
Today, as star of a hit TV show, Crane is one of the most talked about and writ- ten about actors in town.
.Those who work with Crane are unani- mous in their praise of him, as an actor and as a man.
'~e knows exactly what he wants,"says

Last Modified : Fri 16 May 2008 10:07 AM