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in: 1928 births, 1978 deaths, Actors,
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Bob Crane

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Robert Edward Crane (July 13, 1928 – June 29, 1978) was an American disc jockey and actor who starred as Colonel Robert Hogan from 1965 to 1971. He was nominated for two Emmy Awards for his work on that show.

Biography[]

Early Life and Childhood[]

Crane was born in Waterbury, Connecticut. He graduated from high school in 1946 after performing as a drummer at school and with dance bands, as well as the Connecticut Symphony Orchestra.

Adulthood and Radio Career[]

In 1949 he married his high school sweetheart, Anne Terzian; they eventually had three children, Deborah Ann, Karen Leslie and Robert David. The following year, 1950, he began his radio career by working for WLEA in Hornell, New York. He next worked for WBIS in Bristol, Connecticut. Crane next moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut to work for WICC, where he would remain until 1956, when he moved to Boston to work with WEEI, before finally moving himself and his family to California to work at KNX in Los Angeles. Once in Los Angeles, his career began to take off, filling his broadcasts with sly wit, his drumming, and such guests as Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra. Crane soon had the number one-rated morning show in the Los Angeles area, and was soon nicknamed "The King of the Los Angeles Airwaves."

Early Acting Career[]

Crane was always interested in acting, and at the age of 33 he started to receive some good breaks as he persued his acting career. He started first by subbing for Johnny Carson on his day time game show, Who Do You Trust?, followed by appearances on The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and General Electric Theater. When Carl Reiner guested on his radio show, he persuaded Reiner to book him a guest shot on The Dick Van Dyke Show. Crane's appearence on the show, where he played a character named "Harry" who tried out for the role of Mark Anthony in a local community play, would lead to him being noticed by Donna Reed. This in turn would lead to him being made a regular on The Donna Reed Show for the 1963 – 1965 seasons.

Hogan's Heroes[]

In 1965, Crane would be offered the part for which he is best known for, Colonel Robert Hogan, the lead role in Hogan's Heroes. The show was an instant rating smash during its first year, landing in the Top Ten. Playing Colonel Hogan, Crane would receive two Emmy Awards nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy Series in 1965 and in 1966. Also, with the series' success, Crane ended his radio career. While working on the show, he would meet and fall in love with his future wife, Sigrid Valdis. After divorcing his first wife of twenty years, Anne Terzian, the two would marry on the show's set. They would later have a son, Scotty (Robert Scott), and adopt a daughter named Anna Marie. The series itself would last for six years, still a rating hit, but a victim of CBS's "rural purge" of summer 1971.

After Hogan's Heroes, Later Life, and Death[]

After the cancellation of Hogan's Heroes Crane would continue his acting career, landing guest roles on such shows as Police Woman, Quincy, M.E. and The Love Boat and starting in a few feature films (Superdad and Gus), and being the lead in the short run sitcom, The Bob Crane Show, but he would not have another breakout role before his life was ended in 1978.

During his time on Hogan's Heroes, Crane met John Henry Carpenter, an electronics expert who was involved in the development of the VCR. Although it is alleged that Carpenter would lure Crane into a life of sexual decadence, parts of which is disputed by Crane's family, it is known that at some point before 1966 that Crane had already developed an interest in pornographic videos. Using Carpenter's equipment, Bob would make films showing himself having sex with numerous women, with Carpenter participating in a few of them. This lifestyle would have a negative effect on his life and career. Finally, one night in 1978, Crane is alleged to have told Carpenter that their friendship was over. The following night, he was found bludgeoned to death with a video camera tripod at the Winfield Place Apartments in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he was involved in a dinner theater production of a play called Beginner's Luck at the Windmill Dinner Theatre.

According to an A&E program on the subject, Crane had finally tired of his libertine lifestyle and wished to resume leading a more normal life. Since this would have meant cutting off his relationship with Carpenter, this decision of Crane's was presumed to be the motive for his murder. Carpenter was considered the leading suspect, but he wasn't arrested for the crime until 1992 - about fourteen years after the murder, because of the large number of suspects, the females who had been taped having sex with Crane, and the husbands of those who were married, that needed to be clear first by the prosecution. Carpenter was finally put on trial in 1994, where the prosecution showed the tapes of Crane and Carpenter having sex with several women, hoping to shock the jury, based on their long association together and motive, into finding Carpenter guilty of the crime. The prosecution's strategy backfired, and Carpenter was acquitted of the murder charge. Carpenter would die in 1998, both maintaining his innocence and his hope that the actual guilty party would be found. The crime is presently unsolved, although the local police have recently presented possible new suspects, with both the murderer and the motive behind it remaining open questions. Myths and Legends on TV Land has "confirmed" that Bob Crane was indeed murdered by John Carpenter.

Crane's life and murder would be made the subject of the 2002 film Auto Focus. His son from his second marriage, Scotty Crane, along with his second wife, Patricia Olsen (Sigrid's real name), both objected to the way Crane was portrayed in the film and took to the media and the internet to present their side of the story.

Crane is presently buried in Westwood Memorial Park on Glendon Avenue in Los Angeles.

A biography on Bob Crane's life is presently being developed.

Filmography[]

Notable TV Guest Appearances[]

  • Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 16 January 2012" 16 January 2012
  • Battleground playing "Himself" in episode: "Friends and Neighbors and People We Know" (episode # 1.73) 25 March 2006
  • Biography playing "Himself" in episode: "Bob Crane: Double Life" 8 February 2000
  • E! True Hollywood Story playing "Himself" in episode: "Bob Crane" 26 January 1998
  • Celebrity Cooks playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 23 June 1978" 23 June 1978
  • The Love Boat playing "Teddy" in episode: "Family Reunion/Too Hot to Handle/Cinderella Story" (episode # 1.13) 7 January 1978
  • Disneyland playing "Pepper" in episode: "Gus" (episode # 24.1) 18 September 1977
  • Dinah! playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 1 September 1971" 1 September 1977
  • The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries playing "Danny Day" in episode: "A Haunting We Will Go" (episode # 1.8) 13 April 1977
  • Quincy, M.E. playing "Dr. Jamison" in episode: "Has Anybody Here Seen Quincy?" (episode # 2.7) 18 March 1977
  • Break the Bank playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 27 January 1977" 27 January 1977
  • Break the Bank playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 26 January 1977" 26 January 1977
  • Break the Bank playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 25 January 1977" 25 January 1977
  • Break the Bank playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 24 January 1977" 24 January 1977
  • Gibbsville playing "Lawyer" in episode: "Trapped" (episode # 1.5) 9 December 1976
  • Spencer's Pilots playing "Cozens" in episode: "The Search" 29 October 1976
  • Break the Bank playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 9 October 1976" 9 October 1976
  • Ellery Queen playing "Jerry Crabtree" in episode: "The Adventure of the Hard-Hearted Huckster" (episode # 1.21) 21 March 1976
  • Joe Forrester playing "Actor" in episode: "The Invaders" (episode # 1.18) 23 February 1976
  • Disneyland playing "Actor" in episode: "The Survival of Sam the Pelican" (episode # 22.15) 22 February 1976
  • Disneyland playing "Charlie McCready" in episode: "Superdad" (episode # 22.14) 15 February 1976
  • You Don't Say! playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode date 18 August 1975" 18 August 1975
  • The Mike Douglas Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 28 July 1975" 28 July 1975
  • You Don't Say! playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode date 14 July 1975" 14 July 1975
  • Celebrity Sweepstakes playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 14 April 1975" 14 April 1975
  • Celebrity Sweepstakes playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 7 March 1975" 7 March 1975
  • Celebrity Sweepstakes playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 6 March 1975" 6 March 1975
  • Celebrity Sweepstakes playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 5 March 1975" 5 March 1975
  • Celebrity Sweepstakes playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 4 March 1975" 4 March 1975
  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 4 March 1975" 4 March 1975
  • Celebrity Sweepstakes playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 3 March 1975" 3 March 1975
  • Police Woman playing "Larry Brooks" in episode: "Requiem for Bored Wives" (episode # 1.10) 29 November 1974
  • Tattletales playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 25 June 1974" 24 June 1974
  • Stand Up and Cheer playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #3.12" (episode # 3.12) 7 January 1974
  • Tenafly playing "Sid Pierce" in episode: "Man Running" (episode # 1.4) 2 January 1974
  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In playing "Himself" (episode # 6.10) 20 November 1972
  • Stand Up and Cheer playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #2.3" (episode # 2.3) 1 October 1972
  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In playing "Himself" (episode # 6.3) 25 September 1972
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 15 May 1972" 15 May 1972
  • The Delphi Bureau playing "Charlie Taggart" in episode: "The Pilot" (episode # 1.0) 6 March 1972
  • Stand Up and Cheer playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #1.16 (episode # 1.16) 17 January 1972
  • Rollin' on the River playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 15 January 1972" 15 January 1972
  • Love, American Style playing "Actor" in episode: "Love and the Waitress" (episode # 3.13d) 17 December 1971
  • Night Gallery playing "Ellis Travis" in episode: "House - with Ghost" (episode # 2.26) 17 November 1971
  • The Virginia Graham Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 15 October 1971" 15 October 1971
  • The Pet Set playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 10 October 1971" 10 October 1971
  • The Doris Day Show playing "Himself" in episode: "And Here's...Doris" (episode # 4.1) 13 September 1971
  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 23 August 1971" 23 August 1971
  • The Pet Set playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 24 June 1971" 24 June 1971
  • Can You Top This? playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 18 June 1971" 19 June 1971
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 3 May 1971" 3 May 1971
  • Love, American Style playing "Actor" in episode: "Love and the Logical Explanation" (episode # 2.21c) 19 February 1971
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 13 July 1970" 13 July 1970
  • The Mike Douglas Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 19 March 1970" 13 March 1970
  • The Barbara McNair Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 15 March 1970" 15 March 1970
  • The Rosey Grier Show playing "Himself-Guest" in episode: "Episode dated 29 November 1969" 29 November 1969
  • Love, American Style playing "Actor" in episode: "Love and the Modern Wife" (episode # 1.5a) 27 October 1969
  • The Leslie Uggams Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 12 October 1969" 12 October 1969
  • The Steve Allen Show playing "Himself-Guest" in episode: "Episode dated 18 September 1969" 18 September 1969
  • Della playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #1.35" (episode # 1.35) 25 July 1969
  • Allen Ludden's Gallery" playing Himself" in episode: "Episode #1.18" (episode # 1.18) 16 July 1969
  • The Joan Rivers Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 11 July 1969" 11 July 1969
  • It's Happening playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 22 June 1969" 22 June 1969
  • The Match Game playing "Team Captain" in episode: "Episode dated 5 May 1969" 5 May 1969
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #3.89" 3 January 1969
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #3.88" 2 January 1969
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #3.87" 31 December 1968
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #3.86" 30 December 1968
  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 18 November 1968" 18 November 1968
  • Funny You Should Ask playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 11 November 1968" 11 November 1968
  • Operation: Entertainment playing "Himself-Host" in episode: "Episode #2.5" (episode # 2.5) 1 November 1968
  • The Pat Boone Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 16 January 1968" 16 January 1968
  • Everybody's Talking playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 2 November 1967" 2 November 1967
  • The Woody Woodbury Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #1.4" (episode # 1.4) 31 August 1967
  • Dateline: Hollywood playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 8 August 1967" 8 August 1967
  • The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #1.4" (episode # 1.4) 26 February 1967
  • P.D.Q. playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 8 February 1967" 8 February 1967
  • The Red Skelton Hour playing "Himself" in episode: "Freddie's Heroes" 10 January 1967
  • The Linkletter Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 28 December 1966" 28 December 1966
  • What's My Line? playing "Guest Panelist" in episode: "Episode dated 11 December 1966" 11 December 1966
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #1.10" (episode # 1.10) 28 October 1966
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #1.9" (episode # 1.9) 27 October 1966
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #1.8" (episode # 1.8) 26 October 1966
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #1.7" (episode # 1.7) 25 October 1966
  • The Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #1.6" (episode 3 1.6) 24 October 1966
  • Password All-Stars playing "Himself" in episode: "Irene Ryan v. Bob Crane" 10 October 1966
  • The Merv Griffin Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 8 August 1966" 8 August 1966
  • Hollywood Talent Scouts playing "Himself-Guest" in episode: "Episode dated 1 August 1966" 1 August 1966
  • The Face Is Familiar playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode #1.1) (episode # 1.1) 17 May 1966
  • Hollywood Talent Scouts playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 7 March 1966" 7 March 1966
  • The Lucy Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Lucy and Bob Crane" (episode # 4.22) 21 February 1966
  • The Danny Kaye Show playing "Himself-Guest" in episode: "Episode #3.18" (episode # 3.18) 19 January 1966
  • The Hollywood Palace playing "Himself - Singer" in episode: "Episode #3.13" (episode # 3.13) 25 December 1965
  • The Linkletter Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 27 October 1965" 27 October 1965
  • Channing in episode: "A Hall Full of Strangers" (episode # 1.13) 25 December 1963
  • The New Steve Allen Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 31 May 1963" 31 May 1963
  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour playing "Charles Lessing" in episode: "The Thirty-First of February" (episode # 1.15) 4 January 1963
  • The Dick Van Dyke Show playing "Harry Rogers" in episode: "Somebody Has to Play Cleopatra" (episode # 2.14) 26 December 1962
  • Your First Impression playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 10 October 1962) 10 October 1962
  • General Electric Theater playing "Harry" in episode: "The $200 Parlay" (episode # 10.5) 15 October 1961
  • The Twilight Zone playing "Disc Jockey" in episode: "Static" (episode # 2.20) 10 March 1961
  • General Electric Theater in episode: "Ride the River" (episode # 1.2) 8 February 1953

Miscellaneous[]

Bibliography[]

  • Graysmith, Robert. (2002) Auto Focus: The Murder of Bob Crane. Berkley Publishing Group. ISBN 0425189023.
  • Graysmith, Robert. (1993) Murder of Bob Crane: Who Killed the Star of "Hogan's Heroes"? Crown Publishing Group. ISBN 0517592096.
  • Auto Focus (2002) DVD.

External links[]

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