Louis LeBeau

From Hogan's Heroes

Corporal Louis LeBeau is one of the main secondary fictional characters who appeared in the 1960s American sitcom, Hogan's Heroes. He was played by Robert Clary.

[edit] History

Louis LeBeau is born somewhere in France sometime during the first decade of the 20th century. His father owns a paint store. Other than his father, his only other known relative is his cousin, Emil, who is a big game hunter. LeBeau went through the French educational system, during which he learns to play the piano. He also learns how to cook, either learning it from his mother, or from a cooking school, or a combination of the two. Sometime before the start of World War II, LeBeau is going out with a girl whom he did or did not later marry. (One episode of the series says that he has a girlfriend, while another says that he is married.) At some point, more than likely between the Munich Crisis of 1938 and the French declaration of war on Nazi Germany of September 3, 1939, LeBeau is drafted into the French military and after training, is posted to the French Air Force.

[edit] World War II

Sometime after the declaration of war, he is posted to an air unit which spends the drôle de guerre period of 1939-40 preparing for the German attack. It is to be assumed that he is involved in the Battle of France and is captured by the Germans either during the campaign, or at some time after France's surrender of June 25, 1940 in the vicinity of Salon. He was placed in a German prisoner of war camp along with hundreds of his countrymen. Some time between then and his being sent to Stalag 13, he is strung up by his thumbs by the Gestapo while being interrogated for information.

In 1942, LeBeau is transferred to Stalag 13. At some point after his transfer, LeBeau joins Hogan's Anti-Nazi organization to fight back at the Germans. His cooking skills are used to not only keep the other prisoners reasonably healthy to conduct their missions, but to also help distract the German officers who come to the camp as Klink's guest with the best in either French or German cuisine while Hogan and the others would photograph their papers. He would also use his cooking to make such German foods as strudel that would then be used to bribe Schultz to get information from him. LeBeau helps with the group's general work of spying and sabotage. He has also befriended the camp's guard dogs so that they would not raise the alarm on either him or his fellow prisoners, especially when they need to use the secret entrance that is under one of the doghouses. Lastly, he helps with the tailoring of the disguises that he and the other prisoners would wear for certain missions.

LeBeau is an intelligent soldier who is very loyal to Colonel Hogan, as well as being a very patriotic Frenchman. He can sometime be very emotional, especially if he thinks that either his cooking, or his homeland has been insulted, especially by the Germans, although, like the other prisoners, he has a soft spot for Schultz. LeBeau is also something of a romantic, who has a tendency to attempt to woo any female he meets, especially Marya (although she could be doing it to get information for her Soviet masters), although at one point he claims that he has a girlfriend, and at another time that he is married.

[edit] Post-World War II

Not much is known about the final fate of Louis LeBeau, but it is to be assumed that he and the other prisoners of Stalag 13 are liberated by the advancing Allied armies.