It Takes a Thief... Sometimes


Series:	Hogan's Heroes
Episode:	It Takes a Thief... Sometimes
Original Airdate:	January 28, 1966
Production Number:	5784-20
Written by:	Richard M. Powell
Directed by:	Howard Morris
Produced by:	Edward H. Feldman & Bernard Fein

Regular[]

Prisoners[]

Camp Personnel[]

Semi-Regulars[]

Fräulein Helga - Cynthia Lynn

Guest Stars[]

Synopsis[]

A group of underground operatives that Hogan and his team begin working with, is actually a group lead by a Gestapo captain who's set on capturing them.

Story Notes[]

This is both the twentieth produced episode of the series and the twentieth episode to be shown on television.
Michael Constantine (Captain Heinrich), would go on to star as the worried principal Seymour Kaufman in Room 222, and more recently as the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
This is the first time in the series that none of the series' semi-regulars characters did not appear in an episode for two consecutive episodes.
The Rolling Stones made Claudine Longet (Michelle) the subject of a song that was eventually cut from the 1980 album Emotional Rescue. It was simply titled, "Claudine". Copies of the song have survived, thanks to piracy.
Longet was the wife of singer Andy Williams from 1961-75. In 1977 she was convicted of negligent homicide in the shooting death of her lover, professional skiier Spider Sabich, and has maintained a private life since.
The pickup truck that Captain Heinrich drives is a 1947 Ford half-ton according to some sources. However, the extra signal lights atop the fenders resemble those on a 1942 model ... and it was not until the 1948 model year that Ford vehicles really developed a post-war look (as seen in The Gold Rush).

Timeline Notes and Speculations[]

There are no solid date references in this episode. In keeping with the majority of the first season episodes, it could take place anytime during 1943 or even early 1944. It is possible to narrow this range somewhat; see below.
The destruction of the munitions train is from The Great Impersonation. The stolen Tiger tank is from Hold That Tiger. The destroyed munitions dump is from The Prisoner's Prisoner. Therefore, this episode takes place after all three of these.
References are made to Berlin not being able to spare any troops - no doubt due to the Russians.

Quotes[]

Sgt. Schultz: On some occasions, I look the other way, because in war, I do not want to take sides.
Captain Heinrich: Tell me something. Did you do all this sabotage with three men?
Col. Hogan: We take vitamins.

Bloopers[]

Michael Constantine's character, Waffen SS Captain Heinrich, wears incorrect eagle insignia on his cap and shoulder. He wears the Wehrmacht eagle (the wing ends angle diagonally down and inward from the top edge), rather than the SS eagle (the wing ends angle outward to a point, then back inward.)
Around halfway through there's an outdoor night scene during the winter and you can hear crickets chirping like it's a summer evening.
When Captain Heinrich drives into Stalag 13 to pick up the dynamite, there is no license plate on his truck. A plate of course would be required to drive the truck on any public road.
In the opening scene (a poker game), Carter, who is not married, is wearing a wedding ring. And, fairly late in the show, at the railroad tunnel, he is seen again wearing a wedding ring.

External links[]

It Takes a Thief... Sometimes at the Internet Movie Database
It Takes a Thief... Sometimes episode capsule at Webstalag 13
It Takes a Thief... Sometimes episode on Ein Käfig voller Helden
The Hofbrau

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The Great Impersonation