The Well

Series:	Hogan's Heroes
Episode:	The Well
Original Airdate:	October 3, 1969
Production Number:	5784-122
Written by:	Laurence Marks
Directed by:	Bruce Bilson
Produced by:	Edward H. Feldman, William A. Calihan & Jerry London

Regular

Prisoners

• Colonel Hogan - Bob Crane
• Corporal Louis LeBeau - Robert Clary
• Corporal Peter Newkirk - Richard Dawson
• Sergeant James Kinchloe - Ivan Dixon
• Sergeant Andrew Carter - Larry Hovis

Camp Personnel

• Kommandant Wilhelm Klink - Werner Klemperer
• Sergeant Hans Schultz - John Banner

Semi-Regulars

• Fraulein Hilda - Sigrid Valdis
• General Albert Burkhalter - Leon Askin

Guest Stars

• Captain Ritter - Michael Fox

Synopsis

Hogan steals a Luftwaffe codebook, but must organize a special mission when Newkirk drops it down a well.

Story Notes

• This is the one hundred and twenty-second episode of the series, but is the one hundred and twentieth to be shown on television and the second episode shown for the Fifth Season.
• As originally broadcast, Hogan and Klink appeared in character after the episode's conclusion to inform viewers of a programming time change. The closing credits are sped up to compensate for time.
• A reference is made to a mythical place: Shangri-La, made popular in the James Hilton novel, Lost Horizon. It is also remembered in history as the place from which President Roosevelt claimed the Doolittle bombing raid on Tokyo was launched. The Essex class aircraft carrier USS Shangri-La, built during World War II, was named for it.
• The secret closet listening post, hidden in the wall between Klink's outer and inner offices and located behind a picture of SS Reichsführer Himmler, is first used in this episode.
• Carter bought a motorcycle at some point before the war. It could not have been given to him as a gift.

Timeline Notes and Speculations

• This appears to take place in late 1944.
• This probably takes place some time after A Klink, A Bomb and a Short Fuse. Klink was also issued a new codebook in that episode. Apparently another code change was required, reasons unknown. Also, Klink appears to have a new safe, which is noticeably smaller than the old one.

Quotes

"KLINK!" - General Burkhalter

Bloopers

• Kinch - with faux German accent - calls Klink on the switchboard, claiming to be sergeant of the guard. The sergeant of the guard at Stalag 13 is Schultz, yet Kinch's German accent hardly resembles that of John Banner. Nevertheless, Klink falls for the masquerade without hesitation, and - less then a minute afterwards - is seen addressing Schultz regarding the call.

External links

• The Well at the Internet Movie Database
• The Well episode capsule at Webstalag 13
• The Hofbrau

Previous episode: Hogan Goes Hollywood

Next episode: The Klink Commandos