- Leon Askin
Infobox actor
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name = Leon Askin
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caption = Leon Askin, Summer 2001. Photo by Anita Askin-Wicher.
birthname = Leon Aschkenasy
birthdate = Birth date|1907|9|18
location =Vienna, Austria
deathdate = death date and age|2005|6|3|1907|9|18
deathplace = Vienna, Austria
othername =
yearsactive = 1930s-2005
spouse = Mimi (divorced), Annelies Ehrlich (divorced), Anita Askin-Wicher
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notable role = General Burkhalter in "Hogan's Heroes "
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tonyawards =Leon Askin (
September 18 ,1907 –June 3 ,2005 ) was anAustria nactor .Askin was born Leon Aschkenasy into a
Jew ish family inVienna , the son of Malvine (Susman) and Samuel Aschkenazy. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/79/Leon-Askin.html Leon Askin Biography (1907-) ] ] Askin already wanted to be an actor as a child. His dream came true, and in the 1930s he worked as acabaret artist and director at the "ABC Theatre" in Vienna: in this position he also helped the career of the writerJura Soyfer get off the ground in 1935. As a highly versatile stage actor, he was well-known as "the man of a thousand faces."Persecuted by the Nazis, Askin escaped to the
United States viaFrance , arriving in New York in 1940 with no money and less than a basic knowledge of English. When the U.S. entered theSecond World War Askin joined theU.S. Army . While serving in the military he learned that his parents had been killed atTreblinka extermination camp.After the war, Askin went to Hollywood, invariably portraying foreign characters who speak English with a strong accent. Fans of the TV series "Adventures of Superman" recall his portrayals of an eastern European diamond smuggler in a black-and-white episode, and as a South American prime minister in a color episode. In 1961 he was prominently featured in
Billy Wilder 's filmOne, Two, Three , co-starring withJames Cagney . He gained wide recognition and popularity by appearing as the stern General Albert Burkhalter in thesitcom "Hogan's Heroes " in the late 1960s.Though known to audiences primarily for his film and television work, Askin was extremely active in theater, both as an actor and a director.
After the Second World War, Askin resumed acting in Austria. This differentiated him from a number of other Austrian actors, who refused to return due to pre-war persecution. In 1994 he permanently took up residence in Vienna, where he remained active until his death, in cabaret as well as the
Volksoper andFestwochen . He was awardedVienna's Gold Medal of Honor .Askin died on
June 3 ,2005 in Vienna. He was 97.References
External links
*http://www.askin.at/
*http://www.hogansheroesfanclub.com
*imdb name|id=0039169|name=Leon Askin
*Find A Grave|id=11083853Persondata
NAME= Askin, Leon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Aschkenasy, Leon
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Actor
DATE OF BIRTH= 1907-9-18
PLACE OF BIRTH=Vienna, Austria
DATE OF DEATH= 2005-6-3
PLACE OF DEATH= Vienna, Austria
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