Werner Klemperer : Biography, Pictures, Photos, Trivia, Address, Filmography (Hogan's Heroes)

Werner Klemperer, everyone's favorite TV German Air Force colonel, was best known for his role as the bumbling Col. Wilhelm Klink on the comedy series "Hogan's Heroes" (1965). Although he'll forever be known as the blustering but inept German commandant of Stalag 13, Klemperer was in fact a talented dramatic actor, as evidenced by his acclaimed performance as an arrogant, unrepentant Nazi judge being tried for crimes against humanity in Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). His identification with Nazi roles notwithstanding, Klemperer was in real life a Jew who fled with his family from Nazi Germany in the 1930s. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. When he was offered the Col. Klink role, Klemperer only agreed to do it if the show's producers promised that Klink would never succeed in any of his schemes. "Col. Klink" earned Klemperer five Emmy nominations, and he took home the trophy twice, in 1968 and 1969. Since the end of the series, Klemperer has carved out an impressive musical career as a conductor and also served as a narrator with many major U.S. symphony orchestras. He was an accomplished concert violinist.

Werner Klemperer was born on March 22, 1920 in Cologne in Germany. He served in the American army during the Second World War. Werner Klemperer is known for his role of the Conolel Klink in the cultivation TV series Schultz which earned him 2 Emmy Award in 1968 and 1969. He played a lot of role of Nazi noted in the film Judgment in Nuremberg. Werner Klemperer died on December 6, 2000 from cancer.

Werner Klemperer was a German-American actor known for his role as Colonel Klink in the television series "Hogan's Heroes" in the 1960s. Klemperer was born in 1920 in Dusseldorf, Germany, in a Jewish family. His father, Otto Klemperer, was a famous conductor. Klemperer immigrated to the United States in 1935 and studied theater at the University of Columbia.

At the start of his career, Klemperer worked mainly on stage and in the cinema. He notably played in Broadway productions, such as "The Happy Time" and "The Time of the Cuckoo". In the cinema, he made appearances in films such as "The Strange One" and "The Boston Strangler".

It was in 1965 that Klemperer obtained his most famous role, that of Colonel Klink in "Hogan's Heroes". In this comic series, he played the role of a German World War Officer who led an Allied prison camp camp. Klemperer played in the series until his end in 1971, and won two Primetime Emmy Awards for his interpretation of Colonel Klink.

After the end of "Hogan's Heroes", Klemperer continued to work as an actor, especially in television series such as "Columbo" and "The Smith Family". He also appeared in films such as "La Panthère Rose" and "The adventures of Buckaroo Banzai".

Klemperer died in 2000 at the age of 80. He leaves behind a rich career as an actor, and he is still widely known for his role as Colonel Klink in "Hogan's Heroes".

Served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1945.

He conducted the Buffalo Orchestra.

He appeared as Pasha Selim in the Mozart opera "The Abduction From the Seraglio".

Klemperer also appeared as a narrator with nearly every major symphony orchestra in the United States. His repertoire included such works as Beethoven's "Egmont" and "Fidelio," Stravinsky's "L'Historie du Soldat" and "Oedipus Rex."

One of his favorite works was as narrator in "Peter and the Wolf," which he performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Although he was most famous for playing a colonel in the German Luftwaffe (air corps), Klemperer's family were German Jews who fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s.

For many years, he served as an elected member of the National Council of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Immersed himself into teaching himself English so completely, that he found himself actuially thinking and dreaming in English.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1988 Tony Award as Best Actor (Featured Role - Musical) for a revival of "Cabaret."

Was also an established attorney, who successfully defended Robert Clary in a case brought against him after Bob Crane's murder.

Is portrayed by Kurt Fuller in Auto Focus (2002).

His last acting role was as Colonel Klink, his most famous character, on a 1993 episode of "The Simpsons" (1989).

During World War II, served in the U.S. Army and was assigned to Maurice Evans' Special Entertainment Unit serving with fellow actor Carl Reiner.

Spouse : Kim Hamilton (1997 - 6 December 2000) (his death), Louise Troy (1969 - ?) (divorced), Susan Dempsey (? - 1968) (divorced) 2 children

Son of conductor Otto Klemperer.

• Creation date: 01/07/2003 by abdest
• Last update: 09/12/2008 by abdest