The inmates of a German World War II Prisoners of War camp conduct espionage and sabotage campaign right under the noses of their warders. While the enemy is often gullible, easily fooled or downright incompetent – the real strength of Hogan’s men are the elaborate ruses and sometimes dangerous lengths they will go to complete their mission.Just as the castaways were left to languish on Gilligan’s Island, so, too, did cancellation deprive fans of seeing Col. Hogan (Bob Crane) and company finally liberated from Stalag 13. But at least this controversial series (again; it’s a P.O.W., and not a concentration, camp!) went out literally with a bang, another successful act of sabotage of Nazi operations. The sixth season brought a new face to the barracks, Kenneth Washington as Sgt. Baker, replacing (without explanation) Ivan Dixon’s “Kinch.” Happily, some of the series’ most entertaining recurring characters put in final appearances. Bernard Fox, as the hapless Col. Crittendon, enjoys his finest hour in the two-parter “Lady Chitterly’s Lover,” in which he must impersonate a look-alike British traitor, and Kathleen Freeman, as the dread Gertrude Berkhalter, upsets Hogan’s plans to sneak a downed U.S. general out of camp in “Kommandant Gertrude.” John Banner, as Sgt. Schultz, has one of his best episodes in “Kommandant Schultz,” in which power goes to the cuddly buffoon’s head when he is put in command of Stalag 13.
But mostly this season is business as usual, with Hogan and his men–Newkirk (Richard Dawson), LeBeau (Robert Clary) and Carter (Larry Hovis)–smuggling, hijacking, stealing, and otherwise disrupting the German war effort under the nose of clueless Col. Klink (Werner Klemperer, an Emmy nominee for this season). One standout episode is “Eight O’Clock and All Is Well,” with guest star Monte Markham as a new prisoner with impeccable credentials whom Hogan discovers is actually a Gestapo spy. And in the episode “Look at the Pretty Snowflakes,” Crane gets to demonstrate his virtuoso drumming as he attempts to cause an avalanche. Between the “krauts, lice, stinking food and bloody awful weather,” life in Stalag 13 was no picnic. But, as Hogan tries to convince LeBeau not to return to France in the episode “Cuisine a la Stalag 13,” let us not forget “all the fun… all the laughs.” That is Hogan’s Heroes‘ final legacy. –Donald Liebenson
Rating: 
(out of 43 reviews)
List Price: $ 29.98
Price: $ 18.84
Related Blogs
- Related Blogs on Final
August 5, 2010
#1
Review by Kevin R. Austra
Rating:
Alas, the Sixth Season was the final year for new episodes of HOGAN’S HEROES. The only major change in this season is the unexplained absence of Ivan Dixon and his replacement by Kenneth Washington. HEROES fans have long lamented the lack of a story line that would wrapped up that particular loose end. On the other hand, at the time maybe it was a possiblility that Dixon would have returned to the show. As such, a send off episode would have been inappropriate. Still the quiet one for one replacement allows a viewer to mix and match episodes without any loss of continuity.
The sixth season started out strong. In addition to the great stories we find episodes with additional “Luftwaffe” and “SS” extras marching about camp. We also find the cache of antique vehicles, formerly used one or two at a time per show, abounding in some of the Season Six episodes.
Hogan and his gang remain largely unchanged from the previous five episodes. Klink, Schultz, Burkhalter, and Hochstetter also remain in character. In one episode, Kommandant Schultz, we are also treated to a slightly different version of Schultz. In that volume, as Schultz enters a leadership training program, Schultz briefly acts and looks like the Sergeant Schultz character (portrayed by a different actor) in the movie STALAG 17.
Again it is still perpetual winter in Stalag 13. As a kid watching HOGAN’S HEROES on my Philco-Ford black and white television the brilliant green California foliage was not as obvious as it is in the excellently mastered color DVDs. Never the less the spray painted snow on the rooftops and patches of white powder on the ground still convey the illusion of a chilly climate.
Season Six kicks off with episodes filmed using some different, and more revealing, camera angles. We are treated to views of the barracks set with the dry khaki Culver City Baldwin Hills in the background. The old RKO/Desilu water tower, from the adjacent studio, and a couple of palm trees sneak into a shot or two. Remember that HOGAN’S HEROS was filmed in the northwest corner of the 40-Acres back lot. In the early days of film the lot was in the middle of wide open spaces of a former ranch. By the 1960′s the lot was surrounded by studio buildings and urban sprawl. In reviewing old aerial photographs of the 40-Acres lot, complete with views of the HOGAN’S HEROES outdoor barracks set, it is amazing that cinematographers, editors, and directors were able to make us believe that Stalag 13 was out in the country.
The Gestapo and SS still don their pre-war black uniforms. Curiously most of the SS/Gestapo officers wear only one eppoulette on the right shoulder. Either someone in wardrobe made an error or the addition of “German” extras neccessitated borrowing eppoulettes for the additional uniforms. Occasionally visiting German officers wear some sort of bizzare oversized medals that you will never find in any military heraldry books. We also see that Burkhalter, who in a previous episode stated he had been in Berlin since the outbreak of the war, actually wears a German World War Two combat infantryman’s badge and German wound badge. In reality thse two badges could only have been attained by actual combat duty 1939 through 1945. Remember too that at various times Colonel Klink claimed to have been in purely noncombat roles since the war, though in one episode he mentions being at the controls of his Heinkel in combat. I know, too much detail for a television series. In the end it probably would not have looked proper for an army general and Luftwaffe colonel to go without medals of some sort.
In 1970 CBS moved HOGAN’S HEROES to a new time slot where it was opposite Disney. Many have felt that this was CBS’s attempt to set the show up for failure and thus clean house of some of its situation comedies. Conspiracy theorists, and they may be correct, say that MAYBERRY and THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES suffered a similar fate. There is also some credible information to indicate that Bing Crosby Productions was eager to cash in on syndication and artificially contributed to the show’s demise. What ever the cause, HOGAN’S HEROES aired its last new episode in April 1971 and shortly thereafter moved into syndication history.
In the early 1970s there was rumor of a Hogan’s Heroes television movie with a tentative working title of “Escape from Stalag 13.” The storyline reportedly would have initally taken place during the concluding days of the war with Hogan and his men extricating themselves from the POW camp along with Klink and Schultz. From there the story would have followed the former enemies in some sort of post war commercial (or possibly Cold War) venture. No doubt this would have been a pilot for a new sitcom. Alas, John Banner passed away in January 1973 and no more was heard of the project. Maybe it was better that there was no succeeding spinoff. Remember AFTER M*A*S*H?
In 1976 Stalag 13 disappeared from the triangular Culver City lot. The surviving outdoor studio sets for HOGAN’S HEROES, neighboring GOMER PYLE’s Camp Henderson, town of Mayberry, GONE WITH THE WIND’s railroad depot, and other sites were bulldozed to make room for a new industrial park.
Late 1999 entertainment news was that actor Mel Gibson was slotted to play the lead in a HOGAN’S HEROES motion picture. Werner Klemperer was also reportedly approached about reprising his role as Colonel Klink. At that time Klemperer had come to terms with regard to his most famous — and sometimes typecasting — television role. Klemperer even reprised the part of Wilhelm Klink, albeit a vocal performance, in a 1993 episode of THE SIMPSONS. Werner Klemperer passed away in December 2000 and the movie project seems to have been shelved, although entertainment rumors still abound on the internet about the prospect of a film.
Let’s face it, there is no way that any remake could surpass the original. Since HOGAN’S HEROES completed its primetime run we have lost John Banner (1973), Bob Crane (1978), Howard Caine (1993), Werner Klemperer (2000), Larry Hovis (2003), and Leon Askin (2005). These fine past and surviving actors were heart and soul of HOGAN’S HEROES. A remake would be as phony as THE WILD, WILD, WEST.
On the DVD episodes note that the concluding credit copyrights the show as “Hogan’s Horde” and that the studio credit is Cinema General Studios. Over the course of its production HOGAN’S HEROES went from Desilu to Paramount to Cinema General Studios — all without ever having to relocate.
Even though it was the last season of the show, it is still great and gives me more reason to return to Season One and start all over again.
August 5, 2010
#2
Review by Breyel
Rating:
This is the final season of Hogan’s Heroes. Sgt. Kinchloe (Ivan Dixon) left the series in Season 5 and was replaced by Sgt. Richard Baker (Kenneth Washington). The other original cast members are still up to their wacky antics of outsmarting the Nazis. And, it’s still hilarious.
Here’s a run down of the episodes from September 1970 to April 1971:
Episode 1: Cuisine a la Stalag 13
Episode 2: The Experts
Episode 3: Klink’s Masterpiece
Episode 4: Lady Chitterly’s Lover: Part 1
Episode 5: Lady Chitterly’s Lover: Part 2
Episode 6: The Gestapo Takeover
Episode 7: Kommandant Schultz
Episode 8: Eight O’Clock and All Is Well
Episode 9: The Big Record
Episode 10: It’s Dynamite
Episode 11: Operation Tiger
Episode 12: The Big Broadcast
Episode 13: The Gypsy
Episode 14: The Dropouts
Episode 15: Easy Come, Easy Go
Episode 16: The Meister Spy
Episode 17: That’s No Lady, That’s My Spy
Episode 18: To Russia Without Love
Episode 19: Klink for the Defense
Episode 20: The Kamikazes Are Coming
Episode 21: Kommandant Gertrude
Episode 22: Hogan’s Double Life
Episode 23: Look at the Pretty Snowflakes
Episode 24: Rockets or Romance
If you have the previous 5 seasons, hey, you might as well get this one! It was the end of a great TV series that brought a lot of enjoyment to millions. It still does.
August 5, 2010
#3
Review by
Rating:
I currently own all five avalible seasons of Hogan’s Heroes. I would recommend this great show to everyone. In my opinion, I would recommend others to get the first and fourth seasons, because the first has the original ideas and original cast, such as Fraulein Helga instead of Fraulein Hilda. I would recommend season four because of the acting of Klink and Schultz. For an example, in Klink Vs. The Gonculator, Klink runs and screams, “Schultz! Schultz!? Where are you? Pull out the plug! PULL OUT THE PLUG!” when the “Gonculator” blows up. I also like the wit of Col. Hogan, especialy when he makes a deal with Klink. Klink will try to double cross Hogan, but Hogan will have Klink painted into a corner with another trick that will force Klink to keep the deal they made. If you do decide to watch Hogan’s, prepare for a fullblown laugh attack from these heroic, funny, and downright ingenious of Luf-Stalag 13.
August 5, 2010
#4
Review by Nathan P. Shive
Rating:
The Sixth & final season of HH gets some bad reviews — many have said that the series really ran one or two seasons too long. Somewhat to the contrary, this season has some of the series’ finest moments. While the absence of Ivan Dixon (Kinchloe) is certainly noticable, highlights include the 2-part “Lady Chitterly’s Lover,” “Operation Tiger” with a stellar performance by the great Frank Marth, “Easy Come, Easy Go,” which sees Col. Klink take a trip to London, and “Look at the Pretty Snowflakes” with its memorable jam session. Standing head and shoulders above the rest, however, is “The Meister Spy,” which is nothing short of absolute dramatic and comedic brilliance jammed into 25 fast-paced, intense minutes. That episode alone is worth the purchase of the series.
There are, of course, other fine moments, too numerous to mention. Far from being, as some would say, a desperate attempt by the producers to keep the series interesting, the sixth season includes some rather innovative plotlines and unusual twists, unique to this season alone. The only thing missing — other than Kinchloe — is the absence of a true “Series Finale,” an omission for which true Hoganologists will never forgive. But, as Hogan says to close out the series, “Frankly, General, I thought it was a lousy neighborhood anyway.”
August 5, 2010
#5
Review by Mr. Supply Chain
Rating:
Hogan’s Heroes is all-time favorite TV program. I own all six seasons. I think seasons 1-3 were 10/10, season 4 was 9/10, season five was 8.5/10, and season six was 7.5/10.
I think the sixth season is not as good because there was more slapstick involved, as opposed to developing strategic solutions to solve some problem or injure the enemy. I think the value in the series was the sneaking around, the impersonation of German officers, and fooling the Germans in general. Seeing Klink crash on a motorcycle just doesn’t seem funny. It is still good and worth owning if you enjoy the series, I would recommend starting with one of the first four seasons.
The other notable difference on season six was that Kinchloe was replaced by Baker. Whereas Kinchloe was an integral part of the series, Baker is just a radio operator and doesn’t add much value to the series. Kinchloe was a great character and losing him did detract from the series. His impersonations of Germans on the telephone were always great.