For a year that kicked off a new decade and started out with so much hope and promise, 2020 quickly turned into the armpit of modern times. I can't think of anyone who hasn't been, in some way, negatively affected by something in 2020, not the least of which is how COVID-19 has impacted daily life. For some, it's been an inconvenience. For others, it has brought worry. Still others have experienced loss.
As the year crawled on, personal situations dictated scaling back our work here, whether it was on our blog, podcast, and social media pages. While none of us or members of our families have been diagnosed with COVID-19, thankfully, we have experienced other difficult events.
For me personally, 2020 delivered a hard punch. My father passed away on December 2, 2020, due to complications brought on by stage 4 glioblastoma of the spinal cord, which he had been bravely battling since early 2018. For almost three years, my family and I had been providing him around-the-clock care. He was so strong, and he fought so hard, but the cancer was stronger. These last few weeks have been terrible, but my family and I are comforted knowing he is out of pain and free of the prison his body had become.
Linda Groundwater and Dee Young have had their struggles as well. It's safe to say 2020 has served up challenges to all of us.
But we're still here, and we aren't going anywhere. The simple reality is, like so many people around the world, we're just trying to get through, while staying positive and looking ahead to better times.
However, in the midst of all of this, 2020 did offer us some exciting opportunities!
I'm so proud of Linda, who participated in a big project about Bob Crane. Due to the non-disclosure agreement she signed, I can't tell you anything more about it. (Sorry, no spoilers!) But I can tell you she did justice for Bob in a way that I was unable to do this year because of my family situation. And let me say, she is way better at this sort of thing than I am! That's all I can tell you right now, or I'll get tossed in the cooler. But keep an eye out for our announcement!
Secondly, I have written a feature article about Bob Crane, with a focus on his radio career, for RetroFan Magazine, which will be published in the March 2021 issue. Subscribe to RetroFan by clicking here. You can also purchase a single issue, if you prefer. Special thanks to Editor Michael Eury, who I met at the 2019 MidAtlantic Nostalgia Convention, for this wonderful opportunity!
And finally, we are still working on Bob Crane's recognition in the Radio Hall of Fame. The second we have new information, you'll be the first to know!
On behalf of Dee, Linda, and myself, we wish you health and happiness this holiday season, and a better, happier, healthier 2021!
The Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention is holding a FREE virtual convention this year via Facebook (since they had to cancel their annual live event due to COVID). My 2015 presentation about Bob Crane and Hogan's Heroes is on the schedule!
I'm thrilled that my presentation is included! This was my very first presentation about Bob Crane, ever, which I gave on September 19, 2015, to launch Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography. Believe me when I tell you, I was so nervous, so please forgive any hiccups! But for anyone who has never been able to see my presentation and has wanted to, now you can!
Bob Crane and Hogan's Heroes (slide show presentation by Carol Ford)
Date: Friday, September 25, 2020
Time: 11:00 a.m. ET
How to Access: Visit the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention Facebook Page. After the designated time, you can watch the presentation on demand at your convenience through late Sunday evening (September 27).
Cost: It's FREE!
*Please consider making a donation to St. Jude's. The purpose of the convention each year is to raise money for St. Jude's, and they are in the process of organizing an online auction to go along with their virtual convention.
On July 24, 2020, Regis Philbin passed away from cardiovascular disease in Greenwich, Connecticut. A legendary and much beloved talk show and game show host, his passing marks the loss of yet another Hollywood icon. I've always liked Regis Philbin, and I was saddened to learn he was no longer with us.
After hearing of Regis Philbin's passing, I recalled that in November 1969, Bob Crane had been a guest on his show, Philbin's People. I searched for the episode during the research phase of Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography, and I was hoping that since some time had passed, I'd now find a copy. I didn't find the episode of Philbin's People, but I did find something else.
A rare aircheck of The Bob Crane Show from KNX, dated March 3, 1965, surfaced, and to my surprise and delight, I now had over an hour of radio gold I had not yet heard. As if by Fate, Bob Crane's guests that day were Regis Philbin and Los Angeles broadcaster Michael Jackson (not the "King of Pop"). The aircheck was found in an estate sale, and while I don't know the folks over at Brat Productions, I'm happily indebted to their skillful restoration and preservation of this recording, and its transference from reel-to-reel to digital.
Believe me when I tell you, I own many rare recordings of Bob Crane's radio shows, and I've been hunting for them for decades. For me to find one that I haven't heard is a challenge. That being said, locating this particular aircheck, where Regis Philbin is Bob's guest and that Regis passed away just days before, is a little bit remarkable. I'm curiously intrigued by the supernatural and believe strongly in the Afterlife. I couldn't help but grin as this aircheck fell so easily into my hands, when earlier searches never revealed it (note, it was posted on the Brat Productions website in May 2016). I won't question it. I'll simply enjoy it!
Any day that I find a long-lost aircheck from one of Bob Crane's radio shows is like Christmas day for me. In the very least, it is another example of Bob's innovative work in radio, for which he should be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. At best, maybe in those previously lost minutes, he'll tell me something that I didn't know before.
The sweetest part of this aircheck is where Bob talks about going to the movies with his then-four-year-old daughter Karen. Bob took Karen to see The Sound of Music, and when the lights came on at intermission, she believed the film was over! And that was it! They had to leave without seeing the rest of the film! Bob says how he needs to go back to see the second half so he knows how the film ends.
Bob also talks about hosting a a late-night celebrity interview show, and he notes it is not easy (Bob routinely guest-hosted The Tonight Show for Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, and even turned down the offer to permanently host The Tonight Show following Paar's departure). Bob says, "I just read a review on the new late-night show on ABC that Shelley Berman was the host for the other night... The review in Variety today says, 'Forget it!' It says, 'Les Crane's show replacement had a mediocre start, and it went downhill from there.' I saw it. It's one of those things—a lot of comics, a lot of actors think that the Jack Paar-Johnny Carson routine is a simple one. They say, 'What do you do? You sit at a desk. What an easy way to make a buck.' And let them try it. And they all fall flat. That's a tough thing to do. As this reviewer says. Those late-night interview things all depend on who the guy is asking the questions. Otherwise you get nowhere."
This is poignant stuff. At the time, Bob was the only radio host to give live, unrehearsed celebrity interviews daily, which he did over KNX from 1958-1965. Bob Crane was very well versed in the topic of how to conduct a celebrity interview (or any interview, for that matter). His commentary here shows his respect for fellow interviewers, but this respect can be extended to our contemporary late-night talk show hosts (Stephen Colbert, you are my favorite!). It should also be noted that Bob had an incident while interviewing Shelley Berman on his KNX show, so I think there may have been a subtle revelry in his decision to include Variety's harsh critical review of Berman in his show.
Another item of interest with this aircheck is that in March 1965, Bob Crane was nearing the end of his radio career, even though he didn't know it at the time. In May 1965, he signed a new one-year contract with KNX, but by June 1965, he knew juggling two high-profile, full-time jobs was taking a toll on his health and well-being. As much as he loved radio, he decided to focus solely on Hogan's Heroes. He rolled the dice, gambled on the series, and he won.
In addition to filming Hogan's Heroes episodes for Season One throughout the spring of 1965, Bob stayed on as the morning drive host at KNX-CBS Radio. It was a grueling schedule—on the air from 6:00-10:00 a.m. every day, rushing to the set of Hogan's Heroes to rehearse or film, and then back to KNX to prepare for the next day's show. Bob usually got home around 9:30 or 10:00 p.m., ate his dinner with a newspaper propped up against a milk bottle, and hardly saw his family at all. Then he'd get up at the crack of dawn the next day and do it all over again. I can hear some exhaustion in his voice in this aircheck, especially at the beginning.
Bob Crane's KNX interview with Regis Philbin and Michael Jackson begins around the 51:00 mark, and I'm thinking that there are pieces missing to it because Bob's celebrity interviews typically ran for about 30 to 45 minutes (starting at 9:15 and ending at 10:00 a.m.). But it's so much fun to hear what we've got—Bob and Regis bantering, talking about the industry and telling stories, along with Michael Jackson, whose deep British intonation complements their often-frenetic tones. Regis also talks about the possibility of going into acting. This is not surprising because he had been trying, at least for a couple of years. Earlier, in 1963, Bob Crane and Regis Philbin were vying for the same role—not as talk show hosts, but as actors. Bob had auditioned for and won the role of Dr. Dave Kelsey on The Donna Reed Show. A little known fact is Regis Philbin was the other contender. For details, I'll direct you to our book, Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography. (Hey, I can't give it all away!) Regis and Bob also talk about the sudden cancelation of The Regis Philbin Show, which taped its last show on March 5, 1965 (just two days after this interview).
In all, this a beautiful interview, providing glimpses into the lives and careers of both Bob Crane and Regis Philbin, and I'm so glad to have found it. And that's my final answer.
On July 12, 2020, Linda Groundwater and I were interviewed about Bob Crane on WMEX by hosts Gary Leavitt and Keith Leavitt as part of their newly re-established program Gary Leavitt and Friends. What was supposed to be a twenty-minute interview on the Boston radio station, beginning at 6:30 a.m. and ending at 6:50 a.m. (ET), ended up going for more than forty minutes, concluding around 7:20 a.m.
Linda and I had hoped to go on the air together yesterday. When we get going about Bob Crane and his life and career, we are a powerhouse—and it is fun! But there was a technical difficulty. Linda was having trouble connecting from Australia. Unable to delay any longer, I started the interview a little after 6:30 and blasted through. Worried that Linda would not be able to get patched in, I rushed to try and cover as much as possible in our twenty-minute segment. Also happening on the side as I was speed-talking—me trying to figure out how to help Linda connect!
Fortunately, Linda did get through, but they were not able to bring us both on together. After I talked about Bob Crane's early growing up years in Connecticut and his radio career, not to mention setting the record straight about Auto Focus (at a rapid pace and multitasking—who says I don't have radio skills!), Linda came on after me to discuss Hogan's Heroes and Bob's role in it in detail. It was a fun interview, and I am delighted that our segment stretched long past the originally allotted twenty-minute mark. Fantastic! Big thanks to WMEX and to hosts Gary Leavitt and Keith Leavitt, and deepest apologies to whomever we bumped!
Today marks what would have been Bob Crane's 92nd birthday. Born on Friday, July 13, 1928, Bob jam-packed so much life into his short 49 years. The only thing is, unlike how we were given an extension on our interview despite how much we crammed in there, Bob was not given an extension beyond 49th birthday. He was murdered on June 29, 1978—just two weeks shy of his 50th birthday. The crime remains unsolved to this day. During his time alive, Bob Crane accomplished so much, and I have no doubt he would have accomplished so much more had he lived.
When Linda Groundwater, Dee Young, and I were researching Bob's life for Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography, we didn't know what we were going to learn. What we did learn was the truth.
We continue our work on Bob's behalf because the truth is in stark contrast to the glaring tabloid headlines and the erroneous plot of Auto Focus (as a reminder, director Paul Schrader stated to the New York Times, "You know, [John Henry] Carpenter was not as important in Crane's life as he is in the film. It is a distortion... My intent with Auto Focus is not to be true or definitive. People's actual lives are not really that interesting. And with Crane I wanted to get at something meaty. Otherwise, who cares? Would you want to watch a movie about Alan Hale?").
To put it another way, if we had learned that Bob Crane had actually been a creep, freak, jerk, weirdo, asshole, and any other number of colorful adjectives used by the public in inadequate judgment of him since his death, we would have reported that as such and moved on. Rest assured, we would not have continued. But all of those words are not who or what he was. And because we know that, we have an obligation to Bob, his family, his dearest friends, and his coworkers to keep setting it right. More importantly, we have a moral obligation to the truth.
Take some time and listen to our WMEX interview (YouTube link above). Read our book. Listen to our podcast. Follow us on social media. Ask us questions. Discover who Bob Crane really was, and just as importantly, who he was not.
Sadly, both of our big author events have been cancelled for 2020.
First, due to personal family health concerns, I will not be able to make the trip to the Liberty Aviation Museum
as originally planned at the end of July. However, the museum is
currently open, so I urge you to check their website for updates on
events. Remember, you can order Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography and other cool items in their online gift shop! All author proceeds from sales of Bob Crane's biography
through the museum gift shop are donated back to the museum. Help them
out with a purchase during this unprecedented year.
Second, since 2015, I have attended the Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Convention
and have met so many wonderful folks there over the years! I was
already unable to attend, but for all of the obvious reasons, the event
has been cancelled for 2020. However, they will
be holding a free virtual event, so be sure to like their Facebook page for
updates.
I am so sad that I won't be able to see all of my
friends this year at both events—owners, organizers, and attendees
alike, but this was absolutely the right decision to make in both cases.
I am planning to see everyone back at the museum and the convention in
2021! In the meantime, check back here and on our social media sites for virtual events, interviews,
and new projects we have in the works about Bob Crane.
When Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography was conceived more than 15
years ago, the goal was to bring to the surface, the truth about Bob
Crane. To separate the truth from the lies, the reality from the rumor,
and the hidden gems and buried things that showed Bob as a whole,
three-dimensional person into the light.
More than a decade was
spent making this happen. We went from one person, to two, to three
deeply involved in this expedition. And we picked up speed and momentum
along the way, talking to anyone who was willing, who had ANY connection
with Bob, be it professional, personal, familial. We had NO
expectations. All we wanted was the truth, whatever it was.
What
we learned surprised us, saddened us, made us joyful. Surprised that
there was even more depth than we had imagined. Sad that a life so rich,
and so full of potential and hope even in the difficult times, was cut
short. Joyful, that there was so much good to tell, and that after so
many difficult encounters, that the people who truly knew Bob finally
had a chance to tell their truth to people who would listen, and tell it
faithfully, without twisting it, or sensationalizing it, or making it
fit an agenda.
Since its publication, our mission has been to
spread the word about this man, about his truth, about his LIFE, and
occasionally to dispel the falsities about his death. We have the
support of his family, his friends, his coworkers, his estate. We
represent no one but Bob himself-- we are not family representatives or
anything of the sort. We do not make money from the sale of the book or
from posting on these pages. We do not make money from the podcasts.
Author proceeds are either donated to various charities and non-profit
organizations, including to the Liberty Aviation Museum and charities of
our choice, or go directly to funding our work on Bob Crane's behalf,
such as the podcast and other projects. We are not out to support any
particular point of view. As Bob's official biographers, we aim simply
to tell the TRUTH.
With that in mind, we are grateful for the
people who come to these pages looking for the true story of Bob Crane.
Who want to know truth instead of fiction. We expect people come to this
page because they already know that there's more to Bob than they have
been told, or they want to know what that truth is. That they want to be
educated. That if they have theories or ideas, that they are willing to
be gently told the truth as we know it. Those who choose truth over
ignorance will find this page to be a haven. Those who choose to cling
to their false ideas by being abusive toward others on the timeline, by
insisting on maintaining their false ideas despite being able to educate
themselves (e.g.-- the truth has just been advised, or they can read
the book, or listen to the podcast, or look at any of the firsthand
sources that we provide), and instead of accepting that the truth is not
what they thought, continue to spew vitriol, hate, and salacious
untruths, will be removed and blocked from the page.
Bob Crane:
The Definitive Biography is about truth. It's about fixing the wrongs
and exposing reality. Abuse of Bob, his family or friends, the authors,
or other members of the page is not welcome and those guilty of this
will be removed without warning. Those who start out ignorant or
uninformed are welcome with open arms. Those who stubbornly choose to
stay that way in the rudest ways possible, will be removed.
Take a page out of Bob's own book: have a desire to learn. Learn the truth about Bob Crane.
On the evening of June 28, 1978, Bob Crane finished the night's production of Beginner's Luck at the Windmill Dinner Theatre in Scottsdale, Arizona. This particular run of the show seemed to not be going as well as others. On the outer cassette label of an audio tape he made of one of the performances, he had hand-written "DISASTER" on one side and "BOMB" on the other. Nevertheless, whatever he might have thought or felt was not visible to his audience. They flocked to see the Hogan's Heroes star, and they laughed and applauded throughout the show. It also didn't prevent him from happily signing his autograph on Playbills in the theatre's lobby following the performance. Bob loved his fans, and he was known to graciously give out his autograph whenever asked.
According to Victoria Berry Wells, who costarred in Beginner's Luck with Bob during this run, the last time she saw Bob was as he drove away with John Carpenter following the performance of June 28, 1978. When Linda Groundwater and I spoke at length with Vicky for Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography, she stressed—it was the last time she saw him alive.
What happened next during the overnight hours has been the subject of books, documentaries, podcast episodes, and the film Auto Focus. At some point, it is said that Bob Crane told Carpenter he no longer wanted to continue engaging in a sexually active lifestyle. One witness claimed she saw the two men drinking (although Bob did not drink) and dancing into the late hours. It was also reported that Bob asked a woman to return to the apartment with him, but she declined. It is widely believed that Bob and Carpenter returned to his apartment together. Carpenter claimed that he overheard Bob have an argument with his estranged wife, Patty (Sigrid Valdis). The argument was allegedly so loud, that neighbors could hear it, and they said they were worried Bob would lose his voice and might not be able to perform in the play the next night.
By 4:00 in the morning on June 29, everything was quiet.
And it was around that time that someone either silently entered Bob's apartment or was someone who never left. As Bob slept, his unknown assailant approached and delivered a fatal blow to his head, killing him instantly. Bob Crane, known the world over as Colonel Hogan, was gone.
Victoria Berry Wells had the unfortunate notoriety of being the person to find Bob dead in his apartment the next morning, when he missed an engagement with her to record a demo tape for a pilot he was pitching to a studio. The police and detectives were called, and from that moment on, speculation and scandal prevailed, misinformation and misunderstanding abounded, and a new Bob Crane was born—one who was the butt of all sex jokes, one who was tossed about with little to no understanding, and one whose life and career became a hazy blur in exchange for media glare and caricaturization.
Linda Groundwater began officially researching Bob's life in 2003, about a year after Auto Focus was released in theaters. She was met with slammed doors and ignored requests. In 2005, when Dee and I joined Linda in this quest for the truth, she had talked with just a handful of people: Al Warren and Morgan Kaolian from WICC in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Bob's cousin Jim Senich. The three of us worked hard to earn trust, which then led to the truth.
We are not criminologists. We are not psychologists (although both Linda and I took undergrad psyche courses in college). While Bob's murder was important to us because it was how he died, it was not the intent of our book to rehash the murder—again. Our intent was to provide truth, clarity, and understanding. It was also to expose any fallacies and falsehoods, and correct them. And we did.
Our work on Bob Crane's behalf is more than just writing a book, slapping our names on the cover, and calling it a day. So many beautiful people from his life have entrusted us with their memories of their father, cousin, friend, and coworker. They would say to us, "Write the book!" and "We're in this with you!"
Linda, Dee, and I became part of Bob's inner circle. With that comes responsibility. We are now in this with them.
On this, the 42nd anniversary of the murder of Bob Crane, we present a two-part podcast episode, "The Final Days of Bob Crane: Fact vs. Fiction." As you listen, you may be surprised that the Bob Crane you thought you knew... wasn't the real Bob Crane at all.
Rest in peace, Bob. We're still on our soap box, and we're not going anywhere.
Subscribe to Flipside: The True Story of Bob Crane on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, Spreaker, our YouTube Channel, and everywhere podcasts are found.
We're back at it! This weekend, Part 2 of our three-part interview with TV Confidential host Ed Robertson will air on radio stations across the United States and Canada. Ed has been a strong supporter of our work and has officially endorsed Bob Crane's nomination for induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Be sure to show your support by following TV Confidential on social media, joining the mailing list, or becoming a TV Confidential Confidant! Visit the TV Confidential website for details.
Ernie Kovacs, Knuckles & Nash, and The Radio Career of Bob Crane: Next on TVC
We’ll play Part 4 of our conversation with Emmy Award-winning talk show host and producer John Barbour (Real People, Ernie Kovacs: Television’s Original Genius), plus we’ll welcome back authors Carol Ford and Linda Groundwater (Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography).
We’ll play Part 2 of a three-part conversation with Carol Ford and Linda Groundwater, two of the co-authors (along with Dee Young) of Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography, a comprehensive, cradle-to-grave look at the life and career of the beloved Hogan’s Heroes star whose accomplishments in television and radio are often overshadowed by the brutal nature of his unsolved murder on June 29, 1978 and the tabloid-like coverage of his addiction to sex and porn once that became public knowledge after his death.
This week’s segment will particularly focus on Crane’s radio career, from its unlikely start on WLEA in Hornell, Connecticut to his nine-year run (1956-1965) as host and star of the top-rated morning show on KNX-AM, the CBS radio affiliate in Los Angeles. Crane not only made radio a spectator sport, but pioneered many elements of radio production that remain industry standard today. We’ll also discuss Crane’s television career, before and after Hogan’s Heroes, and how he was just beginning to grow as an actor at the time of his murder. Carol Ford and Linda Groundwater will join us in our first hour.
Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography includes first-hand insight from more than two hundred people who knew Bob Crane personally and better than most: family members; his friends from Connecticut, including many who knew him as far back as grade school; his colleagues from TV, the theatre, the movies, and, above all, radio; and the addiction counselor whose help Crane sought in an effort to overcome his addiction, in the weeks before he was killed.
All this, and more, on the next edition of TV CONFIDENTIAL, airing June 26-28 at the following times and venues:
RadioSlot.com
San Francisco, CA
Friday 6/26
10pm ET, 7pm PT
Saturday 6/27
11pm ET, 8pm PT
Sunday 6/28
11pm ET, 8pm PT
with replays Monday thru Friday 11am ET, 8am PT
Click on the Talk Slot button at RadioSlot.com
In the summer of 1988, several members of the cast of Hogan's Heroes reunited for an hour-long interview at the WZFM studio in New York City. Cast participants included Werner Klemperer, Leon Askin, Larry Hovis, and Robert Clary. They shared memories of working on Hogan's Heroes and with the show's cast and crew, as well as discussed their current projects. Werner Klemperer conducted his portion of the interview in the WZFM studio, and host Paul Cavalconte surprised him by having the other three Hogan's Heroes cast members call in. Toward the end of the interview, Werner states that he wished Bob Crane and John Banner were there with them, as the interview didn't seem complete or right without them there. His castmates agreed. He also grew sentimental and a little emotional at the end.
There is no question that this cast was indeed a family, which is exactly what we learned from countless Hogan's Heroes cast and crew as we researched Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography. This is a refreshing, first-hand account of how much this cast really enjoyed working on Hogan's Heroes and with each other.
We are grateful to producer Stuart Hersh and radio host Paul Cavalconte for granting us permission to post this interview on our YouTube channel, so we can make this delightful interview available to Hogan's Heroes fans everywhere.
The recording is shared here in its entirety, including opening WZFM theme song and commercials. The actual Interview starts around the 7:00-minute mark.
The blooper reel they discuss is featured on the Hogan's Heroes Season Two DVD set as an "extra" and was made available for the DVD set by Bob Crane's widow, Patricia Olson (Sigrid Valdis).
The TV Guide cover is used in the photo because they discuss this cover in the interview (and it also maintains Bob Crane's presence).
As Linda and I prepare to record our next podcast episode, I realized it has been quite awhile since I last wrote a blog post. We are all doing well—as well as can be expected during a global crisis. We have been extremely busy, though, with work and caring for our families. We are taking everything just one day at a time, and staying positive is key.
But we are still here! As you no doubt are aware, Linda Groundwater, Dee Young, and I are just a little bit passionate about telling Bob Crane's life story. This is because we worked so very hard to learn it. And in order to learn it, we had to work just as hard, if not harder, to earn trust from people who knew him, worked with him, cared about him, and loved him. It was not an easy thing to do because so many were protective of Bob, and they were tired of seeing his name dragged through the mud and hated Auto Focus. They did not know us, and they did not know what our intentions were when we said we were writing Bob's biography. But once they did understand our mission, they trusted us completely. They opened up to us. In so many instances, we became very dear friends. They became just as passionate as we were, and they would say things to us like, "We are in this with you!" and "Write the book!" Sadly, many did not live long enough to see Bob's biography published. One beautiful person who passed away prior to the book's publication is Charlie Zito, Bob's best friend from high school, who I will always adore like family, and to whom the book is dedicated.
We know Bob wasn't perfect, and we don't paint him as such. We are balanced in our telling of his life story in Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography (book) and Flipside: The True Story of Bob Crane (podcast). But the good side of Bob Crane far outweighs the bad. One of my best friends said to me once, "Bob Crane wasn't perfect, but he was perfectly human." Human beings are complicated. Each human being deserves more than just sweeping surface statements with no perspective and outward ridicule. I am proud of the work that Linda, Dee, and I have done and continue to do on Bob Crane's behalf. I am honored that we are his official biographers. And we will always climb up on that soap box to defend him.
To do that, we will continue to produce our podcast, do interviews, and go to book signings (once the world opens back up again). So sit tight! We have a lot in the works!
Right now, the world is upside down and backwards, and it is a bit scary outside. Let's keep focused on the good and stay positive. That is exactly what Bob Crane would want us to do!
Thanks to COVID-19, like most people around the world, I'm hunkered down at home, practicing social distancing, sanitizing everything every chance I get, and staying isolated. I know I'm doing this to protect others as well as protect myself, but the thought that I'm sitting at home and not really helping out in the world goes against my nature. I feel stuck, and that makes me antsy.
Then I remembered this scene from Season 6 of Hogan's Heroes, in which LeBeau wants to leave Stalag 13 and return to France to fight with the French Underground. He believes he will be doing more good in France than making meals and baked goods at Stalag 13, which he believes is frivolous to the war effort. One by one, his fellow prisoners try to convince him to stay, culminating with the scene above. In what I think is one of Kenneth Washington's funniest lines in his short time on the series, when LeBeau states that he's worried about what he will tell his children what he did during the war, Baker responds, "Lie to the kid!"
Like LeBeau, you might think your role of staying home during this crisis is unimportant. But it isvery important—just as important as LeBeau's Crêpe Suzettes! Staying home, self-isolating, social distancing, and sanitizing helps all of our first responders and health care providers treat the very sick, and it contains the spread of the coronavirus.
I also know some of you may be feeling really anxious and scared. I'll be honest, I'm pretty freaked out right now, too. I'm worried and scared, mostly because of my parents, especially my Dad, who is immunocompromised as a transplant recipient and a cancer survivor. My parents have been shut in their house for two weeks now, and they are doing really well, and I think that is largely because we isolated them early in this crisis. It's difficult to feel so disconnected from society and from friends and family. I'm also uneasy worrying about the unknown.
But as I tell myself, try not to panic. Take it all one day at a time, and stay grounded in the here and now. Take deep breaths. Stay in touch with your family and friends remotely, and use this down time not to worry, but to focus on positive things. Maybe do something creative, like write some Hogan's Heroes fan fiction. You can read lots of it on fanfiction.net. If things really start to get to you, watch Hogan's Heroes (my go-to anxiety reliever) or listen to one of Bob Crane's radio broadcasts. We'll be putting more of them up shortly for you to enjoy, and our podcast, Flipside: The True Story of Bob Crane, will resume production very soon, too.
Finally, to all of our doctors, nurses, scientists, researchers, and all those working tirelessly in the health care/medical field, as well as everyone working in banks, grocery stores, utilities, and all jobs that are keeping our infrastructure functioning worldwide, thank you!
On February 21, 2020, Linda Groundwater and I were guests on the radio program TV Confidential. We talked for over two hours with host Ed Robertson, who has been an avid and strong supporter of Bob Crane, and is an official endorser of Bob's nomination for induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Our interview was recorded and has been divided into three parts, all of which will be broadcast over several radio stations throughout the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Big thanks to Ed for this fantastic opportunity!
Joining us this week will be Carol Ford and Linda Groundwater, two of the co-authors (along with Dee Young) of Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography, a comprehensive, cradle-to-grave look at the life and career of the beloved Hogan’s Heroes star who was also one of the biggest stars in radio for more than a decade.
Hogan’s Heroes
aside, it has become nearly impossible to talk about Bob Crane without
also referencing either the brutal nature of his unsolved murder on June
29, 1978, or his addiction to sex and porn that became public knowledge
after his death. Indeed, the tabloid-like coverage of those two stories
has overshadowed the rest of Crane’s life and all that he accomplished.
Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography
attempts to set the record straight by providing readers with a full
and complete history of Crane was—and, just as important, who he wasn’t.
The book includes first-hand insight from more than two hundred people
who knew Bob Crane personally and better than most: family members; his
friends from Connecticut, including many who knew him as far back as
grade school; his colleagues from TV, the theatre, the movies, and,
above all, radio; and the addiction counselor whose help Crane sought in
an effort to overcome his addiction, in the weeks before he was killed.
Carol Ford and Linda Groundwater will join us in our first hour.
TV CONFIDENTIAL: A radio talk show about television
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San Francisco Bay Area
Friday 3/6
7pm ET, 4pm PT
10pm ET, 7pm PT
Click on the Listen Live button at KSAV.org
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San Francisco, CA
Friday 3/6
10pm ET, 7pm PT
Saturday 3/7
11pm ET, 8pm PT
Sunday 3/8
11pm ET, 8pm PT
with replays Monday thru Friday 11am ET, 8am PT
Click on the Talk Slot button at RadioSlot.com KDUN AM 1030 Eugene/Springfield/Reedsport, OR
Saturday 3/7
Noon ET, 9am PT
Streaming at kdunradio.wixsite.com/kdun
Happy New Year! It's been a long time since I've posted, and I have to apologize for my absence. Personally, I've had a lot going on at home with my Dad's health and my day job, but it doesn't mean I'm not still here. In fact, quite the opposite! My coauthors and I never left, nor will we.
Linda Groundwater and I are getting ready to record our next episode of our podcast, Flipside: The True Story of Bob Crane (based on our work of Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography). We are also outlining future episodes.
While you wait, you can check out the latest episode here:
I also wanted to share a little bit here of why we researched Bob Crane, wrote his biography, and carry on despite the book having been published.
Ever since I was a kid growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia in the 1980s, I have loved Hogan's Heroes and its star. Way back then, I was so sad when I learned of his murder, and my little 14-year-old self was determined to make a difference. Long before the Internet, I would go to the library, spending hours upon hours in the microfilm/microfiche room, trying to learn more. I still have my notebooks from my childhood research, and when I look at how diligent I was then, it's no wonder to me that I'm still here, all these years later, caring so much about the truth of Bob Crane's life.
Bob Crane is continually misunderstood and unfairly judged by the public. In the decades since his death, he has become known for three things, and three things only: Hogan's Heroes, his murder, and the scandal that came to light during the murder investigation. Very little or nothing is mentioned about his tremendous career in radio, that he was a talented drummer, that he made countless charitable contributions to society and nonprofit organizations, was "kind to those he worked with and kind to those he knew" (q. Leo McElroy, KNX colleague), was devoted to and loved his family and friends, was driven to success in all that he did (radio, acting, music), adored his fans and always made time to go out of his way to sign autographs, and sought to better his life by battling his addiction in the weeks leading up to his murder, and sadly, just didn't live long enough to see it through.
Auto Focus is the "source" most people have based their knowledge on. But be warned. Auto Focus misses its mark. Director Paul Schrader went further by stating in an interview to the New York Times that the film was meant to be a distortion and not entirely true because the truth is boring and who cares about the truth. So the film is exaggerated at best and completely inaccurate at worst.
It would be very easy to give up, and I've been told to give up often over the years for all sorts of reasons: 1) I'm not a flesh-and-blood member of his family, and therefore, have no right to say anything; 2) my book won't sell because nobody cares; 3) nobody wants to hear "nice," they only want the dirt; and 4) the hateful comments I've received over the years from people who think they know the truth and feel empowered through anonymity (aka, trolls). I've been called names. I've been told that I "know nothing" and should just give it up.
But despite these shallow and often hurtful attempts to derail the work my friends and coauthors Linda Groundwater and Dee Young and I have done, we will not give up. We may not put a podcast episode out every week, or write a blog post every day, or post on social media as much as we used to, but we will not give up.
We are Bob Crane's official biographers. We are proud of the work we've done and honored to represent Bob through the people who knew him better than most. We have talked with 200+ prominent individuals from Bob Crane's life — family; friends; colleagues in radio, television, theatre, and film; and the counselor who was helping Bob overcome his addiction at the end of his life. We've become very close to and grown to love many people from Bob's life. It has, for us, become personal, because these beautiful people are now a part of our lives. We count them as our dear friends, and we continue our work not just for Bob, but also for all of them.
We understand that people who don't know about us or our work or have read our book have no idea about the truth about Bob Crane. It is never brought to the surface in the mainline media, and it's like a broken record that is on play-repeat. But it's a record we're happy to break so we can share what we know. The truth about Bob Crane.
