Over the Wall: 'Hogan's Heroes' in the Cold War - 'The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz'

In early 1967, producers at Samuel Goldwyn Studios (also known as United Artists Studio) hatched an idea: "Let's put the stars of Hogan's Heroes in a film together. It'll do great at the box office." It seemed feasible. After the terrific success of Hogan's Heroes, due in part to the talented actors and the natural chemistry that existed between them, a movie with the leading Hogan's Heroes cast and with Bob Crane in the starring role would be a draw for audiences.

John Banner, Elke Sommer, and Bob Crane in
a scene from The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz.

The script they had chosen was one that would undoubtedly fit the Hogan's Heroes actors' television personas well. Set in what was then present-day Europe and during one of the most heated eras of the Cold War, Bob Crane's character (Bill Mason, an American Black Market scam artist smuggling goods in and out of East Germany) would once again be pitted against the Germans - only this time, Communist East Germans instead of Nazis. Into their usual bumbling German slots landed Werner Klemperer (who is credited simply as Klaus), John Banner (as Weber), and Leon Askin (as Oscar).

Elke Sommer, the beautiful German actress, was cast opposite Bob Crane in the female lead as Paula Schultz. An East German Olympian athlete, Paula Schultz wishes to defect to the West. She enlists the help of Bill Mason, and the pair spend the movie dodging deception, falling in love, and on the run as they try to make their way over the Berlin Wall into West Berlin. Paula eventually makes the leap, literally, with her unparalleled pole vaulting capabilities. Rounding out the cast were Joey Forman and Maureen Arthur as Herbert and Barbara Sweeney, a married couple who act as the voice of reason to Herbert's friend Bill Mason, who Barbara neither likes nor trusts. 

In a January 13, 1968, article published shortly after the film's release, Werner Klemperer said, "If there are anti-heroes, there have to be anti-villains. According to my last two roles, who's a sweeter villain than I?...It's such a zany farce that our director, George Marshall, allowed me to play the role of an East German bureaucrat as broad as I liked. The character fancies himself to be a great lover - a veritable devil with the women. They gave me all the props - a silken dressing gown, long cigarette holder, and even a mirrored ceiling in my bachelor quarters. I go on the make for Elke Sommer and don't even consider it a rebuff when she pole vaults over the Berlin Wall to avoid me."

Bob Crane on the set of
The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz.

At the time he received the offer to star in the film, Bob Crane had been itching for the chance to make a different kind of jump - from the small television screen to the big theater screen. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of one of his screen idols, Jack Lemmon, and he was taking his acting very seriously. He had already completed a course presented by Stella Adler (read the article by Bob's son, Scott Crane) and turned down a mecca of offers, including the job that had gone to Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show. Bob wanted to learn the components of acting, and he also wanted success. The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz provided a rich and unique opportunity to star in a feature film and work along side fellow actors who he liked and respected in the field.

However, the film, which was released in the United States on January 3, 1968, was not the goldmine its producers and cast had hoped it would be. Instead, it was the first taste of typecasting the stars of Hogan's Heroes experienced, an unfortunate phenomenon that would plague Bob Crane for the rest of his life. Movie goers lined up to see Hogan, Klink, and Schultz, not this Bill Mason fellow, and his East German pursuers Klaus and Weber. Later on, some of the Hogan's Heroes cast who appeared in The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz would groan and grumble when anyone mentioned the film. Werner Klemperer flatly implored people, "Don't see it."

Yet, Bob Crane was optimistic, and while later on in his career he turned down film offers of a similar nature to avoid becoming a "Cold War comedian" (as he put it), Bob viewed his part in The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz as a credible acting opportunity and another chance to learn. In a February 1, 1968, article, Bob stated, "Being quite honest, I don't think it [The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz] will defeat TV snobbery. It will help as far as credit goes. I got my feet wet in the movie business, and I'm itching for more."

"The Love Theme from The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz"
with Bob Crane on drums.

Today, regardless of the film's silly premise, The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz has become a cult classic. Seeing our beloved Hogan's Heroes stars acting together in a different universe outside of World War II Germany and Stalag 13 is a rare treat, even if film critics and audiences in 1968 believed otherwise. It is not for sale on DVD through any distributor, but like any hidden treasure, copies can be found if one looks hard enough. By all means, find it and (don't listen to Werner Klemperer!) - watch it!

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References

Alpert, D. (1968, February 1). Movie snobs hurt television actors.
Associated Press. (1968, January 13). Klemperer sees himself as a sweet kind of villain. 

Hurricane Sandy and Its Impact on Southwestern Connecticut - Bob Crane's Childhood and Early Adulthood Home

by Carol Ford

We know we've been unusually quiet lately, and October ended with a bang when Hurricane Sandy slammed into the Eastern U.S. seaboard. I reside in Southern New Jersey, and my family and I were smack in the middle of it. Although we were in the line of fire, however, our little corner of the world was miraculously spared any damage.

Others were not so fortunate, and in addition to the Jersey Shore and Lower Manhattan, the shoreline areas of Connecticut situated on Long Island Sound were ravaged by Sandy. Stamford and Bridgeport, where Bob Crane grew up, lived, and worked, suffered great damage, and even as of this writing nearly one week later, some are still struggling without power, gasoline, shelter, and other basic survival needs. During the height of the storm, WICC 600-AM Radio even succumbed to Sandy's anger when the station lost power and went off the air. Although online Internet streaming was available, WICC could not broadcast via the airwaves, and they remained quiet for more than two days.

In the video below from the Connecticut National Guard, one can see the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. At about the 7:10 mark is Stratford, a neighboring town of Bridgeport. Also shown is Sikorsky Airport, which was completely under water.

Hurricane Sandy is not the first, nor will it be the last, major event to devastate a populated region of the world. In the same vein as Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami and earthquake in Japan, and Hurricane Irene, there is a terrific need for yet again another round of donations during a time when the economic burden is already high. We encourage your support, however, and we suggest either the American Red Cross or AmeriCares, which is based in Stamford, as two reputable organizations that will ensure donations are put to good use. 

Click here for the American Red Cross

Click here for AmeriCares

For now, we'll leave you not with more photos of destruction, but rather, with optimistic views of Connecticut. Although a bit wounded at the moment, these and other areas of the East Coast will rebuild and shine once again!

Captain's Cove, Bridgeport, CT - July 2012.

Plane owned by Morgan Kaolian, friend of Bob Crane.
Sikorsky Airport, Stratford, CT - July 2012.

114 State Street, Bridgeport, CT - October 20, 2012.
Former location of WLIZ/WICC from 1951-1953.
Bob Crane worked at WLIZ/WICC from April 1951-September 1956.

Carol Ford at 114 State Street, Bridgeport, CT - October 20, 2012.
Former location of WLIZ/WICC from 1951-1953.
Bob Crane worked at WLIZ/WICC from April 1951-September 1956

Bedford Park, Stamford, CT - April 2009.
Bob Crane met his first wife, Anne, here in the early 1940s.

Boats on Long Island Sound off the coast of Connecticut.
September 2009.

Flight over Southwestern Connecticut - October 20, 2012.
With Morgan Kaolian and Dee Young.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all who have experienced personal loss due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy.

Bob Crane and Rod Serling's 'Zero Hour' / Hollywood Radio Theater

In 1973 and 1974, Rod Serling produced a radio program entitled Zero Hour. A mystery, suspense, adventure series in the same vein as the old-time radio broadcasts of the 1940s and 1950s, the basic plot typically featured a murder mystery, and often, a "Sam Spade" or other private-eye-type character who becomes involved in the drama and sets off to solve the puzzling crime. The radio episodes were similar to mystery television series, such as Columbo; Murder, She Wrote; and Ellery Queen. They were a mix of mystery, a little action, and some dry humor, and celebrity guest stars were cast in the leading roles. Rod Serling's Zero Hour was also known as Hollywood Radio Theater, and the Mutual Broadcasting System ran the series in syndication. The series was directed by Elliot Lewis, a voice actor and veteran of the Golden Age of Radio.

In July of 1974, Bob Crane starred in five episodes of Zero Hour. They are:

July 1, 1974 - Bend Spindle and Mutilate

July 2, 1974 - Murder Is a Work of Art

July 3, 1974 - Edwards Tug and Salvage

July 4, 1974 - Larceny on the Lake

July 5, 1974 - On the Lam

Because Bob was such a gifted entertainer and voice impersonator, he was easily able to disguise his voice - as he had frequently done during his years at WLEA, WICC, and KNX - and played the parts of several radio characters. Listen closely - in this clip from Bend Spindle and Mutilate, Bob lends his voice to all of the characters in the scene

Vote For Bob Crane 2 · Bob Crane - Zero Hour Bend Spindle and Mutilate / Hollywood Radio Theater 1974

Bob Crane's work on Zero Hour is just another example of his broadcasting capabilities, which extend far beyond disc jockey and morning radio personality, to include voice acting in radio theater as well.

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Note: The complete collection of Rod Serling's Zero Hour can be purchased online through various sources, including eBay, Barnes and Noble, and others.

Bob Crane Appears on 'Gibbsville' - December 9, 1976

Bob Crane appears as a news reporter
in the series Gibbsville.
"Trapped" - December 9, 1976

Throughout his career, Bob Crane enjoyed making people laugh. His radio shows were packed to the brim with his humor, and while spontaneous, were something for which he prepared extensively. As he transitioned from radio personality to actor, whether it be on television, film, or stage, Bob preferred comedic roles. However, Bob was also a serious actor, and he worked very hard at learning the profession by studying with Stella Adler and also by accepting roles that would help him expand upon his acting skills.

In the entertainment industry, an actor accepts a role not only for the art but because it is work, and work equals a paycheck. And quite often, unless he or she has made it to the "A List" in the entertainment world, one does not have the luxury of being very selective. Yet, Bob was extremely selective from the outset, turning down numerous offers over the course of his career and often at the expense of a greater salary. Some of the offers he rejected include replacing Jack Paar on The Tonight Show (Johnny Carson accepted the offer), Who Do You Trust? (after Carson vacated the role of host and moved to The Tonight Show), a pilot for a series where he was to play a radio personality (he turned down $300,000 a year), a permanent guest spot on The Ed Sullivan Show, countless Cold War-era film roles (in the same style as The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz), and co-host of Good Morning America (he was offered the position in 1974; Good Morning America debuted on November 3, 1975), to name only a few. Bob stuck to his mantra of considering and accepting roles that he believed were good for him, that helped him grow as an actor, or that he thoroughly enjoyed doing.

"I had a choice," said Bob in a 1972 interview with Copley News Service reporter Don Freeman. "When Johnny Carson took over The Tonight Show, I had an offer, $3,000 a week, to replace him on his old show, Who Do You Trust? But I picked The Donna Reed Show instead, for a lot less. I wouldn't have had to learn how to emcee a game show, but I did want to learn to act."

Bob Crane appears as a news reporter
in the series Gibbsville.
"Trapped" - December 9, 1976

In the series Gibbsville, starring Gig Young and set in a mining town in rural Pennsylvania during the 1940s, Bob plays a very unlikeable character: a big city news reporter who exploits the grief of the town after a mining accident to get the story. In one scene, Bob's character orchestrates the delivery of unpleasant news to the young wife of a miner who is still trapped below ground. Her reaction is caught on camera, and later, Bob's character catches a sharp punch in the jaw for his indifference toward the town's grief. 

It's not what we're used to seeing from Bob Crane, and his performance here is under-rated. We're so used to the likable Colonel Hogan, the quick-witted radioman, or the over-protective and slightly silly father (in Disney's Superdad). But in this episode, Bob takes on a role that is way out of his comfort zone - one where he does not make the audience laugh, but instead, makes them dislike his character immensely. To Bob, who chose his roles very carefully regardless of his financial situation, this was possibly more than just a role he took because it was a job. It was a chance for him to grow as an actor in his profession.

This is not to say Bob turned down every single job offer to come his way. He still needed to work, earn a living, and support himself and his family. Bob appears in dozens of guest-starring episodic work during the mid-to-late 1970s, a period of time where he was breaking free of the Colonel Hogan typecast and reinventing himself. However, Bob typically accepted offers that would allow him to learn, and that Bob was choosy in his roles is well-documented.

Bob's work on Gibbsville is significant and an all-too-brief look at the serious actor he was becoming. Had Bob lived, there is little doubt he would have continued to expand and excel at his talent, ultimately rediscovering his niche at the start of the 1980s, a decade full of exciting new career opportunities for the acting profession.

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Reference

Freeman, D. (1972, April 20), Bob Crane ducks TV show. Cape Girardeau Bulletin, p. 5. 

Bob Crane Interviews Phyllis Diller Over KNX (circa 1960)

Today marks the passing of yet another Hollywood legend - a fabulous comedienne with "that crazy laugh" - Phyllis Diller, who died today at the age of 95. Born in Lima, Ohio, on July 17, 1917, as Phyllis Ada Driver, this eccentric and contagiously happy entertainer began her career in radio at KROW radio in Oakland, California, in 1952. The public took notice when she teamed with Bob Hope on television and on screen, and later when the pair toured with the USO during the Vietnam War. Her credits are extensive and noteworthy, and we won't pretend to do them justice here. Suffice it to say, her stand-up comedy routines and countless television and movie appearances have kept people laughing for decades.

Bob Crane interviewed thousands of celebrities at KNX-CBS Radio from 1956 to 1965, and Phyllis Diller was no exception. Between his wild on-air radio antics and her wild and crazy personality, this interview must have been off the charts! We present a portion of it here as a tribute to Ms. Diller, and it's certainly no surprise that she and Bob laugh their way through this clip from beginning to end.

Bob Crane interviews Phyllis Diller (circa 1960)

The Bob Crane Show / KNX-CBS Radio

Bob Crane and the WICC-TV Family - See Us on Channel 43 (Bridgeport, CT)

Although we have already posted about WICC-TV (Channel 43) in the past, when new, remarkable pieces of WICC history are discovered, we naturally love to talk about it. And so is the case with the The Sunday Herald, a weekly newspaper that featured local stories about Connecticut, including Bridgeport, Stamford, and the surrounding towns.

The WICC-TV Family. Bob Crane is in the center back row, standing.
Morgan Kaolian is standing, third from left. Wallie Dunlap is
seated, third from left. Next to him, seated in the center, is
WICC General Manager Philip Merryman.

In the March 1, 1953, edition (beginning on page 90), the new UHF station WICC-TV Channel 43 was featured in a lengthy, sixteen-page supplement. It is packed to the brim with WICC history - from the birth of the radio station on August 2, 1926; to its on-air personalities and behind-the-scenes staff; to its takeover in January 1952 by WLIZ (the dominant WICC call letters remained, but WLIZ staff took control); to March 15, 1953, when WICC launched Channel 43 as Connecticut's third television station and the first in Fairfield County.

Page 1 of the supplement to the March 1, 1953,
edition of The Sunday Herald.
Design by Morgan Kaolian.

WICC was way ahead of its time. In fact, ti was so far ahead of its time that it left John Q. Public in the dust. Despite its noble efforts of trying to get the fledging station off the ground, it failed miserably - not for lack of talent, but rather, because the average person in 1953 just did not have the means or the desire to purchase the extra equipment necessary to receive the UHF programming. As the story goes, Bob Crane once told viewers he would give away $100 to the first person who called - and because nobody was watching, nobody did. 

Yet, the radio-turned-television entertainers that included Bob Crane, Morgan Kaolian, and many others reveled in the new medium, enjoying the novelty of it as well as the ability to utilize it as a learning platform for grander venues down the road. 

Whether your interest is in Bob Crane, WICC, radio, or Connecticut - or all of the above! - we think you'll enjoy perusing the pages of this historic document, rich with information and overflowing with photographs from the Golden Age of Radio and Television. It is a treasure not to be missed.

(Connecticut residents - Do you have a copy of this supplement? Let us know! We'd love to add it to our WICC/Bob Crane archives!)

New Zealand's 'Radio Kidnappers' Pays Tribute to Bob Crane and KNX

Bob Crane and Pat Boone entertain Alan Hall
(standing), who was visiting from Napier, New Zealand.

Photo taken June 7, 1961 / KNX-CBS Radio.

Photo courtesy of Alan Hall. Used with permission.

In the spring/summer of 1961, a young man from New Zealand, Alan Hall, journeyed to America for a vacation abroad. All of 20 years old, he had never been out of New Zealand before. Having listened to KNX broadcasts out of Los Angeles regularly in his hometown of Napier, Alan wrote to the station, telling them about his ensuing trip and asking if KNX could recommend a family in the Southern California area that might be willing to host him during his stay. KNX did more than offer help Alan find local room and board. They took the adventurous fellow under their massive CBS wing and planned out a full Hollywood itinerary for him, which included his coming into the station and being interviewed by Bob Crane, Pat Buttram, and Ralph Story. KNX also arranged, through the president of Radio Recorders, for Alan to watch a recording session.

On June 6, 1961, Alan Hall was Bob's in-person guest on "The Bob Crane Show" over KNX, and Bob asked Alan why he chose to venture so far away from home and visit America. Alan answered, "To have a good look around and listen to as much American radio as I can." American radio, including KNX, had really influenced him, and he had wanted to experience it for himself. When Bob asked if he had gotten to listen to his show back home in New Zealand, Alan admitted, "No, unfortunately, but I listened to it yesterday morning and really enjoyed it." To that, Bob replied with his usual dry wit and a wry smile, "I've noticed your whole attitude has changed."

Dean Mardon, program producer and presenter for Radio Kidnappers, an Access Radio station broadcasting in the Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, listening area had received a recording of Bob Crane's KNX show when Alan had been the in-person guest. As a radio personality and musician who appreciated Bob's work in broadcasting, Dean decided to produce a tribute program about Bob Crane, featuring Alan Hall's 1961 KNX interview. After several months of hard work, the program was completed. It aired on Saturday, July 7, 2012, in Napier, New Zealand (Friday, July 6, 2012, in the U.S. and Canada). The program is simply terrific, and we can't thank Dean and Radio Kidnappers enough - not only for all their hard work in making this program available, but also for their strong and ongoing support of Bob Crane's induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

(Click on the image once and then again 
in the new window to magnify for easier reading.)