Werner Klemperer
Encyclopedia
Werner Klemperer was a comedic and dramatic actor, best known for his role as Colonel Klink on the CBS television
sitcom, Hogan's Heroes
.
to a musical family, Klemperer was the son of the renowned conductor Otto Klemperer
(1885-1973) and Johanna Geisler (1888-1956), a soprano
. He had a younger sister named Lotte (1923-2003). Klemperer was musically talented, being a violinist and an accomplished concert pianist. He broadened his acting career by performing as an operatic baritone
and a singer in Broadway
musicals. He can be seen playing in the violin section of the New Philharmonia Orchestra on the EMI Classics DVD "Otto Klemperer — Beethoven Symphony No. 9." at a concert performed on November 8, 1964, at London's Royal Albert Hall
.
The Klemperer family emigrated to the United States in 1935, settling in Los Angeles where Otto Klemperer took up work as a conductor. Werner Klemperer began acting in high school and enrolled in acting courses in Pasadena
before joining the United States Army
to serve in World War II
.
While stationed in Hawaii, he joined the Army's Special Services
unit, spending the next years touring the Pacific
entertaining the troops. At the end of the war, he worked on Broadway before moving into television.
's The Wrong Man
(1956). He then received significant notice for his role in the award winning 1961 film Judgment at Nuremberg
. The film presents a fictionalized account of the post-World War II Nuremberg Trials
, with Klemperer portraying Emil Hahn, a Nazi judge and one of the defendants at the trial. Prior to this, he had a small role in the 1957 Errol Flynn
film Istanbul
and a pivotal part in the "Comstock Conspiracy" episode of Maverick
that same year. He played the title role in the 1961 film Operation Eichmann. He guest starred in the first Brian Keith
television series, Crusader
, a Cold War
drama which aired on CBS.
Prior to Hogan's Heroes, Klemperer appeared twice as Hugo on the syndicated
romantic comedy
series, How to Marry a Millionaire
(1957–1959), with Barbara Eden
and Merry Anders
. He is best known, however, as Colonel
Wilhelm Klink: the bumbling, cowardly and self-serving Commandant of Stalag 13 on Hogan's Heroes
, which aired from 1965-1971. Klemperer, conscious that he would be playing the role of a German officer during the Nazi regime, agreed to the part only on the condition that Klink would be portrayed as a fool who never succeeded. When Klemperer's father, the famous conductor, saw his first episode of Hogan's Heroes, he said to his son, "Your work is good . . . but who is the author of this material?" In addition to the character's bumblings, Klink was also remembered for his horribly screechy violin playing, spoofing Klemperer's talent for the violin. For his performance as Klink, Klemperer received six Emmy Award
nominations for best supporting actor, winning in 1968 and 1969. On the set of Hogan's Heroes, he met his second wife, actress Louise Troy
, who was making a guest appearance. They fell in love and married in 1969, but divorced in 1975.
He appeared in character and costume as Klink in a "Batclimb cameo" on the 1960s Batman
television series and as Officer Bolix in the Lost in Space
episode "All That Glitters" in 1966. he also appeared in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Episode 13 The Blizzard Makers in December 7, 1964.
He played a bumbling East German official in the 1968 American comedy film The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz
, directed by George Marshall and starring Elke Sommer
and several of his costars from Hogan's Heroes, including Bob Crane. Klemperer later starred in Wake Me When The War Is Over
in 1969 playing the role of a german Major, Erich Mueller alongside Eva Gabor
(Green Acres
).
Between 1970 and 1978, Klemperer owned a Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 V8. When it was parked on the set of Hogan's Heroes, co-star Bob Crane
joked about it being "The Colonel's staff car". After Crane's murder, Werner sold the car because it brought back too many memories of his friend.
and Broadway musicals. He earned a Tony Award
nomination for his performance in Cabaret
in its 1987 Broadway revival. A member of the Board of Directors of the New York Chamber Symphony
, Klemperer served as a narrator with many other American symphony orchestras. He also made occasional guest appearances on television dramas, and took part in a few studio recordings, notably a version of Arnold Schönberg
's Gurre-Lieder
in 1979. In 1981, he appeared, to critical and audience raves, as Prince Orlofsky in Seattle Opera's production of Die Fledermaus
. In 1992, he made a guest appearance in an episode of Law & Order
, "Starstruck," as the father of an attempted murder
suspect.
In 1993, Klemperer reprised the role of Klink in an episode of The Simpsons
as Homer's guardian angel and spirit guide in the episode "The Last Temptation of Homer
" (episode # 5.9). According to the episode's DVD commentary, when Klemperer appeared, he had to be given a quick reminder of how to play Colonel Klink. He declined other offers to reprise the character, including one from talk show host Conan O'Brien.
Klemperer appeared in several episodes of the news/talk show Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher.
Klemperer was the father of two children, Mark and Erika, with his first wife, Susan Dempsey. In 1997, Klemperer married his third wife, television actress Kim Hamilton, with whom he had lived for several years. On December 6, 2000, Klemperer died of cancer in New York
and his ashes were scattered at sea.
For many years, Klemperer was an elected member of the council of Actors' Equity Association
, and was a vice president of the union at the time of his death.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sitcom, Hogan's Heroes
Hogan's Heroes
Hogan's Heroes is an American television sitcom that ran for 168 episodes from September 17, 1965, to March 28, 1971, on the CBS network. The show was set in a German prisoner of war camp during the Second World War. Bob Crane had the starring role as Colonel Robert E...
.
Early life
Born in CologneCologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
to a musical family, Klemperer was the son of the renowned conductor Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer was a German conductor and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century.-Biography:Otto Klemperer was born in Breslau, Silesia Province, then in Germany...
(1885-1973) and Johanna Geisler (1888-1956), a soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
. He had a younger sister named Lotte (1923-2003). Klemperer was musically talented, being a violinist and an accomplished concert pianist. He broadened his acting career by performing as an operatic baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
and a singer in Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musicals. He can be seen playing in the violin section of the New Philharmonia Orchestra on the EMI Classics DVD "Otto Klemperer — Beethoven Symphony No. 9." at a concert performed on November 8, 1964, at London's Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
.
The Klemperer family emigrated to the United States in 1935, settling in Los Angeles where Otto Klemperer took up work as a conductor. Werner Klemperer began acting in high school and enrolled in acting courses in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
before joining the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
to serve in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
While stationed in Hawaii, he joined the Army's Special Services
Special Services (entertainment)
Special Services are the entertainment branch of the American military. The unit was created on 22 July 1940 by the War Department as part of the Army Service Forces. Special Services would not only use their own specially trained and talented troops but would often engage local performers.Special...
unit, spending the next years touring the Pacific
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
entertaining the troops. At the end of the war, he worked on Broadway before moving into television.
Career
Klemperer's first major film role was as a psychiatrist in Alfred HitchcockAlfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's The Wrong Man
The Wrong Man
The Wrong Man is a 1956 film by Alfred Hitchcock which stars Henry Fonda and Vera Miles. The film is based on a true story of an innocent man charged for a crime he did not commit...
(1956). He then received significant notice for his role in the award winning 1961 film Judgment at Nuremberg
Judgment at Nuremberg
Judgment at Nuremberg is a 1961 American drama film dealing with the Holocaust and the Post-World War II Nuremberg Trials. It was written by Abby Mann, directed by Stanley Kramer, and starred Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Maximilian Schell, Werner Klemperer, Marlene Dietrich, Judy...
. The film presents a fictionalized account of the post-World War II Nuremberg Trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
, with Klemperer portraying Emil Hahn, a Nazi judge and one of the defendants at the trial. Prior to this, he had a small role in the 1957 Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
film Istanbul
Istanbul (film)
Istanbul is a 1957 American drama film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Errol Flynn, Cornell Borchers and John Bentley. An American becomes mixed up with various criminal activities in Istanbul...
and a pivotal part in the "Comstock Conspiracy" episode of Maverick
Maverick (TV series)
Maverick is a western television series with comedic overtones created by Roy Huggins. The show ran from September 22, 1957 to July 8, 1962 on ABC and stars James Garner as Bret Maverick, a cagey, articulate cardsharp. Eight episodes into the first season, he was joined by Jack Kelly as his brother...
that same year. He played the title role in the 1961 film Operation Eichmann. He guest starred in the first Brian Keith
Brian Keith
Brian Keith was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his four decade-long career gained recognition for his work in movies such as the 1961 Disney family film The Parent Trap, the 1966 comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, and the 1975 adventure saga The Wind and...
television series, Crusader
Crusader (TV series)
Crusader is a half-hour black-and-white American adventure/drama series that aired on CBS for two seasons from October 7, 1955 to December 28, 1956.-Synopsis:...
, a Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
drama which aired on CBS.
Prior to Hogan's Heroes, Klemperer appeared twice as Hugo on the syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
series, How to Marry a Millionaire
How to Marry a Millionaire (TV series)
How to Marry a Millionaire is an American sitcom that aired in syndication from 1957 to 1959. The series was based on the 1953 film of the same name which starred Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, and Lauren Bacall.-Synopsis:...
(1957–1959), with Barbara Eden
Barbara Eden
Barbara Eden is an American film and television actress and singer who is best known for her starring role in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie.-Early years:...
and Merry Anders
Merry Anders
Merry Anders is an American actress who has appeared in a number of television programs and films since the 1950s. In 1954, she succeeded Ann Todd as Stuart Erwin's daughter in the final season of his TV series, The Stu Erwin Show.In the 1955-1956 season, she joined Janis Paige in the 26-week CBS...
. He is best known, however, as Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Wilhelm Klink: the bumbling, cowardly and self-serving Commandant of Stalag 13 on Hogan's Heroes
Hogan's Heroes
Hogan's Heroes is an American television sitcom that ran for 168 episodes from September 17, 1965, to March 28, 1971, on the CBS network. The show was set in a German prisoner of war camp during the Second World War. Bob Crane had the starring role as Colonel Robert E...
, which aired from 1965-1971. Klemperer, conscious that he would be playing the role of a German officer during the Nazi regime, agreed to the part only on the condition that Klink would be portrayed as a fool who never succeeded. When Klemperer's father, the famous conductor, saw his first episode of Hogan's Heroes, he said to his son, "Your work is good . . . but who is the author of this material?" In addition to the character's bumblings, Klink was also remembered for his horribly screechy violin playing, spoofing Klemperer's talent for the violin. For his performance as Klink, Klemperer received six Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nominations for best supporting actor, winning in 1968 and 1969. On the set of Hogan's Heroes, he met his second wife, actress Louise Troy
Louise Troy
Louise Troy was an American actress of stage and screen. She is best known for her performances in Tovarich and Walking Happy , both of which she was nominated for a Tony Award...
, who was making a guest appearance. They fell in love and married in 1969, but divorced in 1975.
He appeared in character and costume as Klink in a "Batclimb cameo" on the 1960s Batman
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
television series and as Officer Bolix in the Lost in Space
Lost in Space
Lost in Space is a science fiction TV series created and produced by Irwin Allen, filmed by 20th Century Fox Television, and broadcast on CBS. The show ran for three seasons, with 83 episodes airing between September 15, 1965, and March 6, 1968...
episode "All That Glitters" in 1966. he also appeared in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Episode 13 The Blizzard Makers in December 7, 1964.
He played a bumbling East German official in the 1968 American comedy film The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz
The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz
The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz is a 1968 American comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Elke Sommer, Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer and Leon Askin...
, directed by George Marshall and starring Elke Sommer
Elke Sommer
Elke Sommer , born Baroness Elke Schletz, is a German actress, entertainer and artist.-Career:Sommer was born in Berlin to a Lutheran minister and his wife...
and several of his costars from Hogan's Heroes, including Bob Crane. Klemperer later starred in Wake Me When The War Is Over
Wake Me When The War Is Over
Wake Me When the War Is Over is a 1969 American comedy made-for-TV film starring Ken Berry and Eva Gabor, and directed by Gene Nelson. It first aired on ABC.-Plot:...
in 1969 playing the role of a german Major, Erich Mueller alongside Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor was a Hungarian-born socialite and actress. She was widely known for her role on Green Acres as Lisa Douglas, the wife of Eddie Albert's character, Oliver Wendell Douglas, Duchess in the 1970 Disney film The Aristocats, and Miss Bianca in Disney's The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under...
(Green Acres
Green Acres
Green Acres is an American television series starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move from New York City to a country farm...
).
Between 1970 and 1978, Klemperer owned a Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 V8. When it was parked on the set of Hogan's Heroes, co-star Bob Crane
Bob Crane
Robert Edward "Bob" Crane was an American actor and disc jockey, best known for his performance as Colonel Robert E...
joked about it being "The Colonel's staff car". After Crane's murder, Werner sold the car because it brought back too many memories of his friend.
Later career
After his father’s death in 1973, Klemperer expanded his acting career with musical roles in operaOpera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and Broadway musicals. He earned a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
nomination for his performance in Cabaret
Cabaret (musical)
Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
in its 1987 Broadway revival. A member of the Board of Directors of the New York Chamber Symphony
New York Chamber Symphony
The New York Chamber Symphony was an American chamber orchestra based in New York City. It was active from 1977 to 2002.It was founded in 1977 by its founding music director Gerard Schwarz, and Omus Hirshbein. Its original name was the Y Chamber Symphony, and it was the resident ensemble at the...
, Klemperer served as a narrator with many other American symphony orchestras. He also made occasional guest appearances on television dramas, and took part in a few studio recordings, notably a version of Arnold Schönberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
's Gurre-Lieder
Gurre-Lieder
Gurre-Lieder is a massive cantata for five vocal soloists, narrator, chorus and large orchestra, composed by Arnold Schoenberg, on poems by the Danish novelist Jens Peter Jacobsen...
in 1979. In 1981, he appeared, to critical and audience raves, as Prince Orlofsky in Seattle Opera's production of Die Fledermaus
Die Fledermaus
Die Fledermaus is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée.- Literary sources :...
. In 1992, he made a guest appearance in an episode of Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
, "Starstruck," as the father of an attempted murder
Attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.-Today:In English criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit unlawful killing and at the same time having a specific intention to cause the death of human being under the Queen's Peace...
suspect.
In 1993, Klemperer reprised the role of Klink in an episode of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
as Homer's guardian angel and spirit guide in the episode "The Last Temptation of Homer
The Last Temptation of Homer
"The Last Temptation of Homer" is the ninth episode of The Simpsons fifth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 9, 1993. In the episode, a female employee named Mindy is hired at the nuclear power plant...
" (episode # 5.9). According to the episode's DVD commentary, when Klemperer appeared, he had to be given a quick reminder of how to play Colonel Klink. He declined other offers to reprise the character, including one from talk show host Conan O'Brien.
Klemperer appeared in several episodes of the news/talk show Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher.
Klemperer was the father of two children, Mark and Erika, with his first wife, Susan Dempsey. In 1997, Klemperer married his third wife, television actress Kim Hamilton, with whom he had lived for several years. On December 6, 2000, Klemperer died of cancer in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and his ashes were scattered at sea.
For many years, Klemperer was an elected member of the council of Actors' Equity Association
Actors' Equity Association
The Actors' Equity Association , commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing the world of live theatrical performance, as opposed to film and television performance. However, performers appearing on live stage productions without a book or...
, and was a vice president of the union at the time of his death.
Filmography
- The Wrong ManThe Wrong ManThe Wrong Man is a 1956 film by Alfred Hitchcock which stars Henry Fonda and Vera Miles. The film is based on a true story of an innocent man charged for a crime he did not commit...
(1956) - Flight to Hong Kong (1956)
- Death of a ScoundrelDeath of a ScoundrelDeath of a Scoundrel is a 1956 film starring George Sanders, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Yvonne De Carlo. It was written and directed by Charles Martin.Death of a Scoundrel is a fictionalized adaptation of the life and mysterious death of Serge Rubenstein....
(1956) - Kiss Them for MeKiss Them for Me (film)Kiss Them for Me is a 1957 comedy film starring Cary Grant and Jayne Mansfield, directed by Stanley Donen. Co-stars included Suzy Parker, Leif Erickson, Ray Walston, and Werner Klemperer....
(1957) - IstanbulIstanbul (film)Istanbul is a 1957 American drama film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Errol Flynn, Cornell Borchers and John Bentley. An American becomes mixed up with various criminal activities in Istanbul...
(1957) - The Goddess (1958)
- Judgment at NurembergJudgment at NurembergJudgment at Nuremberg is a 1961 American drama film dealing with the Holocaust and the Post-World War II Nuremberg Trials. It was written by Abby Mann, directed by Stanley Kramer, and starred Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Maximilian Schell, Werner Klemperer, Marlene Dietrich, Judy...
(1961) - Operation Eichmann (1961)
- Ship of FoolsShip of Fools (film)Ship of Fools is a 1965 film drama which tells the overlapping stories of several passengers aboard an ocean liner bound to Germany from Mexico in 1933...
(1965) - The Wicked Dreams of Paula SchultzThe Wicked Dreams of Paula SchultzThe Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz is a 1968 American comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Elke Sommer, Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer and Leon Askin...
(1968) - Wake Me When The War Is OverWake Me When The War Is OverWake Me When the War Is Over is a 1969 American comedy made-for-TV film starring Ken Berry and Eva Gabor, and directed by Gene Nelson. It first aired on ABC.-Plot:...
(1969)
External links
- Werner Klemperer at concentric.net
- Werner's mom and dad, Otto and Johanna, 1920s portrait by Nickolas MurayNickolas MurayNickolas Muray was a Hungarian-born American photographer and Olympic fencer.-Biography:...