Richard Dawson Movies

To avoid bombardment from the Allies, the Germans intend to construct a synthetic fuel plant at Stalag 13. Realizing that this will uproot the prisoners -- and foul up his espionage operations -- Hogan schemes to sabotage the construction project by convincing Klink that there is oil on the camp's land. This scheme requires the rest of Hogan's operatives to stage an elaborate phony air raid. Written by Laurence Marks, "Oil for the Lamps of Hogan" originally aired on December 17, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hogan is assigned to smuggle British POW Captain Michaels (Michael St. Clair) -- and the prototype for a new German gunsight -- out of Stalag 13. Unfortunately, this requires Michaels to sail across 80 miles of ocean, and the underground's submarine is out of commission. The solution: Hogan convinces Klink that the camp is in dire need of a new officer's club -- built in the shape of a yacht. Written by David Chandler and Jack H. Robinson, "Anchors Aweigh, Men of Stalag 13" was first telecast on December 31, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hogan's Heroes began its six-season run on September 17, 1965, with its black-and-white pilot episode, "The Informer." Colonel Hogan and the gang welcome a new prisoner named Wagner (Noam Pitlik) to Stalag 13 (here referred to as "Camp 13"). After giving the newcomer a guided tour of the barracks -- and of the inmates' covert espionage operation and prisoner-escape service -- Hogan discovers that Wagner is a spy for the Gestapo. Quickly, the other prisoners cook up a scheme to discredit Wagner in the eyes of Colonel Klink and the rest of the Germans. Worth noting in this inaugural episode is the more sharply adversarial relationship between Hogan and Klink (who is not as much of a buffoon as he'd be in subsequent episode) and the fact that Carter (Larry Hovis) is a lieutenant rather than a sergeant. "The Informer" was written by Richard M. Powell and series creators Bernard Fein and Albert S. Ruddy, from a story by Fein and Ruddy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Filmed in black-and-white, the opening episode of Hogan's Heroes swiftly establishes the series' premise, wherein American POW Col. Robert Hogan (Bob Crane) and his fellow prisoners are shown running a terrifyingly efficient Allied espionage operation right under the noses of their stupid German captors, Col. Wilhelm Klink (Werner Klemperer) and Sgt. Hans Schultz (John Banner). A couple of details in the pilot episode would be altered in the subsequent color installments: prisoner Andrew Carter (Larry Hovis), identified as a lieutenant in the opener, was later "demoted" to sergeant; and (Leonid Kinskey), cast as Russian POW Vladimr Minsky, would be removed as a regular character once the series proper got under way. Fans of the series will notice that Klink is more nasty and Schultz less stupid in season one than in subsequent seasons; also, Klink's curvaceous blonde secretary is not Sigrid Valdis as Hilda, but instead Cynthia Lynn as Helga. Introduced during the series' first season are such recurring characters as Klink's fatuous superior officer General Burkhalter (Leon Askin), Kathleen Freeman as Burkhalter's Wagnerian sister Gertrude, and Bernard Fox as British POW Colonel Crittenden, whose slavish dedication to rules and regulations -- not to mention his stunning ineptitude -- bids fair to mess up every one of Hogan's missions to which he is assigned. Howard Caine, later cast as irascible SS officer Major Hochstetter, shows up during season one as a different character on the episode titled "Happy Birthday, Adolf." And in another episode of note, "The Prince from the Phone Company," Ivan Dixon, the series' only African-American regular, is allowed to stretch his acting muscles in the dual role of Sgt. Kinchloe and an African potentate. ~ All Movie Guide

In Volume 18 of a collection culled from the 1963-1965 science fiction anthology television series, an entomologist hires a new lab assistant, never guessing that she is actually the agent of an alien culture of bee-like creatures. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

A pre-Family Feud Richard Dawson appears as "Racy Tracy" Rattigan, the English music hall comic engaged to replace Alan Brady during his summer vacation. No sooner has "Racy Tracy" arrived at the offices of Alan's writers Rob (Dick Van Dyke), Buddy (Morey Amsterdam), and Sally (Rose Marie) than he begins living up to his nickname, merrily flirting with every female in sight -- including Rob's wife Laura (Mary Tyler Moore). Not wishing to lose his job, Rob grins and bears it until Rattigan makes outrageous advances at Laura during a party at the Petrie home. The memorable closing line of this episode was provided during filming at the very last moment by co-star Morey Amsterdam, when no one else could come up with an appropriate capper. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide