Bob Crane

Robert Edward Crane (July 13 1928–June 29 1978) was an American disc jockey and actor who starred as Colonel Robert Hogan in the television sitcom Hogan's Heroes from 1965 to 1971. He was nominated for two Emmy Awards for his work on that show. His 1978 murder remains officially unsolved. The resulting investigation brought to public light the double life that Crane had been leading for years as an amateur pornographer and sex addict.

Life

Crane was born in Waterbury, Connecticut. He dropped out of high school and became a drummer, performing with dance bands and a symphony orchestra. In 1949 he married his high school sweetheart; they eventually had three children.

Career

He started his broadcasting career in 1950, working at three different radio stations before the year was up -- first at WLEA in Hornell, N.Y., then at WBIS in Bristol, Connecticut, and finally at WICC-AM in Bridgeport, Connecticut, a 500-watt operation where he stayed until 1956.http://www.bobcrane.com/aboutbob.php A web site run by Crane's son, Scott Crane; accessed June 29 2006 That station had virtually no listeners; it was noted that one time, he offered $100 to the first listener who called in -- and the phone didn't ring. In 1956, he moved his family to California to continue his radio career.

Crane's interest turned to acting, and at the age of 33 he began his career. He soon was a regular on The Donna Reed Show during the 1963 – 1965 seasons. On The Dick Van Dyke Show he played a character named "Harry" who tried out for the role of Marc Anthony in a community play. The character for which he is best known is "Colonel Robert Hogan", the lead role in Hogan's Heroes. Crane landed parts in a few feature films (Superdad) but had no breakout roles.

Violent death

Crane was bludgeoned to death in Scottsdale, Arizona, in a murder case that was never officially solved. An associate, John Henry Carpenter, was tried for the murder but was not convicted. Prior to the murder, Carpenter and Crane had made pornographic videos of Crane having sex with numerous women.

Crane's life and murder was the subject of the 2002 film Auto Focus. His son, Scotty Crane, and his second wife, Patricia Olsen, objected to the way Crane was portrayed and took to the media to present their side of the story. Shortly before the film's release, Scotty started a website featuring Bob Crane's amateur pornography. He later took the video clips off the site.

According to an A&E Network program on the subject, Crane had tired of his libertine lifestyle and wished to resume leading a more normal life. Since this would have meant cutting off his relationship with Carpenter, this decision of Crane's was presumed to be the motive for the murder. As Carpenter was acquitted, both the murderer and the motive remain officially open questions.

Selected filmography

Man-Trap (1961)
Return to Peyton Place (1961)
The Donna Reed Show (1958 - 1966) (TV series)
Hogan's Heroes (1965 - 1971) (TV series)
The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz (1968)
Superdad (1973)
The Bob Crane Show (1975) (TV series)
Gus (1976)

Trivia

In an episode of Family Guy entitled "Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater", Peter randomly makes a reference to Bob Crane, citing: "After Hogan's Heroes, Bob Crane got his skull crushed in by a friend who videotaped him having rough sex."

Another Family Guy reference appears in the episode entitled "He's Too Sexy For His Fat," in which Stewie mentions "This must be where Wilford Brimley was strangled by Bob Crane," after discovering semen and oatmeal in his hotel room.

References

External links

Bob Crane tribute site, operated by son Scotty
The Seedy World of Bob Crane TV's Colonel Hogan

Bob Crane | Bob Crane