Bob Crane
A charismatic actor whose life became a Hollywood noir, defined by his star-making role in a WWII sitcom and a tragic, unsolved end.
1928–1978 (age 50)·American actor·Birthday: July 13·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bob Crane's story is one of remarkable ascent and dark, unresolved descent. He found his first audience not on screen but on the radio, becoming a popular morning DJ in Los Angeles. That easy, charming voice translated perfectly to television, where he landed the role of Colonel Robert Hogan in 'Hogan's Heroes,' a sitcom set in a German POW camp. For six seasons, Crane's Hogan was the clever, smirking heart of the show, making him a household name. Off-camera, he was a dedicated amateur drummer and, in the latter part of his life, developed a fixation with recording his own extensive sexual exploits on nascent video technology. In 1978, his life was brutally cut short when he was found murdered in his Scottsdale apartment, a crime that remains officially unsolved, casting a long, haunting shadow over his comedic legacy.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bob was born in 1928, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1928
#1 Movie
The Singing Fool
Best Picture
Wings
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1928Born
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1933Started school
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1941Became a teenager
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Could drive
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1946Could vote
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1949Turned 21
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1958Turned 30
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 40
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 50
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
Key Achievements
- Starred as Colonel Robert Hogan in the hit CBS sitcom 'Hogan's Heroes' for six seasons.
- Won two consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on 'Hogan's Heroes.'
- Had a successful career as a top-rated morning radio personality on KNX in Los Angeles.
Did You Know?
He was an avid drummer and often performed with big band legends like Buddy Rich and Stan Kenton.
He met and performed with The Beatles on their first US tour in 1964 during his radio show.
The murder weapon in his unsolved homicide was a camera tripod cord.
“The tape recorder is the greatest invention since the wheel.”
