Leon Askin - Life and Career

Life and Career

Askin was born Leon Aschkenasy into a Jewish family in Vienna, the son of Malvine (Susman) and Samuel Aschkenazy.

Askin emigrated to the United States in 1940 and, after the war, went to Hollywood, invariably portraying foreign characters who speak English with a strong accent. Askin appeared as the Russian composer Anton Rubinstein in a Disneyland anthology episode of the life of Peter Tchaikovsky. Fans of the television series Adventures of Superman recall his portrayals of an eastern European diamond smuggler in a black-and-white episode, and as a South American prime minister in a color episode. He appeared in 20th Century Fox's biblical epic The Robe as a Syrian guide named Abidor. In 1960, he appeared in the film Pension Schöller, and the following year was prominently featured in Billy Wilder's film One, Two, Three, co-starring with James Cagney. He gained wide recognition and popularity by appearing as the stern General Albert Burkhalter in the sitcom Hogan's Heroes in the late 1960s.

Askin made a guest appearance on Daniel Boone in its 1969 episode "Benvenuto... Who?" as Roquelin. Between 1977 and 1979, he appeared in Steve Allen's PBS series, Meeting of Minds, portraying Martin Luther and Karl Marx. In 1979 he portrayed the character Mr. Hoffmire of Hoffmire’s Bakery, judging a pie contest in an episode in the third season of Three’s Company titled, “The Bake-off”. In 1982 he had a brief appearance as a Moscow Anchorman in the film Airplane II: The Sequel.

Askin died in Vienna on June 3, 2005, at the age of 97.