Fritz Bowman

Fritz Bowman is a fictional character who appeared in the Hogan's Heroes episode, Oil for the Lamps of Hogan. He was played by William Mims.

Fritz Bowman, who is the owner of the fictional IG Bowman Industries, a German company that creates synthetic fuel for the German Wehrmacht, arrives at Stalag 13 with General Burkhalter. The two are greeted in front of Klink's office by an honor guard led by Sergeant Schultz and by Colonel Klink, as Colonel Hogan, Corporal LeBeau and several other prisoners look on. As the three exchange pleasantries outside, Hogan send LeBeau inside to find out why Bowman and Burkhalter are there.

Once the three are inside Klink's main office, and after Bowman and Burkhalter have refused Klink's offer of some refreshments, while at the same time not knowing that LeBeau is presently hiding inside Klink's safe and listening in on their conversation, Burkhalter tells Klink why they are there: the Führer is concerned about the so far successful Allies bombing of their synthetic fuel plants, but Burkhalter has come up with an idea to end that. He tells Klink that Bowman is going to build a new synthetic fuel plant, but instead of building a new one, which is certain to be bombed by the Allies, they are going to turn Stalag 13 into a new synthetic fuel plant, since he is certain that the Allies would not bomb their own prisoners, while the prisoners would eventually be sent to a newly built Stalag 13, and the Allies would never know about the change. After overcoming Klink's reluctant about the success of the plan, Burkhalter tells Klink that he and Bowman would be at the camp for a few days, to look it over and discuss further plans. They have no idea that LeBeau would quickly inform Hogan and the others about their plans, and that they would then attempt to stop it.

The next time Bowman is mentioned in the episode, it would be when Hogan tells Klink that he knows all about their moving of the prisoners to another camp as he claimed that he thought that Bowman looked like a real estate agent. He is then mentioned when Hogan, as he tricks Klink into believing that there is actually oil under the camp, which would be discovered when it is turned into a synthetic fuel plant, before he suggests to Klink that he tell Burkhalter about the oil in order to stop the conversion. Burkhalter, after he has been convinced by Klink, tells Klink that he shouldn't have any problem convincing Bowman that Stalag 13 might not be a good place to build the synthetic fuel plant after all. But when Burkhalter actually does try to change Bowman's mind the next day, Bowman disagrees with him, telling Burkhalter that he thinks that it is an excellent location for the proposed plant. After countering Klink's objections about there not being a nearby train station (build train tracks to the camp from the closest station), or an airfield (build one), and then Burkhalter's attempt to use his influence by suggesting that he would inform Hitler about the situation, Bowman accepts the idea and tells Burhkalter that they should both make reports to the Führer and then let him decide which one is better, the general decides that maybe they should take one last look at the camp and decide after that. Bowman agrees, before leaving Klink's office with Burkhalter.

Hogan, after being told by Klink that Bowman isn't changing his mind, tells Kinchloe to write down a note that is to be sent to London, asking them to conduct a fake air raid, and to have the planes drop some leaflets before telling him what he wants the leaflets to say.

Bowman's final appearance is when he and Burkhalter are seen looking at the camp once again, before they, along with Hogan and Klink, the other prisoners, and the guards, hear air raid sirens, then see some explosions (which are all fake), as Allied bombers fly overhead. Then Klink picks up one of the leaflets that have been dropped from the planes, and reads it, thereby finding out that the Allies know about their plans. After being informed by Burkhalter that this kills the project, Bowman asks how security could have been breached. Klink try to blame Hogan, but since he's a POW, is it rejected by both Burkhalter and Bowman.

He is assumed to have later left camp with Burkhalter.