Hogan's Double Life


Series:	Hogan's Heroes
Episode:	Hogan's Double Life
Original Airdate:	March 07, 1971
Production Number:	5784-165
Written by:	Phil Sharp
Directed by:	Bruce Bilson
Produced by:	Edward H. Feldman, William A. Calihan & Jerry London

Regular[]

Prisoners[]

Camp Personnel[]

Semi-Regulars[]

None

Guest Stars[]

Synopsis[]

When Hogan is identified as a saboteur, he impersonates a German officer in front of the very Gestapo agent who could take him down.

Plot Details[]

Hogan, the Heroes and an Underground agent are waiting on the side of a road at night for a truck containing artworks stolen from France by Hermann Goering. Hogan doesn't like the idea as their intel comes from a German sergeant who let the information slip after drinking, but their Underground contact assures them that the information is genuine. They are soon interrupted by Bruner, a friend of the Underground agent, and an agent himself. After the two agents exchange pleasantries, Bruner informs Hogan that he is here for a very important mission, to ambush a German truck which sure enough, contains stolen artwork. This information also came from a drunk German sergeant who was at a different tavern. Realising they have walked into a trap, Hogan orders the two Underground agents to take their troops and flee before it is too late. Newkirk suggests the Heroes leave too, but Hogan decides to stay to make sure the trap is real. The truck (which has been disguised as an ambulance) comes by and Hogan bursts an inflated paper bag. The sound causes the truck to stop and six Wehrmacht troops disembark with absolutely no artwork to be found. Their suspicions confirmed, the Heroes quickly make their way back to Stalag 13.

The next day, Hogan is getting an earful from Klink for the way the prisoners are behaving during roll-call (yawning and looking tired). Hogan merely points out that the matter is small given how badly Germany is faring in the war. His point is so well made that Klink gives him an apology, before realising what Hogan is doing and demanding the prisoners shape up. Hogan agrees to talk to the men, before noticing an article in the newspaper concerning Field Marshal Von Leiter, a Hammelburg resident who is holding his birthday party in town with 600 guests. Hogan makes a comment that Klink will have to dust off his dress uniform for the party and the conversation quickly turns to the party invitation, which Klink has not received. Klink tries to pass off the lack of an invitation as a mistake, but Hogan is not fooled (in fact, he already knew Klink wasn't invited anyhow). Hogan throws Klink a bone and suggests that the invitation might arrive the following morning (the same day as the party) and Klink leaps on the idea, before being interrupted by Schultz who announces the arrival of Gestapo Major Pruhst. Pruhst almost immediately berates camp security and announces all he knows of Klink (which is a great deal, and little of it good). Desperate to gain some control, Klink dismisses Schultz and Hogan and listens to what Pruhst has to say about Hogan (all positive). Klink asks why Pruhst is so interested in Hogan, to which Pruhst answers that it is because Hogan is an enemy of the state. The area surrounding Stalag 13 has the highest rate of sabotage and Underground activity and, as such, is under heavy investigation by the Gestapo. Pruhst declares that the evidence overwhelmingly implicates Hogan in these matters. He then reveals that he planted a man to spread rumours about military secrets (the sergeant from the taverns), and though that operation failed, Pruhst has another card to play: two months prior when a German bridge mysteriously was destroyed, a witness managed to see and describe one of the saboteurs, the description is that of Hogan. The only problem is that the Pruhst's superiors do not believe a prisoner of war could be capable of such activities and thus Pruhst is operating alone as he is too determined to give up. He wants to gain a photograph of Hogan so the witness can make a proper identification and thus Hogan can be prosecuted. Klink tries to arrange a picture to be taken, but Pruhst opts to take one subtly, thinking Hogan will disapear if he finds out what is happening. He shows Klink a pair of gloves with a hidden camera inside, declaring it to be the Gestapo method.

The entire conversation has been heard on the coffee pot receiver by the Heroes of course, and Hogan resolves to avoid having his picture taken. He gathers the men outside the barracks, and under the pretense of lecturing them on their behaviour during roll-call, manages to avoid several attempts to have his picture taken, however, either because Hogan knows he can't keep up the charade forever, or out of sheer luck, Pruhst manages to get one picture. He and Klink leave as Hogan finishes his speech, and informs the Heroes that Pruhst now has a picture of him (as he noticed the camera in the glove). He declares he will think of some way out of the situation before Carter hands him an envelope for Klink containing an invitation to Von Lieter's party (to Hogan's surprise). Hogan asks Carter to give the invitation to Klink before leaving. LeBeau asks why everyone is so glum, and Newkirk points out that when they were in trouble before, they were all in it together, but now it's only Hogan who is at risk.

Later that night, Hogan goes to the Heroes in the barracks with an idea. He asks Baker to contact London and find everything they can about Field Marshal Von Leiter, no matter how trivial. LeBeau is assigned to get Hogan a German captain's uniform of a regiment that has been to the Eastern Front (as it would be unlikely for anyone from the Front to be around to break Hogan's cover). Carter is asked to change Klink's invitation and forge Pruhst's name on it instead, with Hogan declaring Pruhst to be "the one man we want at the party."

Baker returns with everything they have on Leiter, including some photos of his adult children (likely supplied by the Underground). Hogan remarks that for a man of such high rank, Leiter hasn't done a great deal. They are met by LeBeau who has procured a uniform for Hogan, the Frenchman is proud of his work, citing that Hogan will pass perfectly for a member of the 15th Corps, but Hogan tests LeBeau's temper by asking if he could find a more fancy uniform. LeBeau quickly declares that if the uniform were any more fancy, Hogan wouldn't be in the 15th Corps, but rather, the Women's Auxillary.

A little later, as Hogan and Carter are going over some last minute items, LeBeau (who is spying on Klink's office) informs them that the Kommandant is receiving a call. Hogan listens in on the coffee pot receiver and overhears Pruhst take the call and then remark that the witness has identified Hogan beyond a shadow of doubt. Klink has an emotional moment as he feels that Hogan has betrayed his trust on a personal level, before recovering and declaring nothing but suspect for Hogan. Pruhst ignores Klink's murmurings and asks Klink to have someone assigned to watch Hogan through the night, as Pruhst has decided to arrest Hogan in the morning. Schultz is chosen to watch Hogan and given strict instructions to lock Hogan in the cooler if he tries to leave. The heavyset sergeant proudly agrees to these orders, declaring he will dilligently keep watch, until supper, to which Klink orders him to watch until he has been dismissed and not a second less. Schultz throws Klink a filthy look before resigning himself to his duty.

After some time has passed, Hogan who is playing a game of chess with Carter, deliberately knocks a piece over, and leaves the table to retrieve it, as he does so, Newkirk takes his place at the table wearing a similar uniform. The change is unnoticed by the Schultz who only manages to spot "Hogan" place his castle on a different square, laughingly declaring "Hogan" to be a cheat. Pruhst angrily rebukes Schultz and orders him to keep watching, before getting up to leave for Leiter's party. Klink is astounded that Pruhst was invited and not him, but acts natural, claiming he didn't want to go, and then when pressed by Pruhst, that he had lost his invitation. The Gestapo major, in a rare show of kindness (which could be attributed to his good mood for having evidence on Hogan) offers to have Klink come along on his invitation. The joyful Klink leaps at the opportunity but insists he needs 45 minutes to ready his dress uniform.

With Hogan aka Eric Schafstein all suited up complete with mustache, grey hair and glasses, he enters the party and makes his way to Von Leiter and "reintroduces" himself as an old family friend. Though Von Leiter has no idea who he is speaking with, Hogan's charms, and knowledge of Von Leiter is enough to convince him that "Eric Schafstein" really is a friend of his son's who looked up to him as an uncle. Klink and Pruhst soon arrive and instantly recognise Hogan, despite his disguise. Pruhst muses that this proves Hogan's complicity, while Klink simply is outraged that Hogan was invited and not him. The two greet Von Leiter and unobtrusively confront Hogan, who claims to have no knowledge of either of them. Von Leiter asks why the two are accosting his would-be nephew "Eric", and backs "Eric's" story completely. Confused, but not convinced, Pruhst still questions "Eric's" identity, leading to Hogan to "recall" the time when he and Von Leiter's son received tattoos. "Eric" shows the tattoo to Klink and Pruhst and sows the seeds of doubt firmly in their heads. The two quickly leave for Stalag 13 to see if Hogan is still there, and "Eric" asks Von Leiter if he could borrow his staff car just for the night as he has a staff meeting. Von Leiter is more than happy to lend his car to his "nephew" and encourages him to use the siren as he will get to his destination faster that way.

Hogan soon re-enters camp (in his normal uniform) via the tunnel and manages to get into position just as Klink and Pruhst burst into the barracks. They are surprised to see Hogan and demand to know if he was there all night. Hogan jokingly claims to have had dinner with the long dead Red Baron, before being ordered to roll up his sleeve. He does as ordered and not a trace of a tattoo is to be found, driving the nail into the coffin of Pruhst's case. The Gestapo major declares that "Eric Schafstein" must be the Underground agent he is looking for and leaves to return to the party and arrest him. Hogan smugly asks why anyone would go to a party instead of watching a chess game, as the other Heroes laugh.

The next day, as the Heroes are playing a game of baseball, Klink approaches Hogan and relays Pruhst's belief that Hogan was an Underground agent to him. Hogan asks how Klink could think that of him and demands an apology, which Klink gives. The Prussian colonel then muses that though he may like Hogan as a person, he wishes Hogan had "Captain Schafstein's" sense of humour, as Hogan knowingly smiles.

Story Notes[]

This is the one hundred and sixty-fifth produced episode of the series, but is the one hundred and sixty-sixth to be shown on television, and is also the twenty-second episode shown for the Sixth Season.
LeBeau uses a pair of coffee cans with hidden binoculars to spy on Klink. This method of surveillance has not before, and never is again, used in the series.
Pruhst complains to Klink that his superiors do not believe the fact that Stalag 13 is the center of the Underground movement.

Timeline Notes and Speculations[]

This takes place near the end of the war, no earlier than the end of 1944 and most likely in the first part of 1945. The headlines that Hogan reads from Klink's newspaper are all bad news for Germany - labor conscription, food rationing in Berlin, etc. The Eastern Front was lost long ago, as Hogan requests a fake German uniform for a unit that had been ground up there so it would be difficult to check his background.
More on Klink's background. He was born in Leipzig (although another episode reveals his family later moved to Dusseldorf). He attended gymnasium (German term for high school) and graduated 43rd in his class. He worked in his father's store until he graduated, after which he tried and failed to pass the qualifying exams to study law, medicine, and bookkeeping. His uncle, who was the mayor's barber, managed to get him an appointment from Kaiser Wilhelm II to the military academy at Potsdam, where he eventually graduated 95th (last) in his class.
Hogan graduated third in his class from the Army Aviation Cadet School.

Quotes[]

When Pruhst suggests they get ready for Leiter's party.

Klink: You were invited?
Pruhst: Of course, weren't you?
Klink: (false bravado) Well naturally I was, but I wasn't really planning on going.
Pruhst: Oh come on, you don't want to disappoint the field marshal.
Klink: I don't even know what I did with the invitation!
Pruhst: You don't need one, you're with me.
Klink: (happily) Well if you insist, I'll be ready in 45 minutes.
Pruhst: (surprised) Why should it take you that long?
Klink: (indicating his uniform) Well you don't want me to go in THESE rags do you?

Bloopers[]

Major Pruhst claims that Hogan was born in Cleveland, Ohio. This contradicts previous episodes, such as Axis Annie, in which his birthplace is stated as Bridgeport, Connecticut. Then again, Hogan was always joking about being from Cleveland.
A significant portion of the episode is devoted to acquiring a photograph of Colonel Hogan, which Major Pruhst does by hiding a small camera in a glove. Why he didn't simply requisition the detention photo from Hogan's POW files from the camp archives is not explained.

External links[]

Hogan's Double Life at Ein Käfig voller Helden
Hogan's Double Life at the Internet Movie Database
Hogan's Double Life episode capsule at Webstalag 13
The Hofbrau

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