Bob Crane

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Robert "Bob" Edward Crane (born July 13, 1928 in Waterbury , Connecticut , † June 29, 1978 in Scottsdale , Arizona ) was an American actor . In Germany he became known with the lead role in the series A Cage Full of Heroes .

Life

Bob Crane was born the youngest son in the family. At school he loved the role of the clown. He found his second passion in music and played in a band as a drummer. After dropping out of high school, he first wanted to pursue that passion and began playing as a drummer with the Connecticut Symphony Orchestra. He was released after a year for not doing this job seriously enough. In 1949 he married Ann Terzian, his high school sweetheart. He had three children with her: Bob Jr., Deborah and Karen.

In 1956 the Crane family moved to California . There Crane got a job as a radio presenter at KNX Radio and became a star. This was followed by roles in several television series. From 1963 to 1965 he starred in the series Mother is the very best . In 1965 he took on the role of Colonel Robert Hogan in the series A Cage Full of Heroes . There he got to know Patricia Olson, who played Colonel Klink's secretary in A Cage Full of Heroes under the stage name Sigrid Valdis , and separated from his wife after 20 years of marriage. Crane and Valdis married in October 1970. They separated in 1977 but did not divorce and were reconciled in 1978. The son Robert Scott Crane emerged from the relationship.

assassination

Grave of Crane and Valdis in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery

Crane cultivated the image of the womanizer not only in A Cage Full of Heroes , but also in real life. This was probably his undoing.

Bob Crane was found dead in his Winfield Place apartment on June 29, 1978. He was probably hit in the head with a camera tripod . His best friend, John Henry Carpenter, was arrested on suspicion of murder, but no charges were brought against him.

The public prosecutor's office named "women's stories" as the motif, since Carpenter was able to establish better contacts with women through Crane. Both were very fond of the female sex. Crane apparently wanted to end his friendship with Carpenter, but was no longer able to carry out his plan. Carpenter, against whom the trial was resumed in 1994 but was acquitted due to lack of evidence, died in 1998. The suspected murder weapon "camera tripod" was never found either.

In the film Auto Focus , Paul Schrader tells, based on the non-fiction book The Murder of Bob Crane by Robert Graysmith Crane, the career of a moral, Christian family man to a sex addict who has gambled away his entire life. Crane was played by Greg Kinnear .

Filmography (selection)

  • 1953, 1961: General Electric Theater (TV series, 2 episodes)
  • 1954: Disneyland (TV series, episode 22x15)
  • 1961: Incredible Stories ( Amazing Stories, TV series, 1 episode)
  • 1961: Return to Peyton Place
  • 1961: The Man-Trap
  • 1962: The Dick Van Dyke Show (TV series, episode 2x14)
  • 1963–1965: Mother is the very best ( The Donna Reed Show, TV series, 62 episodes)
  • 1963: Alfred Hitchcock shows ( Alfred Hitchcock Presents The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, TV series, episode 1x15)
  • 1965–1971: A cage full of heroes ( Hogan's Heroes, TV series, 168 episodes)
  • 1968: The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz
  • 1969: Arsenic and Old Lace (TV movie)
  • 1973: Superdad - Dad is the greatest (Superdad)
  • 1974: Make-up and pistols ( Police Woman, TV series, episode 1x10)
  • 1975: The Bob Crane Show (TV series, 14 episodes)
  • 1976: Spencer's Pilots ( Spencer's Pilots, TV series, episode 1x07)
  • 1977: Quincy ( Quincy, ME, TV series, episode 2x07)
  • 1977: The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (TV series, episode 1x08)
  • 1978: Love Boat ( The Love Boat, TV series, episode 1x13)

Web links