Bob Crane
Bob Crane (July 13, 1928 – June 29, 1978) as an American actor, drummer, radio personality, and disc jockey best known for starring as Colonel Robert Hogan in the CBS sitcom Hogan's Heroes from 1965 to 1971. Born Robert Edward Crane in Waterbury, Connecticut, he began drumming at age 11 and started his career in radio in Hornell, New York, before hosting a top-rated morning show in Los Angeles. Crane transitioned to acting in the early 1960s with guest roles on shows like The Twilight Zone, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Donna Reed Show, where he played Dr. Dave Kelsey for 62 episodes. His big break came with Hogan's Heroes, earning two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 1966 and 1967. Post-Hogan's Heroes, Crane appeared in films like Superdad (1973) and Gus (1976), guest-starred on shows such as Police Woman and The Love Boat, and briefly led The Bob Crane Show in 1975. He was found murdered on June 29, 1978, in Scottsdale, Arizona, in an unsolved case involving blunt force trauma.
Mike Jones's Video Boneyard archive currently preserves 84 physical recordings spanning 4 productions featuring Bob Crane.
Archival Holdings in The Video Boneyard
The following 4 canonical motion pictures and broadcast master recordings featuring Bob Crane are preserved in the studio archives:
| Year | Production Title | Character / Role | Director / Studio | The Video Boneyard | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Hogan's Heroes 81 Copies | Featured Cast | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1962 | Somebody Has to Play Cleopatra | Harry Rogers | Unknown / Archive | ▶ Watch Stream | Archival Master |
| 1971 | Night Gallery: S02E09 - House, with Ghost / A Midnight Visit to the Neighborhood Blood Bank / Dr. Stringfellow's Rejuvenator / Hell's Bells | Ellis Travers | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
| 1976 | Ellery Queen: S01E21 - The Adventure of the Hard Hearted Huckster | Jerry Crabtree | Unknown / Archive | Vault Archive Master | Archival Master |
Complete Career & Landmark Filmography
Major theatrical features, landmark television appearances, and key credited roles across Bob Crane's historic screen career:
| Year | Production Title | Character / Role | Department / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | The Red Skelton Show | Col. Hogan | Actor (Television) |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater | Actor | Actor (Television) |
| 1958 | The Donna Reed Show | Actor | Actor (Television) |
| 1959 | The Twilight Zone | Disc Jockey (uncredited) | Actor (Television) |
| 1961 | Man-Trap | Ralph Turner | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1961 | Return to Peyton Place | Peter White (uncredited) | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1961 | The Dick Van Dyke Show | Harry Rogers | Actor (Television) |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self | Actor (Television) |
| 1962 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Charlie Lessing | Actor (Television) |
| 1962 | The Lucy Show | Bob Crane | Actor (Television) |
| 1962 | The Merv Griffin Show | Self | Actor (Television) |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self | Actor (Television) |
| 1963 | The Danny Kaye Show | Self | Actor (Television) |
| 1964 | The New Interns | Drunken Prankster at Baby Shower (uncredited) | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1965 | Bing Crosby Color Christmas Show | Self/Col. Hogan | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1965 | Hogan's Heroes | Robert Hogan | Actor (Television) |
| 1966 | Hollywood Squares | Self | Actor (Television) |
| 1968 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Self | Actor (Television) |
| 1968 | The Doris Day Show | Bob Carter | Actor (Television) |
| 1968 | The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz | Bill Mason | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1969 | Arsenic and Old Lace | Mortimer Brewster | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1969 | Love, American Style | Howard | Actor (Television) |
| 1969 | The Barbara McNair Show | Self | Actor (Television) |
| 1970 | Night Gallery | Ellis Travers | Actor (Television) |
| 1971 | The Pet Set | Self | Actor (Television) |
| 1972 | Patriotism | Self | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1972 | The Delphi Bureau: The Merchant of Death Assignment | Charlie Taggert | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1973 | Superdad | Charlie McCready | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1974 | Police Woman | Larry Brooks | Actor (Television) |
| 1975 | Ellery Queen | Jerry Crabtree | Actor (Television) |
| 1975 | Joe Forrester | Actor | Actor (Television) |
| 1975 | Mitzi & 100 Guys | Self | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1975 | The Bob Crane Show | Bob Wilcox | Actor (Television) |
| 1976 | Gibbsville | Lawyer | Actor (Television) |
| 1976 | Gus | Pepper | Actor (Feature Film) |
| 1976 | Quincy, M.E. | Dr. Jamison | Actor (Television) |
| 1976 | Spencer's Pilots | Actor | Actor (Television) |
| 1977 | The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries | Actor | Actor (Television) |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Edward Anderson | Actor (Television) |
| 1990 | Death In Hollywood | Actor | Actor (Feature Film) |