Werner Klemperer
Biography
Werner Klemperer was an American actor who served in World War II and started on Broadway in 1947. Born in Cologne, he moved to the United States in 1933 and grew up in Los Angeles. His early screen credits included The Wrong Man (1956), Death of a Scoundrel (1956), Houseboat (1958), and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). He also appeared in Ship of Fools (1965) and Wake Me When the War Is Over (1969). He guest-starred on many television series, among them Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Perry Mason, and Gunsmoke. He became best known as Colonel Wilhelm Klink on the CBS sitcom Hogan's Heroes, which ran from 1965 to 1971, and won Emmy Awards in 1968 and 1969 after five consecutive nominations. Later he returned to Broadway, earned a Tony nomination for Cabaret in 1987, and performed as a narrator with symphony orchestras. He died in 2000.
80years old at death
- Born Cologne
- Died New York City
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
Movie Career
- Films
- 7
- Career span
- 24 years1956 to 1980
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Big break
Klemperer agreed to play Colonel Wilhelm Klink on Hogan's Heroes only if the German officer was shown as a fool who never succeeded.
A change of course
While stationed in Hawaii during the war, Klemperer joined the Army's Special Services unit and spent years touring the Pacific entertaining the troops.
Beyond film
Klemperer took the role of Bassa Selim in Mozart's Singspiel Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He gave 18 performances there between 1979 and 1982.
Beyond film
In 1993, Klemperer voiced Klink once more, this time on The Simpsons, where the character served as Homer's guardian angel and spirit guide. He said no to other requests to play Klink again, among them one from talk-show host Conan O'Brien.
Werner Klemperer movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Stanley Kramer directed two of these films. Four actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Cary Grant's page
Kathleen Freeman's page
Richard Deacon's page
John Wengraf's page
Stanley KramerDirector, 2 films, 1961 to 1965
All films by Stanley Kramer
Awards
Three awards and honors from 1968 to 1969, three of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 1969 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Hogan's Heroes | Won |
| 1969 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Hogan's Heroes | Won |
| 1968 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Hogan's Heroes | Won |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.