History Characters / HogansHeroes

* {{Catchphrase}}: No one ever escapes Stalag 13!

* {{Catchphrase}}:

* CannotKeepASecret: Played with. He can't keep German military secrets from Hogan and the boys. However, he's very good at keeping what really goes on at the camp away from Klink and other superior officers.

* {{Catchphrase}}: "What is this man doing here?!" and "Baah!" Also, (paraphrase) "I will surround this area with a ring of steel!"

* {{Catchphrase}}: Hogan, ''DARRRLIIING!''

* DistressedDamsel: Has to be saved by Hogan twice.

* [[spoiler: SecretlyWealthy: Subverted. He once owned the largest toy factory in Germany, but it was taken over for war production, which probably didn't do his finances any favors.]]

!!Corporal Peter Newkirk
->Played by Richard Dawson
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Cpl_Newkirk_4328.jpg]]

Royal Air Force Corporal Peter Newkirk is the group's conman, magician, pick-pocket, card sharp, forger, bookie, tailor, lock picker, safe cracker and impersonator of German officers (and on one occasion, Winston Churchill). On numerous occasions Newkirk also impersonates women to fool the Germans and help the underground movement. He also is in charge of making uniforms and assisting in distracting the Germans to perform other sabotage.

!!Corporal Louis [=LeBeau=]
-> Played by Robert Clary
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Cpl_LeBeau_4061.jpg]]

Free French Air Force Corporal Louis [=LeBeau=], a master chef and notoriously patriotic Frenchman. He is often seen referring to Nazis and Germans in general as "pigs", and specifically as "Boches" or "dirty Boches" (a derogatory word for Germans used since the Franco-Prussian War). [=LeBeau=] is also a master of covert operations, and has taken the precaution of befriending the camp's guard dogs. As a result, he's able to enter their compound through a secret entrance under a doghouse without the dogs raising the alarm.

* AfraidOfBlood: He was shot in the shoulder and the rest of the team found him unconscious. It turned out to be a very minor wound and he had simply fainted at the sight of the blood.
* AmazonChaser: He's in love with Marya and is the only member of the crew that trusts her completely.
* BerserkButton: Do NOT insult France, or loot its museums. He also takes poor cooking personally.
* TheCasanova: [=LeBeau=] is probably the most romantically inclined member of Hogan's crew.
* TheCastShowOff: Robert Clary can sing pretty well and a few episodes showcased this.
* DeliciousDistraction: He uses his cooking to distract or otherwise bribe Schultz.
* EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench: When he is trying to be romantic he usually starts sprinkling his speech with French words and phrases.
* FluffyTamer: Those vicious guard dogs in the camp? Yeah, [=LeBeau=] has them eating out of his hand.
-->'''Dr. Monet''': ''[looking at the dogs]'' Are they dangerous?
-->'''[=LeBeau=]''': Oh, only to the Germans.
* FoolForLove: Loses practically all common sense when Marya is around.
* ForeignCussWord: He insults people in French several times through out the show.
* FrenchCuisineIsHaughty: [=LeBeau=] looks down on any type of cooking that isn't French. He insults German food regularly and in a couple of cases, Italian. Hearing what a banana split is made of visibly disturbs him.
* HeteroSexualLifePartners: With Newkirk.
* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: As far as the rest of the team is concerned, his opinion of Marya.
* HotBlooded: Gets angrier faster than anyone else, particularly at displays of stupidity that jeopardize the operation, or insults towards his homeland.
* IdiotBall: Briefly holds it in "Happy Birthday Dear Hogan". Major Hochstetter is revealing secret plans with the windows wide open with the justification that "the prisoners can't tell anyone". [[SarcasmMode What could possibly be wrong with that?]]
* InSeriesNickname: Schultz and Klink (but mainly Klink) refer to [=LeBeau=] as "Cockroach."
* LastNameBasis: An exception to the rule in this show as he is one of the few characters referred to by his first name on a semi-regular basis.
* TheNapoleon: Averted, as he's not that sensitive about his height.
* PhonyPsychic: Hogan once convinced Klink that [=LeBeau=] was psychic.
* StealthExpert: His main role in the group besides cook.
* SupremeChef: In all but one case. There was apparently a NoodleIncident involving chow mein (cooked with [[ForeignQueasine sauerkraut]]) and the boys convincing Klink that [=LeBeau=] was part Chinese. All we know is it ''really'' didn't end well.
-->'''Hogan''': [=LeBeau=], I'm holding you in reserve, to make chow mein. If Carter's bombs don't work, we may have to ''poison'' that bridge!
* TeamChef

!!Staff Sergeant James "Kinch" Kinchloe
->Played by Creator/IvanDixon
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Sgt_Kinch_7893.jpg]]

United States Army Air Corps Staff Sergeant James (a.k.a. Ivan) "Kinch" Kinchloe is primarily responsible for radio, telegraph, and other forms of electronic communications. In the series pilot, Kinchloe is introduced as Hogan's chief of staff, and, in addition to his communications expertise, is seen speaking fluent French to Corporal [=LeBeau=]. Kinch is from Detroit and has worked for the telephone company. In one episode, he mentions that before the war he fought in the Golden Gloves.

* TheBigGuy: He's a former boxer and is taller than most of the rest of the heroes. He's also a very pleasant man.
* BlackAndNerdy: He's the camp's radio and electronics genius.
* TheBoxingEpisode: Kinch was a semi-professional boxer back state-side so naturally he's the one that goes up against the German champ.
* CharacterTic: He has a tendency to raise his eyebrows a lot.
* ADayInTheLimelight: Kinch was often involved in plots requiring technical/radio work, but since the color of his skin would be a bit noticeable when trying to impersonate a German official, he didn't get as many "dress up" plots as the rest of the cast. One exception involved him capturing and impersonating an African royal trying to ally himself with the Axis forces, complete with a GirlOfTheWeek.
* DeadpanSnarker: Quite possibly his best moment is when Hogan is looking for one of the Heroes [[DressingAsTheEnemy to impersonate a German.]]
-->'''Hogan''': Alright, I need another German.
-->'''Kinch''': Oh, how about me, sir?
-->'''Hogan''': ''[{{beat}}]'' Don't be funny.
** His second-best has to be when Schultz tells them that there's a new second-in-command.
-->'''Kinch''': Darn, I thought I was going to get that job...
* GadgeteerGenius: Kinch handles the electronics while Carter handles the explosives.
* GeniusBruiser: He's a radioman, has at least some skill as a bomber navigator, and speaks fluent French and German in addition to English. He's also from Detroit and a capable boxer, having fought in the Golden Gloves. He's usually the first of the Heroes to figure out what Hogan's plan is.
* GoodNewsBadNews: This could actually be his catchphrase from how often he says it.
* ImpersonatingAnOfficer: General Kinchmeyer. Unlike the others though, he only does his impersonations over the phone.
* InSeriesNickname: Kinch.
* ManipulativeBastard: Not as good as Hogan, but he has shades of this. "Is General Hammerschlag Burning" has him effectively take control of the mission, leaving Hogan speechless. [[note]]Literally. He tells Hammerschlag that Hogan is a mute.[[/note]]
* NervesOfSteel: He is the group's unofficial second in command because of his clearheadedness and his calmness under fire and in very stressful situations, and because of this, he is more respected by the other non-coms than is the technically higher ranked Sergeant Carter.
* NumberTwo: Hogan's official second-in-command,[[note]]He introduces Kinch as such to Crittendon[[/note]] even though Carter outranks him.
* TheOperatorsMustBeCrazy: He's in charge of the camp switchboard and he makes sure calls Hogan doesn't want to get through do not get through.
%%* PutOnABus: In season six, he is replaced by Baker.
* ThrowingTheFight: At the end of TheBoxingEpisode he beats his competitor senseless and then throws the fight to avoid reprisals being directed against the gang from the German officers present.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Kinch is replaced by Baker in the last season without any acknowledgment or explanation. Since Klink's record of no successful escapes is still mentioned during that season, the character must have either actually died, or his death (or transfer to another camp) faked as he was 'discharged' and allowed to go home through the escape tunnel. Considering he gets a letter (it's treated as a throwaway joke) about his final draft classification being 4-F (limited service only), it may have been the latter.

!!Sergeant Richard Baker
-> Played by Kenneth Washington
[[quoteright:275:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Baker_597.jpg]]

Following Dixon's departure from the show after season five, the producers replaced his character in the sixth season with United States Army Air Corps Sergeant Richard Baker. The tasks assigned to Sergeant Baker are almost identical to those of Staff Sergeant Kinchloe, including limited impersonation of some German voices.

----

* SuccessSymbiosis: Hogan frequently has to protect Klink or Schultz or, more often than not, both from the Gestapo or the SS to carry out his schemes, mainly because if someone ''more'' competent were in charge of the camp, things would be a lot more difficult.

->Played by John Banner

* BadassBaritone

* JerkAss: Doesn't bother trying to hide his contempt for Klink or the prisoners.

* PromotionNotPunishment: In one episode Hochstetter is terrified of punishment after thinking he killed a fugitive Hitler had expressed personal interest in with a stray shot to a gas tank (really the Heroes faked the man's death). It turns out, however, that Hitler is glad that the man is "dead", and Hochstetter is promised a commendation due to the belief that Hochstetter was deliberately able to MakeItLookLikeAnAccident.

* StateSec

* SurroundedByIdiots: He doesn't exactly hold Klink, Schultz or the rest of the personnel at Stalag 13 in a very positive light. Granted, he has a legitimate reason for this.

* SamusIsAGirl: The original plan in her introduction episode was for her to switch places with [=LeBeau=], which was scrapped immediately when he realized she was a woman.[[note]]The Heroes had been under the impression that Tiger was a man.

An Italian POW camp who briefly studies under Klink and is recruited by the heroes.

* TheSoCalledCoward: As mentioned under OldSoldier, he was apparently a SergeantRock back in WW1 and has stood up to Gestapo agents during the course of the series. In some episodes he actually (albeit very reluctantly) ''assisted'' Hogan and his crew pull off their capers, such as when he threw his weight around while pretending to be a general to protect several of Hogan's men (though being [[LiquidCourage completely drunk]] probably helped), and on at least one occasion he was the only reason their mission had a chance of success. There’s willful ignorance in an effort to keep your skin intact, and then there’s committing outright treason against a government that wouldn’t hesitate to torture and execute you and quite possibly your family for such a crime.

* ObfuscatingStupidity: He repeatedly states, "I know NUSSINK!" but in reality he's probably on to just about everything that goes on in Stalag 13. At one point, he stops Hogan's crew from pushing him too far on a deal. Also, idiots don't run large companies or get promoted to OR-7 ranks.

* WidowWoman: A variant. Everyone considers Gertrude to be a widow except for Gertrude herself, who insists that her husband was only declared MIA, not dead. Of course, as Burkhalter puts it, "On the Russian Front, missing ''means'' dead". Especially given that by her second appearance, her husband had been missing for several years.

* FalseWidow: A variant. Everyone considers Gertrude to be a widow except for Gertrude herself, who insists that her husband is only MIA, not dead. Of course, as Burkhalter puts it, "On the Russian Front, missing ''means'' dead". Especially given that by her second appearance, her husband had been missing for several years.

* ObfuscatingStupidity: He repeatedly states, "I know NUSSINK!" but in reality he's probably on to just about everything that goes on in Stalag 13. At one point, he stops Hogan's crew from pushing him too far on a deal. Also, idiots don't run large companies or get promoted to E-8 ranks.

* ShesGotLegs: She wears a pair of shorts during her nightclub act. At one point, she leans back and crosses her legs while smiling at the audience.

* NiceHat: Rarely seen without his pilot's cap.

* NiceHat: Klink's Prussian WWI era pickelhaube. Not that he wears it, but he does have a nice CommissarCap for other occasions.

Hauptfeldwebel (Senior Master Sergeant) Hans Georg Schultz, serial number 23781, is Klink's bumbling, highly unmilitary 300-pound Sergeant of the Guard. Schultz is a basically good-hearted man who, when confronted by evidence of the prisoners' covert activities, will simply look the other way, repeating "I hear NUSSINK, I see NUSSINK, I know NUSSINK!" (or, more commonly as the series went on, simply "I see NUSSINK–NUSSINK!") to avoid being blamed for allowing things to have gotten as far as they already had, and possibly given a one-way trip to the Eastern Front.

* PutOnABus: In season six, he is replaced by Baker.
* StaticCharacter: Unfortunately, even though he is Hogan's second and well respected by the team, his role rarely goes beyond radio man and occasional German voice on the phone. Supposedly, this was one of the reasons Ivan Dixon left the show in season 6.

* StaticCharacter: Arguably even worse than Kinch.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: To Kinch.

* SpotOfTea: Newkirk is often seen drinking tea while the others are using a radio to contact the submarine which is transferring their message to England.

* BrilliantButLazy: When he actually puts his mind to something, the results can be rather impressive. In one episode the heroes contrive to put Schultz in charge of the camp, but he proves so frighteningly competent at the job Hogan works to return everything to the status quo. It's heavily implied that he could easily figure out what Hogan's crew was up to at the camp, he just really, ''really'' doesn't want to. Mostly because if he did, he'd be held responsible for letting it happen.
** This depends on the episode, though; in the pilot and first season especially, he knew almost everything they were doing and often actively assisted them.

* MinionWithAnFInEvil: Schultz made toys for children before getting drafted when war broke out, and willingly turns a blind eye to Hogan and his crew's antics. He does get a little more serious when in a German officer's presence, but is otherwise more concerned with just surviving each day.

* TheSoCalledCoward: As mentioned under OldSoldier, he was apparently a SergeantRock back in WW1 and has stood up to Gestapo agents during the course of the series. In some episodes he actually ''assisted'' Hogan and his crew pull off their capers, such as when he threw his weight around while pretending to be a general to protect several of Hogan's men (though being [[LiquidCourage completely drunk]] probably helped), and on at least one occasion he was the only reason their mission had a chance of success. There’s willful ignorance in an effort to keep your skin intact, and then there’s committing outright treason against a government that wouldn’t hesitate to torture and execute you and quite possibly your family for such a crime.

* BrilliantButLazy:
** When he actually puts his mind to something, the results can be rather impressive. In one episode the heroes contrive to put Schultz in charge of the camp, but when he proves frighteningly competent at the job, Hogan works to return everything to the status quo. It's heavily implied that he could easily figure out what Hogan's crew was up to at the camp. He just really, ''really'' doesn't want to. Mostly because if he did, he'd be held responsible for letting it happen. This depends on the episode, though; in the pilot and first season especially, he knew almost everything they were doing and often actively assisted them.
** Between wars he built a hugely successful toy company. He is a bad soldier (but he is only serving in the military because he was conscripted), but an effective businessman and manager.

* LovableCoward: He really just wants to keep things nice and quiet and peaceful on his shift, and definitely doesn't want to get involved in anything that might look like trouble. Given who he has to work for, you really can't blame him either. He's also petrified of the idea of being sent to the front lines. He doesn't even keep his gun loaded.

* MinionWithAnFInEvil: He is willing to turn a blind eye to Hogan and his crew's antics. Also he made toys for children before the war. While in a German officer's presence, he does get a little more serious. Otherwise, he's more concerned with just surviving each day.

* [[spoiler: SecretlyWealthy: He owns the largest toy factory in Germany.]] Subverted, though. [[spoiler: The factory was taken over for war production, which probably didn't do his finances any favors.]]

* TheSoCalledCoward: Actually stood up to Gestapo agents and threw his weight around (while pretending to be a general) to protect several of Hogan's men. Being [[LiquidCourage completely drunk]] at the time probably helped, though.

* OldSoldier: Klink is a career soldier. He served in the First World War, first in the Imperial German Army, and later in the newly formed Luftwaffe despite a lifelong fear of flying. He also stayed in the military in the two decades between the wars.