Professionally, however, cranes life was a classic show business ascent. Before becoming a television star, bob crane was a popular radio d. Hogan on the 1960s television comedy hogans heroes, but he also played leads in a few films during the 50s and 60s. The screenplay by michael gerbosi is based on robert graysmiths book the murder of bob crane 1993. This absorbing glimpse into the colorful life and mysterious death of bob crane stars greg kinnear as the handsome and charming actor who became famous as. He was never without a woman willing to sleep with him or have group sex with him and his friends. Bob crane hogans heroes star actor made a large number of sex tapes, and took photos of his sexual liaisons throughout his life. I watched it repeatedly back in 20032004, gradually noticing more fabrications and exaggerations in. Its a poor film, and each time i watch it, im more disappointed, repelled and disgusted by both the focus and the fiction in its depiction of bob crane. Bob crane may have been recognized as american hero colonel hogan in the hit television show hogans heroes, but his son robert crane was all too familiar with his double life at home.
The definitive biography and serves as an unofficial spokesperson for cranes second family, says the movie. Jun 23, 2018 a new book, who killed bob crane the final closeup writen by john hook with the foreword by robert crane, jr. New book bob cranes grisly murder betrayal of richard. Bobs marriage and family life are wiped out by his mounting obsession. Apr 15, 2015 the son of bob crane, who starred as a prisoner of war during world war ii on the hit show, rips the lid off his seemingly cleancut fathers double life in new book. Its star, bob crane, called to talk about a show he described as a cross between combat and mchales navy, or a marriage of malarkey and mayhem, precisely the formula crane thinks will succeed. Bob cranes son recalls hogans heroes stars double life. Mar, 2017 phoenix the gruesome 1978 murder of 60s sitcom star bob crane captured the imagination of ksaztv anchor john hook a couple of years ago. Jan 31, 2018 bob crane may have been recognized as american hero colonel hogan in the hit television show hogans heroes, but his son robert crane was all too familiar with his double life at home. Crane is the subject of a new movie entitled autofocus, directed by. Bob crane kinky sex murder betrayed by richard dawson.
They really tried to focus the movie on bobs sex life, but they didnt even do a. Greg kinnear and catherine dent in auto focus 2002 paul schrader at an. Bob cranes death and his secret life has captured the imagination of true crime fans for decades. Greg kinnear played bob in the movie auto focus 2002 about the life of tv star bob crane. This movie is the portarit of bob crane s degeneration from seemingly wholesome family man into a deplorable, disgusting condition. Jan 26, 2016 bob cranes killer has been unmasked and the man who killed the hogans heroes star was tied to his kinky double life as an underground pornographer. While the murder still remains officially unsolved, his friend john henry carpenter was arrested in 1992 and charged with cranes murder.
Its chance of success may be aided by the fact it will be filmed in color. Schrader and kinnear watched reels and reels of crane s home movies. His obsession with sex hurt his career and possibly got him killed. Bob cranes son robert crane is speaking out after it was announced hogans heroes is reportedly getting the reboot treatment with a new series that will pick up several years after the.
Heinze karnitschinig, arrived at cranes apartment at about 4. Paul schraders auto focus, based on cranes life, is a deep portrait. Bob crane was a sex addict before the condition was given a name. In an unprecedented investigation, the maricopa county attorneys office in arizona allowed hook to retest the original dna evidence from the crane murder. Hogans heroes star bob cranes secret double life and. American actor bob crane is best remembered for playing the crafty pow col. He worked with ultrafamous people like marilyn monroe before he himself became famous. On january 25, 1978, bob crane taped an episode of celebrity cooks 1975 in vancouver, british columbia, canada. Kinnear starred in auto focus about the life and murder of actor bob crane in 2002.
Bob crane died in a brutal murder linked to his kinky sex life and new claims link his hogans heroes costar richard dawson to the crime. Bob crane s killer has been unmasked and the man who killed the hogans heroes star was tied to his kinky doublelife as an underground pornographer. For him, the crime of auto focus isnt that it sensationalizes his fathers secret life. Because of his dual personas, many never knew the real man. Auto focus is a 2002 american biographical film directed by paul schrader and starring greg kinnear and willem dafoe.
A special investigation by the national enquirer has revealed claims that the sexcrazed 49yearold actor who was obsessed with shooting private xrated videos of his raunchy romps and orgies was slain by l. For years, rumors have lingered of the late hollywood star being a secret sex addict. Paul schrader says his movie is not supposed to be a literal retelling of bob crane s life. Bob crane was a sex addict before the term was invented, a married man who seduced scores of women over the years and enjoyed recording the details of their xrated encounters.
Hogans heroes bob cranes son exposes his kinky life and. Feb 16, 2017 bob crane died in a brutal murder linked to his kinky sex life and new claims link his hogans heroes costar richard dawson to the crime. The actors son robert recalls that his father s dressing room was porn central. By this time, crane had been dead for some 12 hours, his body racked by rigor mortis. However, bob did agree to fill in as a substitute guest host on several television talk shows, and that included the tonight show, where he was also a featured guest. Bob crane was born robert edward crane, in waterbury, connecticut, july th 1928. Washington bob crane handsome with a knowing smirk and an easy manner seemed like a wholesome, lowkey, instantly. Killer of hogans heroes star bob crane finally revealed.
In 2002, the film auto focus, directed by paul schrader, was made on bob crane s life and murder. Even the most determined suicide would find it difficult to end his life by battering himself to death. Bob crane s love for photography and home movies turned from hobby into an obsession that went too far and may have cost him his life. However, robert crane challenged the films accuracy. If you still love hogans heroes and bob crane, just buy the. Hogan on the 1960s television comedy hogan s heroes, but he also played leads in a few films during the 50s and 60s. There is some writing in the book, and it does tell bob s story, but the photographs tell the story more than anything else. A hardcore hogan auto focus looks at bob cranes life in. Lynn hirschberg article explores seedy life of television actor bob crane, as depicted in paul schraders movie auto focus. If you or anyone know that may have a copy of these two documentaries on bob crane, e. Born in waterbury, connecticut, crane began entertaining as a musician. In 1942, at the age of 14, bob began drumming for the connecticut symphony orchestra. Bob cranes killer has been unmasked and the man who killed the hogans heroes star was tied to his kinky double life as an underground pornographer.
Bob crane played the allamerican hero colonel hogan for 168 episodes of the hit television show hogans heroes. For me, this movie didnt provide the type of focus i was looking for or wanted to know, because its mostly about bob crane s swinger sex life. Bob crane made millions of viewers laugh as the star of hogans heroes. Learn more about this famous unsolved mystery here. The life of tv star bob crane and his strange friendship with electronics expert. Bob crane, werner klemperer, john banner, and leon askin were all starring together on hogans heroes 1965 at the time this film was made. The tragic, unsolved murder of hogans heroes star bob crane.
A hardcore hogan auto focus looks at bob crane s life in porn. The tragic, unsolved murder of hogans heroes star bob crane ew. Aug 26, 2019 bob crane made millions of viewers laugh as the star of hogans heroes. In late june 1978, the hogans heroes star was found. Eddie cantor once told bob crane, likability is 90 percent of the battle. That bob crane was a porno fiend fond of filming his exploits is no grand revelation.
Jan 06, 2006 now nearly 25 years after his murder bob cranes life and death are hot topics on the internet and in hollywood. Bob cranes son calls paul schraders biopic a cheap, predictable. There is some writing in the book, and it does tell bobs story, but the photographs tell the story more than anything else. The film, based on a book on cranes murder written by zodiac author robert graysmith, was described as brilliant by critic roger ebert. The life, career and murder of hogans heroes star bob crane is remembered by his son robert, who reveals the man we never knew. Hogans heroes star bob cranes secret double life and grisly. But, at the same time, he was harboring a deep obsession. Crane s episode aired several times in canada throughout the winter and spring of 1978 without incident. A new book, who killed bob crane the final closeup writen by john hook with the foreword by robert crane, jr. Paul schraders auto focus, based on cranes life, is a. Auto focus is a dark tale of celebrity for our age hbo. Mar 27, 2017 thirtyeight years after cranes shocking murder, author and veteran arizona journalist john hook takes a fresh look at the case in his new book, who killed bob crane the final closeup.
Despite enjoying his work, photography especially of the female form and drumming, crane wanted to be a movie star. Im sure there are better biography movies, but this one isnt one. By his early teens, he was demonstrating musical talent and had set his sights on becoming a drummer, and fantasizing about being the next buddy rich. Nov, 2016 the decades old mystery behind the brutal murder of hogan s heroes star bob crane is about to be solved on live tv according to the daily mail, us news reader john hook has uncovered dna.
In 2003, he starred in the comedy stuck on you, with matt damon as a conjoined twin who pursues his dream of becoming a hollywood actor in spite of his joined brothers desire for a different kind of life. Bob cranes kinky murder betrayed by richard dawson. He was dismissed a year later because he was not considered serious enough. He served as a paid consultant, and even has a small. According to the film auto focus, based on cranes murder, bob crane was a churchgoing family man, who descended into a life of strip clubs, bdsm, and sex addiction. Film on bob cranes fetishes has family divided abc news.
On the afternoon of june 29th, maricopa county medical examiner, dr. Discjockey turnedactor bob crane develops a secret personal life, focusing. The movies themes are aptly captured in the double entendre of the title. In a time in which the double lives of celebrities have exploded into public view, its worth revisiting auto focus, an unlikely biopic about our addictive relationship to images and the extremes of male desire. Valdis second marriage was to hogans heroes star bob crane on the set of the series on october 16, 1970. The handsome, affable crane became a huge star on the popular weekly sitcom that aired from 1965 to 1971, set in a german prisoner of war camp during world war ii. Feb 18, 2017 bob cranes love for photography and home movies turned from hobby into an obsession that went too far and may have cost him his life. Bob cranes autopsy began in a most unusual way performed on the bed where he was bludgeoned to death. He began his career as a drummer and played with dance bands and a symphony orchestra. Bob crane porn i wasnt sure, where the appropriate place to post this, within the forum would be, so ill just post it here for now. Phoenix the gruesome 1978 murder of 60s sitcom star bob crane captured the imagination of ksaztv anchor john hook a couple of years ago. Over the years, we had never been able to find any archival footage of bob s appearances on the tonight show starring johnny carson, either as carson s fillin host or as a guest. Actor bob crane becomes a star on the sitcom hogans heroes, but his life falls apart after he takes up making porn films as a hobby. The son of bob crane, who starred as a prisoner of war during world war ii on the hit show, rips the lid off his fathers double life in new book cranes dressing room was porn central and he.
Bob crane 15 shocking hollywood murders pictures cbs news. Since they sort of aged greg during the movie, and since he didnt have the black hair, at the end he actually looked like ted bundy, not bob crane. A special investigation by the national enquirer has revealed claims that the sexcrazed 49yearold actor who was. Bob crane kinky hogans heroes star was killed by porn king. Certainly when you create a fiction you have to manipulate reality, he says. October 9, 2002 scotty crane, the son of the late hogans heroes actor bob crane, has been making the talk show rounds. Jan 06, 2006 but bobby crane, bob crane s eldest son from his first marriage and karen s big brother, has said autofocus captures the essence of his dad. Bob crane and sigrid valdis hogans heroes 1969 the career of hogans heroes star bob crane. Discjockeyturnedactor bob crane develops a secret personal life, focusing. Robert edward crane was born in waterbury, connecticut on july th, 1928. Oct 25, 2002 eddie cantor once told bob crane, likability is 90 percent of the battle. Bob crane on the tonight show starring johnny carson july.
Just likability, and the need to be liked in a sexual way every single day. Feb 25, 2020 the life, career and murder of hogans heroes star bob crane is remembered by his son robert, who reveals the man we never knew. The film follows the sexual exploits of greg kinnear as bob crane, the reallife star of hogans heroes, who during and after the show became a fullblown sex addict, ruining two marriages and possibly sabotaging his career in the process. With robert clary, bob crane, tom hatten, werner klemperer. Jul 09, 2016 being allegedly based on graysmiths book, the movie should have focused on the final weeks of june 1978 and bob cranes life in scottsdale resulting in his tragic murder.
Here is a collection of quick facts about his life and career. It seems that hes really upset about the upcoming movie, autofocus about his father. Actor bob crane was beaten to death in 1978 with a blunt object, most likely a camera tripod. But his easy smile masked a sexual obsession that may have led to his murder. He was a devoted father and family man when he was at home. Oct 04, 2002 in the tawdry life and violent demise of bob crane, star of the television sitcom hogans heroes, paul schrader has found a subject well suited to his preoccupations with sex, pornography and.
Klinky sex stuff san francisco san francisco news and. The publisher writes, the 1978 murder of actor and american icon bob crane remains one of the most highprofile unsolved celebrity murders of all time. Mar 19, 2016 actor bob crane, who starred in the tv classic hogans heroes, was born today in 1928. Cranes life and murder were the subject of the 2002 film auto focus, directed by paul schrader and starring greg kinnear as crane. Auto focus, paul schraders movie about the swinging life and sordid death of hogans heroes star bob crane, is a smart but strangely unmoving film that takes a hard look at the sexual. A hardcore hogan auto focus looks at bob cranes life.
Her first marriage was to fashion businessman george gilbert ateyeh, with whom she had a daughter, melissa. Beloved sitcom star bob crane s double life, grisly 1978 murder hogan s heroes star bob crane lived a secret double life ending with his unsolved murder. Bob cranes son slams hogans heroes reboot in the works. Family photographs taken with his three children, robert jr. Oct 25, 2002 auto focus, paul schraders movie about the swinging life and sordid death of hogans heroes star bob crane, is a smart but strangely unmoving film that takes a hard look at the sexual. Its not that the film is nearly xrated, its that they got the facts wrong. In the tawdry life and violent demise of bob crane, star of the television sitcom hogans heroes, paul schrader has found a subject well suited to his preoccupations with sex, pornography and.