Trivia

Crane was basically bankrupt during the mid- to late-1970s and, shortly after his murder, his estate would come into millions of dollars from a new syndication deal for Hogan's Heroes (1965), of which he owned a small part.

The cause of death was bludgeoning with a blunt instrument, which police suspected was a video camera tripod. However, since the murder weapon was never found, this could not be proved. A video cable was wrapped around his neck postmortem.

Bob actually played the drums in the theme song at the beginning of the show.

He was one of the first disc jockeys in the country to earn in excess of $100,000 per year (1960).

Played by Greg Kinnear in Auto Focus (2002), a movie about his life.

Originally buried at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth, Los Angeles County. In 2003, many years after his death, he was moved to the prestigious Westwood Memorial Park on Glendon Avenue in Los Angeles. His marker is very elaborate and beautiful with writings and photographs of him and his widow Sigrid Valdis. It is located in the middle of the memorial park.

On January 25, 1978, Bob Crane taped an episode of Celebrity Cooks (1975) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Crane's episode aired several times in Canada throughout the winter and spring of 1978 without incident. A network affiliate in the U.S. then purchased several episodes of "Celebrity Cooks" to run in syndication in the U.S. Crane's episode was supposed to lead off the U.S. syndicated run of the series, and it was scheduled to air in the U.S. on July 10, 1978. Immediately after Crane's murder on June 29, the episode was canceled. It was reported that Crane made numerous jokes about death, which would have made the episode too eerily prophetic. However, this claim was based on one network representative's uncorroborated opinion made just days after Crane's murder. "Celebrity Cooks" has officially gone on record to refute this false claim about Crane's appearance made by this network representative. Those who were there on the day of taping claim no such eerie or inappropriate behavior occurred, and that Crane was one of their best guests.

Hobby was playing the drums. He was a life-long jazz buff who played with several amateur jazz groups over the years.

He discovered singer Marilyn McCoo on the 1960s show Hollywood Talent Scouts (1965).

His last movie appearance was in the Walt Disney movie, Gus (1976), where he played an announcer named "Pepper Pot".

Best remembered by the public for his starring role as Col. Robert Hogan in Hogan's Heroes (1965).

Studied with acting teacher Stella Adler in 1964.

Was close friends with actor Carroll O'Connor, who was a pallbearer at Crane's funeral in 1978.

Father of Robert David Crane and Scott Crane.

Starred in five episodes of Rod Sterling's radio program "Zero Hour" in 1974.

2002: Was the subject of a "noise opera" by the experimental band Facetious (released on CD under the title "Raw Biscuits: The Bob Crane Story").