Howard Caine (born Howard Cohen; January 2, 1926 – December 28, 1993) was an American character actor, probably best known as Gestapo Major Wolfgang Hochstetter in the television series Hogan's Heroes (1965–71). He also played Lewis Morris of New York in the musical film 1776 and Everett Scovill, a thinly disguised portrait of Charles Manson's attorney Irving Kanarek, in the television movie Helter Skelter. He was a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Howard Caine
Caine in 1978
Born
Howard Cohen

(1926-01-02)January 2, 1926
DiedDecember 28, 1993(1993-12-28) (aged 67)
North Hollywood, California, U.S.
Resting placeEden Memorial Park Cemetery
Occupation(s)Film and television actor
Years active1953–1988
Spouse
Valerie Elson
(m. 1991)

Early life

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Howard Caine was born on January 2, 1926, in Nashville, Tennessee, into a Jewish family. At the age of 13, Cohen moved with his family to New York City, where he began studying acting. He served in the United States Navy during World War II, from 1944 to 1946, fighting the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre. After the war, Caine studied drama at Columbia University, where he graduated summa cum laude.[citation needed]

Career

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Caine appeared on Broadway in Wonderful Town, Inherit the Wind, Lunatics and Lovers, and Tiger at the Gates. He succeeded Ray Walston as "Mr. Applegate" in the original production of Damn Yankees. He was featured in such films as From the Terrace (1960), Pay or Die (1960), as the husband of the character portrayed by Judy Garland in Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), Brushfire (1962), The Man from the Diner's Club (1963), Pressure Point (1962), and Alvarez Kelly (1966).[1] He co-starred with Godfrey Cambridge and Estelle Parsons in Watermelon Man (1970). Caine appeared in more than 750 live and filmed television programs, including the western series The Californians, Two Faces West, and The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters but is best remembered for his recurring role (37 episodes) as Major Wolfgang Hochstetter on the popular 1960s sitcom Hogan's Heroes (1965–1971). Prior to that he appeared on that show in two other roles, in the season one episode "Happy Birthday, Adolf" and the season two episode "The Battle of Stalag 13".

From his early childhood in Tennessee, Caine had always been fascinated with the Appalachian five-string bluegrass banjo and began mastering it in the mid-1960s. From the summer of 1970 until his death in 1993, he took trophies at 29 prominent banjo and fiddle contests in the southland for both Best Traditional Banjo and Traditional Singing. He was also a popular folk singer and appeared at a number of prominent folk clubs and folk festivals.[2]

Death

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Caine died of a heart attack on December 28, 1993, five days short of his 68th birthday.[3]

Partial credits

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Year Title Role Genre Notes
1953 Marty Bartender TV play
1957 The Californians Schaab TV series 8 episodes, 1957–1958
1959 Peter Gunn Rafael Blanco TV series Episode: "The Briefcase"
1959 Lawman Newt Whittaker TV series Episode: "Warpath"
1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Pawnbroker Employee TV series Season 6 Episode 1: "Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat"
From the Terrace Creighton Duffy Film
Pay or Die Enrico Caruso Film
Pete and Gladys Burke TV series Episode "Pete Takes Up Golf"
Gunsmoke Brady TV series "Big Tom"
1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Mr. Dahl TV series Season 7 Episode 7: "You Can't Be a Little Girl All Your Life"
Two Faces West Jethro TV series Episode: "The Vials"
Judgment at Nuremberg Hugo Wallner Film
1962 My Three Sons Police Sergeant TV series Episode: "Chip Leaves Home"
Brushfire Vlad Film
Straightaway Carson TV series Episode: "Full Circle"
Leave It to Beaver A Crooked Dairy Foreman TV series Episode "Eddie, the Businessman"
87th Precinct Meinig TV series Episode: "Idol in the Dust"
Pressure Point Tavern Owner Film
Fair Exchange Assorted roles TV series 4 episodes
1963 The Man from the Diner's Club Claude Bassanio Film
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis R.J. Crumley TV series Episode: "The Call of the, Like, Wild"
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters The Indian, "Afraid-of-His-Horse" TV series Episodes: "The Day of the Pawnees, Part 1" and "Part 2"
The Twilight Zone Nick Bloss TV series Episode: "He's Alive"
1965 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Mr. Setlin TV series Season 3 Episode 22: "Thou Still Unravished Bride"
Get Smart Dr. Fish TV series Episode: "The Day Smart Turned Chicken"
My Favorite Martian The Sultan, English TV series Episode: "The Bottled Martin"
1965-1971 Hogan's Heroes Major Wolfgang Hochstetter, German TV series 37 as Maj. Hochstetter, 1 as Major Keitel in "Happy Birthday, Adolf" (1966) and 1 as Colonel Feldcamp in "The Battle of Stalag 13" (1966)
1966 Death Valley Days Various roles TV series 3 episodes
Alvarez Kelly McIntyre Film
The Doomsday Flight L.A. dispatcher TV film
1967 Rango Gayfor Ashton TV series Episode: "Gunfight at the K.O. Saloon"
Get Smart Various roles TV series 4 episodes
The Rat Patrol Major Bracken TV series Episode: "The Violent Truce Raid"
1970 Watermelon Man Mr. Townsend Film
1972 1776 Lewis Morris Film
1976 Helter Skelter Everett Scoville TV film
1978 The Paper Chase Mr. Bond TV series Episode: "The Seating Chart"
1979 Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo Voice TV series
1980 Marilyn: The Untold Story Billy Wilder TV film
1982 Forced Vengeance Milt Diamond Film
1984 Challenge of the GoBots Voice TV series
1983 The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show Voice TV series
1986 The New Adventures of Jonny Quest Voice TV series
1988 The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd Mr. Endakis TV series Episode: "Here's Another Cryptic Message from Upstate"
1988 War and Remembrance Lord Maxwell Beaverbrook TV miniseries 2 episodes, final appearance

References

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  1. ^ "Howard Caine Dies; 'Hogan's' Actor, 67". The New York Times. January 4, 1994.
  2. ^ Piekiel, Bob (May 2010). "Howard Caine (Major Hochstetter) An Interview with Lyle Caine". Banjo Newsletter. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  3. ^ "Actor Howard Caine dies of heart attack at 67". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. December 30, 1993. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
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