Who did Robert Clary play in Hogan's Heroes? TV star and Auschwitz Survivor dies aged 96

Holocaust survivor and actor Robert Clary has died at the age of 96. His granddaughter Kim Wright told The Hollywood Reporter that he died on Wednesday, November 16, at his residence in Los Angeles.

The French-born American actor gained recognition for his performance in the CBS sitcom Hogan’s Heroes. He continued to impress audiences with his appearances on other shows like Days of Our Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful.

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Robert Clary portrayed Corporal Louis LeBeau in Hogan’s Heroes

Robert Clary was famous for playing the role of Corporal Louis LeBeau in the sitcom Hogan’s Heroes. In the show, Louis was born in France and claimed that his father owned a paint store in Paris. He also had a cousin, Emile, who was a big game hunter.

Louis learned to play the piano and cook from his family and a cooking school. He even went out with a girl before the beginning of World War II, but they did not tie the knot. One of the episodes stated that he had a girlfriend, and the other said that he was married.

Clary’s character was possibly drafted into the French military between the 1938 Munich Crisis and the French declaring war on Nazi Germany in September 1989. He was then posted to the French Air Force.

Hogan’s Heroes aired on CBS from September 17, 1965, to April 4, 1971, with 168 episodes in six seasons. It was a recipient of two Emmy Awards out of 12 nominations.

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From surviving Holocaust to becoming a famous actor: All you need to know about Robert Clary

Robert Clary was popular for his performance in Hogan's Heroes (Image via CAOH110291/Twitter)

Born on March 1, 1926, Robert Clary was the youngest of 14 children in the family. He started his singing career at a French radio station when he was 12 years old and studied art in Paris.

Since he was Jewish, Clary was deported to the Nazi concentration camp at Ottmuth in Upper Silesia in 1942. He was tattooed with the identification A5714 on his left forearm and sent to Buchenwald concentration camp. He sang every Sunday to a group of SS soldiers along with an accordionist.

Clary said that singing, entertaining, and being in good health at his age is the reason why he survived. He continued by saying that he was immature and young and did not understand the situation he was in. Elaborating on the overall experience, he said,

"We were not even human beings. When we got to Buchenwald, the SS shoved us into a shower room to spend the night. I had heard the rumours about the dummy shower heads that were gas jets. I thought, 'This is it.' But no, it was just a place to sleep."

Recalling his days, Clary further said that the Germans kept them without crumbs for eight days, and they had to sleep on top of each other. Dubbing the entire experience a nightmare, he stated,

"We were less than animals. Sometimes I dream about those days. I wake up in a sweat terrified for fear I'm about to be sent away to a concentration camp, but I don't hold a grudge because that's a great waste of time."

He was set free from Buchenwald in April 1945. Twelve members of his family were sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp, and he was the only survivor. He returned to Paris after World War II and discovered that three of his siblings were not taken away and survived the Nazi occupation of France.

Clary was famous for his appearances on TV shows like The Martha Raye Show, Appointment with Adventure, The Gisele MacKenzie Show, The Munsters Today, Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless, and The Bold and the Beautiful.

His memoir, From the Holocaust to Hogan's Heroes: The Autobiography of Robert Clary, was published in 2001.

Robert Clary spoke about the Holocaust while touring Canada and the United States. In 1965, he exchanged vows with Natalie Cantor Metzger, daughter of comedian and actor Eddie Cantor. Natalie was an actress who appeared in films like It Takes Two, It's Your Bet, and This Is Your Life. She died in December 1997 in Los Angeles, California, USA.