It’s the kind of news that makes you realize just how much time has slipped by. We recently lost the very last link to one of the most improbable hits in television history. When Kenneth Washington passed away in July 2025, it wasn't just another name in the obituaries. It was the final curtain call for the main crew of Stalag 13.
Honestly, it’s wild to think about. For decades, these actors were frozen in time, outsmarting Colonel Klink and Sergeant Schultz in syndication. But now? The barracks are officially empty. Washington, who played Sergeant Richard Baker, was 88 years old. His passing marks a massive, somber milestone for fans of classic TV.
If you grew up watching the show, or even if you just caught the reruns on MeTV, you know that the "Hogan's Heroes cast member dies" headline has appeared more frequently over the last decade. But this one? This one is different. It’s the end of the line.
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What Happened to Kenneth Washington?
Kenneth Washington wasn't one of the original cast members from the 1965 pilot. He stepped in during the show’s final season in 1970, taking over the "radio man" duties after Ivan Dixon (Sergeant Kinchloe) moved on to pursue directing.
Washington died on July 18, 2025. He was at his home in Beverly Hills. While early reports didn't immediately list a specific cause, later details confirmed he had been privately battling complications from Alzheimer's disease. It's a tough way to go, but his family mentioned he was surrounded by people who loved him.
He was more than just a replacement, though. Washington was a trailblazer in his own right, being one of the few Black actors at the time to land a series regular role on a major network sitcom. He didn't just fade away after the show ended in 1971, either. He turned his life toward academia, eventually becoming a professor at Loyola Marymount University. Imagine sitting in a film class and realizing your professor used to help Colonel Hogan blow up Nazi bridges every Tuesday night. Pretty cool, right?
The Last of the "Original" Heroes: Robert Clary
Before Washington’s passing, many fans considered the "true" end of an era to be the death of Robert Clary in November 2022. Clary, who played the lovable, gourmet-cooking Corporal Louis LeBeau, was the last surviving member of the original pilot cast.
Clary's life was significantly more intense than the show he starred in. He was a survivor of the Holocaust. He actually spent time in Buchenwald. When people asked him how he could star in a comedy about a POW camp after living through the real thing, he was always very blunt about it. He’d say that the show was a farce—it wasn't a documentary. It was a job. He lived to be 96, a staggering age for someone who had endured so much.
With Clary and now Washington gone, the entire principal cast of Hogan's Heroes has passed.
Remembering the Rest of the Stalag 13 Crew
It feels right to look back at the others, because let's be real, the chemistry of that group was lightning in a bottle. You can't talk about a Hogan's Heroes cast member dies without mentioning the tragic or sudden ways we lost the others.
- Bob Crane (Colonel Robert Hogan): The most famous and grisly exit. Crane was found bludgeoned to death in his Scottsdale apartment in 1978. It remains one of Hollywood’s most notorious unsolved mysteries. He was only 49.
- Werner Klemperer (Colonel Klink): He died in 2000 at age 80. Fun fact: Klemperer was a Jewish man whose family fled Nazi Germany. He only agreed to play Klink if the character was portrayed as a bumbling fool who never won.
- John Banner (Sergeant Schultz): The man who "knew nothing" died on his 63rd birthday in 1973. He had a burst abdominal aneurysm while visiting friends in Vienna.
- Richard Dawson (Corporal Newkirk): The future Family Feud host passed in 2012 from esophageal cancer. He was 79.
- Larry Hovis (Corporal Carter): Hovis died in 2003 of esophageal cancer at age 67.
- Ivan Dixon (Sergeant Kinchloe): The original radio technician died in 2008 following a series of strokes. He was 77.
Why the Show Still Has a Grip on Us
It’s easy to dismiss Hogan's Heroes as a silly 60s sitcom. And it was! It was totally ridiculous. But it also did something weirdly brave. It took the darkest period of the 20th century and turned it into a stage where the "little guys"—the prisoners—were the ones with all the power.
When a cast member dies, especially the final one, it forces a bit of a re-evaluation. We look at these shows not just as entertainment, but as historical markers. The fact that the cast included a Holocaust survivor (Clary), Jewish refugees (Klemperer and Banner), and pioneered Black representation (Dixon and Washington) is actually pretty profound when you dig past the laugh track.
How to Keep the Legacy Alive
If you’re feeling a bit nostalgic or saddened by the news of Kenneth Washington’s passing, there are actually a few ways to engage with the show's history that go beyond just watching the episodes on DVD.
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First, check out Robert Clary’s memoir, From the Holocaust to Hogan's Heroes. It is a heavy read, but it provides a perspective you won't get from any Wikipedia page. It bridges the gap between the horrific reality of the 1940s and the glossy Hollywood version of the 1960s.
Second, if you're a true crime buff, the 2002 film Auto Focus (starring Greg Kinnear) dives into the dark side of Bob Crane’s life and his eventual murder. It’s definitely not a family-friendly watch, but it explains why his death sent such shockwaves through the industry.
Lastly, you can still find Kenneth Washington’s work beyond the camp. He had guest spots on Star Trek (the original series), I Dream of Jeannie, and even a final role in A Different World in the late 80s.
The physical actors might be gone, but the show is effectively immortal. As long as there’s a channel somewhere playing "I see nothing! I know nothing!", the heroes of Stalag 13 are still on the job.
To truly honor the legacy of the cast, consider these steps:
- Watch the Season 6 transition: Observe how Kenneth Washington took over the role of Sergeant Baker and notice the subtle shifts in the show's dynamic during its final year.
- Explore the "Hogan's Heroes" Museum connections: Many of the original costumes and props are held in private collections and small TV museums; look for local classic TV exhibits if you're in the Los Angeles area.
- Support Alzheimer’s Research: Since the final cast member passed due to complications from this disease, donating to the Alzheimer's Association is a practical way to honor Washington's memory.