Howard Caine

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.

Early life
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. Learning to erase his Southern accent, he went on to become a master of 32 foreign and American dialects. Caine served in the United States Navy during World War II, fighting the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre. After the war, Caine studied drama at Columbia University, where he graduated summa cum laude.

Career
He 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), Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), Brushfire (1962), The Man from the Diner's Club (1963), Pressure Point (1962) and Alvarez Kelly (1966). He also appeared in "1776" as delegate from New York, Lewis Morris. He co-starred with Godfrey Cambridge and Estelle Parsons in Watermelon Man (1970). He was also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

He acted in more than 750 live and filmed television programs, including the western series, The Californians, Two Faces West, and The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters.

Caine is most commonly remembered for his recurring role (37 episodes) as Major Hochstetter on the 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". The Major Hochstetter character first appeared later in season two. Hochstetter is a feared Gestapo officer who strongly suspects the prisoners, particularly Colonel Hogan, are engaged in clandestine activities, but he is never able to confirm his suspicions and usually ends up getting his comedic comeuppance. Hochstetter had several catchphrases, including (referring to Hogan) "Who is this man?" and "What is this man doing here?", and "I will surround this camp with a ring of steel". He would also shout "Baah!" when frustrated by the camp’s incompetent commanding officer, Colonel Klink. The Major self-identifies as a Gestapo agent but dresses in the uniform of the SS, Schutzstaffel.

Caine was featured as "Everett Scovill", a thinly disguised portrait of Charles Manson's attorney Irving Kanarek, in Helter Skelter (1976).

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 had taken 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.

Death
Caine died of a heart attack on December 28, 1993, 5 days short of his 68th birthday.