John Banner, best known to television audiences as the lovable and hilariously oblivious Sergeant Schultz in the iconic comedy series Hogan’s Heroes, carved a unique place in entertainment history. Born John Koenigfest on January 28, 1910, in Vienna, Austria, his journey to becoming a beloved comedic actor was marked by dramatic escapes and ironic twists of fate.
In 1938, Banner’s life took a perilous turn. As a Jewish man living in Vienna, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, known as the Anschluss, placed him in immediate danger. While touring Switzerland with an acting troupe, the 28-year-old Banner made the life-altering decision to flee his homeland to avoid Nazi persecution. He sought refuge in the United States, arriving as a political refugee with no knowledge of the English language.
Image alt text: John Banner in character as Sergeant Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes, a comedic portrayal of a German WWII POW camp guard.
Banner’s entry into American show business was unconventional. Despite his lack of English proficiency, his talent and presence landed him a job as a Master of Ceremonies for a musical revue. He diligently learned his lines phonetically, a testament to his determination. This immersive experience proved invaluable, rapidly accelerating his English language acquisition. Ironically, his distinctive accent and “Nordic” appearance led to typecasting as Nazi characters in numerous films throughout the 1940s. During World War II, Banner found himself portraying the very villains who were responsible for the tragic fate of his family members who remained in Austria. His parents and siblings all perished in concentration camps, a stark and painful reality juxtaposed with his on-screen roles.
Upon arriving in the US, John Banner was a slender 180 pounds. Over time, he gained weight, eventually reaching a robust 280 pounds, transforming into the endearingly chubby character actor that audiences would grow to adore. He became a familiar face in both movies and television, often playing foreign officials, including a role as a Soviet Ambassador in the comedy Kisses for My President (1964) starring Fred MacMurray.
The defining moment of Banner’s career arrived in 1965 when Bing Crosby Productions cast him as Sergeant Schultz in the television sitcom Hogan’s Heroes. Premiering on CBS on September 17, 1965, the series, inspired by Billy Wilder’s Stalag 17, offered a comedic take on life in a German prisoner-of-war camp during World War II. Sergeant Schultz, Banner’s portrayal, was a far cry from the menacing Nazis he had previously played. Schultz was a bumbling, good-natured guard at Stalag 13, famous for his catchphrase, “I know nothing! I see nothing! Nothing!!!” whenever confronted with the prisoners’ clandestine activities.
While John Banner embraced the role of Sergeant Schultz, he was mindful of the potential for misinterpretation. He clarified in an interview with TV Guide that he viewed Schultz not as a “cuddly Nazi,” but rather “as the representative of some kind of goodness in every generation.” This nuanced perspective highlighted the comedic yet inherently human dimension he brought to the character.
Banner’s Hogan’s Heroes co-star, Werner Klemperer (Colonel Klink), also shared a similar background as a Jewish refugee who had escaped Nazi Germany. Together with Bob Crane (Colonel Hogan), Banner and Klemperer also starred in The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz (1968), a Cold War comedy film. Despite the film’s lack of success, Hogan’s Heroes continued its run as a popular television series.
Following the cancellation of Hogan’s Heroes in 1971, Banner took on another television role in The Chicago Teddy Bears (1971), a Prohibition-era comedy. His character, Uncle Latzi, bore similarities to Sergeant Schultz, but the show was short-lived, lasting only 13 episodes.
John Banner passed away on his 63rd birthday, January 28, 1973, in Vienna, Austria, the city of his birth. His legacy remains firmly cemented in television history through the enduring popularity of Sergeant Schultz, a character that brought laughter to millions while showcasing Banner’s remarkable talent and resilience in the face of a life marked by both tragedy and triumph.
