[warsaw44]

Andy Rooney writes in his book ‘ My War ‘ that the original idea for Hogans Heroes came from his friend Don Bevan. Bevan was an artist, worked for the New York Daily News and Stars and Stripes all while being a gunner on a B-17.

Beven’s bomber was shot down and he ended up a POW in Germany. While Rooney was with the Third Army as a reporter they were over running POW camps. Rooney ends up running into Beven and another POW named Ed Trzynski who went on with great enthusiasm about a play they wrote while prisoners. The play takes place in ‘ Stalag 17 ‘ and they performed it while in the camp.

Rooney gives the men the names of some NY contacts including literary agent Harold Ober. After the war the play is made into the well known movie.

But after CBS made ‘ Hogan's Heroes ‘ both Bevan and Trzynski sued as there were so many similarities. They were awarded a very large sum by the courts.

[Oatka]

Thanks for the interesting background. Stalag 17 I could handle, Hogan’s . . .