Last Surviving Cast Member of Popular TV Show Dies at 89
Kenneth Washington, who played Sergeant Richard Baker on the final season of "Hogan's Heroes," died on July 18 at the age of 89.
Washington joined the show in its sixth and final season, replacing Ivan Dixon in the role of Sgt. Baker in 1970. The show would end the following year, but his role in the popular series was a gateway for Washington to appear in other popular shows.
In addition to his role on "Hogan's Heroes," Washington also appeared in the original "Star Trek" series with George Takei and William Shatner. He was seen in multiple episodes of "Adam-12" in the 1960s with actors like Martin Milner.
"Hogan's Heroes" aired on CBS for six seasons in the 1960s and 70s. The show was set in a Nazi Germany POW camp and followed a group of Allied soldiers who used the camp as a base to plan operations. Bob Crane starred as the titular Col. Robert E. Hogan, the main protagonist of the show.
The show aired over 160 episodes during its original run, and has entertained fans for years through both local and national syndication.
The show was nominated for several awards during its run, including 12 nominations in the Emmys. It won twice, with Werner Klemperer taking the outstanding supporting actor honor in both 1968 and 1969.
"Hogan's Heroes" was also included in the first-ever NAACP Image Awards as an example of positive representation from Black actors on screen in 1967.
Washington also appeared in the original film adaptation of "Westworld," alongside western legend Yul Brynner. His film career spanned several decades, beginning in the mid-1950's.
In one of the final roles of his career, he was a guest star on an episode of "A Different World," the Cosby spin-off set at a fictional historically Black college.
Rest in peace to Kenneth Washington, and we send condolences to his fans, friends, family and loved ones during this difficult time.
Last Surviving Cast Member of Popular TV Show Dies at 89 first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 23, 2025
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