Just Askin

Things get stuck in your head, things you just can't erase. 

I know that actors typically have dozens if not hundreds of roles over the course of their work. It's unfair even in one's own mind to too closely pigeonhole them into one character. But you can't help do that, especially with a guy you've only seen in one role.

Leon Askin was a regular in the old comedy Hogan's Heroes. He played General Burkhalter, a nemesis of Colonel Klink, who ran Stalag 13. I've only ever seen Askin as Burkhalter.

Until late yesterday evening. I found myself watching Son of Sinbad, an adventure film from the 1950s with something of an interesting cast. Set in Persia about a thousand years ago, it had Dale Robertson in the lead as Sinbad's son. That was incongruent enough, seeing Robertson as an Arabian pirate, considering he was known mostly for oaters. Then he appears, Leon Askin, as the Khalif of Baghdad. Even done up as an Arabian king, it was clear to me who he was. After that, all I could hear, each and every time he walked into a scene, was "Klink!", in the sharp accent he used to reprimand the inept kommandant of a POW camp.

I can't tell you what actually happened in the movie now. It's the first middle ages Middle Eastern epic I've seen dominated by a Nazi Air Force officer, and that left me confused. 

Best themes

There's a Hawaii Five-O marathon this weekend on the Decades channel. I've watched my share of episodes and intend to watch several more. But one thing above all else which seeing this classic show has reminded me: the Hawaii Five-O theme might be be the best TV theme ever. It just rocks.

Granted, many show themes are memorable. I always loved Hogan's Heroes: it's a great military cadence. Interestingly, it's closing theme may be better than than opener. On that angle, the closing credits for The Bob Newhart Show season two are outstanding. They may be my favorite closing credits ever. It rocks really well for a farewell.

St. Elsewhere had solid opening credits, as did its sister show Hill Street Blues. Andy Griffith's whistling opening is justifiably outstanding. One ranking I found on the Internet actually argues that the Gilligan's Island theme is the best ever. Although I like the song, calling it the GOAT of TV themes is a stretch.

All that being said, I'm open to suggestion on what truly is best. Just be aware that the Hawaii Five-O is the standard you're up against so far as I'm concerned.