Actor Kenneth Washington, who was the last surviving main cast member of the CBS series Hogan’s Heroes and was also known for his appearances on Star Trek, has died
Kenneth Washington, the last remaining main cast member of the TV series Hogan’s Heroes and a familiar face on Star Trek, passed away aged 88 on July 18. The actor, who retired in the late 80s, had an illustrious career with roles in numerous classic shows such as I Dream of Jeannie, The Name of the Game, Petticoat Junction, The Rockford Files and Dragnet 1967, as well as the 1973 film Westworld.
He gained fame among Star Trek fans for his portrayal of Watkins in the third season episode of Star Trek: The Original Series titled That Which Survives. However, he is best remembered for his role as Sergeant Richard Baker in the final season of the iconic comedy show Hogan’s Heroes.
Set in a World War II prisoner-of-war camp in Nazi Germany, the sitcom followed a group of Allied prisoners using the camp as a base for sabotage and espionage activities against Nazi Germany.
The popular show, which boasted a large ensemble cast including Bob Crane, Larry Hovis and Richard Dawson, aired for 168 episodes over six seasons from 1965 to 1971.
In 1970, Kenneth stepped into the shoes of Ivan Dixon as Sergeant Kinchloe on Hogan’s Heroes, but his stint was brief as CBS cancelled the show the following year, reports the Express.
Throughout the 70s and 80s, Kenneth became a staple on television screens thanks to his numerous guest appearances on hit shows.
One of his final TV appearances was on The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World in 1989.
After retiring from the screen, he returned to education and bagged a college degree from Loyola Marymount University.
He then took up a teaching role at the same university, leading a course centred on black actors in film.
Subsequently, he shifted to Southwest College where he taught classes in oral interpretation and speech.
In 2001, he tied the knot with Alice Marshall, the ex-editor-in-chief at Wave Newspapers in South Los Angeles and film reviews editor at Variety.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
