- Born
- Died
- Birth nameRobert Max Widerman
- Height5′ 1″ (1.55 m)
- Born in France, Robert Clary early suffered the pangs of war, being interned in a Nazi concentration camp as a child. After WWII he became a singing star in France, and in 1949 came to the United States to promote his career. He appeared on The Ed Wynn Show (1949); still learning English he performed in a French language comedy skit. His comedic skills were recognized by Broadway, where he appeared in several revues, including Leonard Sillman's New Faces which moved from theater (1952) to film (1960). In the 1950s he was a game show regular, and then in 1965 he became Cpl. Louis LeBeau in Hogan's Heroes (1965). Later film roles were based around WWII, such as Remembrance of Love (1982) about Holocaust survivors. More recently he returned to television series, joining Days of Our Lives (1965) and appearing in The Young and the Restless (1973).
- IMDb mini biography by: Bruce Cameron <dumarest@midcoast.com>
- SpouseNatalie Cantor(May 17, 1965 - December 11, 1997) (her death)
- ParentsMoishe (Maurice) Aron WidermanBaila Widerman
- RelativesCecile Widerman(Sibling)Sarah Widerman(Half Sibling)Hélène Widerman(Sibling)Liba Aimée Zelonka(Sibling)Ida Palkenfeld(Sibling)Jacques Widerman(Sibling)Adele Kuchman(Half Sibling)Henri Widerman(Half Sibling)Fanny Widerman(Half Sibling)Regine Widerman(Half Sibling)
- Short stature
- French accent
- Has a tattoo on his left forearm, "A5714," from his time in a German concentration camp during WWII.
- Was good friends with Werner Klemperer (Colonel Klink from Hogan's Heroes (1965)), even after the show had been canceled, and until Werner's death.
- Was the youngest of 14 children; most of whom died in the Nazi concentration camps.
- Retired from acting and gives lectures about the Holocaust.
- Best remembered by the public for his role as "Corporal Louis LeBeau" in the television series Hogan's Heroes (1965).
- Summing up his Holocaust experiences: "The whole experience was a complete nightmare, the way they treated us, what we had to do to survive. We were less than animals. Sometimes I dream about those days. I wake up in a sweat terrified for fear I'm about to be sent away to a concentration camp. But I don't hold a grudge because that's a great waste of time. Yes, there's something dark in the human soul. For the most part human beings are not very nice. That's why when you find those who are, you cherish them."
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