Murder: True Crime Stories - UNSOLVED: The Sitcom Murder 1

Episode Date: May 20, 2025

In the 1960s, Bob Crane was the face of feel-good sitcom comedy as the star of Hogan’s Heroes. But while Bob portrayed himself as a devoted family man, he lived a secret double life. When the 49-year-old was found dead in 1978, detectives wondered if Bob’s X-rated hobbies played a role in his murder. Murder: True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Murder: True Crime Stories! Instagram: @murdertruecrimepod | @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is Crime House. There are some characters on TV that you feel like you just know. They seem so approachable, so authentic. It feels like you've been friends with them your whole life. Robert Hogan was one of those characters. As the main character in the show, Hogan's heroes, he was kind, clever, and charming. And the actor who played him, Bob Crane, seemed to be the same way. In interviews, Bob came across as the perfect family man, a caring husband and father of

three who would rather be in bed by ten than spend the night on the town. But when the cameras stopped rolling, Bob was a very different person, one with dark secrets, and in the end, they may have gotten him killed. People's lives are like stories with a beginning, a middle, and an end. But sometimes the final chapter comes far too soon, and we don't always get to know the real ending. I'm Carter Roy and this is Murder True Crime Stories, a Crime House original. Thank you to our Crime House community.

Please rate, review, and follow Murder True Crime Stories to show your support. And to enhance your listening experience with ad-free early access to each two-part series plus bonus content, subscribe to Crime House Plus on Apple Podcasts. New episodes come out every Tuesday. And if you're interested in more true crime stories from this week in history, check out Crime House The Show. Each episode covers multiple cases unified by the same theme. So every week you get something a little different.

This is the first of two episodes on the murder of 49-year-old Bob Crane, a Hollywood sitcom actor who was murdered in 1978. Today I'll walk you through Bob's childhood and promising career in radio and television. I'll also discuss the secret addiction that took over his life and may have led to his brutal murder. Next time, I'll cover the investigation and explain how detectives narrowed in on one suspect only to be forced back to the drawing board. Even today, Bob's family is still waiting to bring his killer to justice. All that and more coming up.

Hey, it's Carter, and if you love murder true crime stories, where we explore the depths of history's most infamous murders, then you have to check out Clues with Morgan Absher and Kailyn Moore. Just like we search for the real story each week, every Wednesday Kailyn and Morgan take you deep into the world of the most notorious crimes ever, Clue by Clue. From serial killers to shocking murders, Clues dives into all the forensic details and brilliant sleuthing of the world's most infamous cases. Clues is a CrimeHouse original powered by Pave Studios.

New episodes drop every Wednesday. Just search Clues wherever you listen to podcasts. Before Bob Crane landed the lead role in a Hollywood sitcom, he was just a kid growing up in Connecticut. But even then, he was the star of the show. Born in July 1928, Bob always had a knack for stealing the spotlight, especially from his older brother Alfred. But his first real performance happened a decade later, on Christmas morning of 1938. That year, Bob's parents gifted him a snare drum. The ten-year-old immediately fell in love with his new instrument.

Before long, his dream was to become a professional jazz drummer. In the meantime, though, Bob had to settle for the school band. But drumming wasn't his only passion. In high school, Bob also loved to play baseball with his friends, and along with music, it was about to change his life in a big way. One day, Bob was standing on second base during a game in the park. He had his eye on the ball when suddenly, out of nowhere, a bike knocked him to the ground. Bob found himself splayed out on the grass, looking up at the face of Anne Terzian.

He had no idea why she was riding her bike across the baseball field, but he didn't care. As she apologized for running into him, all Bob could think was that she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. They started dating, and before long, Bob and Anne were inseparable. Their classmates described them as a good pair who complemented each other well. While Bob was outgoing, Anne was quiet. He pushed her out of her comfort zone, which Anne appreciated. She even joined the school band to spend more time with Bob.

They kept going strong throughout the rest of high school, and it looked like the good times would last forever. But reality began to set in once Bob graduated in 1946. He was just a month shy of turning 18, and he'd realized that becoming a professional drummer might not be so realistic. There were only so many opportunities to make a living that way, but he didn't want to give up music entirely. So he thought about getting into radio.

If he got a job as a disc jockey, he could still be around music all day. His parents weren't thrilled about the idea. They wanted him to find a job that paid better, but Bob insisted he could make a real career out of radio. Still he took a few detours along the way. During his first year out of high school, he worked at a jewelry store and briefly enlisted in the Connecticut Army National Guard, but those were just temporary gigs while he waited for Ann, who was a year below him, to graduate.

The second she was out of high school, Bob proposed. They got married the following year, in 1949, when Bob was 20 and Ann was 18. The pair took some time to honeymoon and enjoy married life, but as soon as they returned, Bob got serious about radio. He sent audition tapes to stations all up and down the East Coast, begging them to give him a shot. The dream was New York City, but honestly, he would go anywhere that hired him. Finally, a year later in 1950, a radio station called WLEA gave him a chance.

It was in New York, but not in New York City. WLEA was located in the upstate town of Hornell, 70 miles south of Rochester, and it was a brand new station so they couldn't offer a lot of money. Bob knew he had to take the job for his career, but he was also realistic. Hornell was a small town and far from Anne's parents in Connecticut. He thought she'd be miserable there, and it seemed like she agreed. So they came up with a plan. Bob would rent an apartment near the radio station, while Anne stayed with her family. The hope was that Bob would get some experience and eventually get a better job that wasn't so far away. Sure enough, Bob was fantastic at the gig. He had the on-air

energy and charisma to keep people's attention, and he had an insatiable drive to be the best DJ possible. But while his new radio career was going well, married life wasn't such smooth sailing. He and Anne struggled with the distance, but instead of focusing on ways to maintain their relationship, Bob's eyes began to wander. Eventually he met another woman. Anne found out about the affair and she wasn't happy. She and Bob discussed divorce, but they were both raised in strict Catholic households.

Divorce wasn't really an option, so they decided to work through their issues. Bob followed through on his promise and got a new position closer to Anne. Three months later, he was hired at a station only 30 minutes away from her parents' house. Finally, he and Anne could settle into married life and start a family. In 1951, 23-year-old Bob bought them a duplex and they had their first child, Bobby Jr. But while things seemed more stable, the truth was, Bob had never stopped cheating. Despite the love and affection he received from his wife and son, it still wasn't enough. If Ann knew about it, she looked the other way. Especially since they had a baby together, she felt like they had to stay together now.

As for Bob, he had everything he wanted, except true stardom. However, he was about to get a call that would put him on the path to Hollywood greatness. But instead of making his dreams come true, it would turn his life upside down. Learn more at visa.ca slash fintech. Hey, it's Carter. And if you love murder true crime stories, where we explore the depths of history's most infamous murders, then you have to check out clues with Kailyn Moore and Morgan Absher.

Just like we search for the real story each week, every Wednesday, Morgan and Kailyn take you deep into the world of the most notorious crimes ever, clue by clue. I really think you're going to appreciate the care and attention that Kalin and Morgan put into breaking down how even the smallest pieces of evidence have cracked major cases wide open.

From serial killers to shocking murders, Clues dives into all the forensic details and brilliant sleuthing of the world's most infamous cases. If you're looking for compelling storytelling, crime scene analysis, and a new perspective through some of the world's most puzzling true crime cases, then you have to check out Clues. Clues is a crime house original powered by PAVE Studios. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Just search Clues wherever you listen to podcasts. By the mid-1950s, Bob Crane was one of the East Coast's premier radio personalities.

After trying to break into the industry for years, he was thrilled. But he also wasn't satisfied. He wanted more, and he was certain his big break was just around the corner. Sure enough, in 1956, CBS Radio in Los Angeles came calling. They'd heard his East Coast show was thriving. They hoped he could do the same for their morning station, KNX, which wasn't doing great. To sweeten the deal, they even promised to name the program after him, the Bob Crane Show. For 28-year-old Bob, it was a no-brainer he said yes right away. However, it didn't seem like he paused to think how his wife Anne would react to such

a big move. Then again, Bob often prioritized his own wants and needs above hers, because while his career was taking off, so were his extramarital affairs. And it went beyond your standard cheating. Bob may not have admitted it back then, but later he and others would describe him as a sex addict. No matter how many women he had in his bed, he was never satiated. So the new job in LA was exciting for multiple reasons.

Not only was this a huge opportunity for his career, but with all the beautiful women on the west coast, Bob saw a chance to upgrade his personal life. Bob took to Los Angeles like a fish to water, but the same couldn't be said for Ann. Shortly after the move, she gave birth to their second child, Debbie. Ann missed having her own mom around to help with the kids, and her withdrawn personality didn't exactly mesh with the LA lifestyle. But Bob? He had none of those worries.

He loved his new home. People were freer there, more creative. He could be whoever he wanted to be, and do whatever he wanted to do. Bob brought that same mentality to his radio show. He was different from other hosts, seemingly more authentic, and when the program aired in September 1956, it was an immediate hit. In fact, Bob did such a good job during his first two years that CBS executives asked him to interview celebrities on his show, too. Huge names like Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe.

Being around that level of celebrity, Bob realized he had more to offer than just his voice. He knew he had the looks and the talent to make it as an actor too. In the late 1950s, Bob got serious about acting, and in 1961, after five years in LA, he got his first small role on The Twilight Zone, playing a disc jockey. Then, after interviewing the creator of The Dick Van Dyke Show, Bob got a guest role on the show, ironically as a philandering husband. That role led to a regular stint on the Donna Reed show.

Bob starred as a happy-go-lucky dentist from 1963 to 1965, featuring in 63 episodes. Things were going great for Bob, but he still felt like something was missing. Because most of all, he wanted his own TV show. But he knew it had to be perfect. So his agent started searching for projects that played into his comedic abilities. Soon, Bob was offered a part in a new comedy called Hogan's Heroes. It was about a group of soldiers stuck in a German prisoner of war camp. At the time, sitcoms were incredibly popular, but one that was set in a POW camp? Now that was a gamble. Bob auditioned anyway, and he landed the leading role of Colonel Robert Hogan. After that, his life changed forever.

In 1965, Hogan's Heroes aired on television screens across the country. Bob was on the edge of his seat, waiting to see how audiences would respond. After the sitcom premiered, the ratings rolled in. And Bob let out a sigh of relief. People didn't just like Hogan's Heroes, they loved it. It was an instant hit, and quickly shot to the top ten most viewed shows that year. With that success, Bob Crane became a bona fide star. And it didn't take long for him to start acting the part.

It wasn't that he was a diva. According to many of his castmates, Bob was kind, generous, and never acted like he was better than them, but he did flirt with every woman who looked his way and often took it further than that. One of the women Bob spent the most time with was his co-star, Cynthia Lynn. Their relationship started during the first season of Hogan's Heroes, and neither of them tried to hide their feelings. Cynthia played Bob's love interest. During one scene, their characters had to kiss. But when the director yelled

cut, they didn't stop. And before long, they were doing a lot more than kissing on camera. According to Cynthia, Bob loved photography, and he especially liked taking nude photos of her. She described him as being like a kid in a candy store when it came to using his camera. She never found anything weird about it. She actually enjoyed posing for him. But there was a catch. Cynthia was also married, and her relationship was falling apart.

By the end of the first season of Hogan's Heroes, Cynthia decided to leave the show to focus on her marriage, which meant ending things with Bob. But he seemed to take the break-up in stride. During the second season of Hogan's Heroes, Bob's eyes wandered right to the actress who took Cynthia's spot, Patricia Olsen. Things between them progressed the same way they had with Cynthia. Before long, they were having an affair. And almost right away, Bob opened up to her about his photography hobby.

One day he brought over a briefcase and showed her all the photos he'd taken. Apparently Cynthia wasn't the only woman he'd photographed nude. Patty was apparently fine with his secret and didn't even care that he was also sleeping with and photographing other women. Her only caveat was that he didn't expect her to pose nude. That was fine by Bob. Now he could have his cake and eat it too. Especially because things weren't going great with his wife Anne. Part of the trouble was they just didn't spend much time together anymore, while Bob

liked to go out and party and preferred to stay home with the kids. So Bob invited his new co-star, Patty, out with him instead. But they weren't very discreet, and soon there were rumors about Bob and Patty going around Hollywood. Eventually it became too much for Anne. One day in the summer of 1970, she and Bob got into a blowout fight about his cheating. A month later, Anne filed for divorce. After 20 years together, they were officially over.

But if Anne thought Bob was done with married life, she was in for a surprise. Just a few months later, in October 1970, 42-year-old Bob wed 35-year-old Patty on the set of Hogan's Heroes. They would go on to have two kids together, Scott and Anna Marie, but just because Bob had committed himself to Patty, didn't mean he was done having affairs or documenting them. As long as Bob was open and honest with her, Patty swore she was fine with it, and Bob held up his end of the bargain. In fact, he'd call Patty after every one-night stand and give her a rundown of the night. She insisted she wasn't jealous.

She knew Bob didn't actually care about any of those other women, he was just using them to satisfy his sex addiction, and they were using him to sleep with a celebrity. But soon he'd take things a step further, and it was all thanks to a new friend. At some point while filming Hogan's Heroes, one of Bob's co-stars introduced him to a man named John Henry Carpenter. But John wasn't a fellow actor, he was a Sony video equipment salesman. He traveled around selling cameras and various accessories, including tripods and microphones. Bob and John hit it off and quickly realized they had a lot

in common, including their passion for sexually explicit photographs. Soon, John was setting Bob up with the latest and greatest in video cameras. Before long, he was making sex tapes with his partners. But while Bob was busy with his new hobby, his hit sitcom was falling by the wayside. The first two seasons of Hogan's Heroes had been incredibly popular, but it was all downhill from there. It continued this way until 1971 when the network had to make a hard decision. After six seasons and 168 episodes, they cancelled the show. 43-year-old Bob tried to bounce back, but it wasn't so easy. After Hogan's Heroes ended, he struggled to find a similar role.

He picked up a few credits here and there, like a 1973 Disney movie called Super Dad, co-starring Kurt Russell. But nothing really stuck. And it was Bob's own doing. While filming on the Disney Studios lot, he was very open about his sexual encounters. He even showed some crew members his briefcase of nude photographs. It eventually got to the higher-ups at Disney. Needless to say, it didn't go over well. Bob wasn't fired from the film, but people started to talk. Soon tabloids like the National

Inquirer were running stories about Bob's proclivity for pornography. Still, at that point it was all just rumors and gossip. Even if it was all true, Bob swore that every encounter was consensual, so he wasn't doing anything illegal. However, some of those women would later say that wasn't the case. They insisted they had no idea he was filming them. Whatever the truth was, it certainly didn't help Bob secure a new starring role. There was one more movie, a couple of guest spots, and a short-lived TV stint. It was work, but none of it compared to Hogan's Heroes. By the late 1970s, Bob decided to pivot to theater.

He bought the rights to a play called Beginner's Luck. With no other options, Bob focused on touring the play around the country, which she directed and starred in. It did well enough on the dinner theatre circuit to keep Bob and his family afloat. It wasn't Hollywood, but at least Bob got to be in the spotlight. He had no idea his new project would lead to his ultimate undoing. Wendy's Most Important Deal of the Day has a fresh lineup. Pick any two breakfast items for $4. New four-piece French toast sticks, bacon or sausage wrap,

biscuit or English muffin sandwiches, small hot coffee, and more. Limited time only at Participating Wendy's Taxes Extra. In late June 1978, 49-year-old Bob Crane was in Scottsdale, Arizona for the summer. A local joint called the Windmill Dinner Theater had booked a run of his play, Beginner's Luck. After his hit sitcom, Hogan's Heroes, was canceled

seven years before, Bob was never able to reach the same level of success. Without any other options, Bob was throwing his whole heart into the production. Still, that didn't mean he'd abandon his other passion, amateur pornography. It didn't matter where Bob traveled to for his play, he always found women who were more than happy to sleep with the star of Hogan's Heroes. And many of them were willing participants in his home videos, which he shot on the equipment he'd purchased from his good friend, 50-year-old John Carpenter. But John didn't just supply Bob with cameras and tripods. Because he was a traveling salesman, John could adjust his schedule to follow Bob around

the country. They were so close that on at least one occasion, they filmed themselves having a threesome with the same woman. John was probably hoping to continue the fun that summer in Scottsdale, but he didn't know that Bob had other plans. On the night of June 27, 1978, Bob picked John up from his hotel. They were headed to a local restaurant called Bobby McGee's, but it wasn't going to be a pleasant dinner, because Bob might have had some bad news for John.

According to Bob's son from his first marriage, Bobby Jr., his dad planned to call off his friendship with John. However, it's important to note that the only first-hand account we have of the evening is from John, and according to him, that never happened. The dinner passed without incident, and Bob never confronted him about ending their friendship. Soon they were back to their usual routine of going out on the town and finding women to take home. The next evening, June 28th, was John's last night in Scottsdale. He spent it watching Bob's play at the Woodmill Dinner Theatre.

When the show was over, the men left together, only to find that Bob's car had a flat tire. Bob decided to drive the flat to a nearby gas station and have an attendant fix it. John went with him. Once the tire was taken care of, they headed back to the apartment Bob was renting. John claimed that while he was there, Bob had a loud argument with his wife and former co-star Patty on the phone. Afterward Bob was in a mood and wanted to blow off some steam. He suggested they go to a local disco club.

As usual, John was game. At the disco they met two sisters, but after a while, Bob lost interest. So while John continued to chat one of them up, Bob called another woman he'd met during his time in Scottsdale. She agreed to meet him at a late-night coffee shop. Bob wrangled John, who dragged one of the sisters along with them. Together, the trio headed to the cafe where Bob's friend was waiting. They hung out there for the next few hours. By 2 a.m., everyone was worn out and ready to go.

John said bye to Bob and drove off with his sister. Meanwhile, Bob asked his date if she wanted to come over to his apartment. She declined but offered to get together the following day. And so Bob went home alone for the first time in a while. The next morning, John returned to Los Angeles and gave Bob's son Bobby Jr. a call. John said he'd just gotten back from Scottsdale and if there was anything Bobby needed to give him a call. Bobby thought it was a strange conversation.

He and John hardly ever spoke, and he didn't know why John would be checking in with him, especially because Bob had just told him that he wanted to stop being friends with John. Bobby molded over. Maybe he should just call his dad to check in with him. Around 2 p.m., the same time Bobby hung up the phone, a woman named Victoria Berry went over to Bob Sr.'s Scottsdale apartment. The 28-year-old was an actress in Bob's play. He'd promised to help her with her lines, and they were supposed to meet at his place.

When Victoria arrived, she noticed Bob's front door was unlocked. When he didn't answer, she pushed it open and stepped inside. It was quiet. She called out for Bob, but he didn't answer. So she made her way through the living room and into the bedroom. That's when she froze. There was blood. Everywhere. There, in the bed, was a brutally beaten body. Victoria was so shocked it took her a minute to understand what she was seeing. At first she thought she was looking at a woman someone Bob had spent the night with, but then she moved closer and realized it wasn't a stranger. It was Bob Crane's body in that bed. And it was clear that he'd been murdered.

Thanks so much for listening. I'm Carter Roy and this is Murder True Crime Stories. Come back next time for part two of our series on the murder of Bob Crane. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House original powered by PAVE Studios here at Crime House. We want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media at Crime House. Don't forget to rate, review, and follow Murder True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts.

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Murder True Crime Stories is hosted by me, Carter Roy, and is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the Murder True Crime Stories team, Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Pertovsky, Lori Marinelli, Sarah Camp, Alex Burns, Beth Johnson, and Russell Nash. Thank you for listening. How can one tiny clue change everything? Kaylin Moore and Morgan Absher break it all down on their new show Clues. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Just search Clues wherever you listen to podcasts.