Bernard Jeremiah Fein (November 13, 1926 – September 10, 1980), also known as Bernie Fein, was an American actor, television producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for co-creating and associate producing the 1960s television sitcom Hogan's Heroes; a show which he also occasionally wrote for, including the pilot episode.Seal, Mark (2025). Leave The Gun, Take The Cannoli : The Epic Story Of The Making Of The Godfather. New York: Gallery Books. p. 59. "Ruddy’s next move was even more audacious: He teamed up with Bernie Fein, a comic actor on the 1950s The Phil Silvers Show—who once worked as a professional “laugher” embedded in audiences at comedy shows to encourage the crowd with his riotous laughs—to write a pilot for a half-hour sitcom. [...] Fein took a flight to New York and sat next to a man reading the Nazi prison camp escape novel, Von Ryan’s Express. Back in LA, he and Ruddy felt they had struck upon an idea they felt was sitcom gold: Change the setting from an American prison to a Nazi prisonerof-war camp during WWII." He directed only one film, the 1974 movie View from the Loft.

Early life and career A native of New York City, born on November 13, 1926,"New York, New York City, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1947", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WCH5-PMMM : Sat Apr 12 17:40:13 UTC 2025), Entry for Bernard Fein and Fur Toy Novelty Company, 14 Nov 1944. Fein was the son of immigrant furniture maker Irving Fein, later of Albany.

Fein started his career via radio, landing a role in the Schenectady-produced radio drama, The FBI in Action.

Fein's first big break came in 1955 when he landed the recurring role of Pvt. Gomez on Sergeant Bilko which he portrayed through 1959. He appeared regularly as a guest actor on numerous programs from 1959 through 1967 on such shows as The Untouchables, Sea Hunt, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Law and Mr. Jones, and Sam Benedict, as well as Lawman, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, 77 Sunset Strip, Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone and The F.B.I.. He also appeared in a handful of films during this time including The Facts of Life and Robin and the 7 Hoods, among others.

Fein is portrayed by Kyle S. More in the 2022 Paramount+ miniseries, The Offer, and by Greg Grunberg later that year in the motion picture, The Fabelmans.

Personal life and death On May 16, 1957, Fein married actress Kay Kurtz in New York City. They had two sons, Geoffrey and Adam.

Fein died in Los Angeles, on September 10, 1980, at age 53. He was survived by his wife and sons.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1942 Spy Smasher Sloan Uncredited1955–1959 Sergeant Bilko Private Gomez 137 episodes1959 Twilight Zone Mr. Penell TV series1959 Keep in Step Private Gomez TV movie1960 The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond Frenchy La Marr Uncredited1960 The Music Box Kid Biggie Gaines 1960 The Facts of Life Uncredited1961 Man-Trap Fat Man 1961 The Murder Men Uncredited1961 Pocketful of Miracles Uncredited1964 Robin and the 7 Hoods Charlie Bananas 1969 Body Fever Big Mack (final film role)

Notable TV guest appearances Naked City (January 13, 1959) (Season 1 Episode 16: "Even Crows Sing Good") playing "Dasher" Johnny Staccato (December 24, 1959) (Season 1 Episode 15: "The Unwise Men") playing "Ramsey" (as Bernie Fein) Johnny Midnight (1960) (Season 1 Episode 10: "The Inner Eye") playing "Sieger" Johnny Midnight (1960) (Season 1 Episode 37: "Romeo and Julie") playing "Ravioli" The Twilight Zone (January 1, 1960) (Season 1 Episode 13: "The Four of Us Are Dying") playing "Penell" Mr. Lucky (January 2, 1960) (Season 1 Episode 11: "Aces Back to Back") playing "Spanish Charley" The Untouchables (January 28, 1960) (Season 1 Episode 16: "The St. Louis Story") playing "Tim Harrington" (uncredited) Sea Hunt (March 12, 1960) (Season 3 Episode 10: "Expatriate's Return") playing "Boss" M Squad (April 5, 1960) (Season 3 Episode 29: "Let There Be Light") playing "John Keefer" The Alaskans (May 1, 1960) (Season 1 Episode 30: "Heart of Gold") playing "Tom" The Man From Blackhawk (September 9, 1960) (Season 1 Episode 26: "Remember Me Not") playing "Renard" Lawman (November 6, 1960) (Season 3 Episode 8: "The Post") playing "Sheriff Sabin" Coronado 9 (1960) (Season 1 Episode 9: "Four and Twenty Buddhas") playing "Mason" (as Bernie Fine) Coronado 9 (November 29, 1960) (Season 1 Episode 13: "Careless Joe") playing "Frank Fishman" Tallahassee 7000 (1961) (Season 1 Episode 18: "Meeting of the Mob") playing "Vincent Aiello" Michael Shayne (January 27, 1961) (Season 1 Episode 17: "The Badge") playing "Sid, Fat Thug" The Untouchables (February 9, 1961) (Season 2 Episode 17: "Augie "The Banker" Ciamino") playing "Richie" Thriller (February 14, 1961) (Season Episode 21: "The Merriweather File") playing "I.L. Gluckman" The Law and Mr. Jones (1961) (Season 1 Episode 27: "The Enemy") playing "Lieutenant Rosen" The Law and Mr. Jones (May 5, 1961) (Season 1 Episode 28: "One by One") playing "Lieutenant Rosen" Thriller (May 16, 1961) (Season 1 Episode 33: "The Terror in Teakwood") playing "Stage Manager" The Lawless Years (May 19, 1961) (Season 3 Episode 2: "The Sonny Rosen Story II") playing "Bo" Cain's Hundred (as Bernie Fein) (October 17, 1961) (Season 1 Episode 5: "Degrees of Guilt") playing "Hood" Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961) (Season 7 Episode 4: "Cop for a Day") playing "Marty Hersh" (aired October 31, 1961) 77 Sunset Strip (November 17, 1961) (Season 4 Episode 9: "The Missing Daddy Caper") playing "Sam Treynor" (as Bernie Fein) The Untouchables (November 23, 1961) (Season 3 Episode 7: "Jigsaw") playing "Marty Wilger" (as Bernie Fein) Thriller (January 29, 1962) (Season 2 Episode 19: "A Wig for Miss Devore") playing "Lester Clyne" Cain's Hundred (1962) (Season 1 Episode 26: "Inside Track") playing "Ben Kilrea" The Untouchables (March 29, 1962) (Season 3 Episode 20: "The Maggie Storm Story") playing "Ed Harker" The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor (March 30, 1962) (Season 3 Episode 24: "Three Blind Mice: Part 1") playing "Simon Metapuff" The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor (April 6, 1962) (Season 3 Episode 25: "Three Blind Mice: Part 2") playing "Simon Metapuff" The Tall Man (April 28, 1962) (Season 2 Episode 34: "The Runaway Groom") playing "Sam" (as Bernie Fein) The Defenders (October 20, 1962) (Season 2 Episode 6: "Madman: Part 1") playing "Max" The Defenders (October 27, 1962) (Season 2 Episode 7: "Madman: Part 2") playing "Max" Hawaiian Eye (October 30, 1962) (Season 4 Episode 5: "Lament for a Saturday Warrior") playing "Bane Craig" Sam Benedict (November 3, 1962) (Season 1 Episode 8: "Hear the Mellow Wedding Bells") playing "Harry" Sam Benedict (December 8, 1962) (Season 1 Episode 13: "Too Many Strangers") playing "Harry Owen" The Untouchables (December 18, 1962) (Season 4 Episode 12: "Doublecross") playing "Louie Akers" Perry Mason (January 3, 1963) (Season 6 Episode 13: "The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe") playing "Foreman" The Twilight Zone (January 24, 1963) (Season 4 Episode 4: "He's Alive") playing "Heckler" The Third Man (July 13, 1963) (Season 4 Episode 12: "An Act of Atonement") playing "Rack Nichols" Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (December 6, 1963) (Season 1 Episode 9: "The Candidate") playing "Sid Marks" The F.B.I. (December 26, 1965) (Season 1 Episode 15: "The Hijackers") playing "Andy Morton" The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (October 7, 1966) (Season 3 Episode 4: "The Super Colossal Affair") playing "Frank Cariago" Felony Squad (November 15, 1967) (Season 2 Episode 11: "My Mommy Got Lost") playing "Tom Baughmiller"

Writer Hogan's Heroes (1965) (TV) (creator) The Forgotten Man (1971) (TV)

Director View from the Loft (1974)

Producer Hogan's Heroes (1965) (TV) (associate producer)

References

External links