Sigrid Valdis
| Sigrid Valdis | |
|---|---|
 Sigrid Valdis with future husband Bob Crane on Hogan's Heroes | |
| Born |
Patricia Annette Olson September 21, 1935 Bakersfield, California, U.S. |
| Died |
October 14, 2007 (aged 72) Anaheim, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | lung cancer |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1957–1970 |
| Spouse(s) |
George Gilbert Ateyeh (1958-1967) (1 child) Bob Crane (1970-1978) (2 children) |
| Children |
Melissa Smith Robert Scott Crane (b. 1971) Ana Sarmiento[1] |
Sigrid Valdis (born Patricia Annette Olson September 21, 1935 – October 14, 2007) was the stage name of American actress Patricia Annette Olson. She was best known for playing "Hilda" on the American television series, Hogan's Heroes.
Early life and career
Valdis began acting in the late 1950s. She appeared in bit parts in films and guest starred in several television shows including The Wild Wild West and Kraft Television Theatre before landing the role of Hilda, Colonel Klink's secretary, in the sitcom, Hogan's Heroes.
Personal life
Valdis was married twice. Her first marriage was to fashion businessman George Gilbert Ateyeh, with whom she had a daughter, Melissa. Ateyeh died in 1967.[2]
Valdis married for the second time on October 16, 1970, to Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane on the set of the series. Following the birth of their son in 1971, Valdis retired from acting. In 1978, she moved from the Los Angeles area after Crane was murdered.[3]
In 1980, she moved to Seattle, where in 1998 she joined the cast of her son's syndicated weekly sketch comedy radio show, Shaken, Not Stirred. In 2004, she moved back to her childhood home in Westwood.[3] Though no longer using her stage name, she later oversaw a tribute website to her husband, with a blog where she answered questions from fans of her husband and Hogan's Heroes. A tribute website exists today run by their son, DJ Scott "Scotty" Crane.[4] Another is run by the fans.[5]
Death
Valdis died on October 14, 2007, from lung cancer in Anaheim, California. She was 72 years old. She was survived by her two daughters, Melissa Smith and Ana Sarmiento; son, Scott; sister Dale Gudegast and brother-in-law Eric Braeden; and one granddaughter, Robbyn Smith and four grandsons.[6] Valdis also had three stepchildren from Bob Crane's earlier marriage to Anne Terzian: Karen, Deborah, and Robert David Crane.
In 2015, stepson Robert Crane and co-author Christopher Fryer released the book Crane: Sex, Celebrity, and My Father's Unsolved Murder, in which Valdis is implicated as a co-conspirator in Bob Crane's murder.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1967 | The Venetian Affair | Uncredited | |
| 1962 | Two Tickets to Paris | Young woman | Uncredited |
| 1965 | Marriage on the Rocks | Kitty | |
| 1966 | Our Man Flint | Anna | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1964 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Ruby | 1 episode |
| 1965 | The Wild Wild West | Miss Piecemeal | 2 episodes |
| 1965 | Hogan's Heroes | Gretchen | 1 episode |
| 1966–1971 | Hogan's Heroes | Hilda | 43 episodes |
References
- ↑ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/sigrid-valdis-pure-vamp-of-hogans-heroes-763769.html
- ↑ "Sigrid Valdis: 'Pure vamp' of 'Hogan's Heroes'". independent.co.uk. 2007-12-08. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
- 1 2 "'Hogan's Heroes' star Sigrid Valdis dies". usatoday.com. 2007-11-11. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
- ↑ "The Official Website of Bob Crane". Bobcrane.com. 1928-07-13. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
- ↑ "Cast - Bob Crane". Hogans Heroes Fan Club. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
- ↑ Mclellan, Dennis (2007-11-18). "Sigrid Valdis, 72; sexy secretary on 'Hogan's Heroes' married its star". The L.A. Times. Retrieved 2008-10-16.