Herr Otto Flick is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo!, which ran from 1982 to 1992.[1] He was played by the actors Richard Gibson and David Janson.[2] On The Return of 'Allo 'Allo! it was revealed that the character was based on a combination of Joseph Goebbels and Arnold Toht from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and that Gibson had wished to incorporate all manner of grotesqueries from these characters into his depiction of Flick but had only been allowed a limp.
Herr Flick is an officer of the Gestapo, the Nazi secret police during World War II. On the rare occasions he wears uniform, he is shown to be an SS-Sturmbannführer (Major). He is portrayed as unemotional (his voice never changes in relation to how he feels, even once while in pain he rather calmly stated "I am suspended by the Clappers') and he seems hurt only when he finds Private Helga Geerhart kissing the Italian Captain Alberto Bertorelli. Apart from this, the only emotion he ever shows is anger.
He is the godson of Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS and Gestapo. He explains in one episode that he is an orphan and was raised by nuns when he was little. He has stated that he originally didn't want to join the Gestapo, but Himmler convinced him. Over the course of the programme he receives several letters from Himmler, usually admonishing him for his actions, such as failing to find the portrait of the Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies by Van Klomp. When he is arrested by General Von Klinkerhoffen (once for pretending to be Helga's replacement and the other time for dressing up as a member of the French Resistance), Himmler comes to his rescue by sending a telegram to the General requesting Otto's release.
He is assisted by Engelbert Von Smallhausen, a junior officer of the Gestapo who is not too intelligent. Whenever Von Smallhausen makes a statement that is either stupid or does not agree with Flick's thinking, he always hits Von Smallhausen on the head with whatever object he can find at the time.
Herr Flick is in love with Helga, a fact which he does not often show. When she comes to see him he always says "You may kiss me." She then proceeds to kiss him passionately, while he stands quite still, with his facial expression not changing. He is excessively domineering, not just to her, but to Von Smallhausen as well.
His secret HQ's address is Rue de Gangoine 32. In his dungeon, Herr Flick has many disguises. He and Von Smallhausen are often shown in disguise, trying to gain entry to somewhere he is not supposed to be such as the château. He often adds the word 'Gestapo' as an adjective to various gadgets and items he uses. Examples include: "My powerful Gestapo binoculars", "My Gestapo staff car", and "The Gestapo Dance".
Herr Flick has a fondness for using experimental truth sera made from assorted exotic animals such as the Self-inflating Peruvian Marsh Frog or the Patagonian Fruit Bat. These sera often have interesting physical side effects on his victims.
There is also an extensive collection of Gestapo gramophone records dealing with such subjects as "How to fool French peasants into believing you are English in one easy lesson" - "Faw F-Faw Faw-Faw-Faw..."
He plays the violin extremely well and his favourite animal is the rat (because it is small, shifty and disgusting) this is apparently why he tolerates Von Smallhausen as he compares him to a rat. He owns a homing pigeon named Boris.
At the start of series 9 he has plastic surgery so when the allies invade he will not be recognised.
In France, the word "flic" is a derogatory term used towards the police. Herr Flick is also said to be a reference to 'hair flick', the typical gesture with which Hitler adjusted his coiffure. Due to it also sounding like the word "fuck" it was used in a telephone gag on the show when Herr Flick answered the phone he stated "Flick the Gestapo" and after a pause - and a look of shock upon his face - repeated "I said Flick the Gestapo" while pronouncing his name more clearly.
Abilities
Herr Flick has formidable detective skills and carries an analytical and sharp intellect. He was renowned and feared, if not loathed, for his abilities by the likes of General von Klinkerhoffen. He is highly intelligent and extremely cunning, with an analytical state of mind. He is unusually cerebral for a comedy character. He is considered an active threat to both the German Army and the French Ressistance.
He is a master of disguise, although his voice never changes in disguise.