Don Adams of 'Get Smart' Dies (Wizbang)

Don Adams, best known as bumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart, died Sunday in Los Angeles from a lung infection. He was 82 years old.

LOS ANGELES Sep 26, 2005 - Don Adams, the wry-voiced comedian who starred as the fumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart in the 1960s television spoof of James Bond movies, "Get Smart," has died. He was 82.

Adams died of a lung infection late Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, his friend and former agent Bruce Tufeld said Monday, adding the actor broke his hip a year ago and had been in ill health since.

As the inept Agent 86 of the super-secret federal agency Control, Adams captured TV viewers with his antics in combatting the evil agents of Kaos. When his explanations failed to convince the villains or his boss, he tried another tack: "Would you believe ... ?" It became a national catchphrase.

Smart was also prone to spilling things on the desk or person of his boss the chief (actor Edward Platt). Smart's apologetic "Sorry about that, chief" also entered the American lexicon. The spy gadgets, which aped those of the Bond movies, were a popular feature, especially the pre-cell-phone telephone in a shoe.

Would you believe ABC (who were first approached about the series) wanted Tom Poston (Newhart) as Maxwell Smart? It's true. You can find that, and other interesting trivia on the series at Would You Belive?

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Comments (18)

how long will it be before ... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by bullwinkle | September 26, 2005 3:47 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

bullwinkle:

how long will it be before the left figures out that Karl Rove had him killed to distract from Cindy Sheehan being arrested today?

Posted on September 26, 2005 15:47

The humor of "Get Smart" wa... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Ed | September 26, 2005 4:14 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Ed:

The humor of "Get Smart" was great, and often politically incorrect in today's terms. For example, I remember an episode involving the Asian criminal "The Claw". A guy who had a lobster claw for a hand. However, the character used to pronounce his name "Craw", you know, no "el" sounds in Asia. So when Max and 99 find "The Claw" in his hideout, Max yells, "look 99, it the Craw". To which "The Claw" responnds, "not Craw...CRAW!". Hilarious. And the kind of humor you won't find on TV today. That's because sexual innuendo is so much more funny and witty...not!!!

Posted on September 26, 2005 16:14

Of course, who can forget t... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Ed | September 26, 2005 4:37 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Of course, who can forget the "Cone of Silence".

Posted on September 26, 2005 16:37

This sucks. I loved that sh... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by a-a | September 26, 2005 4:44 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

a-a:

This sucks. I loved that show.

Posted on September 26, 2005 16:44

You associated Tom Poston w... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by Palmateer | September 26, 2005 4:56 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Palmateer:

You associated Tom Poston with the Newhart shows, but he goes all the way back to the Steve Allen shows, too.

Posted on September 26, 2005 16:56

Two of the best episode's h... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by rick13 | September 26, 2005 5:45 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

rick13:

Two of the best episode's had Don Rickles as a guest star.

Does anyone remember the show "Don Adams screen test"? They took amatuer actor's and had them recreate scenes from famous movies.

Posted on September 26, 2005 17:45

If you substitute "Daily Ko... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by Henry | September 26, 2005 5:48 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Henry:

If you substitute "Daily Kos" for "Kaos", everything starts making sense.

Posted on September 26, 2005 17:48

I remember the Craw episode... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by Crank | September 26, 2005 6:56 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Crank:

I remember the Craw episode well. I sometimes have to stop myself quoting it.

Poston as Agent 86 would have been more like Leslie Nielsen in Police Squad!/Naked Gun.

Posted on September 26, 2005 18:56

"Missed it by that much!"</... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by Sheik Yur Bouty | September 26, 2005 7:23 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Sheik Yur Bouty:

"Missed it by that much!"

RIP, Don

Posted on September 26, 2005 19:23

Is this the White House? Ye... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by JAT0 | September 26, 2005 7:49 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

JAT0:

Is this the White House? Yes, Karl, operation Mother Sheenan is completed. Agent 99 has fully infiltrated the DU. Kos and the rest have no clue we now have an insider into their throngs. Me? I'm going under the Cone of Silence! Agent Smart signing off!

Posted on September 26, 2005 19:49

Too bad he didn't live to b... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by OregonMuse | September 26, 2005 8:33 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

OregonMuse:

Too bad he didn't live to be 86.

Posted on September 26, 2005 20:33

Sorry about that cheif and ... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by spurwing plover | September 26, 2005 8:36 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

spurwing plover:

Sorry about that cheif and WOULD YOU BELEIVE TARZAN AND A COUPLE OF HIS APES HEY I HAD A GET SMART LUNCH BOX IN GRAMMER SCHOOL

Posted on September 26, 2005 20:36

Damnation, another favorite... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by Darleen | September 27, 2005 2:20 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Darleen:

Damnation, another favorite actor from a fave childhood TV show is gone.

Loved Get Smart ... especially when he started driving the hot red Mustang.

rick 13

I remember those Rickles episodes. Don and Don were the best of friends. I remember when they both were guests on Johnny Carson (crap, I miss him, too) and they were talking about the episodes and showing outtakes. There was a scene where their arms are shackled above their heads. Rickles and Adams kept breaking each other up so much, causing so many retakes, both of them lost feeling in their arms.

Peace be with you, agent 86. You'll be missed.

Posted on September 27, 2005 02:20

Little known fastoid about ... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by Faith+1 | September 27, 2005 7:31 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Faith+1:

Little known fastoid about Mr. Admas. In WW2, at the age of 16 he lied to enlist in the Marine Corps and served on Guadalcanal....nearly dieing of blakwater fever in the process.

Thanks for the laughs Mr Adams....and Semper Fi.

Posted on September 27, 2005 07:31

Did you ever count the numb... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by spurwing plover | September 27, 2005 9:56 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Did you ever count the number of doors he pasted through? and then there agent 99 and the cheif and the robot heimi and the dog fang and KAOS agent ZIGFREID and the episode where KAOS makes man from a ape and when he falls off the building he gave out the TARZAN yell

Posted on September 27, 2005 09:56

Great send ups of gov't bur... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by ICallMasICM | September 27, 2005 10:25 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

ICallMasICM:

Great send ups of gov't bureaucracy. In one episode in the middle of a gunfight he stops shooting and the chief asks him why. Max tells him because of the cutbacks they have to pay for their own bullets now.

Posted on September 27, 2005 10:25

Sure loved "Get Smart." It... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by Lady Di | September 27, 2005 1:26 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Lady Di:

Sure loved "Get Smart." It was funny, pithy, and sweet. Do miss such shows. So much of today's "comedies" are nasty and they leave a bitter aftertaste.
Semper Fi Mr. Adams.

Posted on September 27, 2005 13:26

18. Posted by Lady Di | September 27, 2005 1:28 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Sure loved "Get Smart." It was funny, pithy, and sweet. Do miss such shows. So much of today's "comedies" are nasty and they leave a bitter aftertaste.
Semper Fi Mr. Adams. I do believe that today the angels in heaven are laughing their wings off.

Posted on September 27, 2005 13:28

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