R.I.P. Agent 86 - Don Adams

[Lila64]

He passed away today. Just heard on the news. I loved Maxwell Smart...

 

[Carek1230]

OMG what sad news! I loved Maxwell Smart and Agent 99. I loved that shoe phone of his! Man that was a good show! Thanks for the news, Lila.

 

[Lila64]

My husband just reminded me he was also the voice of Underdog

 

[Carek1230]

That's right. And THAT was an awesoem cartoon show. They sure don't make them like they used to!

 

[nbcrusader]

RIP

cone of silence

 

[Lila64]

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- 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 catch phrase.

Smart was also prone to spilling things on the desk or person of 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.

Smart's beautiful partner, Agent 99, played by Barbara Feldon, was as brainy as he was dense, and a plot romance led to marriage and the birth of twins later in the series.

Adams, who had been under contract to NBC, was lukewarm about doing a spy spoof. When he learned that Mel Brooks and Buck Henry had written the pilot script, he accepted immediately.

"Get Smart" debuted on NBC in September 1965 and scored No. 12 among the season's most-watched series and No. 22 in its second season.

Adams was also the voice of animated characters Tennessee Tuxedo and Inspector Gadget. In the 1970s, Adams hosted "Don Adams' Screen Test," a participatory show in which contestants got to be actors.

"Get Smart" twice won the Emmy for best comedy series with three Emmys for Adams as comedy actor.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

"Inspector Gadget" and the "Get Smart" reruns-. Loved those as a kid.

Shame to hear of his passing . May he rest in peace.

 

[tiny dancer]

 

[meegannie]

I used to love Get Smart.

 

[pepokiss]

A GREAT LOSS... oh my god, how funny that show was... and NOW I get to know that he was Inspector Gadget....

... real sad


WE LOVE YOU DON

 

[Carmelu2fan]

To Don Adams Thank you for making my mom and I laugh for all those years.

 

[martha]

Wally Cox was the voice of Underdog. Don Adams was the voice of Tennesee Tuxedo, another of my faves when I was a young'un.

 

[Carek1230]

Tennessee Tuxedo! That was a good show! So was Wally Gator! Ahhhhhhhhhh memories!

 

[Lila64]

oops, my bad. I clicked on the Underdog link, but didn't scroll down. Thanks for the correction martha! http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0060037/

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

That's right, martha-I'd forgotten about that until now. I loved watching the reruns of that show, too, as a kid.

Angela

 

[Hewson]

Hopefully someone called heaven on teir shoe phone to reserve him a good spot next to Gilligan.

RIP

 

[Lila64]

 

[bono_212]

I'm only bumping this because today is his birthday, and I just am really sad, and I was wondering if anyone else out there felt the same

 

[Lila64]

...would you believe...

 

[JCOSTER]

I used to watch that show with my dad, he was in love with 99.


My husbands favorite cartoon Underdog.

 

[BonosBaby12]

Still hard to believe he's really gone. Underdog is my bf's favorite cartoon. Even bought him some episodes on dvd,lol.

 

[bono_212]

thanks you guys made me feel a lot better

No on my age seems to know who he is, and so I can't really get them to understand why I'm so sad that he's now gone