Don Adams, best known for his role as Agent Maxwell Smart on TV's Get Smart, has died at the age of 82. Of all the silly 60s and 70s era sitcoms that I watched as a kid, I'd say Get Smart was both my favorite and the least embarrassing one to admit to liking today. It's also one that I'd be willing to watch with Olivia some day, assuming that the TVLands and Nicks at Nite are still wallowing in the nostalgia of that era.
As always with celebrity obituaries, Mark Evanier is your best source for more information. See here and here for all you could want to know.
I just want to add, by the way, that any list of Sexiest Female TV Stars Of All-Time that does not include Barbara "Agent 99" Feldon is just plain wrong. That is all.
Posted by Charles Kuffner on September 27, 2005 to TV and movies | TrackBackWhat I don't get is a British tabloid's customers being so US-centric. How in the world could they have left Diana Rigg off their list? The Avengers was the smartest espionage show on TV, ever.
Posted by: Linkmeister on September 28, 2005 1:20 AMAny show that was created and written by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry can't be all bad. Besides, who didn't want a shoe phone or a Cone of Science at some point. :-)
As for the British poll, they do tend to keep things current. Not only did they miss Barbara Feldon, they also missed Diana Rigg and Julie Newmar from that same era. I could see how they could miss Julie Newmar, but Diana Rigg was a British icon (who always looked good in a leather outfit.) :-)
Some of you may not realize that Don Adams also did the voice of two popular cartoon popular characters. He did Tennessee Tuxedo (from the same folks that gave you Bullwinkle and Rocky) before he starred in Get Smart, and Inspector Gadget in the 1980s. I also remember his endorsing the Aurora line of slot cars and Skittle games in the 1970s.
Posted by: William Hughes on September 28, 2005 4:30 AMThe weirdest bit of Don Adams' bio was that he was a drill instructor. I guess having laughed at him watching Get Smart makes it difficult to imagine him as a hard ass DI.
Posted by: Patrick on September 28, 2005 8:13 AMWhere to begin? Diana Rigg is absolutely #1. Peggy Lipton, Mod Squad's Julie Barnes, and Julie Newmar follow closely.
Others I'd note -- mostly portraying smart brunettes: Agent 99, Barbara Feldon; Stefanie Powers as UNCLE agent April Dancer; Susan St. James as Sally McMillan of McMillan & Wife; Suzanne Pleshette, Bob Newhart's Emily Hartley; Bridget Hanley, Candy Pruitt on Here Come the Brides; Susan Dey as Laurie Partridge; Lori Saunders, Petticoat Junction's Bobbie Jo Bradley #2; Mary Tyler Moore, Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show; Diahann Carroll as Julia; Marlo Thomas, That Girl's Ann Marie; and Carolyn Jones, Morticia Addams in the TV show
From more recent TV history, no question on my top choice: Suzie Plakson, Worf's mate K'Ehleyr on Star Trek Next Generation. Dark, biting and deadly, just how I like my coffee.
And, oh yeah, cone of "silence," not "science."
Posted by: Ted on September 28, 2005 1:38 PMI just want to add, by the way, that any list of Sexiest Female TV Stars Of All-Time that does not include Barbara "Agent 99" Feldon is just plain wrong.
I agree. I also can't believe he left Xena out - if anyone's got "the look," it's Lucy Lawless! I was thrilled when they cast her on the new Battlestar Galactica. Finally, a Cylon I could fall in love with!
Posted by: Mathwiz on September 28, 2005 3:18 PM