Best known for playing Maxwell Smart in the TV series Get Smart, Don Adams was born in 1923 in Manhattan and began his entertaining career as a comedian.
In 1965, Mel Brooks and Buck Henry created the tv series Get Smart, which was a mix of James Bond and Inspector Closeau. The show's central character, Maxwell Smart, was a secret agent for CONTROL, based out of Washington, whose sole purpose was to foil the plots of the evil organisation known as KAOS. Whilst Adams was not immediately cast as Smart (see Tom Poston), when the show was picked up by NBC he was given the part, having already signed on with the network.
Don Adams played the role for 138 episodes from 1965-1970, and moved into a producing role throughout. When CBS picked up the show for it's fifth season (1970) they then decided to cancel it, as the spy genre was becoming out of fashion, and the show running on it's old gags.
After the show was cancelled Don Adams used this as an opportunity to branch out into new roles, however due to the strength of Maxwell Smart's character he found it difficult to escape typecasting. He had his own tv game show from 1975-1976 titles Don Adam's Screen Test, but this has not been seen on tv since it's original screening.
In 1980 Don Adams reprised his role of Maxwell Smart in the movie The Nude Bomb, which failed at the box office.
From 1983-1986 Don Adams voiced the titular character in the cartoon tv series Inspector Gadget, which was loosely based on his Maxwell Smart role. The show was released on DVD in 2006, and spawned two live action feature films in 1999 starring Matthew Broderick as Gadget (with Don Adams providing the voice of Brain) and in 2003 starring French Stewart.
In 1989 Don Adams once again reprised his role of Maxwell Smart in the TV series Get Smart, Again! with Barbara Feldon returning as 99, and Andy Dick as their son, Zach. The show rated poorly and was promptly cancelled.
In 2005 Don Adams passed away from a lung infection. Amongst the eulogists at his funeral were Barbara Feldon, Don Rickles (both of whom appeared alonside Don Adams in Get Smart) and former Superman contender James Caan.
Now, onto the autograph! In the early 2000's I wrote a fan letter to Don Adams, and after a long wait I received this wonderful b&w 8x10" photo in the mail:
Until next time!
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