This half-hour American series partially created by Mel Brooks was a comedy spoof on such series as The Man from U.N.C.L.E., the James Bond films, and the many other “serious” spy shows about during the spy craze of the mid sixties.
The series concerned the adventures of agent 86 for Control, the bumbling Maxwell Smart, (Don Adams) who somehow, despite, – or maybe because of – his incompetence always managed to successfully complete his assignments. Throughout the show’s 138 episode run, Max was aided by the beautiful agent 99 (Barbara Feldon), who Max eventually married in season 4, with (in season 5), 99 giving birth to twins , while on assignment. They were also aided at various times by Fang, an agent from Control’s canine division (a dog), and Hymie, an advanced Robot (Dick Gautier), who was also Max’s best man.
Max would receive his orders each week from the Chief (Edward C. Platt), if not in person then via one of several various secret telephones concealed upon Max’s person, the most favoured being concealed in his shoe. Mention must also be given to Max’s means of entrance to Control’s headquarters, which was down a seemingly endless corridor of doors, each one of which would open as he approached allowing him to pass through. Finally upon reaching the end of this passage there’s a phonebooth, which upon Max entering and dialling a secret number drops him down into Control HQ.
Many of Max’s missions would pit him against Kaos and their top operative Conrad Siegfried (Bernie Kopell), with their varied and imaginative plans (also totally impossible and improbable on most occasions) for world domination. From planting exploding paintings in foreign consulates, to destroying government buildings with nuclear golf balls ! ? ! Several of the shows episodes and episode titles also spoofed other TV series and films. Satan Place (Peyton Place), Bronzefinger (Goldfinger), The Impossible Mission (Mission Impossible) and an excellent Fugitive take off entitled “Don’t Look Back”, to name but a few.
The series first debuted on NBC in September of 1965, surviving until 1970. This was not the end, though, for further installments were to come in the form of TV movies, the first was “The Return of Maxwell Smart” A.K.A. “The Nude Bomb” in 1980, then in 1989 came a second “Get Smart Again” with Don Adams reprising his original role in both these, as well as a sort lived follow up TV series in 1995.