Don Adams
April 13, 1923 — New York City, New York
Donald James Yarmy, known professionally as Don Adams, was an American comedian and actor whose portrayal of Maxwell Smart — the supremely incompetent, gadget-obsessed secret agent in the spy spoof series Get Smart — made him the face of 1960s television comedy and earned him three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series.
Marine to Comedian
Born on April 13, 1923 in New York City, Adams enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served at Guadalcanal during World War II, contracting blackwater fever — a severe complication of malaria — and nearly dying. After the war he became a stand-up comedian, developing his distinctive persona — pompous, deluded, yet somehow endearing — at venues in the Catskill Mountains. He broke into television in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a recurring character on The Bill Dana Show.
Would You Believe It? Get Smart
In 1965, Get Smart — created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry as a parody of the massively popular James Bond films — debuted on NBC with Adams as Agent 86, Maxwell Smart. The show ran until 1970 and was a massive hit. Adams was perfect in the role: his pomposity played as comic obliviousness, his catchphrases — "Would you believe...?" and "Sorry about that, chief" — became part of the American lexicon. He also provided the voice of Inspector Gadget in the 1983 animated series, an extension of the same character in all but name.
Did You Know?
Adams's name change from Yarmy to Adams was strategic: when attending auditions, performers were called in alphabetical order, and Yarmy meant waiting a very long time. By changing his name to Adams, he moved to the front of the line at every casting call — a practical solution that, in his telling, immediately improved his audition rate.
Voice Work and Lasting Legacy
Adams reprised Maxwell Smart in a 1989 TV movie revival and the short-lived 1995 series Get Smart, Again! He remained a beloved figure in American comedy until his death on September 25, 2005, in Los Angeles. His influence on spy parody is incalculable — the gentle send-up of masculinity, competence, and gadgetry that he perfected cleared a path for everything from the Austin Powers franchise to Archer. The original Get Smart series remains in syndication and is regularly cited by comedians as an influence.