Newspapers

Newspaper Articles

Yes, Mr. Smart, this is that glorious "Free Press " you're always boasting about! Again, clicking the article title will get ya in the door to get the scoop on Smart.

She Slyly Spoofs Sex and Spies by Martin Tolchin. The New York Times, Nov. 28, 1965.
The New York Times offers us a look inside the mind of Barbara Feldon --and it's not all spy games and tiger skin rugs. Thanks to Ryan for donating this one!

"Would You Believe....Don Adams?" by Tom Burke. New York Times, Sept. 28, 1969.
This is a rather in-depth chat with Mr. Adams. He talks about Get Smart's move to CBS, his thoughts on 86 and 99 having twins and the Marine Corps. Thanks to Ryan for donating this one!

News Article by Vernon Scott. UPI, March, 25 1986.
In this Check it Out article, Don Adams discusses why Howard Bannister is not Maxwell Smart and how he really felt about Toronto's winter months. Since this is a UPI piece, a Sunday afternoon of devoted dirt digging through the 'fiche should produce this work... eh, would you believe an article on Brooks and Dunn? Thanks to Ryan for donating this one!

News Article by Joel Pisetzner. Boston Record, Sept. 30, 1985.
Yet another Check it Out article, this one takes a stab at reviewing the show. If you're a Check it Out fan, you may wish to brace yourself before you read this. Thanks to Ryan for donating this one!

Adams gets smart about old TV show by Ian Harmer. HOLLYWOOD, April 25, 1986.
This piece of newspaper presswork is a swell discussion with Don Adams on his disdain of the laugh track, his adjustment to Canada's fine climate, and Check It Out. This is an AP piece so it can most likely be located in a slew of local papers on the above date. A great big thanks to Kat for donating this article!

CHANNELING; WHAT ARE THEY UP TO NOW?; FANS OF FORMER AGENT 99 ARE STILL MAD ABOUT HER by Susan King. The Los Angles Times, April 11, 1993.
Straight from the annals of the land of "Where are they now," this article gives a run down of Feldon's post-Smart career up until when she appeared on Mad About You as a high-strung former TV star. Of course, this article reassures us that our savvy 99 is neither high nor strung! Thanks to Ryan for donating this one!

HOLLYWOOD HAD HENDRIX'S NUMBER by Kristi L. Nelson. Knoxville News-Sentinel, Jan. 8, 1995.
A rather nice article on GS 95 coming from Elaine Hendrix's point of view, this piece details Hendrix's personal life and what she did to prepare for the role of Agent 66. Let it be known that Ms. Hendrix really didn't like the bullet bra all that much. Thanks to Ryan for donating this one!

Maxwell Smart sidekick back in series revival by Lynn Elber. AP, Jan. 5, 1995.
This is an AP article so I would bet that it can be found in a variety of newspapers on that date. Mostly, the article is about a Barbara Feldon and her post-Smart activities. There is also some pumping in this article for GS 95.

Television 'Smart' Gets Update; '60s Cult Stars Return for New Series by Harvey Solomon. Boston Herald, Jan. 7, 1995.
"I'm more of a '60s person than I am a '90s person," says Don Adams in this article on Fox 1995 Get Smart. The article, printed the day before the ill-fated Fox series aired, discusses the new series and Adams' thoughts on Max being Control's chief. Thanks to Ryan for donating this one!

Phillip Alder's Bridge Column The News-Dispatch, Michigan City, IN
Philip Alder's syndicated bridge column can probably be found in any number of local papers. During the weeks of July 29, 1991 and January 13, 1992, Alder paid homage to Get Smart by having Max and The Chief battle Seigfried and Shtarker in a game of bridge. Another Smart appearance in Alder's bridge column occurred on February 18, 1995 during Alder's "Bridge players that operate under pseudonyms week". The bridge play with the pseudonym that day was none other that Don Adams.

Inspector Gadget Takes a New World View by Harvey Solomon. Boston Herald May 8, 1996.
In this nifty article on The History Channel's Inspector Gadget's Field Trip Don states that he "made a very good living out of being an idiot." Thanks to Ryan for donating this one!

Smart? We need him...to the Max by Barbara Shelly. Kansas City Star, June 19, 1996.
This article outlines how the mighty Maxwell Smart can save the Kansas City School District from Kaos... maybe. Thanks to Ryan for donating this one!

Would you believe Get Smart is 72? May 6, 1999 TORONTO (CP).
This article is yet another take on Adams' May 1999 press conference regarding the Buck-a-Call ads. This one is quite an interesting piece too. Adams discusses his likes and dislikes regarding today's entertainment (if it can be called that), the rumored GS movie, and GS 95. Another great big thanks to Kat for donating this article!

Celebrity; WHERE ARE THEY NOW?; Taking the role of 99 was a very Smart move by Paul Sullivan. Boston Herald, Oct. 4, 1999.
A nice tight little piece on Barbara Feldon and where she is now! Just one question, 99? Are you a cartoon? Should I put a poll up about that? When should I get an oil change? Thanks to Ryan for donating this one!

Celebrity: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?; Don Adams still 'Smart' enough to do commercials by Paul Sullivan. Boston Herald, May 7, 2001.
This article makes mention that Adams was in the running for a new series but *sigh* "missed it by that much." Unfortunately, the article does not say what that series was. Thanks to Ryan for donating this one!

Fans 'get smart' about paying tribute to classic show by Amanda Haverstick. The News-Dispatch, Nov. 27, 2003.
It's the old go to a fan convention so you can write about your favorite TV show at work trick. This "Come Play with Us" column (which is one of the few times I'll get to actually speak my mind in the N-D) Appeared in "On the Go" -Friday's entertainment section.

Don Adams of 'Get Smart' Dies at 82 by Bob Thomas. AP, Sept. 26, 2005.
Likely this AP news obit on Don can still be found on the web. It should be noted that early versions of this story did not have quotes from Barbara Feldon in them. Feldon's quotes showed up in a version that came over the wire around 7 p.m. that night. Obit pages for dailies that come out in the morning may have already gone to bed by that time, thus missing the beautiful things Barbara had to say about Don.

Inspired by Agent 86. AP, Sept. 27, 2005.
Spare me. This is an AP People in the News briefs. Basically it's concocted press release BS. In it Will and Grace star Eric McCormack allegedly claims the guests attending the Museum of Radio and Television Get Smart Panel didn't realize he was in the audience. That's a stretch... McCormack was a VIP guest and got his picture taken with the cast during the photo shoot. You can probably still find this on Google News.

Memorial Service Held for Don Adams. AP, Oct. 6, 2005.
Small wire story on a memorial service held at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills.

The World At Large by R.J. Otis. The Herald Argus, Jan. 5, 2006.
Op-Ed column from the Argus. Mr. Otis refers to Agent 86 while ruminating on the social ills of cell phones.

How Maxwell Smart and His Shoe Phone changed TV by Kyle Smith. The Wall Street Journal, March 2, 2008.
Mr. Smith writes about the genius of Get Smart.

Last-minute gifts abound for TV obsessed by Jeremy D. Bonfiglio. The South Bend Tribune, Dec. 21, 2008.
This column reviews a handful of TV on DVD sets, including the Get Smart Time Life Box Set.