Don Adams TV Shows Overview
Don Adams is best known for starring as Maxwell Smart in the NBC sitcom Get Smart, which ran from 1965 to 1970 and was revived in 1995. The series was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry and produced by Talent Associates for NBC. The show ranked among the top 20 programs in the United States during its original run and became a defining example of 1960s spy comedy on American television.
Adams also starred in the crime drama The Partners, which aired on CBS for one season in 1971 and 1972. The series featured Adams as a bumbling police detective paired with a more competent partner and was produced by Four Star Television. While The Partners did not match the longevity of Get Smart, it remains a notable part of Adams's television filmography and is referenced in industry databases and network archives.
Key Roles and Characters
In Get Smart, Adams portrayed CONTROL agent Maxwell Smart, known for the catchphrase "Missed it by that much" and the use of gadgets such as the shoe phone. The character became a pop culture icon and is frequently cited in lists of greatest TV detectives and comedy spies. The show's blend of espionage parody and physical comedy influenced later spy and sitcom franchises.
Get Smart Revival and Legacy
The 1995 Get Smart revival starred Adams as Maxwell Smart alongside Andy Dick as Agent 13 and was produced by Fox Television Studios for the Fox network. The series ran for a single season and was canceled after low ratings, but it introduced Adams's portrayal to a new generation of viewers. The original Get Smart series continues to be syndicated and is available on streaming platforms, maintaining its status as a classic television property.
Production Companies and Network Data
Get Smart was produced by Talent Associates, a production company founded by David Susskind, and distributed by NBC for its original 1965 to 1970 run. The show was filmed at Desilu Studios and later at Paramount Studios, reflecting the production infrastructure of 1960s American television. Talent Associates also produced other notable series for NBC and ABC during the same era.
The 1995 revival was produced by Fox Television Studios and Tandem Productions, with distribution handled by 20th Television. The series was shot in standard definition and followed the production workflows typical of mid-1990s American sitcoms. Both versions of Get Smart are cataloged by the Television Academy and the Paley Center for Media as part of the historical record of American television comedy.