Die, Spy (30 Mar. 1968)

Max gets a hip black partner as he and 99 tour the world as a ping-pong pro in this spoof of 'I Spy.'

Director:

Gary Nelson

Writers:

Phil Hahn (teleplay), Jack Hanrahan (teleplay),

Stars:

Don Adams, Barbara Feldon, Edward Platt

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Don Adams	...	Maxwell Smart
Barbara Feldon	...	Agent 99
Edward Platt	...	Chief
Stu Gilliam	...	Samuels
Anthony Eustrel	...	KAOS Chief (as Antony Eustrel)
Robert Karvelas	...	Larabee
Paul Camen	...	Tahday
Poupée Bocar	...	Tamara (as Poupee Bocar)

Storyline

While attending a funeral for a murdered double agent, someone attempts to murder both the Chief and his KAOS counterpart. Following the attack, Max informs both chiefs that it was the work of Atrocities, Cruelties and Brutalities, better known as ACB, a third spy network bent on destroying both CONTROL and KAOS. Max is assigned to find ACB's leader Kubacek, a former KAOS agent who tried to defect to CONTROL but was rejected. Kubacek also happens to be an ambidextrous table tennis player and master of disguise, which makes identifying him all the more difficult. Max is also given a new partner in a jive talking rookie by the name of Samuels. He also is given the cover of the Masked Marvel, the only player to have ever beaten Kubacek in a match. Max, 99 and Samuels eventually go on a world wide tour in an attempt to ferret out Kubacek before he kills any more agents.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to george washington

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 March 1968 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Talent Associates

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title was inspired by another classic spy series _"I Spy"(1965)_. Interestingly, that series premiered three days before _"Get Smart"(1965)_ and that show's final episode aired two weeks following the airing of this episode.

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Quotes

Maxwell Smart: What is your usual cover anyway?
Samuels: Would you believe a Jewish song and dance man?

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Connections

Spoofs I Spy (1965)

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Soundtracks

"I Spy theme"
Composed by Earle Hagen

User Reviews

Robert Culp's Cameo stands out

To enjoy this one, you have to accept that a world table tennis tour pitting two rank amateurs-Max (as the Masked Marvel) and 99--simply playing each other would attract spectators.

What makes this episode so funny is the dialog of both Stu Gilliam and Robert Culp. Culp (uncredited) plays a waiter who brings Smart, 99, and Agent Samuels drinks, then keeps drinking them himself--to make certain that he hasn't mixed up who gets what. Then he cuts off any booze to Max because he (Culp) has had too much already. His line I remember is "But me no buts" when Max protests.

There was also a tribute to Abbot and Costello with talk about performers Tahday and Tamara performing at the Club Tonight.

I also enjoyed Max mimicking Samuels distinctive speech pattern.

The plot was quite thin, but Get Smart is spoofs and silliness and this was one of the series' best efforts in this regard.