Actually, it is hard to believe, and it seems horribly unfair that we should lose both Gilligan AND Maxwell Smart in such a short period of time. It was just reported that Don died late Sunday... don't tell me it was a lung infection?

I asked you not to tell me that.

Adams was born in '23, too, for those keeping track of that number.

The connection to Andy Kaufman is a little closer with this one, too. Alan Spencer, a producer and creator of the show "Sledge Hammer!" was a good friend of Andy's. And of Marty Feldman, as well. After both men passed on, Alan pledged to write as "Abby Normal," or abnormally, as a testament to the lives of both men... and as absurd as Sledge Hammer! could be, it seems that he lived up to that pledge.

And Sledge! was born out of the same absurd comedy vein as Maxwell Smart in "Get Smart!". (Both shows may have ended in exclamation points too, but I am not sure.) The common thread is Mel Brooks. Sledge! was at once a tribute, at least abnormal writing-wise as pledged, to Kaufman and Feldman, while also being a tribute to the 1960s' Get Smart, which was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. Brooks also regularly made use of Marty Feldman in his films, with whom Andy Starred in "In God We Trust." Oh, and Spencer also wrote some of Michael Richards' early stand-up material.

Spencer's idol was Mel Brooks, and he took the bus after school not home, but to the movie studio where he could watch "Young Frankenstein" being filmed. Later, Brooks and Spencer finally collaborated to create the TV series "The Nutt House," which was a phenomenal worldwide success.

Okay, just the United States.

Would you believe Peoria?

For more detailed info regarding Andy and Alan and Mel and Get Smart! and Sledge Hammer! see: http://www.sledgehammeronline.com/bio.htm

You'll find that Andy once had Alan watch a ninety-six hour marathon of "People's Court."

That's the second-longest People's Court marathon I've ever seen.

Rest in Peace, Don, and say hey to the Chief.


(Adams as caricatured by Dick Gautier, who played "Hymie the Robot" on the show)

I use to Love "Inspector Gadget" didn't Don do his voice?

Wowzers, yes, he did Inspector Gadget... and sí, sí, sí, he also did Tennessee Tuxedo.

"Chumley, we're going to see Mister Whoopee!"

Quite an innocent thing to say in the '60s, at least... and "Go, Gadget, Go" likewise innocent enough in the '80s.

I loved it when he called people in the audience "hockey pucks."

... That was Don RICKLES... you hockey puck. He's still alive. They were friends though, and I remember they even once did a TV special together called something like "A Pair of Dons." That one seems to be forgotten to history.

Did you see Don in dirty work? Very funny cameo!