Episode Guide - Season Two

Season 1

 

Season 3

 

Season 4

 

Season 5

 

Season 2
1966 - 1967

Copyright 1995-2008 Carl Birkmeyer
No portions of this episode guide can be reproduced without my explicit, written permission.
 

  Anatomy of a Lover
Airdate: Saturday, Sept. 17, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writer: C.F. L'Amoreaux
Director: Bruce Bilson
Carl's Rating: ***

KAOS reprograms Hymie to go berserk and murder the Chief. Luckily, Max and 99 are nearby and they short out Hymie, saving the Chief's life. The Chief orders Max to dismantle Hymie, but Max can't bear to destroy his friend. Instead, Max hides Hymie in his apartment. While hiding out, Hymie meets the Chief's niece Phoebe and she develops a crush on him. Hymie and Phoebe go out on a double-date with Max and 99,  not knowing that Hymie has again been reprogrammed, this time to kill Max.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* Hymie oils his teeth twice a day and sees a mechanic every six months.
* Phoebe is the only member of the Chief's family to ever be seen on the show.

Characters:
* King Moody appears as Kirsch in this episode, another KAOS agent who isn't Shtarker.

  Catchphrases:
* "Missed it by that much."
* "Sorry about that."
 

  Strike While the Agent is Hot
Airdate: Saturday, Sept. 24, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writer: Bud Grossman
Director: Gary Nelson
Carl's Rating: ***

Agent 47 dies, leaving Max in charge of the Guild of Surviving CONTROL Agents' labor negotiations. Max proves to be a ruthless negotiator, constantly threatening to send the agents out on strike. While searching a bookstore for the source of a KAOS counterfeiting ring, Max and the Chief get captured by KAOS. As Max is about to be killed, he asks the Chief to sign the labor agreement as a last request. The Chief agrees and then Max miraculously saves the day. 

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* In one of my favorite bloopers, the protest sign that's in code is supposed to say "would you believe" in reverse, but they spelled believe wrong.
* Barbara Feldon does the voice of the operator and PA announcer.

Characters:
* Aunt Rose is a customer in the bookstore.
* Bob Karvelas appears as a mustached KAOS agent who murders Agent 47.
* Fang has a brief appearance.

  Catchphrases:
* "Sorry about that Chief."
* "The old secret panel in the bookcase trick."
* "Sorry about that."
 

A Spy for a Spy
Airdate: Saturday, Oct. 1, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Stan Burns and Mike Marmer
Director: Bruce Bilson
Carl's Rating: ****

The Chief is kidnapped by a magician named Siegfried, who tries to swap the Chief for the plans to the X11. Unwilling to give up the X11, Max kidnaps KAOS' top agent in order to swap him for the Chief. KAOS retaliates by kidnapping another CONTROL agent. Max and Siegfried then end up kidnapping all of the agents of each other's agency. A huge swap meet is then held so that KAOS and CONTROL can get all their agents back. Unfortunately, Max loses the swap meet because Siegfried kidnaps the CONTROL bus driver.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* The name of the Chief's supervisor is Able Baker.

Characters:
* This is the first appearance of Siegfried, who appears without Shtarker.
* Bob Karvelas and Aunt Rose appear as diners in the opening scene.
* It's the first appearance of Carlson, head of the CONTROL Lab.

  Catchphrases:
* "Ve don't shush here!" - The first appearance of Siegfried's signature "ve don't...here." line. It appeared without "Zis is KAOS" for most of this season. The line was suggested on the set by Leonard Stern.
* "Sorry about that."
* "And loving it."
* "Would you believe this building is surrounded by 40 CONTROL agents?
* "The old gun in the rabbit trick."
* "The old lighter in the gun in the rabbit trick."
 

  The Only Way to Die
Airdate: Saturday, Oct. 8, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writer: Arne Sultan
Director: Bruce Bilson
Carl's Rating: **1/2

Max survives a murder attempt, but CONTROL tells everyone he died so that Max can catch the Blaster. The Blaster has been blowing up government buildings every year to help destabilize America. The only clue Max has discovered is that The Blaster is arriving on "The Lover."   While Max hides out, a devastated 99 must guard playboy Antonio Carlos Carioca. Max realizes that Carioca is really The Blaster but is unable to convince anyone in CONTROL of this fact because everybody believes he's dead.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* Max and Fang both graduated from spy school in the same class.

Characters:
* Agent 13 makes his debut in this episode.
* Fang is seen mourning at Max's grave.
* Hobson (Gordon Jump) also appears for the first time (of two times) as the chief's assistant. Hobson is played by noted character actor Gordon Jump, most famous for his role in WKRP in Cincinnati(Thanks Dale D.!!).
* Bob Karvelas plays his generic CONTROL Agent at the end.
* Aunt Rose appears as a bystander on the street when Max gets killed.

  Catchphrases:
* "Missed me by that much."
* "Sorry about that."
* "Would you believe that this yacht happens to be surrounded by the 7th Fleet?
 

  Maxwell Smart, Alias Jimmy Ballantine
Airdate: Saturday, Oct. 15, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Arnie Rosen
Director: Gary Nelson
Carl's Rating: **

Max is searching for the source of KAOS' operating funds and ends up investigating a barber shop. He finds a plot to rob a bank and goes undercover as safecracker Jimmy Ballantine. The real Ballantine attempts to show Max how to open safes, but Max handles those lessons as well as his pool lessons in The Dead Spy Scrawls. KAOS then forces Max to break into the Federal Reserve Bank, or at least he thinks he does.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* This episode was rewritten at the last minute to put Max into bandages, since Don Adams had emergency dental surgery that swelled his face.
* The character was named after Jimmy Valentine, a real-life safecracker and the subject of a movie and short story. * Jimmy Ballantine's prisoner number is 869913, a blend of the numbers of the main CONTROL agents (thanks to Matthew S. for picking this up).

Characters:
* Vic Tayback (Alice) plays Popov in this episode.
* Agent 13 is in the towel warmer in the barber shop.
* Bob Karvelas is an armored car guard who is also a KAOS agent.

  Catchphrases:
* "Missed it by that much."
* "Sorry about that." - 2 times, once by 99
* "Would you believe three shakes?"
 

  Casablanca
Airdate: Saturday, Oct. 22, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Joseph C. Cavella and Carol Cavella
Director: William Waird
Carl's Rating: ***

After failing to protect Dr. Pliny from the Choker, Max is ordered to vacation in Canada. He refuses and instead heads to Casablanca to track down the Choker. 99 is already in Casablanca, working as a blonde lounge singer (Editor's Note- Yum!!!). She fails to recognize Max, who also fails to recognize her. After believing each other to be the Choker, they discover his true identity and defeat him, thanks to Max's rubber neck.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* This features CONTROL Disguise HB61, an Oriental Houseboy, which somehow doesn't seem to fit Casablanca.
* This is a sort-of parody of the Bogart classic, Casablanca.
* CONTROL's phone number is 547-2791.
* Barbara Feldon sings two songs in this episode, There'll Be Some Changes Here and La Vie en Rose. Special thanks to Phillip May for getting the correct songs to me.

Characters:
* 13 appears in an airport locker.
* Bob Karvelas appears as a CONTROL agent.
* Hobson also makes an appearance.

  Catchphrases:
* "And loving it." - said by the Chief.
* "Sorry about that."
* "Would you believe comfortably cool?"
 

  The Decoy
Airdate: Saturday, Oct. 29, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Sydney Zelinka and Ronald Axe
Director: William Wiard
Carl's Rating: ***

CONTROL needs to get its new Universal Code to Europe and they decide to set Max up as a decoy while Agent X flies to Greenland with the real code. Max must occupy KAOS long enough with this deception for Agent X to safely arrive. KAOS kidnaps him and uses several methods, except torture, to try and extract the new code from him. The KAOS agents fight amongst themselves, allowing Max to live long enough to be rescued.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* There's a pretty obvious blooper early on when the Chief is asking questions of the agents in his office. He calls both of the first two agents, "agent 58."
* Max's astrology sign is Scorpio.
* In the background of the CONTROL communications center you can see the atomic bomb from Stakeout on Blue Mist Mountain.

Characters:
* KAOS Agent Luden was played by Len Lesser, who many years later had a recurring part in Seinfeld as Uncle Leo.
* Agent 13 is in a sidewalk trash container.
* Carlson appears to show Max how to resist torture.
* One of the background CONTROL agents in the communications room went on to play Felix Lieter in Diamonds are Forever.

  Catchphrases:
* "The old gas bomb in the horoscope trick."
* "The old gun in the hand trick." - said by Hugo.
* "Sorry about that." - twice
 

  Hoo Done It
Airdate: Saturday, Nov. 5, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso
Director: Gary Nelson
Carl's Rating: ***

Max heads to a tropical resort to get information from Colonel Forsythe. Unfortunately, Forsythe is murdered and all four remaining guests are suspects. Max calls for help and the police send the famous Hawaiian detective, Harry Hoo. As Max and Harry investigate Forsythe's murder, the other guests all get killed one by one. Finally, just Max and Hoo are left alone. Or are they?

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* This is a parody of the Agatha Christie classic, "And Then There Were None."
* Omar Shurok reveals that KAOS was formed in 1904 in Bucharest.

Characters:
* Beloved character Harry Hoo appears again.
* The character of Ben Gazzman was a nod to Ben Gazzara and his series Run for Your Life, which was also airing on NBC. (Thanks to alert viewer David L. for picking this up!)

  Catchphrases:
* "Would you believe..."
* "Sorry about that."
* Though not a catchphrase, this marks the first time we see the routine where Max and someone else are talking to a dying man. The dying man whispers something to Harry Hoo and Max asks what was said. The answer is "your knee is on my chest." The person saying it would change, but the setup was used several other times.
 

  Rub-a-Dub-Dub...Three Spies in a Sub
Airdate: Saturday, Nov. 12, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Mike Marmer and Stan Burns
Director: Bruce Bilson
Carl's Rating: ***1/2

Max and 99 go on a commando raid to destroy a KAOS navigation computer on a small island. When returning to their sub after blowing up the computer, Max and 99 mistakenly end up in a KAOS sub commanded by Siegfried. The sub has been tracked by the U.S. Navy, who wants to destroy the sub. The Chief is then forced to decide between torpedoing the sub and killing his friends, or keep Max and 99 alive by letting the sub go. Meanwhile, Max and 99 attempt to get Siegfried's crew to mutiny, but they're foiled by the crew's love of dancing.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* It's Siegfried's second appearance.

Characters:
* Carlson appears in the lab.
* Bob Karvelas appears as a CONTROL agent.
* Eddie Hice, Don Adams' stunt double, plays Kruger, the KAOS sub navigator

  Catchphrases:
* "Ve don't peek here."
 

  The Greatest Spy on Earth
Airdate: Saturday, Nov. 19, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso
Director: Joshua Shelley
Carl's Rating: ***

Max and 99 go undercover at a circus to find a KAOS diamond smuggling ring. The suspects are numerous - Hondo the strongman, Raymond the knife thrower, and one of the greatest characters ever created by Buck Henry, Gertrude/Gerald, the half-man half-woman sideshow freak. Which of them killed Tiny Allen and is leading the smuggling ring? More important, who's going to frisk Gertrude/Gerald?

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* It's another parody, this time of The Greatest Show on Earth.

  Catchphrases:
* "Missed me by that much."
* "I hope I wasn't out of line with that crack about...."
 

  Island of the Darned
Airdate: Saturday, Nov. 26, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Buck Henry, William Raynor, & Myles Wilder. Story by Raynor and Wilder
Director: Gary Nelson
Carl's Rating: **

Agent 27 is investigating former Nazi, former Communist, and current KAOS Agent Hans Hunter, when he disappears. Three months later 27 arrives in the Chief's office, murdered and stuffed by Hunter. Hunter has set up an island where he hunts CONTROL agents for fun and profit. 86 and 99 head to the island to capture Hunter, but instead are captured by him. They are forced to be the prey in a game for their lives, with Hunter the hunter. Max, who is armed only with his wits, offers to trade them for a rifle, but instead keeps them and defeats Hunter.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* This is a parody of The Most Dangerous Game.

Characters:
* Harold Gould from He and She, Rhoda, The Golden Girls, and Get Smart Again appears as Hans Hunter.
* Carlson arms Max with a fishing rod machine gun.

  Catchphrases:
* "Would you believe General Crawford and 100 of his crack paratroopers will parachute in?"
* "I hope I wasn't out of line with that crack about the beady eyes."
 

  Bronzefinger
Airdate: Saturday, Dec. 3, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Lila Garrett and Bernie Kahn
Director: William Wiard
Carl's Rating: ***

KAOS is stealing paintings from the museum, replacing them with forgeries, and selling the originals to finance their plans of evil. Max learns about art to try and capture the gang's ringleader, Rembrandt Von Bronzefinger. He goes undercover in the museum as an art restorer, where he must work with three other restorers, who are also suspects. Unfortunately, all of them get murdered and both 99 and Max fall into Bronzefinger's metallic grasp.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* The title to this episode is, of course, based on the James Bond classic Goldfinger.
* Max's interest in painting resembles that of Don Adams.
* It's a third phone number for CONTROL, this time it's 555-3743.

Characters:
* 13 appears in a Rembrandt painting and in the Chief's safe.

  Catchphrases:
* "Sorry about that Chief."
* "Sorry about that."
* "Would you believe that this painting has been compared to the works of Henri Matisse?
* "Would you believe Wolfgang?"
 

  Perils in a Pet Shop
Airdate: Saturday, Dec. 10, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Martin A. Ragaway
Director: Bruce Bilson
Carl's Rating: ***

Max is chasing a KAOS smuggler whose precious cargo is a parrot. Max manages to capture the parrot, but the parrot hires a good lawyer and gets released. Max follows the parrot to Kilmen's Pet shop. He then discovers that the pet shop is home base for Melnik, the Smiling Killer. Max, 99, and Fang head into the pet shop to try and capture Fang and the renegade parrot. KAOS is using the parrots to memorize secret information and then they smuggle the parrots out of the country.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* A favorite scene of mine from this episode is the phone booth scene.
* Melnick was named after Dan Melnick, a partner in Talent Associates, the production company of Get Smart. As Talent Associates top negotiator, "the smiling killer" was used to describe his style in business.

Characters:
* As Alan Peters points out, this episode marks the final appearance of Fang.
* 13 appears in a weight and fortune machine.
* Dave Ketchum also appears as Harrison, the agent guarding the Chief's door.
* Larabee appears.
 

  The Whole Tooth and...
Airdate: Saturday, Dec. 24, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Lila Garrett and Bernie Kahn
Director: William Wiard
Carl's Rating: **

KAOS sabotages a nuclear reactor that will destroy the Mid-West unless Max can get the plans safely to the plant. The plans are placed on microfilm and put in a false tooth in Max's mouth. KAOS trails him to a train station and Max is forced to hide the tooth in the mouth of another man. Unfortunately, he hides the tooth in the mouth of a man on his way to jail. To get the plans back, Max gets arrested, convicted, and sent to jail in less than twelve hours. He then must extract the fake tooth and get it to 99, thus saving the Mid-West and winning himself the Agent of The Year Award.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* Our old friend the Cone of Silence reappears.
* Max wins a silver cup as Agent of the Year.
* Don Adams gets to do his Cagney impersonation in this episode.

Characters:
* Aunt Rose has two appearances - cashier in the newsstand at the train station and a diner at the restaurant.
* Bob Karvelas also appears twice, in the train station and as a diner at the restaurant.

  Catchphrases:
* "Would you believe thirty dollars?"
* "I hope I wasn't out of line with that crack about a dirty copper."
 

  Kiss of Death
Airdate: Saturday, Dec. 31, 1966, 8:30 PM
Writers: Stan Burns and Mike Marmer
Director: Bruce Bilson
Carl's Rating: **

Max rescues Tracy Dunhill, a rich heiress who then falls in love with him. Unknown to Max, Dunhill is actually a member of the Daughters of KAOS. She is seeking revenge against Max, who killed her father, the founder of U.S. KAOS. She invites Max to a party at her apartment where she will kill him with poison lipstick. Agent 13 is stationed inside a sofa in the apartment, but he's drunk and unable to save Max from the deadly lips.

Characters:
* Agent 13 appears inside a sofa.
* Bob Karvelas appears as a lab worker in the background.

  Catchphrases:
* "And loving it." - said by 99.
* "Would you believe 35 and ugly?"
 

  It Takes One to Know One
Airdate: Saturday, Jan. 7, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writer: C.F. L'Amoreaux
Director: Earl Bellamy
Carl's Rating: ***1/2

Femme fatale Octavia is destroying the number two men of CONTROL, driving them wild with lust. The Chief appoints Hymie the new number two man, knowing that he'll be immune from Octavia's charms. First, Hymie gets reprogrammed to be an executive and Max must assist Hymie in passing his physical without revealing that he's a robot. While working late one night, Hymie is approached by Octavia who attempts to charm him. Unfortunately for CONTROL, Octavia is actually a robot and Hymie falls in love with her, forcing both of them to make a tragic decision. The tag of this episode is brilliant.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* For the first and only time it's revealed that CONTROL has a number two man.
* In an obvious blooper, Max tells Hymie that Octavia is just using him "to get information for CONTROL," saying "for" instead of "from."
* I love that Octavia's gears are painted pink.

Characters:
* Hymie has another great appearance.
* Larabee can be seen at the desk in front of the Chief's office.

  Catchphrases:
* "Sorry about that."
 

  Someone Down Here Hates Me
Airdate: Saturday, Jan. 14, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writer: Nate Monaster
Director: Earl Bellamy
Carl's Rating: ***1/2

Siegfried puts a $250,000 contract out on Max. For further incentive, if they don't kill Max the annual KAOS barbecue and bingo party is kaput! Max becomes a paranoid wreck, accusing everyone of being a KAOS agent. When KAOS ups the contract to $500,000, Max decides plastic surgery is the only way to avoid getting killed, so he visits famed plastic surgeon Dr. Noodleman. Noodleman did the plastic surgery on his friend Joe Freebish. Noodleman has invented a technique that allows plastic surgery to heal in only a few days and he agrees to use it on Max.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* Max walks out of his apartment building and we see it's called the Cherry Arms Apartments. The apartment is on a city street.
* Max is in charge of CONTROL's Medical Security Division

Characters:
* Agent 13 is inside an ice vending machine.
* Aunt Rose walks past Max on the street.
* For the first time we see Siegfried as a KAOS executive.
* Larabee appears in the end arrest again.

  Catchphrases:
* "Sorry about that." - 2 times.
* "Would you believe two counts of assault and battery?" - said by 99.
 

  Cutback at CONTROL
Airdate: Saturday, Jan. 21, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writers: Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso
Director: Earl Bellamy
Carl's Rating: ***

A Senate investigating committee is close to closing down CONTROL and imposes strict budget restrictions. With CONTROL's future at stake, Max pretends to accept Siegfried's offer to join KAOS. In reality, he's still working for CONTROL and is trying to discover something important to convince the Senate to keep CONTROL in business.  A little bit of spying by Max and "the jig is up."

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* Barbara Feldon again does the voice of the operator.
* Siegfried reveals that CONTROL's headquarters is at 123 Main Street.
* The keyhole transition is used for the first time.
* On the chalkboard at the KAOS classroom is the phrase "Do unto others and then get out."

Characters:
* Siegfried appears at his most human in this episode.
* Larabee appears and has lines for the very first time.
 

  The Man From Yenta
Airdate: Saturday, Jan. 28, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writer: Arne Sultan
Director: Bruce Bilson
Carl's Rating: ****

KAOS is desperately trying to assassinate Arab Prince Abu Ben Bubbie, so that his country will start selling their oil to Iron Curtain countries. 99 goes undercover in the prince's harem, while Israel's intelligence agency, Y.E.N.T.A., sends Agent 498 to help CONTROL protect the prince. KAOS assigns their new master of disguise, LeMoco, to kill the prince. Despite working on a shoestring (Israel is a small country) budget, 498, 86, & 99 defeat LeMoco, even though everybody in the room is dressed as an Arab prince. "Will the real Prince Abu Ben Bubbie stand up?"

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* It is mentioned that the Chief is married.
* There's a very subtle, slightly racist sight gag in this episode that mostly goes unnoticed. When the Chief goes to answer the hot line from Tel Aviv, you see a bank of phones from major cities. The phone to Peking is slanted.
* The interrogation of the four princes is a spoof of the popular game show To Tell The Truth.

Characters:
* Noted character actor Alan Oppenheimer plays 498.
* Agent 13 is behind a panel above the fireplace, looking into the harem room.
* Aunt Rose can be seen in the background at the airport, playing a cashier/counter person.

  Catchphrases:
* "Sorry about that Chief."
 

  The Mummy
Airdate: Saturday, Feb. 4, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writer: Budd Grossman
Director: Earl Bellamy
Carl's Rating: **1/2

CONTROL agents are mysteriously disappearing from the Metropolitan Museum. Upon investigation, Max discovers that KAOS is smuggling its agents into America in mummy cases and returning the mummy cases with kidnapped CONTROL agents. Max gets kidnapped, wrapped in bandages, and paralyzed, but still manages to save the day.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* We briefly see the Chief in his apartment. Apparently, all male CONTROL staff wore smoking jackets at home.
* Max did an ad for the Little Handy-Dandy Pocket Decoder that appeared in True Impossible Spy Stories.

Characters:
* 99 does not appear in this episode.
* Agent 13 appears under a potted plant in a giant vase.

  Catchphrases:
* "Sorry about that" - said by the Chief.
 

  The Girls From KAOS
Airdate: Saturday, Feb. 11, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writers: Joseph and Carol Cavella
Director: William Wiard
Carl's Rating: ***

A beauty pageant is the background for this episode. Max is assigned to protect Miss USA, who is the daughter of famous American scientist Herman Heinschmidt. As her chaperone, Max investigates the other contestants, as another contestant is a KAOS plant. Actually, two contestants are KAOS plants, but only one represents true KAOS.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* This episode is a takeoff on the political battles between China, The Soviet Union, and the U.S. Though both communist countries, China claimed to be better then the U.S.S.R. because China represented "true communism."
* Mike P. correctly points out that although Tisha is credited as being Miss USA and that's what her sash says, she introduces herself and is actually called "Miss United States."
* This episode also features probably the most politically incorrect joke of all when the CONTROL computer can't pick out the Asian KAOS agent because "they all look alike to it."

Characters:
* Aunt Rose has two appearances - she's a customer at the hotel's reception desk and then immediately appears as a chaperone to one of the contestants.
* Larabee
* Carlson
* Don Adams' stunt double Eddie Hice plays the waiter who tries to kill Max.
* 99 is not in this episode.

  Catchphrases:
* "Sorry about that Chief."
* "Missed it by that much."
 

  Smart Fit the Battle of Jericho
Airdate: Saturday, Feb. 18, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writer: Arne Sultan
Director: Bruce Bilson
Carl's Rating: **

Buildings built by Joshua Construction somehow keep blowing up. Max follows Joshua to Las Vegas, where the gorgeous Charlie Watkins (played by Angelique) saves his life. 86 then returns to Washington and goes undercover as a construction worker to figure out KAOS' scheme. He discovers that they are putting nitroglycerin inside the bricks, and then detonating them when the building is completed and filled with people.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* During a fight scene in this episode, Don's stunt double Eddie Hice accidentally missed with a punch and broke Adams' nose.

Characters:
* It's the first appearance for CONTROL Agent Charlie Watkins. Pete's page has a great section on Angelique, who played Agent Watkins, including details on her more risqué work.
* Larabee
* Carlson
* Bob Karvelas appears as a customer in the Las Vegas restaurant.
* Aunt Rose also is a customer in the Las Vegas restaurant.

  Catchphrases:
* "And loving it."
* "The old pistol in the hammer trick."
* "Sorry about that."
 

  Where-What-How-Who Am I?
Airdate: Saturday, Feb. 25, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writers: Barry E. Blitzer and Ray Brenner
Director: Gary Nelson
Carl's Rating: ***

86 overhears a KAOS plot to kill U.S. space scientists. Before he can warn CONTROL, Max is chased by KAOS and has a severe car crash. Rather than kill him, KAOS keeps feeding Max amnesia pills so that he can't remember their plan and spoil it. Max battles Schnell and Petroff in this episode, KAOS' top two agents, according to the ratings.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* We get a look at some of the gadgets in Max's car - oil slick generator, radar, machine gun, and ejector seat.
* Max's license plage is 9G 893.
* The car chase at the end is meant to parody the car chase in Goldfinger.

Characters:
* Larabee.

  Catchphrases:
* "Sorry about that Chief."
* "The old bomb in the snack truck trick." - said twice, once by Max and once by 99.
 

  The Expendable Agent
Airdate: Sat., March 4, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writers: Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso
Director: Gary Nelson
Carl's Rating: ***

British scientist Professor Whitakker comes to the U.S. to reveal his new rocket fuel formula. He's accompanied by secret agent Chain, who has orders to sacrifice his life, if necessary, to keep the professor safe. Max hides the professor at his apartment, where's he discovers that Chain is a bumbling, inept spy. Working together, and nearly destroying Max's apartment, they manage to get the top secret formula to CONTROL. However, Max has a great deal of difficulty believing that anyone as clumsy and idiotic as Chain could be a secret agent.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* KAOS reveals its net profit the previous year to be $980 million.

Characters:
* Larabee.
* Agent 13 is in the cigarette machine at the airport.
* Aunt Rose is working as a counter cashier at her usual spot in the airport

  Catchphrases:
* "Sorry about that."
* "Would you believe 90% safe?" - said by Whittaker.
 

  How to Succeed in the Spy Business Without Really Trying
Airdate: Sat., March 11, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writer: Mike Marmer
Director: Gary Nelson
Carl's Rating: ***1/2

While in a KAOS shoot-out, Max and 99 are saved by Siegfried, who kills a KAOS agent and then announces his attention to defect. The Chief doesn't believe Siegfried, but all of the secrets Siegfried sells work out. When they find Siegfried wounded by Shtarker, the Chief becomes convinced. Siegfried then announces his intention to reveal details of Operation Big K at CONTROL's annual Chief's Banquet, but he really is plotting to kidnap all of the Chiefs.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* In this episode, we learn that Siegfried's nastiness comes from his parent's refusal to give him a sled.
* Siegfried's sister appears, although she's hidden in the insurance machine at the airport.
* The accounting firm of Price/Stern/Sloan is an inside gag, as it's the name of Leonard Stern's publishing company.

Characters:
* This episode marks King Moody's first appearance as Shtarker.
* Larabee
* Aunt Rose is seen at her usual counter in the airport.

  Catchphrases:
* "Ve don't tame here."
* "Ve don't pucker up here."
* "Ve don't (blows a kiss) here."
* "Ve don't ad lib here."
* "Ve don't aaahhhh here."
* "The old gas mask in the false nose trick.
 

  Appointment in Sahara
Airdate: Sat., March 25, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writer: C.F. L'Amoreaux
Director: Don Adams
Carl's Rating: **

KAOS gets a nuclear bomb and threatens to blow up a major city unless all the nations in the world disarm. Max and 99 are sent to the Sahara to try to locate and destroy the KAOS bomb. As they search the desert for the missiles, KAOS kills their guide and they get trapped in a sandstorm. Rescued by Ahmed, a Bedouin trader, they discover that the missiles are hidden under Ahmed's daughter's tent.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* This is the first episode directed by Don Adams. Adams discussed how he had been told that he'd get to shoot this episode in a real desert and was shocked when they took him to the studio lot and he just saw a bunch of sand in the back of dump trucks.
* The DVD restoration is so thorough that you can see folds in the desert matte painting.

Characters:
* Vic Taybeck appears as Jamal, a KAOS lackey.
* Larabee
* Carlson

  Catchphrases:
* "The old beeping button trick."
 

  Pussycats Galore
Airdate: Saturday, April 1, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writer: Arne Sultan
Director: Sydney Miller
Carl's Rating: **1/2

A beautiful woman comes to Max's apartment to reveal that important scientists have been disappearing from Pussycat Clubs (a takeoff on the old Playboy clubs). Max and 99 disguise themselves as Fritz and Greta Braun, married German scientists, to try and get kidnapped. Hans Fromme of the German Embassy invites them out to the Pussycat Club, where KAOS attempts to drug them. They are ably assisted by CONTROL agent Charlie Watkins, who disguises himself as a gorgeous Pussycat.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* We briefly see the Chief in his apartment.
* In real life Don Adams was great friends with Hugh Hefner.

Characters:
* This episode is Ted Knight's second appearance as a KAOS agent.
* It's the return of Agent Charlie Watkins (Angelique).
* Larabee
* Aunt Rose is seen working her usual counter at the airport

  Catchphrases:
* "Sorry about that Chief."
* "And loving it." - said by Max in German and translated by 99 into English.
* "The old back door to the alley trick."
* Though not a catchphrase per se, it's the first time Max and the Chief do a familiar bit. The Chief opens a long list of instructions by saying something simple like "We leave immediately." He then gives the instructions and asks Max is he got all that. Max says, "not all of it Chief." The Chief asks what part he didn't get and Max responds by quoting the Chief's first phrase, "the part after 'we leave immediately.'"
 

A Man Called Smart, Part 1
Airdate: Sat., April 8, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writer: Leonard Stern
Director: Earl Bellamy
Carl's Rating: ****

KAOS steals a water evaporation formula (DRY-UP) and blackmails the country by threatening to dry up all its water. Max's informant, character actor Russell Bediyoskin, is shot and Max pretends to be him to fool KAOS. This leads to one of the greatest physical bits in the series, as the ambulance crew attempts to take Max's stretcher through a revolving door.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* Leonard Stern originally wrote these episodes as one Get Smart movie, which was planned after the success of the Batman movie. However, the failure of Munster Go Home led to the plans for a Get Smart movie to be abandoned by the studio. Their failure to follow through on their promise still rankles Stern today.
* The movie script was much more elaborate and had to be trimmed because of the budget differences between a movie and a TV show. The stretcher scene was much longer in the movie script and involved the stretcher going through the streets of San Francisco.
* The opening rooftop scene was shot on the roof of the CBS studio, where the show was shot.

Characters:
* Aunt Rose does double duty. She's a cashier at the CONTROL Savings and Loan and a bystander at the hotel when Bediyoskin is shot.
* Bob Karvelas can be seen in background walking through the hotel during the phone call scene.
* Larabee
 

A Man Called Smart, Part 2
Airdate: Sat., April 15, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writer: Leonard Stern
Director: Earl Bellamy
Carl's Rating: ****

Admiral Hardgrade, CONTROL's first chief, is appointed by the president to take charge of CONTROL during this crisis. He sends the Chief, Max and 99 into the field to interview Bediyoskin and learn who's behind the DRYUP caper. Bediyoskin is too weak to talk, but he writes the initials "TBO." CONTROL must find out what the initials mean but KAOS traps them in the hospital and a gunfight breaks out, severely wounding the Chief.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* The car switching segment is pure genius.
* If you watch carefully during the car switch you'll see that one of the buildings they pull in front of is the same building used as CONTROL headquarters in the show's open.

Characters:
* The Admiral makes his first appearance.
* Larabee

  Catchphrases:
* "The old gun in the crutch trick."
 

A Man Called Smart, Part 3
Airdate: Sat., April 22, 1967, 8:30 PM
Writer: Leonard Stern
Director: Earl Bellamy
Carl's Rating: ****

KAOS attempts to kill the Chief in his hospital room, but a sharp-eyed 99 foils the plot. Investigating a clue at Three Brothers Omniwash, Max and 99 discover TBO means T.B.Orlando, a Hollywood executive. Or does it? When Orlando turns up dead, Max and 99 must find the truth before KAOS dries up the Mississippi River.

CONTROL Insider's Report:
* 99 joined CONTROL two weeks after Max.
* In a tender moment Max calls 99, "Ernestine." She replies that Ernestine isn't her real name.
* Jeanine and Friederike wisely point out that the sword fight in this episode is a parody of the "fencing scene between Stewart Granger and Mel Ferrer in the 1952 movie Scaramouche. There are some clearly recognizable parts, like for example Maxwell Smart swinging from the rope as Stewart Granger does in the fencing scene or both men being in different rooms while fencing."

Characters:
* The Admiral.
* Agent 13 is in a washing machine at Three Brothers Omniwash.
* Larabee is seen as the Chief's chauffer.

  Catchphrases:
* "Sorry about that Chief."
* "Sorry about that."
 

Season 1

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

All of the screen captures on this page were taken from Time-Life/HBO's DVD release and are copyright HBO.

 

Copyright 1995-2008 Carl Birkmeyer
No portions of this episode guide can be reproduced or used on another web page without my explicit, written permission.


WouldYouBelieve.com Contents

  Go!