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When one speaks of Get Smart, one's initial reactions are Maxwell Smart messing up on missions or Agent 99 saving the day through cleverness. But, all behind the scenes, was David Ketchum portraying Agent 13, who appeared briefly but was all the more appreciated for it. He did not appear much, but every time he did, it was with brilliance in how he managed to blend frustration with humor.
It is not an overstatement that part of the nicest moments in Get Smart were watching Agent 13 take on the most absurd spy assignments ever. It is the manner in which Get Smart made use of Agent 13 to redirect spy spoofing in another direction that makes Agent 13's character so amazing.
While the focal characters were always in the spotlight, Ketchum's Agent 13 found himself behind the scenes, sometimes literally concealed in ridiculous places of concealment. Trash cans to mailboxes, his fate was to endure for comedic purposes, and he did so masterfully.
Each time that they would show his misadventures, the audience was reminded that Get Smart was not only about the primary heroes but secondary heroes as well, who helped to create a show so comedically unique.
Here are 5 David Ketchum moments from Get Smart that prove Agent 13 was the real star of the show
1. The mailbox hideout
One of the most iconic recurring gags in Get Smart featured Agent 13 standing watch inside a mailbox. Try having a serious spy conversation while crammed inside a miniature metal box! Such was the plight of Agent 13, who grumbled in bad grace at his uncomfortable situation. David Ketchum played it with such dashing indignity that the audience came close to pitying his woundedness.
What was good about the scene was not only the level of absurdity in having a secret agent stuck in a mailbox, but how Agent 13 was able to extract some valuable information from being stuck in one of the worst hideouts ever thought up.
2. The vending machine scene
Another treasure was when Agent 13 was told to get his work done from inside a vending machine. The stunt pulled off the best of what Get Smart had to offer: applying spy clichés to everyday objects in hilariously absurd ways. Agent 13's snappy wisecracks, accompanied by his scowling face, were a fabulous portrayal of the daffiness of his assignment.
Ketchum's performance made people laugh and also empathize with him. In a gadget-filled episode of slapstick disguises, Agent 13's vending machine prank was one of the greatest bits of situational comedy only Get Smart could execute.
3. The washing machine mission
If the vending machine and mailbox weren't humiliating enough, Get Smart once left Agent 13 stuck in a washing machine. This pushed the humor harder as not only was it crowded, but also dangerous! Ketchum took it all the way to the cringe of the moment, clearly irritated but never breaking character as the dedicated agent.
The slapstick and the spy spoof were both intact here, and the audience never forgave. The washing machine cameo again assured that Agent 13's bad luck was one of the series' longest-running gags.
4. The revolving door fiasco
In another timeless shot, Agent 13 was stationed inside a revolving door. Nothing was exempt from him, not even a plain door of a building! The non-stop revolving provided a unique bodily comedy situation in which conversations were being truncated, interrupted, and perfectly timed with each rotation. Get Smart managed to escalate the spy hiccups, and this one was just one example.
David Ketchum's exasperated but true demeanor had the scene especially funny, reminding everyone that Agent 13 was ever the professional about the job at hand, no matter how embarrassing things became.
5. The garbage can scene
Perhaps one of the most oft-quoted Agent 13 moments was when he was made to do his work from inside a garbage can. This was comedy gold in the sense that it took in all that made his character work, discomfiture, sarcasm, and dedication to CONTROL regardless of circumstances.
The blindness of Maxwell Smart to the wretchedness of his co-worker contributed to the humor of the exchange. This scene summed up in a way why David Ketchum's background actor work had caused such an aftershock. The trash can moment was but one of those shots forever linked to Get Smart's quirky personality.
Why these moments are important
These five moments demonstrate how David Ketchum, as Agent 13, made fleeting appearances that became comedy legend. Get Smart was based on exaggeration, and Agent 13's series of missteps was one of the show's greatest deceptions. He was the downside of spy life, the embarrassing, goofy, and often unglamorous stuff no one else would do.
In depicting this side of espionage, Agent 13 added depth to the satire and had everyone chuckling at his bad luck. For the most part, because Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 played such a crucial part in the action, Agent 13 would steal the scene every time he appeared.
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His trash can complaints, vending machine accidents, and postal mailbox recesses all contributed to the appeal of Get Smart. Given limited time on screen, David Ketchum proved an ancillary player could make as lasting an impression as the lead. And that is the reason why fans never tire of remembering Agent 13 as one of the real treasures of Get Smart!
Also read: David Ketchum, sitcom star and prolific TV writer who brought Agent 13 to life, dies at 97
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