Hollywood’s golden age dimmed ever so slightly this month with the passing of Dave Ketchum, the beloved character actor who squeezed his way into television history — quite literally — as the eternally cramped Agent 13 on “Get Smart.” At 97, Ketchum took his final bow on August 10, leaving behind a legacy that perfectly balanced physical comedy with razor-sharp wit.
Picture this: a 6’2″ man contorting himself into mailboxes, fire hydrants, and washing machines. That was Ketchum’s bread and butter as Agent 13, turning what could have been a one-note gag into an art form that kept audiences howling week after week.
“The washing machine episode nearly drowned me,” he once quipped in a 2002 interview, displaying the same dry humor that made him a director’s dream. “Try delivering punchlines while getting a face full of Tide — it’s not exactly what they teach you in acting school.”
But darlings, Ketchum’s path to stardom wasn’t exactly written in the stars. Before he became television’s favorite sardine-packed secret agent, he paid his dues through USO tours and local radio gigs in California. The early ’60s television scene finally gave him his break — proof that sometimes the best roles, like revenge, are dishes best served after a long simmer.
His versatility sparkled in series-regular spots on “I’m Dickens — He’s Fenster” and “Camp Runamuck.” Sure, these shows had the lifespan of a Hollywood marriage (no offense to his own 68-year union with wife Louise), but they showcased Ketchum’s remarkable range. Even his comedy album, “The Long Playing Tongue of Dave Ketchum,” while not exactly topping Billboard charts, demonstrated his willingness to step outside the box — when he wasn’t being stuffed into one.
The real magic happened when Ketchum pivoted behind the camera. His collaboration with industry legend Garry Marshall opened doors that led to writing credits on some of television’s most iconic shows. From “Happy Days” to “Laverne & Shirley,” from “M*A*S*H” to “Wonder Woman,” his pen proved as mighty as his presence. Talk about a second act that would make F. Scott Fitzgerald eat his words.
His family’s statement to The Hollywood Reporter captured it perfectly: he “leaves behind a legacy of laughter, warmth and timeless television moments.” Rather fitting for someone who could make a mailbox scene feel like high art.
The charm of Agent 13 proved so enduring that Ketchum returned for both the 1989 TV movie “Get Smart, Again!” and the 1995 revival. Some roles just stick with you — like gum on a theater seat, but in the best possible way.
Ketchum is survived by Louise, his wife of 68 years (eat your heart out, Hollywood commitment-phobes), daughters Nicole and Wendy, three grandchildren, and a great-grandson. In an industry where reinvention happens faster than costume changes at the Oscars, Ketchum crafted something rare: a career both authentic and enduring.
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