https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-jtYPHftfY
"Before Get Smart, before Lost in Space, Don Adams and Jonathan Harris were on
a sitcom together called The Bill Dana Show. It's like watching Maxwell Smart
meet Dr. Smith."
Interesting! I had never heard of or seen this. Via Lauren Weinstein, who
wrote:
Here's a special treat. Do you really think that actor characterizations are
always created new for each show? Not a chance. Here we have Bill Dana
(playing José Jiménez) on The Bill Dana Show, circa 1963-5. With him is Don
Adams playing the hotel house detective — with a characterization that would
become familiar to everyone as his somewhat later Maxwell Smart ("Get Smart")
character, and entering at https://youtu.be/I-jtYPHftfY?t=226 is Jonathan
Harris, displaying mannerisms that would become famous as those of Dr.
Zachary Smith on Lost in Space. In fact, his line "Oh the pain!" reaches back
at least to The Bill Dana Show. And note the homage to the old "swordfish"
password routine from The Marx Brothers' 1932 Horse Feathers. Enjoy!
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
