Don Adams Biography

Quick Facts

NAME: Don Adams
OCCUPATION: Television Actor, Comedian
BIRTH DATE: April 13, 1923
DEATH DATE: September 25, 2005
PLACE OF BIRTH: New York, New York
PLACE OF DEATH: Los Angeles, California
Originally: Donald James Yarmy
AKA: Don Adams
AKA: Donald Adams
AKA: Donald Yarmy
Full Name: Donald James Adams

Best Known For

American actor and comedian Don Adams is best known for his role as secret agent Maxwell Smart on NBC's hit 1960s sitcom Get Smart.

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Don Adams

APA Style

Don Adams. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 04:08, May 23, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/don-adams-11495609.

Harvard Style

Don Adams. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/don-adams-11495609 [Accessed 23 May 2013].

MLA Style

"Don Adams." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 23 2013, 04:08 http://www.biography.com/people/don-adams-11495609.

MHRA Style

"Don Adams," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/don-adams-11495609 [accessed May 23, 2013].

Chicago Style

"Don Adams," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/don-adams-11495609 (accessed May 23, 2013).

CBE/CSE Style

Don Adams [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 23] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/don-adams-11495609.

Bluebook Style

Don Adams, http://www.biography.com/people/don-adams-11495609 (last visited May 23, 2013).

AMA Style

Don Adams. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/don-adams-11495609. Accessed May 23, 2013.

Synopsis

Born in New York City on April 13, 1923, Don Adams was a stand-up comedian before landing his breakout role as Maxwell Smart on NBC's hit sitcom Get Smart in the 1960s. Later in his career, he was the voice of Inspector Gadget on the popular 1980s cartoon of the same name. Adams died in Los Angeles, California, on September 25, 2005.

Early Life

Famed television actor Don Adams was born Donald James Yarmy on April 13, 1923, in New York City. Born of Irish-Hungarian heritage, Adams served in the U.S. Marine Cops during World War II. Although he started his post-war career as an engineer, Yarmy turned to stand-up comedy in the 1950s, changing his name to Adams because he got tired of being last during alphabetical auditions.

Acclaimed TV Actor

Don Adams's comedy act soon segued into appearances on The Perry Como Show. He later landed a role on NBC's hit sitcom Get Smart, for which he won three Emmy Awards for his portrayal of bumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart. The show ended in 1970, and Adams signed on for the short-lived comedy series The Partners.

Adams's next project was Don Adams' Screen Test, which only lasted one season, followed by better success with Canadian Broadcasting's Check it Out.

Later Years

Later in life, Adams continued making nightclub and television guest appearances. He also lent his voice for the 1980s animated cartoon Inspector Gadget. He has been married three times and has seven children. Adams died on September 25, 2005, at the age of 82, in Los Angeles, California.