Get Smart Episode: My Nephew the Spy

This episode originally aired in December 1965 and it guest starred Conrad Janis, who became known in the 1970s for playing Fred McConnell, the father of Mindy on the popular ABC comedy "Mork and Mindy." As I write this, Conrad Janis is 93 years old. Charles Lane was one of those actors who was recognizable, but not generally known by name to much of the public. Lane appeared in many movies and television shows, especially in Lucille Ball's various television shows, often portraying a stern or gruff character. He also played one of the reporters in the movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Charles Lane died in 2007, age 102! Maudie Prickett was another well known face from her many appearances in films and on television, but as with Charles Lane, she was not generally known by name. She was familiar to many of us from playing Hazel's friend Rosie on the 1960s television series "Hazel."

Episode Cast: 

Don Adams as Maxwell Smart

Barbara Feldon as Agent 99

Edward Platt as the Chief of CONTROL

Conrad Janis as Victor/KAOS agent

Charles Lane as Uncle Abner

Maudie Prickett as Aunt Bertha

Vincent Beck as Herman/shoe salesman/KAOS agent

Max investigates a men's shoe store as a possible KAOS front, only to be followed home by one of the salesmen and KAOS agents. As the two men wrestle on the floor of his apartment, Max's Aunt Bertha and Uncle Abner come visiting, and Max can't let them find out he's a secret agent. Max introduces the KAOS agent to his aunt and uncle as "Victor," an old army buddy. As Max tries to keep Victor guarded, his Uncle Abner sets off a few of the special devices in the apartment. (A funny little note: when Max initially tells Victor to play along in his cover to his aunt and uncle by saying they are old army buddies, Victor says, "Yes, we served together in the Luftwaffe," to which Max says, "Wrong army!" No need to take any offense, as KAOS was often depicted as being pro-Nazi/fascist and pro-communist. But to the Nazi part, never fear, Don Adams' paternal side was Jewish and Conrad Janis is Jewish, and besides, the creator of "Get Smart" was Mel Brooks, who is Jewish, and he often poked fun at Nazis and by doing so, he reminded us of how despicable they were. I love Mel Brooks! By the way, at the time of this article, he is 95!) When Agent 99 comes to the door, Max introduces her to his aunt and uncle as the maid, and Aunt Bertha, a take charge kind of person, promptly puts 99 to work cleaning the apartment. Finally, Aunt Bertha pushes a button and a net drops from the ceiling over Max and Victor, and this allows Victor to escape, but Max follows him, and Aunt Bertha and Uncle Abner follow Max. Victor goes back to the shoe store and Max goes in, but here come his aunt and uncle. They assume Max sells shoes, so his uncle wants to buy a pair of shoes from Max, who bungles trying to get his relatives out of the store before the KAOS agents discover them. Max's behavior at the apartment and at the store make his aunt and uncle believe he is involved in some illegal operation, like gambling (Note: In the 1960s, unlike today, lotteries, cassinos and many other forms of gambling were illegal, except in a very limited number of places in the U.S.). Max goes into the back room and brings out ONE shoe for his uncle, who promptly sends him back for the other shoe. Victor and the other salesman, Herman, are suspicious and they go out into the front of the store. Max's aunt and uncle yell to Victor, and Abner says that Max didn't tell them that the two friends worked in the same store too. Victor says, "Too? Where is Max?" When they say he's in the back, the two KAOS agents dash into the back room and a big fight breaks out with Max, who ends up knocking them out. When Aunt Bertha and Uncle Abner question all of the happenings, Max says they had a salary dispute (hahaha!). Max reports in to the Chief and the shoe store is exposed as a KAOS operation that was smuggling secret information out printed on the inside of shoes. (Hmm, I always wondered why shoes have all that print on them.) Bertha and Abner are concerned that Max won't have a job now, and Bertha tries to convince Abner to buy the shoe store, and letting Max run it. Abner likes the idea of buying the store, but NOT of letting Max run it. Max comes in and tells them not to worry, and that he can sell something besides shoes. He then accidentally kicks the switch that triggers the rug to roll up around his aunt and uncle.    

  

 Picture is from the 2008 HBO Video release of "Get Smart: The Complete Series" (Season 1, with sleeve cover)

WORD HISTORY:

Talon-The ultimate origin of this word is uncertain, but what is known is "talon" goes back to Latin "talus," which meant "ankle, knuckle bone of animals (the bones were also used as dice, which gave the word that meaning too)," which later produced Medieval Latin "talonem," which meant "heel." This passed to Latin-based Old French as "talon," which meant "heel, back of the foot." English borrowed the word around 1400, initially as "taloun," perhaps from an Anglo-French form, or from the influence of some Anglo-French spellings (Anglo-French seems to have mainly used "talon"), meaning "claws of beasts or birds," but later more tendency towards "claws of birds of prey."