DONALD JAMES YARMY, otherwise known in Hollywood as DON ADAMS, died this week at the age of 82.  ADAMS was a dramatic Broadway actor, but his portrayal of MAXWELL SMART, Agent 86, on the 60’s comedy GET SMART was and is the overriding achievement of his life in show business.

 The show ran just 5 years on network television, but it lives on even today in syndication, making ADAMS famous the world over.  SMART was a lighthearted spoof of the JAMES BOND theme, with espionage, high-tech gadgets, a sexy co-agent, 99 played superbly by BARBARA FELDMAN, and ADAMS, who fumbled through the plots each week more like INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU or MR MAGOO, than BOND.

 NBC aired the show from 1965-1969 before canceling it.  CBS picked it up for 1 final season, before it was retired in 1970.  The show had MEL BROOKS and BUCK HENRY as writers.  They gave ADAMS the words and he ran with them each week, molding SMART into the kind of everyman hero that America came to love.

 The show won 2 Emmy Awards for best comedy and ADAMS took home 3 Emmy’s for best actor for the part.

 We spoke with DON in April of 1997 at an event at The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, 50 YEARS OF TELEVISION.  When asked if GET SMART was the best show in the history of television, DON replied: “Would you believe SECOND best.”

 It was that same ADAMS delivery which helped to ingrain catchphrases like “I missed it by THAT much”, and “Would you believe…?”, and “Sorry about that chief”, as he would nearly always drive EDWARD PLATT who played the chief, crazy.

 He resurrected the role several times after the series ended, in television, film and even animation, but it was never the same.  ADAMS had a distinctive voice, and did provide the vocals for TENNESSEE TUXEDO and INSPECTOR GADGET, both popular cartoon characters in their own right.

 ADAMS was married and divorced 3 times and had 7 children.  He could be found frequently at the racetrack, betting the horse, or at the Playboy Mansion hanging with the Hugh Hefner party set.  He was a poet and a painter, and one heck of a secret agent man.

 BOB DENVER, best known for playing the loveable “buddy” GILLIGAN, from the cult 60’s show GILLIGAN’S ISLAND, died Monday of complications from cancer treatment at the age of 70.  He had a tough year, having been diagnosed with cancer in February and then undergoing quadruple bypass, heart surgery in May of this year.

 His first acting break came on the show THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS in 1959.  Then in 1964 he landed GILLIGAN’S ISLAND, which only ran for 3 years, but made a familiar face of the actor.  The show still runs throughout the world in syndication, and has spawned a reality show now in it’s 2^nd season.

 BOB’S costar, TINA LOUISE, who played GINGER on the show had these words yesterday, "Its  a sad, sad  day.   I felt really sad while walking down the street here in NY today.  My condolences to wife Dreama and his family.  Bob is TV history!  He will be missed by so many friends for his life and talent.  The fun, the laughter, and joy will continue

The professor and Mary Ann	here	on Gilligan's Isle

forever. His boyish charm worked for both children & adults.  He will be so missed...."

BOB DENVER, DAWN WELLS and RUSSELL JOHNSON mnade an LA appearance to promote the release of the GILLIGAN'S ISLAND 1st season DVD in February of 2004.

 BOB DENVER once worked as a mailman.  He was married 4 times, and is survived by 5 children and his present wife DREAMA PERRY. 

 The youngest of 4 children, LUTHER got a taste of the music business from his sister PAT, who had a hit, “16 Candles” with the group THE CRESTS.  LUTHER was drawn to female vocalists like ARETHA FRANKLIN, DIONNE WARWICK and THE SUPREMES.  He was quoted, “It was the women who drew me to the stereo…they go on deeper dramatic trips, take more chances.  Put it out there with greater flair.”

 DAVID BOWIE, who heard one of LUTHER’S songs in THE WIZ, gave him his first big break, taking him on tour as a backup singer, and including him on the arrangement to “Young Americans.”  BOWIE even used one of LUTHER’S songs, “Fascination” on the album released in 1974.

 After session work with BETTE MIDLER, CHAKA KAHN, BARBRA STREISAND, CARLY SIMON, and DONNA SUMMER, LUTHER invested in his own recording equipment and eventually released “Never Too Much” in 1981, and the rest is history.

 He went on to become one of the most romantic balladeers of our time.  His hit “Here & Now” is a wedding staple, but his high-energy dance music drew him fans across the board.  “til My Baby Gets Home” is as upbeat as any R & B song you’ll hear.  LUTHER didn’t want to be remembered as a “ladies only” act, but as a singer.  That he was.

 At his funeral, Friday July 8^th, 2005 in New York City, one of the superstars he used to sit by the stereo and listen to, sang a tribute to LUTHER VANDROSS, the singer.  ARETHA FRANKLIN honored VANDROSS with a heart-wrenching rendition of “Amazing Grace.”  Others in attendance included STEVIE WONDER, USHER, PATTI LABELLE and ALICIA KEYES, who all joined onstage to close the service with VANDROSS’ hit “Power of Love/Love Power”.

 Over his career LUTHER VANDROSS earned 4 Grammy Awards, sold 25 million records, and touched as many if not more people around the world.  He is survived by his mother.

ANNE BANCROFT died Tuesday, but her characters will live on forever on screen and in tune, emblazoned on the minds of generations.  She was that rare breed of actor, known to some as a triple-crown winner, having captured an Oscar, 2 Tonys and an Emmy.  She was so much more than that, gathering 2 Golden Globes and a lifetime achievement award in comedy, no less.  She must have been a riot, after all, she was married to MEL BROOKS.

Her versatility is demonstrated in the films for which she is remembered.  She got her start in 1952 in DON’T BOTHER TO KNOCK.  In 1962 she won an Oscar for THE MIRACLE WORKER with PATTY DUKE.  In 1967 she was MRS. ROBINSON with DUSTIN HOFFMAN in THE GRADUATE.  She was an extra in 1972’s BLAZING SADDLES and had a hysterical cameo in 1976’s SILENT MOVIE.  In 1977 she appeared in THE TURNING POINT opposite SHIRLEY McLAINE.  In the 80’s she had standout performances in THE ELEPHANT MAN, GARBO TALKS, AGNES OF GOD and TORCH SONG TRILOGY.  BANCROFT appeared in MALICE, POINT OF NO RETURN, HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT, G.I.JANE and GREAT EXPECTATIONS with GWYNETH PALTROW and ETHAN HAWKE in the ‘90’s, and had a voice appearance in the animated hit ANTZ.

  She didn’t stop working, with spots in UP AT THE VILLA in 2000 and HEARTBREAKERS in 2001, as well as another voice appearance in the yet unreleased animation, DELGO.

  She was born ANNA MARIA ITALIANO and met MEL BROOKS, her second husband on a talk show on which they both appeared.  They were married in 1964 in a civil ceremony in New York City, with a by-passer serving as the only witness.  They had 1 son together.

  The lights on Broadway were dimmed Tuesday in honor of the talented star. 

  Here’s to you, Mrs. BANCROFT, we all loved you more than you knew.

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