David Ketchum, comedian, actor, and writer best remembered as Agent 13 on Get Smart and Spiffy
on Camp Runamuck, has died at 97 on August 10, according to Variety.
A familiar face in 1960s sitcoms, Ketchum appeared on I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster, The Mary Tyler Moore Show,
and Camp Runamuck. One of his most beloved roles was Agent 13, the secret agent who often popped out of mailboxes,
lockers, and vending machines in Get Smart. He later reprised the character in the TV movie Get Smart Again! and in the 1995 Fox revival.
Born in Quincy, Illinois, Ketchum began acting in the early 1960s and became known for his sharp comic timing and quirky characters.
Beyond performing, he was also a prolific television writer, contributing to some of the most iconic shows of the era. His credits include Get Smart,
MASH, I Dream of Jeannie, The Six Million Dollar Man, Wonder Woman, The Bionic Woman, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, MacGyver, and Full House.
His family remembered him as leaving “a legacy of laughter, warmth, and timeless television moments.”
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Louise, their two daughters, three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
