David Ketchum, the actor and television writer best known as Agent 13 on Get Smart, died on August 10, 2025, at age 97. Legacy reports that he died in Thousand Oaks, California. The cited obituary reporting does not state a cause of death.
When did David Ketchum die?
Ketchum died on August 10, 2025. The Television Academy records his birth date as February 4, 1928, and confirms his date of passing; Legacy reports that he was 97 and died in Thousand Oaks, California. Television Academy · Legacy
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Get Smart: The Complete Series (Viva SC/Rpkg/DVD) | $58.09 | Buy on Amazon |
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Get Smart (Two-Disc Special Edition) | $8.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Get Smart: The Original TV Series - Season 1 | $18.22 | Buy on Amazon |
The cited obituary material does not establish a cause of death, so one should not be inferred.
Who was David Ketchum on Get Smart?
Ketchum played Agent 13, the repeatedly unlucky agent who appeared in unexpected places throughout the comedy series. Legacy says he took over the role in 1966 and appeared in 13 episodes. He returned as Agent 13 in the 1989 television movie Get Smart, Again! and the 1995 revival, according to Legacy’s obituary.
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His connection to the show also extended behind the camera: Legacy says he co-wrote the episode “Classification: Dead.”
What else did David Ketchum act in?
The Television Academy’s biography lists Ketchum’s television acting credits in I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster, Camp Runamuck and Get Smart. Legacy identifies his roles in the first two as Mel Warshaw and Spiffy, respectively. His film credits included Love at First Bite, The Main Event and The Other Sister. Television Academy · Legacy
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- In the world of covert intelligence, only one man is Smart. Steve Carell is in CONTROL as Maxwell Smart, the novice agent often out of his depths but never out of options in this action comedy pitting him against the nuclear scheme of the evil spy group KAOS. Anne Hathaway partners with Max as ever-capable Agent 99. And director Peter Segal (The Longest Yard ) guides his stars (including Dwayne Jo
What shows did David Ketchum write for?
Ketchum had a substantial career as a television writer as well as a performer. The Television Academy says he wrote for over four dozen series, including Happy Days, M*A*S*H* and Love, American Style. Legacy reports that the M*A*S*H* episode “Tuttle” earned him a Writers Guild of America Award nomination; it was a nomination, not a win. Television Academy · Legacy
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How did Ketchum begin his career?
Born in Quincy, Illinois, Ketchum worked with the USO while he was a UCLA student, according to Legacy. He later hosted a San Diego radio program for seven years and moved into television in the early 1960s. His work across acting and writing made him a familiar contributor to American television over several decades.
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