Mr. Big (Episode)

"This may run into a little overtime, Chief." - Maxwell Smart

Mr. Big
Original Air Date	September 18, 1965
Writers	Mel Brooks and Buck Henry
Director	Howard Morris
Season	One
Episode Number	1 (Pilot)
Villain	Mr. Big
Next Episode	Diplomat's Daughter

Mr. Big is the pilot episode of the Get Smart TV show Season One. It originally aired on September 18, 1965 in black and white. Mr. Big was the only episode filmed in black and white; all following episodes were in color.

Plot

On their first mission together CONTROL agents Maxwell Smart and 99 must rescue the kidnapped Professor Dante and recover his stolen Inthermo machine, both now held by the evil organization KAOS.

Synopsis

Maxwell Smart is sitting in a theatre with his date, when his shoe phone rings. He excuses himself and answers the phone in a janitorial closet. The Chief needs him in CONTROL as soon as possible. When Max arrives the chief tells him that KAOS has become active again, as their Mr. Big has stolen an Inthermo machine made by Professor Hugo Dante. Smart is sent on the case with a gun, shoe phone, Locker Key, Fang, and and experimental Inflato coat. The Chief says that Agent 99 is waiting for Max at the Airport, and Max should use the password , "New York Mets Win Double Header". Smart arrives at the airport and meets Agent 99, who realizes they are being followed. Max employs the help of Agent 34, to finish the KAOS agent by hitting him with a locker. They meet up at Professor Dante's Laboratory where they meet his assistant Zelinka. Upon investigating the crime scene, Smart and 99 come across a rubber banana peel with the words South Street Novelty Inc. printed on it. They head to the mentioned location where a KAOS Agent waits for them. He lines Max up for the Inthermo machine, but when it fires, the KAOS agent is hit instead, vaporizing him instantly. Max notices an old garbage scow with no seagulls, and concludes that the rubber trash on board is hiding the Inthermo. They paddle their way to the boat but are ambushed by Mr. Big's Henchmen. Mr. Big, as it turns out, is a very short man. Zelinka was working for him. He has Smart and 99 locked up, but Max is able to escape with the use of the Inflato coat. Smart fights his way to the top of the boat and frees the professor. Dante then reverses the atomic polarity of the the Inthermo, which destroys the ship as soon as Mr. Big tries to fire it at the Statue of Liberty. Mr. Big, Zelinka and the Henchmen are presumably killed in the explosion. Max tries to report their success on his shoe phone but gets a wrong number.

Characters

CONTROL

• Maxwell Smart - Don Adams (first appearance)
• Agent 99 - Barbara Feldon (first appearance)
• Chief - Edward Platt (first appearance)
• Agent 34 (first appearance)
• Hodgkins (voice only) (first appearance)
• Fang (first appearance)

KAOS

• Mr. Big - Michael Dunn (first and last appearance)
• Zelinka - Janine Gray (first and last appearance)
• Garth - Kelton Garwood (first and last appearance)
• Henchman - Charles Horvath (uncredited)

OTHERS

• Professor Dante - Vito Scotti
• Mother - Karen Norris

Weapons and Gadgets

• Shoe Phone
• Cone of Silence
• Mirrored Cufflinks
• Bino-Specs
• Inflato-Coat

Quotes

• Smart: So you're Mr Big?
  (Camera pans over to Mr Big who was only 3 feet 10 inches tall)
• This episode marks the first use of the "Would You Believe?" running gag:
  Smart: At this very minute, seven Coast Guard cutters are converging on this boat. Would you believe it? Seven.
  Mr Big: I find that pretty hard to believe.
  Smart: Would you believe six?
  Mr Big: I don't think so.
  Smart: How about two cops in a rowboat?

Trivia

• Get Smart premiered on NBC the same night as I Dream Of Jeannie, which came on half an hour earlier. Both series went on to last 5 seasons.