Get Smart Wiki
Advertisement
This article refers to Siegfried as portrayed by Bernie Kopell in the original series and associated productions. For the character portrayed by Terrence Stamp in the 2008 movie see Siegfried (2008 film).

"As you go through the world of espionage, Smart, you will find there are the good guys and the bad guys. I happen to be one of the bad guys." - Siegfried, in "Rub-A-Dub-Dub... Three Spies in a Sub".

Siegfried
Siegfried
First Get Smart Appearance A Spy for a Spy
Additional Episodes The Spy Who Met Himself
Ice Station Siegfried
Affiliation KAOS
Gender Male
Family Wife
Sister
Professor Helmut Schmelding (Brother)
Gretchen (Daughter)
Famous Quote "This is KAOS, we don't ________ here!"


Siegfried is the Vice President of Public Relations and Terror for KAOS; the foe faced most often by Maxwell Smart. He could be considered one of the main antagonists.

Even with 14 original series appearances, we still don't know much about him. His very name is even in question. He is first seen as the magician "Siegfried the Great" but it has been suggested that this was actually the name of the real magician who he killed and replaced as part of his plan to kidnap the Chief [Episode #33: "A Spy for a Spy"]. However he continues to use the name in all subsequent appearances. He introduces himself to Tyler Tattledove with the above job description and the title "Count von Siegfried" [Episode #73: "The Mysterious Dr. T"], a mishearing of which seems to have given rise to a widespread belief that his first name is Conrad (also spelled Konrad); in fact that name is never used in the series. At one point Max states that "Ludwig" is the KAOS code for Siegfried [Episode #82: "Spy, Spy, Birdie"], which may account for his sidekick Shtarker's introduction of him as "Colonel Ludwig von Siegfried" to the prisoners of Camp Gitchie Goomee Noonee Wa-Wa [Episode #111: "The Not-So-Great Escape, Part 1"], while the name "Conrad" finally receives official use two decades later [in the TV Movie "Get Smart, Again!"].

Siegfried started out with KAOS as an office boy and part-time killer, eventually becoming one of their top agents. His best year was 1966, when he killed 37 people [Episode #55: "How to Succeed in the Spy Business Without Really Trying"].

He regards South America as the Glorious Fatherland [Episode #111: "The Not-So-Great Escape, Part 1"] despite being raised in Florida (Siegfried is still bitter that his mother wouldn't buy him a sled, especially to Smart). He grew up with a brother, from whom he is estranged, and a sister, who eventually became the head of the KAOS Ladies' Auxilliary. His ruthlessness really showed itself when he turned her in to CONTROL in order to satisfy one of his plots [Episode #55: "How to Succeed in the Spy Business Without Really Trying"] .

Siegfried-the-great

"Siegfried the Great"

Siegfried wears a wedding ring [Episode #33: "A Spy for a Spy"], although his wife is never seen, and he has a daughter, Gretchen, who growing up was told that when her father was away he was working as a doctor on a cruise ship [GS95 Episode #6: "Wurst Enemies"]. [This is a reference to the fact that Bernie Kopell who played Siegfried also played a cruise ship doctor on the comedy series The Love Boat!]

Siegfried has had a number of aides such as Kurt, Hans, Godzilla, and Krueger, the first mate of his submarine, as well as a private secretary named Lili, but is most often seen in the company of Shtarker. The two of them were old comrades, having served together in World War II. In fact, Siegfried was the first man out of El Alamein. (Shtarker was second.)

Cast sieg

Commandant of Camp Gitchie Goomee Noonee Wa-wa

In addition to magic, Siegfried's skills include acting, having starred in the KAOS Workshop production of The Killing of the Shrew, and flying a replica World War I Fokker D.VII which he built himself from a model kit manufactured by a small company in Argentina [Episode #88: "Snoopy Smart Vs. The Red Baron"]. At different times, he has been an instructor at the KAOS Training School [Episode #48: "Cutback at CONTROL"], and Commandant of the afore-mentioned prison Camp Gitchie Goomee Noonee Wa-Wa.

Siegfried is cunning, murderous, ruthless, and a stickler for details. He doesn't like people who act silly, telling them that "ve don't do that here!" He does have a large ego, as one silly act that is allowed is applauding his genius [Episode #55: "How to Succeed in the Spy Business Without Really Trying"]. Above all, he absolutely hates sissies.

Siegfried-gretchen

With daughter Gretchen

In the second "Get Smart" Series in 1995 [Episode #6: "Wurst Enemies"] Zach Smart is dating a woman calling herself Jessica, not realizing she is actually Gretchen, the daughter of Siegfried! Zach is imprisoned in a lighthouse/Missile where Maxwell Smart must confront Siegfried to save his son's life. A cliffhanger ending has Siegfried just leaving the lighthouse room when Max accidentally activates the missile; the teaser shows the missile blowing up the lighthouse. [The next episode [GS95 Episode #7: "Liver Let Die"] may indicate that the heroes escaped before the explosion. You could say the explosion... "missed them by that much." However, "Liver Let Die" in fact comes before "Wurst Enemies" which would have made "Wurst Enemies" a cliffhanger episode depending on whether or not the series would have been renewed; only in syndication were the episodes reversed. Ironically, Bernie Kopell returns in a cameo in the Get Smart movie reboot as a motorist who gets caught in a traffic accident thanks to Maxwell Smart's stupidness.]

Appearances[]

  1. Episode #33: "A Spy for a Spy"
  2. Episode #39: "Rub-A-Dub-Dub... Three Spies in a Sub"
  3. Episode #47: "Someone Down Here Hates Me"
  4. Episode #48: "Cutback at CONTROL"
  5. Episode #55: "How to Succeed in the Spy Business Without Really Trying"
  6. Episode #63: "The Spy Who Met Himself"
  7. Episode #67: "One of Our Olives is Missing"
  8. Episode #73: "The Mysterious Dr. T"
  9. Episode #82: "Spy, Spy, Birdie"
  10. Episode #88: "Snoopy Smart Vs. The Red Baron"
  11. Episode #98: "Schwartz's Island"
  12. Episode #111: "The Not-So-Great Escape, Part 1"
  13. Episode #112: "The Not-So-Great Escape, Part 2"
  14. Episode #125: "Ice Station Siegfried"
  15. TV Movie: "Get Smart, Again!"
  16. GS95 Episode #6: "Wurst Enemies"

Miscellaneous[]

  • The name Siegfried may have been inspired by the wartime German defensive Siegfried lines the second of which was the subject of a popular song of the day. It is also the name of a major character in Richard Wagner's "Ring" cycle of operas and it is known that all KAOS agents love opera [Episode #113: "Pheasant Under Glass"].
  • Although the second Get Smart series epsiode Liver Let Die was the last episode to be aired it appears to have been filmed earlier and held back in accordance with Don Adams's wish that the stronger episodes be shown first. The scene introducing Trudy suggests that it is her first appearance and that it therefore takes immediately after the pilot, thus leaving Wurst Enemies as a more satisfying finale.
  • Bernie Kopell who also appeared in both the 1989 Get Smart, Again! movie, as "Siegfried", and in the 2008 movie adaptation, in a cameo role as an unnamed automobile driver who gets involved in a traffic accident-thanks to Maxwell Smart!
Advertisement