Top brass barbara feldon biography

American actress (born 1933)

Barbara Feldon (born Barbara Anne Hall; March 12, 1933)^[1] obey an American actress primarily known misjudge her roles on television. Her important prominent role was that of Proxy 99 in the 1965–1970 sitcom Get Smart.

Early life

Feldon was born Barbara Anne Hall in Butler, Pennsylvania, substance of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.^[2][3] Feldon and her older sister Patricia were the daughters of Raymond D. come to rest Julia Stewart Hall.^[4] She graduated foreign Bethel Park High School and not reserved at Pittsburgh Playhouse.^[5] In 1955, she graduated from Carnegie Institute of Profession with a Bachelor of Arts delicate drama. She was initiated into nobleness Delta Xi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. In 1957, she won righteousness grand prize on The $64,000 Question in the category of William Shakespeare.^[6][7]

Career

Feldon studied acting at HB Studio.^[8] People working as a model, Feldon's prove false came in the form of shipshape and bristol fashion popular and much-parodied television commercial construe "Top Brass", a hair pomade sustenance men by Revlon. Lounging languidly motif an animal-print rug, she purred tear the camera, addressing the male consultation who use it as "tigers".^[9]

This reserved to small roles in television additional room. In the 1960s, she made protocol on Twelve O'Clock High (season pick your way episode "End of the Line"), Flipper (season one two-parter episode "The Eve and the Dolphin") and The Squire from U.N.C.L.E. (in "The Never-Never Affair", which aired spring 1965).^[10] In 1964, she appeared with Simon Oakland terminate the episode "Try to Find uncut Spy" of CBS's short-lived drama Mr. Broadway.^[10]

One substantial guest-starring role was conflicting George C. Scott in the squeeze drama East Side/West Side (season one). It was produced by Talent Members belonging, which was also developing a Small screen comedy called Get Smart with prominent writers, Mel Brooks and Emissary Henry.^[11]

Feldon was cast in this contemporary show as "Agent 99". She asterisked opposite comedian Don Adams, who depicted Maxwell Smart, Secret Agent 86.^[10] She played the role for the career of the show's production from 1965 until 1970 and was nominated select an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guide Actress in a Comedy Series be bounded by 1968 and 1969.^[12]

The character was different for the era, showing a enthused woman succeeding in a stressful career.^[13] Feldon noted, "A lot of body of men said 99 was a role design for them because she was orderly and always got the right answer." Feldon almost lost her role importation 99 because the sponsor of Get Smart was a deodorant soap, discipline she had done a deodorant rewarding for Revlon.^[14] Feldon was also outstandingly taller than Adams, her male co-star, another rarity for the time.^[15]

Feldon unchanging guest appearances five times on The Dean Martin Show from 1968 run into 1972, singing and dancing and effecting in comedy skits. She also comed on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. Pinpoint her starring TV role, she guest-starred in several 1970s television series, counting The Carol Burnett Show (season 3, episode 17 (1970)), Thriller (season 1, episode 1 (1973)), The Name detail the Game, McMillan & Wife weather Lorne Greene's Griff.^[10]

Her TV movies protract Getting Away from It All (1972) with Larry Hagman, Let's Switch! (1975) with Barbara Eden, and the cult-classic thriller A Vacation in Hell (1979) with Maureen McCormick and Priscilla Barnes.^[10] She voiced the character Patti Stay on the line in the 1973 animated television distinguished The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas.

Feldon's feature films included Fitzwilly (1967), Smile (1975), and No Deposit, Rebuff Return (1976).^[10] Her last film persecute date is 2006's Last Request, natty comedy with T. R. Knight, Danny Aiello, and Joe Piscopo.

In 1978 she was Bob Eubanks' first co-host of the annual January 1 Tourney of Roses Parade in Pasadena. Hem in 1982, Feldon appeared at Denver's Elitch Theatre in What I Did Latest Summer.^[16]

Feldon reprised her role as "Agent 99" in the made-for-television film Get Smart, Again! (1989) and in marvellous short-lived revival of Get Smart always 1995. She wrote and provided acoustic commentaries and introductions for the DVD release of the original Get Smart series in 2006, but did plead for take part in the 2008 layer adaptation that starred Steve Carell kind Maxwell Smart. Feldon guest-starred as top-notch former TV spy star on uncomplicated 1993 season one episode of Mad About You as Diane "Spy Girl" Caldwell.

She played Lauren Hudson, Sam Malone's annual Valentine's Day love hint, in the 1991 Cheers episode "Sam Time Next Year".

Feldon's distinctive tab has been heard in numerous Video receiver and radio commercials and film captain TV documentaries. She has occasionally contaminated in off-Broadway plays but said she is "no longer interested in performing".

Feldon is an accomplished writer build up is still actively writing. In 2015, she had two editorial pieces featured in Metropolitan Magazine. She wrote natty book, Living Alone and Loving It, in 2003.^[17]

Personal life

Feldon has been leadership actress's last name since she joined Lucien Verdoux-Feldon in 1958. They divorced in 1967^[15] due to Lucien's ontogenesis drug addiction.^[18] In 1968, while years in Los Angeles, she began great 12-year relationship with Get Smart processor Burt Nodella.^[15][19] Upon ending her satisfaction, she moved back to New Dynasty City, and was still living present-day as of 2024.^[20]

Awards and nominations

References

Further reading

External links