Biography

Fans of the cult sitcom Get Smart (1965) will remember David Ketchum as the unfortunate Agent 13, whose lot it was to be wedged into tiny spaces, like airport lockers, vending machines, fire hydrants and mailboxes. Ketchum may have been used to these tight spots, since reputedly entered the world in an elevator. However, in his own words: "The hardest part for me was when they put Agent 13 in a washing machine. I'm six-foot-two, so I can't fit easily into cramped places, and a washing machine is about as cramped as it gets".

David Ketchum was from Quincy, Illinois, the son of Cecil Estel Ketchum (1894-1977) and his wife Flora M. Mueller (1897-1959). The future character actor and comedian started out majoring in physics at UCLA with plans of becoming an electrical engineer. Instead, he became curious about what makes people laugh and joined a group of fellow students on the USO circuit to entertain GIs serving abroad. With help from Bob Hope and Doris Day, he then proceeded to host his own radio show in San Diego which was on air for seven years.

Ketchum made his television debut in 1961. His first regular role was as the inept carpenter Mel Warshaw in the ABC sitcom I'm Dickens, He's Fenster (1962), starring John Astin and Marty Ingels. As Senior Counselor Spiffy, he was then cast as one of the principal leads in Camp Runamuck (1965), a family comedy about madcap shenanigans at two competing youth camps. In addition to guest appearances on other shows, Ketchum worked as occasional voice actor on the animated series Roger Ramjet (1965). In 1966, he took over from Victor French as Agent 13 on Get Smart, a role he reprised for a 1989 telemovie and a short-lived sequel to the original series in 1995.

In addition to his work in front of the camera, Ketchum has also been prolific as a screenwriter. For Get Smart, he penned 'Classification: Dead', plus diverse episodic scripts for shows like Here's Lucy (1968), Barefoot in the Park (1970), Happy Days (1974) and Laverne & Shirley (1976). Not limited to the funny side of life, he also provided dramatic material for, among others, The Six Million Dollar Man (1974), T.J. Hooker (1982) and MacGyver (1985). He was a co-nominee for a Writer's Guild of America Award for his work on the M*A*S*H (1972) episode 'Tuttle'.

From 1957 until his death, Ketchum was married to the singer Louise Bryant.