Barbara Feldon, best known for her role as Agent 99 in the iconic series *Get Smart*, recently shared a fascinating story about her early experiences on the show. In a podcast interview on *The Jim Masters Show* aired on the 4th of October, the 93-year-old actress recounted a significant moment in her career when she faced the very real possibility of being dismissed from the set of the beloved comedy.
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According to Feldon, this tumultuous episode took place during the first few weeks of filming *Get Smart*. She revealed that she was under contract with Revlon and had previously starred in a promotional campaign for one of their deodorant products. This particular advertisement aired just prior to her joining the cast of the show, but it somehow became a point of contention. The problem arose when one of *Get Smart*’s sponsoring companies, which produced soap containing deodorant, objected to her previous work, fearing it would confuse viewers.
Feldon explained, “The head of this company got it into his head that viewers would associate my earlier deodorant commercial with their soap. They believed this would create a conflict and lead audiences to think of Revlon instead of their product.” Tension mounted when the actor was informed that, by the following day, NBC would be instructed to remove her from the set.
In spite of the serious situation, the Revlon team assured Feldon that the ad would not be aired again and was never intended to be reused. “They told me that people had likely forgotten about the promotion, as it had aired months earlier,” she recounted. Nevertheless, the producers of *Get Smart* remained unsatisfied with this resolution.
On the day in question, the tension escalated further when a producer approached Feldon with an unexpected task. She was instructed to contact the CEO of the sponsoring company directly to plead her case. “I found myself in the parking lot, nervously holding quarters in my hand. My producer told me that this was our last chance and I was terrified,” Feldon recalled, admitting she had little experience dealing with corporate executives and felt incredibly intimidated.
When she finally reached the CEO on the phone, she introduced herself, only to be met with indifference. “He simply replied, ‘I know who you are,’ and when I tried to explain the situation, he dismissed me with a curt, ‘I’m not having a problem,’ before hanging up,” Feldon recounted, highlighting the challenges actors faced, particularly in navigating corporate pressures.
Despite the looming threat of termination, life on the *Get Smart* set continued as usual. Feldon described how she returned to filming the next day, all the while apprehensive that she would be let go. “I was convinced I’d be fired at any moment, but as the hours passed, no one mentioned it again. To my surprise, everything carried on as if nothing had happened,” she said.
Looking back, Feldon expressed her relief that she was not ultimately removed from the show, which aired on NBC from September 1965 until May 1970. *Get Smart* was a comedy that parodied spy shows and followed the misadventures of bumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart, played by Don Adams, and his competent partner, Agent 99, portrayed by Feldon. The show became a cultural phenomenon and remains a beloved classic.
Barbara Feldon’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the pressures faced by actors, particularly in an era when advertising and programming often tangled in complex and unexpected ways. The incident she experienced illustrates not just the challenges of show business, but also the often unseen battles fought to maintain artistic integrity amid corporate interests.
As she reflected on the tumultuous beginnings of her time on *Get Smart*, Feldon expressed gratitude for the opportunities the show ultimately provided her. Today, her role as Agent 99 continues to be celebrated by fans old and new, cementing her status as a television icon and a resilient figure in the entertainment industry.