Original: Don Adams ( April 13 , 1923 -- September 25 , 2005 ) was an American actor , comedian and director . In his five decades on television , he was best known as Maxwell Smart ( Agent 86 ) in the TV situation comedy Get Smart ( 1965 â '' 1970 , 1995 ) , which he also sometimes directed and wrote .
Simplified: Don Adams ( April 13 , 1923 -- September 25 , 2005 ) , born Donald James Yarmy , was an American actor famous for his role as Maxwell Smart ( Agent 86 ) in the TV situation comedy Get Smart ( 1965 -- 1970 , 1995 ) , for which he also directed and wrote .