Hymie, Mel, and WTWR

I was on a business trip the past couple of days, and missed my chance to blog in a timely manner about the passing of Don Adams (aka Maxwell Smart). I even had a great title picked out, "86 86ed". Meanwhile, Soccer Dad did such a thorough job that I don't have too much to add. Serves me right for working.

Besides the funny "would you believe" lines he quotes, two of my other favorite gimmicks on Get Smart were the Cone of Silence and Hymie the Robot, who had a problem with literalness ("Hymie, give me a hand" - he starts unscrewing his hand. "Hymie, kill the lights" - Blam!). Hymie was played by Dick Gautier, who later starred as Robin Hood in 1975's wonderful, short lived "When Things Were Rotten", Mel Brooks' next, and last, creative foray into television.

When WTWR was cancelled, Brooks bounced right back by writing and directing such screen gems as "Silent Movie" and "High Anxiety". So I guess TV's loss is cinema's gain, but I did love WTWR while it lasted - all 1/2 season of it! How can you not love a show with this line in its theme:

"He robbed the rich - gave to the poor,
except what he kept for expenses"

Is there anyone else out there who actually saw it?