Thirty years ago, in 1982, three employees of DIC Entertainment: Andy Heyward (Former Chairman and CEO), Jean Chalopin (French Producer and Writer, who created DIC Audiovisual) and Bruno Bianchi (a French Artist and Animator) devised an animated series that would spawn several spin-off television series, and a live action film featuring Ferris Bueller star Matthew Broderick.
The series was such a huge success, that in 2009, it was ranked 54th in IGN's Top 100 Animated Series, one higher than those Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which is pretty impressive. So, to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of this classic TV shows conception, I thought that it was only right to pay homage to the series, by looking into whatever happened to those sometimes forgotten people: the voice actors. Starting, of course, with Inspector Gadget himself.
As the show's main protagonist, my main memory is always that he was a little bit of an odd-ball. Style-wise, he dressed a lot like the Inspector Clouseau character from The Pink Panther, is constantly in danger (even if most of the time he is completely oblivious to it), and spends an unusual amount of time in suitcases...seriously!
Gadget was voiced, over 86 episodes, by Don Adams. Of Irish and Hungarian origin, Adams was already an established actor, when he took the role. Credits included The Love Boat and The Bill Dana Show, but perhaps most prominently in 1960's spy show Get Smart as lead Maxwell Smart (re-made in 2008, starring Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway). Adams went on to reprise his role as Smart, in the Get Smart revival in 1995.
Adams also reprised his role as Inspector Gadget several times, for various spin-offs and sequels, including Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas. In fact, Adam also voiced the character of Gadget Boy, in the spin-off series Gadget Boy and Heather.
Before his death in 2005, Adams' final role had been in children's character Pepper Ann, as Principal Hinkley, a role voiced from 1999 until 2000. He left behind seven children, and sadly died only a year after one of them.
Throughout his life, Adam had been good friends with Playboy Bossman Hugh Hefner, and spent a great deal of time at the Playboy Mansion.
Continues tomorrow with....Penny
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