Carl Berkmeyer never set out to be the go-to guy for all things Get Smart. But his 13-year-old website, WouldYouBelieve.com, has become the oldest and arguably the most comprehensive internet site celebrating the iconic sixties TV spy-spoof.
In fact, Berkmeyer, 45, claims not even to be the most ardent devotee in Get Smart fandom — "there are a ton of people who know the series far better" — although he does love the show and appreciates its "sophisticated and character-driven" humour.
"I enjoy a lot of shows but this one took on a life of its own," he says. "It started as a small, fun thing I did on the side and just kept growing and growing."
The website has created a reputation for him as an expert and initiated close relationships with both fans and show insiders, and even spawned a 2003 reunion with cast, crew and creators, including the series stars Don Adams (Agent 86, Maxwell Smart) and Barbara Feldon (Agent 99, his foil, partner and love interest).
"I have friendships with some of the people involved," the Pennsylvanian says. "But not so much the cast. For the most part my relationships are with the creators, the writing and producing staff. Because of the website, I struck up a friendship with Leonard Stern, who was the executive producer for years, and through him I met other people."
Berkmeyer believes that it’s easier to forge relationships with people from "shows of that generation, who are far more accessible and friendly than in current times."
For example, he cites his dealings with Feldon to arrange her airfare to the reunion. "She said ‘just call me and we’ll talk and figure something out.’ You didn’t have to go through a zillion agents or publicists." Adams, he notes, stopped doing autograph signings because he didn’t like charging for them.
Such attitudes foster a loyal fan base but one that is not necessarily recognized by the current Hollywood power brokers, in Berkmeyer’s opinion. His website documents, at length, the expectations expressed for the upcoming Get Smart movie, starring Steve Carell (The 40 Year Old Virgin, TV’s The Office), 45, in the Don Adams role. The buzz from those familiar with the project – being released in theatres this month –  ranges from ambivalent, with fingers crossed, at best, to severely disappointed at worst.
Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries, The Devil Wears Prada), only 25, plays 99.
"I had hoped they would do a really good remake that would energize the fan base and not turn it off. Unfortunately, it seems they are doing the latter," Berkmeyer laments.
He says the idea of such a movie has been kicked around for a decade, with various actors considered for the starring role – the likes of Jim Carrey or Will Farrell – and renowned comedy director Rob Reiner even had an option for a couple of years. The problem seemed to be coming up with a good script and here, says Berkmeyer, is where producers dropped the ball by ignoring the original series creators: Mel Brooks, Buck Henry and Stern.
Despite general enthusiasm over casting Carell as Maxwell Smart, he says fans were upset that the original creative team was ignored and, worse, that litigation was necessary to get the producers to credit Brooks and Henry as creators. He believes the fan backlash surprised the producers, who quickly backtracked and invited Brooks, Henry and Stern to the set as "creative consultants" and offered cameo roles. Stern has one, as does Bernie Kopell, who played Siegfried, Max’s KAOS nemesis, in Seasons 2 through 5.
The movie is also dedicated to Adams, who passed away in 2005, and to Ed Platt, the Control "Chief" who died in 1974, with a cause of death generally understood to be suicide. Small tributes have been inserted, such as having the movie Max fly on Yarmy Airlines (Yarmy was Adams real surname).
But regardless, the script is a problem, Berkmeyer says, describing it as peppered with "fart and butt jokes" and R-rated language substituting for the smart and sophisticated humour of the series. "I’m biased but I’m looking for something substantial, for quality, for a little highbrow," he says. "I’m fine with an occasional fart joke but I’m not fine with that as the level of humour of the entire movie."
He says the fans were also put off by dismissive comments by the current creative team, that the original series was a "silly Cold War comedy" and Agent 99 a ditzy airhead, whereas in Berkmeyer’s view the character is one of the first strong, independent woman role models in television.
As well, it’s generally felt that the backstory created for Max – as a formerly overweight nerd with fantasies of being a spy – and a clichéd plot – Max meets 99, they hate each other, they fight but end up in love – don’t do justice to the original concepts.
Berkmeyer believes Carell and Hathaway will do well with the roles but that the script, which alters the interplay between the characters portrayed by Adams and Feldon, changes everything that fans remember so fondly.
Still, he says, "I hope it rekindles interest in the original and gets people to look at that."