Skip to content
MovieCove
David Ketchum

David Ketchum

Actor and writer · Died August 10, 2025, aged 97 · Quincy, Illinois, USA

Fans of the cult sitcom Get Smart (1965) will remember David Ketchum as the unfortunate Agent 13, whose lot it was to be wedged into tiny spaces, like airport lockers, vending machines, fire hydrants and mailboxes. Ketchum may have been used to these tight spots, since reputedly entered the world in an elevator. However, in his own words: "The hardest part for me was when they put Agent 13 in a washing machine. I'm six-foot-two, so I can't fit easily into cramped places, and a washing machine is about as cramped as it gets". David Ketchum was from Quincy, Illinois, the son of Cecil Estel Ketchum (1894-1977) and his wife Flora M. Mueller (1897-1959). The future character actor and comedian started out majoring in physics at UCLA with plans of becoming an electrical engineer. Instead, he became curious about what makes people laugh and joined a group of fellow students on the USO circuit to entertain GIs serving abroad. With help from Bob Hope and Doris Day, he then proceeded to host his own radio show in San Diego which was on air for seven years. Ketchum made his television debut in 1961. His first regular role was as the inept carpenter Mel Warshaw in the ABC sitcom I'm Dickens, He's Fenster (1962), starring John Astin and Marty Ingels. As Senior Counselor Spiffy, he was then cast as one of the principal leads in Camp Runamuck (1965), a family comedy about madcap shenanigans at two competing youth camps. In addition to guest appearances on other shows, Ketchum worked as occasional voice actor on the animated series Roger Ramjet (1965). In 1966, he took over from Victor French as Agent 13 on Get Smart, a role he reprised for a 1989 telemovie and a short-lived sequel to the original series in 1995. In addition to his work in front of the camera, Ketchum has also been prolific as a screenwriter. For Get Smart, he penned 'Classification: Dead', plus diverse episodic scripts for shows like Here's Lucy (1968), Barefoot in the Park (1970), Happy Days (1974) and Laverne & Shirley (1976). Not limited to the funny side of life, he also provided dramatic material for, among others, The Six Million Dollar Man (1974), T.J. Hooker (1982) and MacGyver (1985). He was a co-nominee for a Writer's Guild of America Award for his work on the M*A*S*H (1972) episode 'Tuttle'. From 1957 until his death, Ketchum was married to the singer Louise Bryant.

Read more

Biography from IMDb.

Born
February 4, 1928
Died
August 10, 2025 (aged 97)
From
Quincy, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor and writer
Titles
36 on MovieCove · 63 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 26% in 30 days

What are David Ketchum's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
61%
Self
14%
Society
10%
Power
8%
Morality
8%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 3 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 2 · Serious 0 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 2 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 1

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 1 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 0 · Whiplash 0

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 2

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
6
Warm
4
Absurd
4
Hopeful
2
Melancholic
1
Other
2

How their films linger

Fun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet1
  • Cyclical3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch David Ketchum's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 36 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Roku Channel (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David Ketchum's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

63 credits, 36 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Other Sister(1999)

    as College Maintenance Man #2

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Get Smart, Again!(1989)

    as Agent 13

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Sledge Hammer!(1986)

    Show 4 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Perfect Strangers(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • MacGyver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Highway to Heaven(1984)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Harold and His Amazing Green Plants (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Broccoli (voice)

  • Lottery! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • T.J. Hooker(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • The Main Event(1979)

    as Photographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Love at First Bite(1979)

    as Customs Inspector

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The North Avenue Irregulars(1979)

    as Capt. Bamford

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Mork & Mindy(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as The Salesman

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • The Hazing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Writer

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 4 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • On Our Own(1977)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • How to Break Up a Happy Divorce(1976)

    as Professor Schofield

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Alice(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Carl

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • Laverne & Shirley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 5 episodes · Writer

  • The Bionic Woman(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Wonder Woman(1975)

    Show 3 episodes · Writer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Switch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Goodnight Jackie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Mr. Green

  • The Elevator (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Teleplay

  • The Six Million Dollar Man(1974)

    Show 1 episode · Story

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Happy Days(1974)

    Show 13 episodes · Writer · Actor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Your Three Minutes Are Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Mr. Kellogg

  • Thicker than Water (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • M*A*S*H(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • The Roman Holidays(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Wait Till Your Father Gets Home(1972)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Bless the Beasts & Children(1971)

    as Camp Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Funky Phantom(1971)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • The Partridge Family(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Phelps

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Barefoot in the Park (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • The Odd Couple(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Cop · as Jock

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Mary Tyler Moore Show(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Hal

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Grasshopper(1970)

    as Football Conventioner

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Love, American Style (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Writer · as Lyle · as Professor Casey

  • The Courtship of Eddie's Father(1969)

    Show 3 episodes · as Joe Kelly

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • The Mod Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Here's Lucy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

  • Mayberry R.F.D.(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Man

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • Accidental Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Good Morning World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Bert · as Henry Honey

  • Captain Nice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

  • Run, Buddy, Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hey Landlord! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • That Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Get Smart(1965)

    Show 13 episodes · Writer · as Agent 13

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Camp Runamuck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 26 episodes · as Senior Counselor Spiffy

  • Green Acres(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Photographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Roger Ramjet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 156 episodes · as Narrator (voice)

  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Munsters(1964)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Good Neighbor Sam(1964)

    as Dave (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Petticoat Junction(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Buddy Buster

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • I'm Dickens, He's Fenster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 3 episodes · as Mel Warshaw

  • Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Repairman

  • The Andy Griffith Show(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Fred Michaels · as Harry Walker

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • My Three Sons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Real McCoys(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Lou Hicks

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • The Jack Benny Program (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Thromberry

Career shape

Star power in the 66th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 60 titles from 1950 to 1999; peak year 1979.

Highest rated

Get Smart (1965)

Midcredits 93rd

Film career

19501999

Peak 1979 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1965Screen debut· Get Smart
  • 1979First film· Love at First Bite

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting41 of 60: 38 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score58thWriting22 of 60: 19 only writing, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

60 titles, 3 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1950s2 · acting1960s23 · 21 acting · 4 crew1970s26 · 15 acting · 12 crew1980s8 · 2 acting · 6 crew1990s1 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do David Ketchum's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 48th percentile, the median of all 9; across a limited sample of 3 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Reach · how many have seen their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Midcredits score across 36 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 36 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser19
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

How to Break Up a Happy Divorce (1976)

83rd percentile spread · 34% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

M*A*S*H (1972)

Midcredits 95th · 89% liked

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does David Ketchum work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Ketchum's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Joseph Barbera shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Producers