David Ketchum

{{short description|American actor}}

David Ketchum (born February 4, 1928, in Quincy, Illinois){{cite book |last1=Leszczak |first1=Bob |title=The Odd Couple on Stage and Screen: A History with Cast and Crew Profiles and an Episode Guide |date=2014 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9781476615394 |page=73 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xe1ZBAAAQBAJ&q=%22David+Ketchum%22+actor&pg=PA73 |access-date=1 September 2018 |language=en}} is an American character actor and comedian best known for his appearances in television sitcoms, including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Camp Runamuck, and Get Smart.{{r|etvs|page1=386}}

Ketchum studied physics at UCLA and joined other UCLA students in entertaining military personnel around the world for the USO.{{cite news |last1=Foster |first1=Bob |title=TV Screenings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23326750/david_ketchum/ |work=The Times |date=August 30, 1965 |location=California, San Mateo |page=17|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = August 31, 2018}} {{Open access}}

Ketchum had a radio program for seven years in San Diego, California.{{cite news |title=Stars Helped Him, Now He Helps |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23327090/dave_ketchum/ |work=Sioux City Journal |date=December 5, 1965 |location=Iowa, Sioux City |page=37|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = August 31, 2018}} {{Open access}} On television, he portrayed Counselor Spiffy in Camp Runamuck.{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|page=155|edition=2nd}} He was also a regular on I'm Dickens, He's Fenster, playing the role of Mel Warshaw.{{r|etvs|page1=496-497}}

In Get Smart, he played Agent 13, and was often seen in recurring jokes on the show hiding in unusual places such as mailboxes or fire hydrants.{{cite episode |title=Get Smart |series=Inside TV Land |date=2001-07-30 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngazWNQkzqA |minutes=27:03 |medium=Documentary |network=TV Land |season=2 |number=2 |last=Snyder |first=Daniel (Director, Writer)}} Ketchum reprised the role in the 1989 TV movie Get Smart Again as well as an episode of the 1995 revival of Get Smart on Fox. Ketchum also co-wrote one episode of the third season of the original series, titled "Classification: Dead."{{Citation|title=The Man in the Mailbox|url=http://www.ilovegetsmart.com/articles/filmfax2.html|access-date=2020-10-04}} He also wrote scripts for other programs, including The Andy Griffith Show and Petticoat Junction.{{cite news |title=Wacky 'Agent 13' Thrives on Role |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23327992/david_ketchum/ |work=Dayton Daily News |agency=United Press International |date=April 25, 1967 |location=Ohio, Dayton |page=21|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = August 31, 2018}} {{Open access}}

In 1962, his comedy album The Long-Playing Tongue of Dave Ketchum was released. Billboard gave it a 4-star prefix for strong sales potential.{{cite magazine | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=RRYEAAAAMBAJ&q=the+long+playing+tongue+of+dave+ketchum&pg=PA30 | title = Review of New Albums | magazine = Billboard Music Week | location = Cincinnati, Ohio | date = February 17, 1962 | volume = 74 | issue = 7 | page = 30 | access-date = 2018-05-15 }}

Films in which Ketchum appeared included Young Doctors in Love (1982) and The Other Sister (1999).

Ketchum married singer Louise Bryant.{{cite news |last1=Carroll |first1=Harrison |title=Behind the Scenes in Hollywood |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23327442/the_kokomo_morning_times/ |work=The Kokomo Morning Times |date=February 25, 1966 |location=Indiana, Kokomo |page=11|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = August 31, 2018}} {{Open access}}