Dick Gautier, best known for Hymie the Robot on the sitcom Get Smart as well as his numerous game show appearances, passed away January 14 at the age of 85.
A former stand up comedian, Gautier came to prominence when he originated the role of Conrad Birdie in the Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie. Even though he didn't like rock and roll, he beat out 750 actors for the role of the Elvis-like singer and was nominated for a Tony Award. Though he was nominated, he didn't reprise his role in the 1963 movie. Jesse Pearson portrayed Birdie.
But it was his role as Hymie the Robot on Get Smart that also boosted his popularity, though he appeared in only six episodes as the bulky CONTROL agent. His character was known to take things literally such was the scene when he was asked to kill the lights and he pointed his gun to a light bulb.
Another role he played was Robin Hood on the short-lived Mel Brooks Sherwood Forest parody When Things Were Rotten. Despite the positive reviews from critics, the show was cancelled after 13 weeks and replaced by the more successful Six Million Dollar Man spin off The Bionic Woman.
He also made many guest appearances on game shows. Among the shows Gautier was a guest on were Hollywood Squares, Password, Match Game and Liar's Club. He also made many appearances with his then wife Barbara Stuart on the Goodson-Todman game show Tattletales.
Of all the game shows Gautier did, he only hosted one. The show was It's Your Bet, that aired in syndication from 1969 to 1973. He became the host in 1970 after original host Hal March left due to health problems and died in January at the age of 49. He would host the show for only one season and was replaced by Tom Kennedy in 1971 and Lyle Waggoner the following season after Kennedy was hired to host the ABC game show Split Second.
Gautier had a very prolific career. He appeared on game shows, sitcoms, movies, worked in theatre and did a lot of cartooning. He was a versatile talent and he will be missed. But through reruns of Tattletales on BUZZR, his legacy will live on.
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