Bernie Kopell
Encyclopedia
Bernard Morton "Bernie" Kopell (born June 21, 1933) is an American television character actor who is probably best known for his roles as Dr. Adam Bricker ("Doc") in The Love Boat
and KAOS agent Siegfried in Get Smart
. He also portrayed Alan-a-Dale in When Things Were Rotten
, Jerry Bauman in That Girl
and Louie Pallucci in The Doris Day Show
.
Kopell also played several characters on the hit sitcom Bewitched
including the witches' Apothecary, and the warlock
Alonzo in episode # 239, "The Warlock in the Gray Flannel Suit." He played a director in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents
("Good-Bye George," original air date December 13, 1963). About this same time, he guest starred on Phil Silvers
's unsuccessful sitcom The New Phil Silvers Show
on CBS. He had a cameo as a patient in the Scrubs
episode, "My Friend the Doctor", as well as an episode of the Disney Channel Original Series, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. He also portrayed a plastic surgeon who gave Ed Brown a facelift
on Chico and the Man
.
Kopell's role as Doc on The Love Boat was parodied in a humorous cameo appearance on Late Show with David Letterman
in 1995. Two entries in that night's Top Ten List poked fun at The Love Boat, and at the Doc character specifically. The camera cut to Kopell, who was sitting in the audience, and he stormed out of the theater. A few moments later, he was shown having been reseated in the mezzanine when the second parody was made at his expense, and again stood up, raised his fists and stormed out, obviously playing along with the host. In a dream sequence of Fresh Prince of Bel Air Kopell made a parody cameo of himself as an actor who played a ship's doctor so many times he offers to perform an operation for real, while in a 1994 episode of Saturday Night Live
he appeared as "Doc" during a Love Boat-themed spoof of Star Trek: The Next Generation
.
In the unsuccessful 1995 Fox Network Get Smart
series Max's son (played by Andy Dick
) meets Siegfried's daughter. When the young Smart tells how his dad always told him that he was a greeting card salesman, Siegfried's daughter replied "My dad always had me believing he was a doctor on a cruise ship."
Kopell made a cameo appearance
in the 2008 film adaptation of Get Smart
. Recently he has been seen in television advertisements for Nasalcrom, carefully enunciating the product's name and assuring viewers "that's right, it's a spray".
Kopell has also appeared as guest star in the Monk
episode "Mr. Monk and the Critic", playing Mr. Gilson, the restroom attendant. Kopell also guest starred in a 2009 episode of My Name is Earl
entitled "Pinky."
Kopell has performed in the theater and played the lead role in the off Broadway production of "Viagra Falls" in 2010.
Kopell was born in Brooklyn
, New York City
, the son of Pauline (née
Taran) and Al Bernard Kopell.
The Love Boat
The Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain...
and KAOS agent Siegfried in Get Smart
Get Smart
Get Smart is an American comedy television series that satirizes the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams , Barbara Feldon , and Edward Platt...
. He also portrayed Alan-a-Dale in When Things Were Rotten
When Things Were Rotten
When Things Were Rotten was an American situation comedy television series created in 1975 by Mel Brooks and aired for half a season by ABC....
, Jerry Bauman in That Girl
That Girl
That Girl is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971. It stars Marlo Thomas as the title character, Ann Marie, an aspiring actress, who had moved from her hometown of Brewster, New York to make it big in New York City...
and Louie Pallucci in The Doris Day Show
The Doris Day Show
The Doris Day Show is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS network from September 1968 until September 1973. In addition to showcasing Doris Day, the show is remembered for its many abrupt format changes over the course of its five-year run...
.
Kopell also played several characters on the hit sitcom Bewitched
Bewitched
Bewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
including the witches' Apothecary, and the warlock
Warlock
The term warlock in origin means "traitor, oathbreaker".In early modern Scots, the word came to be used as the male equivalent of witch ....
Alonzo in episode # 239, "The Warlock in the Gray Flannel Suit." He played a director in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
("Good-Bye George," original air date December 13, 1963). About this same time, he guest starred on Phil Silvers
Phil Silvers
Phil Silvers was an American entertainer and comedy actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah." He is best known for starring in The Phil Silvers Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S...
's unsuccessful sitcom The New Phil Silvers Show
The New Phil Silvers Show
The New Phil Silvers Show is an American situation comedy starring comedian Phil Silvers which aired thirty episodes on CBS from September 28, 1963, to April 25, 1964, under the sponsorship of General Foods.-Synopsis:...
on CBS. He had a cameo as a patient in the Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
episode, "My Friend the Doctor", as well as an episode of the Disney Channel Original Series, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. He also portrayed a plastic surgeon who gave Ed Brown a facelift
Facelift
Facelift is the common name for rhytidectomy, a cosmetic surgery procedure.Facelift may also refer to:* Facelift , the revival of a product through cosmetic means such as changing its appearance...
on Chico and the Man
Chico and the Man
Chico and the Man is an American sitcom which ran on NBC for four seasons, from September 13, 1974 to July 21, 1978. It stars Jack Albertson as Ed Brown , the cantankerous owner of a run down garage in an East Los Angeles barrio, and Freddie Prinze as Chico Rodriguez, an upbeat, optimistic Chicano...
.
Kopell's role as Doc on The Love Boat was parodied in a humorous cameo appearance on Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
in 1995. Two entries in that night's Top Ten List poked fun at The Love Boat, and at the Doc character specifically. The camera cut to Kopell, who was sitting in the audience, and he stormed out of the theater. A few moments later, he was shown having been reseated in the mezzanine when the second parody was made at his expense, and again stood up, raised his fists and stormed out, obviously playing along with the host. In a dream sequence of Fresh Prince of Bel Air Kopell made a parody cameo of himself as an actor who played a ship's doctor so many times he offers to perform an operation for real, while in a 1994 episode of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
he appeared as "Doc" during a Love Boat-themed spoof of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
.
In the unsuccessful 1995 Fox Network Get Smart
Get Smart
Get Smart is an American comedy television series that satirizes the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams , Barbara Feldon , and Edward Platt...
series Max's son (played by Andy Dick
Andy Dick
Andrew R. "Andy" Dick is an American comedian, actor, musician and television/film producer. His first regular television role was on the short-lived but highly influential Ben Stiller Show. In the mid-1990s, he had a long-running stint on NBC's NewsRadio...
) meets Siegfried's daughter. When the young Smart tells how his dad always told him that he was a greeting card salesman, Siegfried's daughter replied "My dad always had me believing he was a doctor on a cruise ship."
Kopell made a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
in the 2008 film adaptation of Get Smart
Get Smart (film)
Get Smart is a 2008 American spy-fi comedy film based on Mel Brooks and Buck Henry's 1960s spy parody television series of the same name. The film stars Steve Carell as Maxwell Smart and Anne Hathaway as Agent 99...
. Recently he has been seen in television advertisements for Nasalcrom, carefully enunciating the product's name and assuring viewers "that's right, it's a spray".
Kopell has also appeared as guest star in the Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
episode "Mr. Monk and the Critic", playing Mr. Gilson, the restroom attendant. Kopell also guest starred in a 2009 episode of My Name is Earl
My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
entitled "Pinky."
Kopell has performed in the theater and played the lead role in the off Broadway production of "Viagra Falls" in 2010.
Kopell was born in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the son of Pauline (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Taran) and Al Bernard Kopell.