Bernie Kopell
Kopell as Dr. Adam Bricker, 1977
Born
Bernard Morton Kopell

(1933-06-21) June 21, 1933
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
EducationNew York University (BFA)
OccupationActor
Years active1961–present
Known forSiegfried – Get Smart
Dr. Adam Bricker – The Love Boat
Spouse(s)Celia Whitney
(m. 1962; div. 1963)
Yolanda Veloz
​
​
(m. 1974; div. 1995)​

Catrina Honadle
​
​
(m. 1997)​
Children3
Military service
Allegiance United States
BranchUnited States Navy
Years1955–1957
RankE-3 insignia Seaman

Bernard Morton Kopell[1] (born June 21, 1933) is an American character actor known for his roles as Siegfried in Get Smart from 1966 to 1969[2] and as Dr. Adam Bricker ("Doc") on The Love Boat from 1977 to 1986.[2]

Early life

Kopell was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Pauline (née Taran) and Al Bernard Kopell[1] of Jewish extraction.[3] Kopell attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn before enrolling at New York University, majoring in dramatic arts and graduating with a bachelor of fine arts in 1955.[4]

While fulfilling his military service, he served as a librarian at Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia, and then between 1956 and 1957 on board the USS Iowa (BB-61), a World War II and Korean war battleship.[5][6]

During his time on the USS Iowa, he travelled extensively to Europe in Italy, Spain, Greece, the Middle East in Turkey as well as to South America. He also taught the GED to other military personnel.[7] After completing active duty, Kopell returned to New York before going to Los Angeles with the promise of an agent by fellow graduate James Drury.

Career

In Los Angeles, Kopell initially drove a taxi and tried to sell Kirby vacuum cleaners to make ends meet before being cast in a minor role in The Brighter Day, a daytime soap aired on CBS.[8] From there, he moved on to star in My Favorite Martian and The Jack Benny Program impersonating Latino characters, eventually managing to branch out and do other accents.

During the 1960s and early 1970s, Kopell appeared in many television series, often sitcoms, including Ripcord, That Girl, The Jack Benny Program, Our Man Higgins, Green Acres, Ben Casey, The Flying Nun, Needles and Pins, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The Sonny and Cher Show, Lancelot Link-Secret Chimp, Petticoat Junction, The Streets of San Francisco, Room 222, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Bewitched, and Kojak.[9]

However, Kopell's longest-running role was as Dr. Adam Bricker on The Love Boat, an Aaron Spelling production. He remained on the series during its entire run, appearing in 250 episodes.[10]

Siegfried and other roles

Kopell made memorable recurring appearances as KAOS agent Siegfried in Get Smart, Alan-a-Dale in When Things Were Rotten, Jerry Bauman in That Girl and Louie Pallucci in The Doris Day Show. He played several characters on Bewitched, including the witches' apothecary and the hippie warlock Alonzo in the episode "The Warlock in the Gray Flannel Suit". He played Charlie Miller as a member of the cast of the situation comedy Needles and Pins, which ran for 14 episodes in the autumn of 1973. He portrayed a plastic surgeon who gave Ed Brown a facelift on Chico and the Man. Earlier in his career, he played a director in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("Good-Bye George"). About this same time, he guest starred on the short-lived The New Phil Silvers Show.[9]

Doc on The Love Boat and other roles

Kopell's role as Doc on The Love Boat was parodied in a humorous 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.[11][12] A few moments later, he was shown having been re-seated in the mezzanine when the second parody was made at his expense, and again stood up, raised his fists and stormed out, playing along with the host. In a dream sequence of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Kopell made a parody cameo 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.[9] In the 1990s, Kopell traded on his Doc Bricker persona when he appeared in a commercial for an anti-snoring product named D-Snore, in which he noted that loud snoring "can even ruin a romantic cruise."[13]

After The Love Boat, Kopell was so recognizable that he was not in roles often without a nod to his most famous role. He appears as a coroner in "Which Prue Is It Anyway", an episode of Charmed. Kopell appears in the Monk episode "Mr. Monk and the Critic", playing Mr. Gilson, the ill-fated restroom attendant, whom Monk referred to as the Michelangelo of lavatories. He guest starred in "Pinky", a 2009 episode of My Name Is Earl.[9] He made a cameo as a patient in the Scrubs episode "My Friend the Doctor", as well as an episode of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.

Beginning in August 2022, Kopell co-starred with Hal Linden in Two Jews Talking off Broadway at the Theater at St Clement’s. He played his final performance on October 16.

As of 2023, he still appears regularly in film and television productions despite his advanced age.

Personal life

Kopell has been married three times, first to actress Celia Whitney, then actress Yolanda Veloz, before marrying Catrina Honadle in 1997.[14] Kopell and Honadle have two children together, Adam (born 1998) and Josh (born 2003).[15]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1963 The Man from the Diners' Club Comet Messenger Uncredited
1963 The Thrill of It All Commercial Director Uncredited
1963 The Wheeler Dealers Fawning Art Fan Uncredited
1964 Good Neighbor Sam Richard Taragon Uncredited
1965 The Loved One Assistant to the Guru Brahmin
1966 Death of a Salesman Howard
1972 Wild in the Sky Penrat
1976 The Love Boat Dr. Adam Bricker
1976 Flo's Place Hoffman
1976 Bound for Glory Baker – Woody's Agent Uncredited
1977 The Love Boat II Dr. O'Neill
1978 A Guide for the Married Woman Bill
1985 Half Nelson Pilot episode
1986 Combat High Mr. Mendelsson
1989 Get Smart, Again Conrad Siegfried/Prof. Helmut Schmelding
1989 The Magic Boy's Easter Mordechai the Magician Video short
1990 The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage Doc
1992 Missing Pieces Dr. Gutman
1998 Bug Buster Gil Griffin
1998 Sunset Beach: Shockwave Captain James Nelson
1998 Land of the Free TV Host
1999 Follow Your Heart Anthony Mason
2002 The Stoneman Professor Milano
2003 Dismembered
2003 A Light in the Forest Artemis Schnell
2004 Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls Officer Uncredited
2005 The Cutter Issac Teller
2006 The Creature of the Sunny Side Up Trailer Park Percy Wells
2007 Say It in Russian Geezer 2
2008 Get Smart Opel Driver
2010 First Dog Psychiatrist Juvenile Hall
2018 The Last Sharknado: It's About Time Charter Boat Captain

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1961 Whispering Smith Roulette Game Operator (as Bernard Kopell) Episode: "Trademark"
1962–1963 The Jack Benny Program Banker – Mr. Harris/Alberto Rinaldi Episode: "The Story of the New Talent Show"
1963 Ripcord Photographer Episode "Picture of Terror"
1963 Our Man Higgins Finnerty Episode: "Half a Higgins"
1963 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Director Episode: "Good-Bye, George"
1963 McHale's Navy Colonel Pryor Episode: "Is There a Doctor in the Hut?"
1964 The Lucy Show Interne Episode: "Lucy Plays Florence Nightingale"
1964–1965 My Favorite Martian George / Senor Pepe Lopez / Morton Beanbecker 3 episodes
1964 The New Phil Silvers Show Stanislavsky Episode: "Moonlight and Dozes"
1964 Petticoat Junction Black Salmon Episode: "The Umquaw Strip"
1965 The Beverly Hillbillies Jerry Best Episode: "The Movie Starlet"
1965 Valentine's Day Episode: "The Title Fight"
1965 Sally and Sam Glen TV pilot
1965 Ben Casey Al Banner Episode: "What to Her Is Plato?"
1965–1966 The Farmer's Daughter Jim Bankes/Buster Cannon 2 episodes
1966 The Dick Van Dyke Show Juan Episode: "Remember the Alimony"
1966 Run, Buddy, Run Albert Overstreet Episode: "Steam Bath & Chicken Little"
1966 Get Smart Siegfried Recurring character; 1966–1969
1966 That Girl Jerry Bauman Recurring character; 1966–1971
1966 Green Acres James Stuart Episode: "You Ought to Be in Pictures"
1966 The Hero Charlie Episode: "I Have a Friend"
1968 The Flying Nun Dr. G. Paredes Episode: "The Return of Father Lundigan"
1969–1972 Bewitched Apothecary/Alonzo/Baron von Fuchs/Dr. Rhinehouse/A.J. Sylvester/Dr. H. Chomsky 9 episodes
1969 The Debbie Reynolds Show Announcer Episode: "In the Soup"
1970 Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp Baron von Butcher/Creto/Wang Fu (various character voices) 17 episodes
1970–1972 Room 222 Franklin/Roger Duncan 2 episodes
1970–1971 Love, American Style Mr. Chaney/Harry Barker/Counselor 3 episodes
1970–1973 The Doris Day Show Louie Pallucci/Uncle August Von Kappelhoff/Major Laguinita
(Doris' seatmate)		 8 episodes
1971 Night Gallery Reed Episode: "The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes"
1971 Funny Face Repairman Episode: "The Repairman Cheateth"
1971 The Chicago Teddy Bears Rudolpho Tarantino Episode: "Annie Get Your Cue"
1972 Ironside George Packer Episode: "Unreasonable Facsimile"
1972 The Odd Couple Professor Faraday Episode: "Psychic, Shmychic"
1972 Me and the Chimp Arbogast Episode: "Mike's Burglar Alarm"
1972 Insight Willie Episode: "Graduation Day"
1972 The New Dick Van Dyke Show Officer Jack Jackson Episode: "Sobriety Test"
1972 The Bob Newhart Show Dr. Arnold Episode: "I Want to Be Alone"
1972 The New Temperatures Rising Show Harold Lefkowitz Recurring character (to 1973)
1973 The Paul Lynde Show Campbell Episode: "Out of Bounds"
1973 Needles and Pins Charlie Miller Series regular
1974 The Streets of San Francisco Arthur Ganz Episode: "Mask of Death"
1974 McMillan & Wife Bernini Mussolino Episode: "Guilt by Association"
1975 Harry O Charlie Episode: "For the Love of Money"
1975 Kolchak: The Night Stalker Doctor Gravanites Episode: "The Trevi Collection"
(as Bernard Kopell)
1975 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Tony Kramer Episode: "Ted Baxter's Famous Broadcasters' School"
1975 Hot L Baltimore Travez Episode: "Historic L Baltimore"
1975 The Ghost Busters Dr. Frankenstein Episode: "Dr. Whatsisname"
1975 The Streets of San Francisco Dean Watson Episode: "School of Fear"
1975 When Things Were Rotten Alan-A-Dale Main role
1975 Kojak Sam Bernard Episode: "Money Back Guarantee"
1976 Chico and the Man Harry Stern Episode: "The Face Job"
1976 Switch Gaylord Henderson/Selig 2 episodes
1976 The Six Million Dollar Man Pete Martin Episode: "Vulture of the Andes"
1977 Alice Burt Episode: "The Failure"
1977 Code R Garrison Episode: "The Drifter"
1977–1987 The Love Boat Doctor Adam Bricker Main role
1978 Fantasy Island Fred Stouton Episode: "Trouble, My Lovely/The Common Man"
1978 Flying High Morgan Episode: "The Beautiful People"
1978 Greatest Heroes of the Bible Potiphar Episode: "Joseph in Egypt"
1979 $weepstake$ Norman Townes Episode 1.5
1979 Supertrain Dr. Marshall Fossberg Episode: "Pirouette"
1979 Charlie's Angels Doctor Adam Bricker Episode: "Love Boat Angels"
1981 Hart to Hart James Parquest Episode: "Hartland Express"
1983 Fantasy Island Carter Ransome Episode: "The Devil Stick/Touch and Go"
1984 Legmen Apple Dan Bonny Episode: "The Return of Apple Dan Bonny"
1987 DuckTales Voice work Episode: "Spies in Their Eyes"
1987 The Charmings Dr. Roland Episode: "Lillian Loses Her Powers"
1987 Sledge Hammer! Vincent Lagarski Episode: "The Last of the Red Hot Vampires"
1987 ABC Afterschool Special Tom Episode: "The Day My Kid Went Punk"
1987 The New Mike Hammer Episode: "Elegy for a Tramp" (as Bernie Koppel)
1991 Civil Wars Episode: "A Long, Fat Frontal Presentation"
1992 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Doc Episode: "Ill Will"
1994 Saturday Night Live Doc (uncredited) Episode: "Patrick Stewart/Salt-N-Pepa"
1995 Get Smart Siegfried Episode: "Wurst Enemies"
1997 Diagnosis: Murder Dr. Les Franklin Episode: "Physician, Murder Thyself"
1997 Martin Dr. Adam Bricker Episode: "Goin' Overboard: Part 2"
1997 Boy Meets World Himself Episode: "Fraternity Row"
1997 Head over Heels Himself Episode: "Vice Guy"
1998 The Lionhearts Voice work Episode: "Leo's Diet"
1998 Love Boat: The Next Wave Dr. Adam Bricker Episode: "Reunion"
1998 Sunset Beach Captain Nelson 4 episodes
1999 Charmed Coroner Episode: "Which Prue Is It Anyway?"
1999 Beverly Hills, 90210 Dr. Beldon Episode: "Beheading St. Valentine"
2000 As Told by Ginger Mr. Libby (voice) Episode: "Cry Wolf"
2003 Scrubs Mr. Moran Episode: "My Friend the Doctor"
2006 The Suite Life of Zack and Cody Banker – Old Guy Episode: "Not So Suite 16"
2009 My Name Is Earl Lake Resort Manager Episode: "Pinky"
2009 Monk Gilson Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Critic"
2012–2013 See Dad Run The Colonel/Col. James Cunningham 2 episodes
2013 Arrested Development Judge Kornzucker 3 episodes
2013 Hit the Floor Mel O'Grane Episode: "Keep Away"
2013 Raising Hope Charles Episode: "Ship Happens"
2014 The Comeback Kids Jim Episode: "Richie and Gary Re-Unite"
2016 Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything Morty Episode: "The Ringer"
2017 Hawaii Five-0 Itzhak Rozen Episode: "Ka pa'ani nui", "Big Game"
2017 Superstore Arthur Episode: "Valentine's Day"
2019 Better Things Irwin Episode: "Nesting"[16]
2019 Mom Ken Episode: "Goat Yogurt and Ample Parking"
2019 Silicon Valley Lex Skelton 2 episodes
2020–2021 B Positive Mr. Knudsen 8 episodes
2022 The Lincoln Lawyer Marvin Beedleman Episode: "He Rides Again"[17]
2022 Grey's Anatomy Father Christopher Episode: "Here Comes the Sun"

Writer

Year Title Episodes Notes
1978 The Love Boat Episode: "Winner Take Love/The Congressman Was Indiscreet/Isaac's History Lesson" Segment: "Isaac's History Lesson"
1978 The Love Boat Episode: "Mike and Ike/The Witness/The Kissing Bandit" Segments: "Mike and Ike" and "The Kissing Bandit"
1978 The Love Boat Episode: "The Captain's Cup/Folks from Home/Legal Eagle"
1979 The Love Boat Episode: "A Funny Valentine/The Wallflower/Home Is Not a Home"
1983 The Love Boat Episode: "Bricker's Boy/Lotions of Love/The Hustlers"

References

  1. 1 2 "Bernie Kopell profile". FilmReference.com.
  2. 1 2 Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earl (2003). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present (8th ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 460, 705. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
  3. ↑ "Bernie Kopell: Siegfried confesses 'I've been very lucky'". Baltimore Post-Examiner. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  4. ↑ Anita, Hamilton (21 June 2016). "Celebrating Seniors – Bernie Kopell Turns 83". 50+ World. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  5. ↑ "Ex-Iowa sailors salute the ship as it makes its final port call". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  6. ↑ Hayes, Anthony C (13 September 2016). "Bernie Kopell: Siegfried confesses 'I've been very lucky'". Baltimore Post Examiner. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  7. ↑ Battalon, Ella (27 May 2015). "Actor and US Navy veteran Bernie Kopell was special guest aboard USS IOWA". AXS. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  8. ↑ Hayes, Anthony C (13 September 2016). "Bernie Kopell: Siegfried confesses 'I've been very lucky'". Baltimore Post-Examiner. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Bernie Kopell at IMDb
  10. ↑ The Love Boat at IMDb
  11. ↑ "Late Show with David Letterman". TV.com.
  12. ↑ "Today in Dementia History Datebook". Archived from the original on 2010-08-30.
  13. ↑ James Brent (2017-01-25), D-Snore Commercial, retrieved 2018-01-25
  14. ↑ "Who Keeps Love Boat's Doc, Bernie Kopell, on An Even Keel? A Mogul Wife Named Yolanda". People. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  15. ↑ Gamerman, Ellen (8 July 2010). "'Viagara Falls' Star Bernie Kopell on 'Love Boat' Reunions and Little Blue Pills". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  16. ↑ Sepinwall, Alan (March 14, 2019). "'Better Things' Recap: Father Knows Best". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  17. ↑ {url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13833978/fullcredits}
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