Miss Magruder (Patti Gilbert; 1931-2011) is the main villainess from "Operation Ridiculous," episode 3.21 of Get Smart (airdate March 2, 1968).
On a visit to the Chief (Edward Platt), Miss Magruder is introduced as the secretary for Mr. Fitzmaurice (George Macready), an important writer for Weeknews Magazine, who was working on a story about CONTROL.
Later on, Miss Magruder is revealed as a KAOS agent, stating that she spent two years gaining Fitzmaurice's trust to further her true plan: the complete elimination of CONTROL. With the help of her henchmen, Boris and Otto (Max Kleven), the evil Miss Magruder planned to sabotage CONTROL and make them look completely incompetent. This would result in a story putting CONTROL in such an unfavorable light that the organization would be shut down, allowing KAOS to commit their evil deeds freely.
Miss Magruder's plans work to fruition, and Maxwell Smart's (Don Adams) various mishaps injure Fitzmaurice. While showing him around the headquarters they come upon the drugged body of Foreign Minister Udano. They take him to the lab of Dr. Steele (Ellen Weston), who is Control's Chief Scientist, and also a chorus girl by night. As Dr. Steele is diagnosing the minister, Miss Magruder uses her poison dart pencil to shoot the leggy Dr. Steele.
Max and Agent 99 (Barbara Feldon) suspect KAOS of being behind the mishaps. They meet with Fitzmaurice and Max believes he is the KAOS agent. However, when Max asks to use the pencil that Miss Magruder has, she protests. 99 correctly fingers Miss Magruder, stating that she used her poison dart pencil to drug The Chief, the Minister and Dr. Steele.
Her role revealed, Miss Magruder's henchmen resurfaced and held the trio at gunpoint, as the villainess led them out of their room with intent on eliminating them. However, Max subdues Boris and Otto, and 99 holds Miss Magruder at bay. It is assumed that all three villains are arrested.
As the case is wound down, Max demonstrates the poison dart pencil by accidentally shooting Fitzmaurice in the Chief's office, causing him to be knocked out.
Trivia[]
- Patti Gilbert previously appeared as the evil henchwoman Rhonda in the 1965 episode "Survival of the Fattest" on the TV series "Get Smart".
- Patti Gilbert appeared as henchwoman Shirley in the 1967 episode "The Unkindest Tut of All" in the TV series "Batman".