Ed Platt's Death - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

tv star collector · 08-14-2008, 08:00 AM

I've read conflicting accounts of Ed Platt's death. An online source, a Get
Smart website, claims that he committed suicide (after two previous
attempts); while Joey Green's book, The Get Smart Handbook, states
that he died of a heart attack. Which story is correct?

Mikado · 08-14-2008, 08:09 PM

He died of a suicide, however, this was covered up with the heart attack story for several years, to avoid embarrassement to the family (Suicide was considered rather taboo back then)

Tweety · 02-15-2009, 03:00 PM

According to the wiki article, someone claiming to be Platt's son said that his father did, in fact, commit suicide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Platt

"... Platt is believed to have died of a heart attack in 1974 at the age of 58. In August 2007, a Get Smart fan website published an interview with a man claiming to be Edward's son Jeff Platt in which he stated that his father had died as a result of a suicide, caused by depression and financial difficulties. He left four children from two marriages and a brother living in Santa Barbara, California. His ashes were scattered at sea... "

MickeyMac · 02-15-2009, 03:45 PM

Wow I never knew this. Its real sad that he took his own life. I really liked him as the chief.

TripperFan · 02-15-2009, 03:48 PM

Wow, I never knew this. I always thought it was the heart attack. I don't blame the family for hiding it though.

Really sad.

edplattfan · 08-06-2013, 11:38 PM

Yes, it was suicide. I am the owner of the Ed Platt Tribute site and his son Jeff has contributed to it and the Get Smart site. Ed had a daughter from marriage 1 and another son and daughter from marriage 2. Both ended in divorce. Ed tried to kill himself at least twice. He had depression but back then the help wasn't available. It's only been in the last decade that the family, or at least JEff, has come fwd with the true cause of Ed's death. They want people to know that help is available and hopefully prevent people from losing a loved one to depression.

MikeLutton · 08-07-2013, 12:22 AM

how he commit suicide though this is so sad may he rip

edplattfan · 08-11-2013, 12:52 PM

I think Ed killed himself with pills. he did suffer from a bad back and missed some eps. of GS because of this. What I find interesting is the newspaper story on his death said, "a police officer said he died of natural causes." Or something to that effect. It wasn't even common knowledge that Ed was divorced. However, the fact that he was in an apartment would give one clue. I found the divorce records and they were filled in 12/73. One thing the obits didn't mention is that Ed was a grandfather at this point. His grandson was just 7 years younger than his youngest child!

caladon · 09-06-2013, 06:35 PM

On a lighter note:

Here's an Ed Platt story that was told to me years ago by a co-worker. She and a friend were in a restaurant and during their meal, in walks Ed Platt; whom they immediately recognized. As he was sitting at the bar, they decided to have a little fun and asked the waiter to deliver a note to him. The note said something like - "KAOS is here. Be careful." After he read the note, he got a serious look on his face - looked around the room and then took off his shoe and pretended to talk into it. He then came over to their table and she said he was very nice and and every bit the gentleman.

He apparently also had a good sense of humor.

Mr. Television · 09-06-2013, 08:13 PM

Very sad to hear about Ed. Depression is an awful disease.

edplattfan · 09-29-2013, 12:17 PM

@Caladon. Thanks for sharing the story. I heard nothing but kind words about Ed. A man from Texas shared a story with me. In the 50s, after Ed's 1st divorce, he moved there to be with one of his brothers. it was a small town and Ed was the news anchor, tv show host, cooking show host, etc. at the local ABC affiliate. Anyway the man told me his mom had a cooking show and Ed would be there as host and he would also host an afternoon kiddie show that featured westerns. The man told me Ed had him on the show as a boy and because he was such a good co-host Ed gave him a six shooter but the belt was so big it kept falling down. They had to go to the film because Ed couldn't stop laughing on live tv. Another time Ed hosted a kiddie party show live on tv to celebrate a local child's bday. Ed asked the boy(now the man telling me the story) to be on and said "What's your name?" even though he knew it and the boy said "you know very well what my name is!" Ed never had him on the show again.

dougiezerts · 05-05-2014, 06:47 PM

If only he knew how loved he was by fans. He was absolutely perfect as the Chief.
RIP

MikeLutton · 01-18-2015, 11:54 PM

maybe they should use the code of silence lol such nice stories sorry he had a tragic end of life would been nice to have him on the get smart reunion movie

Heenan Fan · 01-18-2019, 11:40 PM

I loved the chief. So sad to hear of his tragic final days.

OH Nuts! · 01-19-2019, 12:40 AM

He was great as the chief and perfectly complimented the slightly ditzy 86. So sad he died as he did.

08-14-2008, 08:00 AM	#1
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,486	Ed Platt's Death I've read conflicting accounts of Ed Platt's death. An online source, a Get Smart website, claims that he committed suicide (after two previous attempts); while Joey Green's book, The Get Smart Handbook, states that he died of a heart attack. Which story is correct?

02-15-2009, 03:48 PM	#5
TripperFan In God's Arms Now Forum Star Join Date: Sep 14, 2003 Location: Heartbreak Ridge Posts: 12,087	Wow, I never knew this. I always thought it was the heart attack. I don't blame the family for hiding it though. Really sad.
	__________________ If I don't see you in this world, I'll meet you in the next one.....don't be late James Marshall Hendrix Voodoo Chile The Forum Legend formerly known as TripperFan "religion is for people who are afraid of hell--spirituality is for people who have been through hell"---anonymous

08-07-2013, 12:22 AM	#7
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,873	how he commit suicide though this is so sad may he rip
	__________________ Tv And DVD Addict got over a hundred dvds in my collection more than anyone in the neighborhood. also huge Animal lover family man

09-06-2013, 06:35 PM	#9
caladon Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 30, 2001 Location: Massachusetts state home for the bewildered Posts: 1,151	On a lighter note: Here's an Ed Platt story that was told to me years ago by a co-worker. She and a friend were in a restaurant and during their meal, in walks Ed Platt; whom they immediately recognized. As he was sitting at the bar, they decided to have a little fun and asked the waiter to deliver a note to him. The note said something like - "KAOS is here. Be careful." After he read the note, he got a serious look on his face - looked around the room and then took off his shoe and pretended to talk into it. He then came over to their table and she said he was very nice and and every bit the gentleman. He apparently also had a good sense of humor.
	__________________ Jesus is the son of GOD and my savior; pretty cool.

09-06-2013, 08:13 PM	#10
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,127	Very sad to hear about Ed. Depression is an awful disease.
	__________________ Sonny

08-14-2008, 08:09 PM	#2
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,880	He died of a suicide, however, this was covered up with the heart attack story for several years, to avoid embarrassement to the family (Suicide was considered rather taboo back then)

02-15-2009, 03:00 PM	#3
Tweety Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 18, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 6,804	According to the wiki article, someone claiming to be Platt's son said that his father did, in fact, commit suicide. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Platt "... Platt is believed to have died of a heart attack in 1974 at the age of 58. In August 2007, a Get Smart fan website published an interview with a man claiming to be Edward's son Jeff Platt in which he stated that his father had died as a result of a suicide, caused by depression and financial difficulties. He left four children from two marriages and a brother living in Santa Barbara, California. His ashes were scattered at sea... "

02-15-2009, 03:45 PM	#4
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,004	Wow I never knew this. Its real sad that he took his own life. I really liked him as the chief.

08-06-2013, 11:38 PM	#6
edplattfan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 08, 2003 Location: USA Posts: 265	Yes, it was suicide. I am the owner of the Ed Platt Tribute site and his son Jeff has contributed to it and the Get Smart site. Ed had a daughter from marriage 1 and another son and daughter from marriage 2. Both ended in divorce. Ed tried to kill himself at least twice. He had depression but back then the help wasn't available. It's only been in the last decade that the family, or at least JEff, has come fwd with the true cause of Ed's death. They want people to know that help is available and hopefully prevent people from losing a loved one to depression.

08-11-2013, 12:52 PM	#8
edplattfan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 08, 2003 Location: USA Posts: 265	I think Ed killed himself with pills. he did suffer from a bad back and missed some eps. of GS because of this. What I find interesting is the newspaper story on his death said, "a police officer said he died of natural causes." Or something to that effect. It wasn't even common knowledge that Ed was divorced. However, the fact that he was in an apartment would give one clue. I found the divorce records and they were filled in 12/73. One thing the obits didn't mention is that Ed was a grandfather at this point. His grandson was just 7 years younger than his youngest child!

09-29-2013, 12:17 PM	#11
edplattfan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 08, 2003 Location: USA Posts: 265	@Caladon. Thanks for sharing the story. I heard nothing but kind words about Ed. A man from Texas shared a story with me. In the 50s, after Ed's 1st divorce, he moved there to be with one of his brothers. it was a small town and Ed was the news anchor, tv show host, cooking show host, etc. at the local ABC affiliate. Anyway the man told me his mom had a cooking show and Ed would be there as host and he would also host an afternoon kiddie show that featured westerns. The man told me Ed had him on the show as a boy and because he was such a good co-host Ed gave him a six shooter but the belt was so big it kept falling down. They had to go to the film because Ed couldn't stop laughing on live tv. Another time Ed hosted a kiddie party show live on tv to celebrate a local child's bday. Ed asked the boy(now the man telling me the story) to be on and said "What's your name?" even though he knew it and the boy said "you know very well what my name is!" Ed never had him on the show again.

05-05-2014, 06:47 PM	#12
dougiezerts Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 20, 2012 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 204	If only he knew how loved he was by fans. He was absolutely perfect as the Chief. RIP

01-18-2015, 11:54 PM	#13
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,873	maybe they should use the code of silence lol such nice stories sorry he had a tragic end of life would been nice to have him on the get smart reunion movie

01-18-2019, 11:40 PM	#14
Heenan Fan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Oct 19, 2016 Posts: 6,001	I loved the chief. So sad to hear of his tragic final days.

01-19-2019, 12:40 AM	#15
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	He was great as the chief and perfectly complimented the slightly ditzy 86. So sad he died as he did.