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Agent 86 contest wins local seat at movie premier

Greg Marshall, Of the Record

Nate Sears grew up watching Maxwell Smart fumble his way into saving the world on the 1960s television comedy "Get Smart." But Sears, who owns Crazy Parkite Productions, never thought he would get to be a secret agent.

The dream is coming true, chief.

Sears won a nationwide contest sponsored by Warner Brothers Studios and YouTube for making a 15-second promotional video for the blockbuster movie remake of the television series. The film hits theaters Friday, June 20, and stars Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway.

Sears will be flown to Hollywood, Calif., for the premier June 16 at the Mann Village Theater. The trip includes a weekend at the Marriott Residence Inn in Beverly Hills and a rental car.

"If they decided to bring back the TV show, Steve Carrell would be too expensive, so I guess I’m the man," Sears said.

Sears directs, writes and produces promotional videos with his production company, but he said his first love is acting. He teaches workshops for the local nonprofit Art Kids and starred in a Park City improvisation group called Off the Top for six years.

"The benefit of having your hand in all parts of acting is you learn how to do it all. It’s such a collaborative effort. It’s helpful to work both sides."

Don Adams, who played Maxwell Smart on television, was the inspiration for the video, Sears said. "I watch reruns of "Get Smart," he said. "I love the show. I love Don Adams and his comedy."

Sears praised Adams for improvising and turning the on-air foibles of Agent 86 into comedic gold. Sears and his friends shot the video about three weeks ago. He speculated that the production value of his video, and his dead-on impersonation of the original star, may have won him the contest. Sears beat out more than 200 other entrants.

"Maxwell Smart is the most obvious secret agent ever," Sears said. "He’s not a James Bond who could be played by multiple people. He’s got some many idiosyncrasies. It was really Don Adams who made the show funny."

Viewers may remember Maxwell Smart’s shoe-telephone as well as catch-phrases ("I missed it by that much, chief!) that have kept the show popular today.

"I wrote the script for the video, but used phrases from the series," Sears explained.

Sears stumbled upon the contest two weeks before the deadline. After the video earned a spot in the semifinals, YouTube users voted for their favorite spot.

In the video, Sears wore a red robe with the numbers "86" embossed on the back, a knockoff of the robe Maxwell Smart donned for the series. "I’ll probably go [to the premier] in my street clothes," laughed Sears. "But I’ll wear the robe around the hotel."

Sears said the film looks entertaining. "It’ll be updated and play out differently from the show. I’m sure Steve Carrell will give a good performance."

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