99 is 80

One of the most influential style icons form the 1960's was agent 99. Barbara Feldon portrayed 99 for five years on one of the most revered off all 60's sitcoms "Get Smart". As 99 Barbara Feldon made being a spy both cool and very stylish.
Barbara Feldon was born Barbara Anne Hall in Pittsburgh in 1933. That makes 99 80years old this year! She studied drama at what is now Carnegie Mellon University graduating in 1955. She moved to New York and started her career as a model. She made a name for herself in 1957 by winning the grand prize on the now infamous television quiz show "The $64,000 Question". Her category was William Shakespeare. She took her winnings from the show and invested along with her then husband Lucien Verdoux-Feldon in an art gallery. It was during this period she was finding lots of work as a model and really caught the public's eye in an ad for "Top Brass" a men's hair care product. In the ad she was lying on a fur rug and talked to the men watching calling them "Tigers".

Her career started to pick up some speed leading to guest parts on television shows like "Flipper", "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in" and "Man From Uncle". Buck Henry saw her and wrote the role of 99 with her in mind when he was creating "Get Smart". Barbara Feldon is 5'10" tall so Don Adams was too sure about working with her at first but he was finally convinced she was perfect. During the five year run of the show she worked either bare foot or stooped to make Adams' height less noticeable.
After "Get Smart" was cancelled Ms Feldon had a few roles in films most notably "Fitzwilly" with Dick Van Dyke and "Smile" a send up of beauty pageants. She also worked as a voice over actress. She also appeared in the 1989 made for television movie "Get Smart, Again!" along with making guest appearances on shows like "Cheers" and "Mad About You".
While she was making Get Smart Ms Feldon divorced her first husband and shortly thereafter married Get Smart producer Burt Nodella. They were married for 12 years. When that relationship ended she moved back to New York. While living in New York she wrote a book titled "Living Alone and Loving It" and acted in off Broadway shows. She is now quoted as saying she is "no longer interested in acting".
She may be 80 but she will forever be 99.