Veteran television and film actor, Robert Culp passed away on March 24,2010, after taking a fall in a Los Angeles Park. He was 79.
Culp’s career began in the late 50s, as the star of a short-lived western called Trackdown. He is best remembered, however, for his starring role alongside Bill Cosby in I Spy, which ran for three seasons on NBC from 1965-1968. On the show, Culp played international tennis star, Kelly Robinson, who, along with having a great backhand, also happened to be a secret agent working for the Pentagon. Bill Cosby played his mentor and tennis trainer, Alexander Scott. The series is notable for casting the first African-American in the starring role of a television drama series.
Here are the opening credits:
And here is a 2007 interview with Robert Culp talking about his memories of the show:
Besides I Spy, Culp also starred in the popular 80s series, Greatest American Hero, and more recently, appeared as Ray Romano’s father in Everybody Loves Raymond. He also starred in numerous films over the years, including PT 109, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,The Pelican Brief and the 1962, made-for-tv Disney movie, Sammy, the Way-Out Seal.
Share your memories of Robert Culp with all of us at Retroland as we remember the life and career of this beloved actor.
I never saw I Spy, but I do remember being impressed with Robert Culp’s Performance in two episodes of “The Outer Limits” (1963-65). The first episode was called, “The Architects of Fear”, where Robert Culp’s character volunteers to become an alien as part of a government experiment. The second episode he was in was called “Demon with a Glass Hand”, written by Harlan Elison and became the basis for James Cameron’s “The Terminator” RIP Robert Culp.
I never saw I spy or his performace on Everybody loves Raymond. I remember him from The Greatest American Hero. He was on an episode of The Cosby Show,which I would love to have all seasons.
Sexy man. I’ve been watching Greatest American Hero discs from Netflix, and enjoying the adventures of Bill Maxwell, FBI. I’ve never seen I Spy, but Netflix has those discs, too. I may just check them out, to see how much sexier Culp was when younger.