I Spy, which ran on NBC from 1965 to 1968, was a Sheldon Leonard Production which chronicled the exploits of fictional characters Kelly Robinson (Robert Culp)and Alexander Scott (Bill Cosby). Robinson and Scott, who posed as a professional tennis player and his personal trainer, were in reality spies for the United States. I Spy was a whimsical adventure show with a hip wit characteristic of the espionage genre in the 1960s. But rather than being drawn in the cartoonish James Bondian style, Robinson and Scott were fully realized characters who displayed a range of feelings and concerns uncharacteristic of spy television heroes. They bled, got headaches, and often doubted themselves and their role in global affairs.

    The Cold War has often been considered a generative force for the television espionage programs. The genre of spy fiction, which arguably began its 1960s cinematic version with Dr. No, made its way to television in 1964 with The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Many imitators followed, but I Spy was a departure from the style established in earlier shows. In this series, Robinson and Scott did not battle against shadowy organizations of global evil, such as THRUSH from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. or SPECTRE from James Bond films. Rather, the show recognized political tensions of the day. I Spy unashamedly acknowledged the role of the United States in the arena of world espionage.

    Virtually the entire first season was filmed on location in Hong Kong and other Asian locales. Leonard, as well as producers David Friedkin and Morton Fine, had no qualms about spending money to avoid a "backlot" look to the show. Associate producer Ron Jacobs and location manager Fuad Said worked with both their own "Cinemobile" and film crews from NBC News Asian bureaus to get much of the location footage used in that first season. The second season was filmed almost exclusively in Greece, Spain, and other Mediterranean locations, using similar techniques.

    But the series did not depend exclusively on exotic location and "realism" for its narratives. It also looked at the personal side of espionage and the toll it could take on those who practiced it. The characters would often admit and lament the fact that they had to fight the forces of evil on their level. Unlike many shows of the genre, I Spy dealt with agents dying cruel deaths, burning out on the spy game, and often even doubting the nature of orders from superiors. This questioning of authority was more at home in programming based on the "counterculture" pitched toward the youth of the times. Yet Cosby and Culp more often than not straddled the fence between rebellion and allegiance despite the fact that after the premiere of I Spy, New York Times Television critic Jack Gould called it a show "looking for a style and attitude."

    I Spy was one of the first dramatic shows to feature an African-American male as a leading character. Producer Leonard was certain of Cosby's talents but the network had grave doubts about casting an untested stand-up comedian in a dramatic lead. The network's concerns were quickly dispelled by Cosby's deft and multifaceted talent--a talent which garnered him three consecutive Emmys as Best Male Actor in a Dramatic Television series between 1965 and 1968. Originally, the role of Alexander Scott was to have been that of a bodyguard for Kelly Robinson. Both Cosby and Culp conferred with the three producers (Leonard, Friedkin, and Fine) and the decision was made to have Robinson and Scott as equals. Cosby also stated that racial issues would not be dealt with on I Spy. This "color blind" approach freed the show from having to impart a message each week and instead allowed it to succeed by emulating the conventions of the genre of espionage adventure. I Spy also showcased the talents of other African-American actors of the time including Godfrey Cambridge, Ivan Dixon, and Eartha Kitt. As a result of its ostensible neutrality on race relations, African-Americans could be heroes or villains with a minimum of political overtones.

    Though never a Top Twenty show, I Spy enjoyed three successful years on NBC. Bill Cosby in particular enjoyed very high Q ratings (audience appreciation ratings) for the run of the show. In 1994, an I Spy reunion movie was broadcast. But more than a quarter century had passed since Robinson and Scott last toiled to preserve world security and the viewing audience was not as welcoming as it had been.

    -John Cooper

    CAST

    Kelly Robinson....................................... Robert Culp  

    Alexander Scott........................................ Bill Cosby

    PRODUCERS

    Sheldon Leonard, David Friedkin, Mort Fine

    PROGRAMMING HISTORY   

    82 Episodes

    NBC

    September 1965-September 1967   Wednesday 10:00-11:00

    September 1967-September 1968   Monday 10:00-11:00

    FURTHER READING

    Barnouw, Erik. Tube of Plenty. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.

    Leonard, Sheldon. And The Show Goes On: Broadway and Hollywood Adventures. New York: Limelight Editions, 1995.

    MacDonald, J. Fred. Blacks And White TV: Afro-Americans in Television Since 1948. Chicago: Nelson-Hall Publishers, 1983.

    Thumbnail of Robert Culp

    Robert Culp on dealing with the racial aspect of I Spy

    02:31
    Thumbnail of Sheldon Leonard

    Sheldon Leonard on casting Bill Cosby in I Spy

    02:24
    Thumbnail of Hank Rieger

    Hank Rieger on publicity for I Spy

    01:02
    Thumbnail of Garry Marshall

    Garry Marshall on network censorship experienced writing the I Spy episode "No Exchange on Damaged Merchandise" (airdate: November 10, 1965)

    02:04
    Thumbnail of Ruth Engelhardt

    Ruth Engelhardt on packaging I Spy for Sheldon Leonard

    07:26
    Thumbnail of Eartha Kitt

    Eartha Kitt on acting on I Spy

    03:42

    Howard Anderson, Jr.

    Howard Anderson Jr. on creating the opening titles for I Spy

    01:48

    Earl Bellamy

    Earl Bellamy on directing I Spy

    05:00

    Robert Butler

    Robert Butler on directing I Spy

    03:49

    Hal Cooper

    Hal Cooper on directing an episode of I Spy

    04:20

    Robert Culp

    Robert Culp on the events that led up to his starring on I Spy

    02:26

    Robert Culp on Sheldon Leonard casting Bill Cosby on I Spy at the suggestion of Rob Reiner

    03:54

    Robert Culp on shooting the original pilot for I Spy co-starring Bill Cosby and produced by Sheldon Leonard, and on writing four episodes

    07:29

    Robert Culp on his I Spy character, "Kelly Robinson"

    01:50

    Robert Culp on public and critical reaction to I Spy, and on the end of the show

    04:36

    Robert Culp on traveling around the world to shoot I Spy

    01:57

    Robert Culp on his chemistry with Bill Cosby on I Spy, and on acting advice he gave him

    08:02

    Robert Culp on he and Bill Cosby acting as mentors for each other on I Spy

    03:22

    Robert Culp on dealing with the racial aspect of I Spy

    02:31

    Robert Culp on the non-legacy of I Spy

    02:35

    Robert Culp on the 1994 revival of I Spy

    02:48

    Ruth Engelhardt

    Ruth Engelhardt on packaging I Spy for Sheldon Leonard

    07:26

    Ruth Engelhardt on the locations of I Spy and on doing business deals with Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard

    05:40

    Mike Fenton

    Mike Fenton on casting Gomer Pyle - U.S.M.C. and on casting I Spy and on the duties of an associate producer

    03:34

    Mike Fenton on the locations of I Spy

    01:29

    Mike Fenton on working with Robert Culp and Bill Cosby on I Spy

    01:47

    Earle Hagen

    Earle Hagen on beginning his work for I Spy

    07:05

    Earle Hagen on the amount of different material needed for I Spy

    01:50

    Earle Hagen on writing the theme for I Spy

    05:00

    Earle Hagen on NBC initially not approving Bill Cosby to co-star in I Spy because it feared repercussions from Southern affiliates

    02:02

    Earle Hagen on orchestrating the music for I Spy and bringing in another composer to help with the workload on that show

    05:48

    Earle Hagen on composing exotic music for I Spy depending on the location of the episode

    08:01

    Earle Hagen on traveling with the company of I Spy

    03:15

    Earle Hagen on favorite episodes of I Spy

    02:52

    Earl Hagen on never using music of the time for I Spy

    01:20

    Earl Hagen on releasing albums of his music from I Spy

    01:01

    Eartha Kitt

    Eartha Kitt on acting on I Spy

    03:42

    Eartha Kitt on acting on the series I Spy

    05:28

    Walter Koenig

    Walter Koenig on acting on I Spy

    01:42

    Gene LeBell

    Gene LeBell on stunt work on I Spy and working with Robert Culp

    02:00

    Sheldon Leonard

    Sheldon Leonard on casting Bill Cosby in I Spy

    02:24

    Sheldon Leonard on creating I Spy

    02:13

    Sheldon Leonard on the concept of I Spy and what made the show work

    01:14

    Sheldon Leonard on working with Robert Culp on I Spy and working with location scout Fouad Said

    02:56

    Sheldon Leonard on the logistics and cost of shooting I Spy around the world

    02:58

    Sheldon Leonard on the end of I Spy

    01:40

    Sheldon Leonard on an example of network script notes on I Spy

    01:02

    Garry Marshall

    Garry Marshall on network censorship experienced writing the I Spy episode "No Exchange on Damaged Merchandise" (airdate: November 10, 1965)

    02:04

    Carl Reiner

    Carl Reiner on how his son Rob is responsible for bringing Bill Cosby onto I Spy

    00:43

    John Rich

    John Rich on working with Bill Cosby on I Spy

    00:54

    Hank Rieger

    Hank Rieger on publicity for I Spy

    01:02

    Grant Tinker

    Grant Tinker on Sheldon Leonard wanting to do I Spy

    01:51

    Leslie Uggams

    Leslie Uggams on appearing on I Spy

    01:02

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