"I Spy" (1965) TV series 1965-1968

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Writers:

Michael Kandel (writer)
Paul Wendkos (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

15 September 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime

Plot:

A pair of American agents faces espionage adventures with skill, humor and some serious questions about their work...

Plot Keywords:

Travel | Tennis | Spy | Friendship | Buddy

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Robert Culp	...	Kelly Robinson / ... (82 episodes, 1965-1968)
Bill Cosby	...	Alexander Scott (82 episodes, 1965-1968)

(more)

Series Directed by
Earl Bellamy		(15 episodes, 1966-1968)
Paul Wendkos		(11 episodes, 1965-1966)
Christian Nyby		(11 episodes, 1967-1968)
Alf Kjellin		(9 episodes, 1966-1967)
Richard C. Sarafian		(8 episodes, 1966-1968)
David Friedkin		(5 episodes, 1965-1967)
Leo Penn		(4 episodes, 1965)
Robert Butler		(4 episodes, 1966)
Allen Reisner		(3 episodes, 1965-1966)
Mark Rydell		(3 episodes, 1965)
Tom Gries		(2 episodes, 1967)

Series Writing credits
Morton S. Fine		(17 episodes, 1965-1968)
David Friedkin		(17 episodes, 1965-1968)
Robert Culp		(7 episodes, 1965-1968)
Stephen Kandel		(7 episodes, 1966-1968)
Michael Zagor		(6 episodes, 1966-1968)
Jerrold L. Ludwig		(5 episodes, 1967-1968)
Barry Oringer		(4 episodes, 1966-1967)
Robert Lewin		(3 episodes, 1965-1968)
Earl Barret		(3 episodes, 1966-1968)
Robert C. Dennis		(3 episodes, 1966-1968)
Marion Hargrove		(3 episodes, 1966-1967)
Ernie Frankel		(3 episodes, 1967-1968)
Howard Dimsdale		(2 episodes, 1965-1968)
Gilbert Ralston		(2 episodes, 1965)
Jackson Gillis		(2 episodes, 1966-1968)
Rick Mittleman		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)
Eric Bercovici		(2 episodes, 1966)
Norman Borisoff		(2 episodes, 1966)
Berkely Mather		(2 episodes, 1967)
Elick Moll		(2 episodes, 1967)
Joseph Than		(2 episodes, 1967)
Michael Kandel		(unknown episodes)
Paul Wendkos		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Sheldon Leonard	....	executive producer / producer (28 episodes, 1965-1968)
Morton S. Fine	....	producer (24 episodes, 1965-1968)
David Friedkin	....	producer (24 episodes, 1965-1968)
Ronald Jacobs	....	associate producer / executive producer (14 episodes, 1965-1968)
Michael Fenton	....	associate producer (5 episodes, 1966-1968)

Series Original Music by
Earle Hagen		(20 episodes, 1965-1968)
Hugo Friedhofer		(2 episodes, 1966-1968)
Van Cleave		(2 episodes, 1967)

Series Cinematography by
Fleet Southcott		(14 episodes, 1965-1968)
Fouad Said		(7 episodes, 1965-1966)

Series Film Editing by
Bud Molin		(6 episodes, 1965-1966)
Basil Wrangell		(5 episodes, 1965-1966)
Bob Moore		(3 episodes, 1965)
George W. Brooks		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Casting by
Ruth Burch		(9 episodes, 1965-1966)
Fred Roos		(3 episodes, 1966-1967)
Marjorie Benson		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Kenneth A. Reid		(14 episodes, 1965-1968)

Series Set Decoration by
Ken Swartz		(10 episodes, 1965-1967)

Series Costume Design by
Harald Johnson		(6 episodes, 1965-1966)
Florence Crewell		(3 episodes, 1965)
Florence Albert		(2 episodes, 1966)

Series Makeup Department
Donna McDonough	....	hair stylist (10 episodes, 1965-1968)
Stanley Smith	....	makeup artist (6 episodes, 1965-1966)
William Woods	....	makeup artist (4 episodes, 1966-1968)

Series Production Management
Edward M. Hillie	....	production manager / unit production manager (8 episodes, 1965-1966)
Ronald Jacobs	....	production supervisor (7 episodes, 1965-1966)
Stan Brooks	....	assistant production manager (6 episodes, 1965-1966)
Frank E. Myers	....	production manager (6 episodes, 1965-1966)
Clark L. Paylow	....	production manager / production manager: Hollywood (6 episodes, 1966-1968)
Leon Chooluck	....	location production manager / production manager / ... (6 episodes, 1966-1967)
Tadeo Villalba	....	production manager (2 episodes, 1967)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Sandrich Jr.	....	assistant director (8 episodes, 1966-1967)
Sheldon Leonard	....	location unit director / second unit director (7 episodes, 1965-1966)
Bob Daley	....	assistant director (4 episodes, 1965)
Phil Cook	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1965)
Russ Haverick	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1965)
David Friedkin	....	location unit director / second unit director (2 episodes, 1965-1967)
Robert Fiz	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1966)
Jack Barry	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1967-1968)
Leon Chooluck	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Stuart Stevenson	....	property master / prop master (3 episodes, 1965)
Jerry McFarland	....	property master (3 episodes, 1966-1967)
Gene Gossert	....	property master (2 episodes, 1965)

Series Sound Department
John D. Hall	....	sound editor (9 episodes, 1965-1967)
Cam McCulloch	....	sound / sound engineer (5 episodes, 1965)
Burdick S. Trask	....	sound engineer (5 episodes, 1966-1967)
Frank E. Warner	....	sound editor (5 episodes, 1966-1967)
Dick Maier	....	sound editor (4 episodes, 1965-1966)
Tommy Thompson	....	sound engineer (2 episodes, 1966)
John Speak	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Joe Lombardi	....	special effects (11 episodes, 1965-1968)

Series Stunts
Calvin Brown	....	stunt double (2 episodes, 1965-1968)
Bob Bralver	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Ron Burke	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Fred Carson	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Larry Duran	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Louie Elias	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Tony Epper	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Charles Horvath	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Roy Jenson	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Denver Mattson	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Ed Parker	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Allen Pinson	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
George Sawaya	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Jerry Summers	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Ernie Reed	....	camera operator (82 episodes, 1965-1968)
Fouad Said	....	location director of photography (7 episodes, 1965-1967)
Randall Robinson	....	assistant camera (2 episodes, 1966-1968)
Jim Sellars	....	first assistant camera (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Florence Crewell	....	costumes (1 episode, 1965)
Harald Johnson	....	costumes (1 episode, 1965)

Series Editorial Department
Jerry Jameson	....	editorial supervisor / editorial coordinator (11 episodes, 1965-1968)

Series Music Department
Ken Johnson	....	music editor (9 episodes, 1965-1968)
Walter Popp	....	music coordinator (9 episodes, 1965-1968)
Earle Hagen	....	composer: theme music (2 episodes, 1966-1968)

Series Other crew
Joel Swanson	....	production assistant (9 episodes, 1965-1967)
Michael Preece	....	continuity (7 episodes, 1965-1966)
Ronald Jacobs	....	production executive (6 episodes, 1966-1968)
Michael Preece	....	continuity (3 episodes, 1966-1967)
Richard Wechsler	....	assistant to producers (3 episodes, 1966-1967)
Maria Luisa Alcaraz	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 1966)
Herbert Klynn	....	title designer (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• 3F Productions

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1965-1968) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Image Entertainment (2001-2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005-2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• NBC Film
• NET (TV Asahi) (1966) (Japan) (TV)
• National Telefilm Associates (NTA)
• Peter Rodgers Organization

Other Companies

• Format Productions  titles

Also Known As:

"Danny Doyle" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min (82 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:12 (season 1) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico

Company:

3F Productions

Trivia:

The first American dramatic TV series to feature a black actor in a lead role. Scripts were peppered with unique lingo. One catchphrase, "wonderfulness," became popular and was later used by Bill Cosby for the title of one of his comedy albums.

Quotes:

Alexander Scott: This is how far a cigarette burns in five minutes.
Kelly Robinson: Is there no limit to the wonderfulness of your mind.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Small Circle of Friends (1980)

Groundbreaking Series Made Bill Cosby a Star...

"I Spy" represented NBC at it's most daring, in 1965, and proved that actor/producer Sheldon Leonard, best known as the guiding force behind "The Andy Griffith Show", "Make Room For Daddy", and "The Dick Van Dyke Show", could offer a first-class dramatic entry, as well. Certainly in an era when civil rights was an explosive issue, and television series were predictable and shot exclusively on studio sound stages and back lots, a program that was filmed 'on location' and featured an African/American in a leading role for the first time (in a mainstream dramatic show) was not only revolutionary, but was potentially disastrous, as well. It is to everyone's credit that NBC, the most successful network at that time ("Bonanza" had a 'lock' on Number One in the ratings) was willing to take the risk, and introduce this remarkable series to American audiences.

Robert Culp was an established television star when the series debuted, a respected 35-year old actor with credentials that included one of the first major 'made-for-TV' movies (THE HANGED MAN), strong theatrical film work (PT 109 and Sunday IN NEW YORK), and Emmy-nominated TV guest performances. A gifted writer as well as actor, he and Leonard had discussed a TV series for a while, something that would capitalize on his dramatic abilities and avoid the stereotypes rampant in weekly television at the time. When a script involving a tennis pro and his trainer/manager, actually CIA agents, who would use their covers on worldwide missions, was hammered out, Culp knew he had found the right formula. The co-starring role became the focus of attention, and while Culp would later take credit for 'discovering' Bill Cosby, both he and Leonard were impressed by the 27-year old performer's brilliant stand-up comedy work (Leonard's friend, comedian Allan Sherman, had 'introduced' Cosby for the young comedian's first 'live' album), and both men deserve credit for offering the project to the 'untested' actor. With Cosby in place, filming began, and magic appeared.

While the initial focus was on Culp's flamboyant 'Kelly Robinson', with Cosby's 'Alexander Scott' relegated to the more serious role of the 'contact' man with the CIA, Cosby had a way of 'punching up' his dialog, adding hip one-liners and asides that not only improved scenes, but gave the character of Scott a humanity that the scripts lacked. The stories became funnier and far more interesting, and Culp and Leonard were more than pleased with the results. The series quickly became an audience favorite, with Cosby winning the first of three Emmys in his role. Culp began ad-libbing, as well, following Cosby's lead, and the chemistry between the actors was so natural and easy-going that "I Spy" became television's most popular 'buddy' show.

With the show 'on location' for much of the shooting schedule, a season's worth of scripts would have to be available by the start of filming, a practice unheard of for any other series. This resulted in some 'clichéd' episodes that writers had little time to polish, and Cosby and Culp's ad-libbing skills would be necessary to 'lift' their overall quality. The resulting humor would give the series a 'freshness' that not only made even the weaker entries enjoyable, but resulted in a series that still 'works', nearly forty years later.

Eventually, even the stars' best efforts couldn't disguise the thinning material, and after three seasons, "I Spy" was canceled (although Cosby would win his third Emmy in a row for the last season, a testament to his talent), and the remarkable experiment was over.

Sadly, "I Spy" did not dramatically change the African/American presence on TV, at that time, but Bill Cosby's success would provide him a window of opportunity for continued television exposure, and with each subsequent success, more opportunities would become available for gifted performers of other races. He was, and is, truly a pioneer of the medium, and the most enduring tribute of the series Sheldon Leonard created for Robert Culp may have been in introducing Bill Cosby to 'mainstream' America. It is a legacy that both Leonard and Culp were justly proud of!