(From BUSINESS WIRE)–In 1965, the groundbreaking television series “I Spy” premiered on NBC. Starring Robert Culp and Bill Cosby, the action-packed series was the first American dramatic series to feature an African-American actor in a lead role. With yesterday’s untimely passing of television legend Robert Culp (1930-2010), come relive the legacy of not only one of America’s finest actor/writers but also a television show that literally broke the color barrier with Image Entertainment’s “I Spy: The Complete Series” available now in 5-disc volumes for Seasons 1, 2 and 3.
For eighty-two episodes, Culp’s Kelly Robinson and Cosby’s Alexander Scott battled international evil at every turn. With Culp posing as a world-class playboy/tennis player, and Cosby undercover as his trainer, they traveled the world trading quips and fighting high-level crime with cool bravado and extraordinary savoir-faire. Combining humor with action/intrigue, “I Spy” was also the first adventure TV series to be shot in exotic international locales, establishing a new visual standard for television dramas.
Winner of 4 Emmy® Awards and a Golden Globe® for Best TV Series, “I Spy’s” critical success and audience acceptance had an impact on television that’s still felt today – forty-five years after its debut!
Check out a clip from the Emmy Award winning series:
(photo: Robert Culp and Bill Cosby/businesswire)
