Robert Culp - 1930 to 2010

Robert Culp passed away yesterday at the age of 79. he lived a long life and had a great career in movies and television. But some younger readers might not be familiar with who he is.

Culp was in more than 8 films, including playing the President in Pelican Breif starring Denzel Washington, but is probably best known for his work on televsion. He had roles on Everyone Love Raymond, Columbo, The Outer Limits (the great episode Demon with a Glass Hand) and The Greatest American Hero, even doing voice work for Robot Chicken.

But the single biggest role he is known for, and the television show that earned him 3 Emmy nominations, was in 1965 - 1968. It was called I Spy )and had nothing to do with the mockery of the movie with Eddie Murphy of the same name based loosely on the show).

I Spy was a significant show because of 1 special person, and the meaning the show conveyed. The show was about 2 American spys, who had the cover of professional tennis player and his trainer. Culp was the tennis star, the trainer was Bill Cosby.

This was the program that seriously launched Cosby on a national basis. It was also the first time that a Black actor was the co-star of a television series, while never once being a caricature. It was groundbreaking television at a time when the country was still trying to decide if African Americans could enter a diner by the front door, or ride on a bus in the front seats.

I liked Robert Culp in his role on the Greatest American Hero. I think Demon With A Glass Hand was great television. But more than anything else, I respect him for taking a stand, breaking a ridiculous standard in Hollywood at the time, and risking his career to be in a television show with a Black man on equal footing. It may not sound like much now, with actors like Denzel and Will Smith. But at the time it was unheard of. Without it, there would not be a Will Smith and Fresh Prince of Bel Aire or any other show with a Black lead.





Robert Culp was an accomplished actor with a career that spanned 50 years. He was a civil rights activist. And he was a father of 4. For all those reasons I am sorry to know he has died. I give my condolences to his friends as they must have so many more reasons to be sad at his passing.