I Spy
 I
Spy was different to other espionage series' . . .
Both of its lead
characters were realistically portrayed and could see the humour
in situations, and they sure had fun with their work.
It had its
share of action, but never took itself too seriously.
Comedian Bill Cosby provided much of the humour in the show but
also proved he was an accomplished, serious actor.
He also had the
added distinction of being the first black performer to have a
starring role in a regular dramatic series on American Television.
I Spy ran on NBC from 1965 to 1968 and chronicled the
exploits of fictional characters Kelly Robinson (Robert Culp) and
Alexander Scott (Cosby).
Kelly and Alexander were American agents. Kelly's cover was
that of a top-seeded tennis pro travelling around the world for
tournaments. A former law student at Princeton, he had played on
two Davis Cup teams. Alexander's cover was as Robinson's
trainer.
A Rhodes Scholar, his knowledge of languages was often useful
in dealing with people all over the world. Both of them were
dedicated to government service and America, but their dedication
did not stop them from questioning some of the motives and
purposes behind some of the missions in which they were involved.
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.
 Virtually
the entire first season was filmed on location in Hong Kong and
other Asian locales. The studio 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 crew 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.
In 1994, an I Spy reunion movie was broadcast, but more
than a quarter of a 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.
TRIVIA NOTE
Originally, the role of Alexander Scott was to have been that
of a bodyguard for Kelly Robinson. Both Cosby and Culp conferred
with the producers and the decision was made to have Robinson and
Scott as equals.
I Spy also showcased the talents of other
African-American actors of the time including Godfrey Cambridge,
Ivan Dixon, and Eartha Kitt.
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