RIP Robert Culp

Paladin · Mar 24, 2010

The star of "I, Spy," "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice," and "The Greatest American Hero" has died after a fall...

Actor Robert Culp dies after fall
By Todd Leopold, CNN
March 24, 2010 6:26 p.m. EDT

Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Robert Culp, the actor who rose to fame as secret agent Kelly Robinson on the groundbreaking 1960s TV series "I Spy" and later played Ray Romano's father-in-law on "Everybody Loves Raymond," has died. He was 79.

Culp died of a fall in a Los Angeles park, said his publicist, Dick Delson. Delson had no further details.

The versatile Culp not only acted in "I Spy," which aired on NBC from 1965 to 1968, he also wrote several episodes. The series, which also starred Bill Cosby as Robinson's partner (and, as their covers, trainer to Culp's globe-trotting tennis player), was the first to feature an African-American in a lead role; Cosby won three Emmys for his work.

"I never had so much fun in my life, never, before or since," he said of "I Spy" in a 2007 interview with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Archive of American Television.

Culp and Cosby remained good friends after the series left air.

...

Culp made the transition to motion picture actor with mixed success. He starred in 1969's "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice," a talked-about film about spouse-swapping couples, as well as 1971's "Hannah Caulder," opposite Raquel Welch, and 1972's "Hickey & Boggs." Later in his career, he also appeared in "The Pelican Brief" (1993).

But he was most often seen on television, appearing in dozens of series episodes and TV movies over his 50-year career, starting with scores of episodes of Westerns and Golden Age dramas in the '50s and early '60s.

His notable credits include a co-starring role in the series "The Greatest American Hero" and appearances on "The Cosby Show," "Columbo," "Wings," "Chicago Hope" and "Raymond."

Culp is survived by his fifth wife, Candace Faulkner.

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Vaya con Dios, Robert Culp!

Ward · Mar 24, 2010

This scenario has ended. Thanks for the memories.

Sean the Puritan · Mar 24, 2010

Agent Bill Maxwell, RIP.

brudder1967 · Mar 24, 2010

Bill is working out a new scenario on the other side!!

Forbin · Mar 24, 2010

That's three!

Will Power · Mar 24, 2010

Robert Culp was great in all the "Columbo"s he was in.

Volpone · Mar 25, 2010

Aw, damn. I'm too young for "I Spy", but I watched "The Greatest American Hero" every week.

"A fall in a park"? If it was just that he was old and frail and he tripped over a pebble I don't want to hear about it. If he was base jumping off a cliff to save a woman from a rabid polar bear, that's how I want to think of this "fall."

Bailey · Mar 25, 2010

Also known to geeks everywhere as Dr Breen.

MoulinRouge · Mar 25, 2010

I adored him as curmudgeonly Agent Bill Maxwell on "Greatest American Hero" when he'd banter with Ralph.

Lanzman · Mar 27, 2010

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RIP Robert Culp

Paladin Overjoyed Man of Liberty

Ward A Stepford Husband

Sean the Puritan Endut! Hoch Hech!

brudder1967 this is who we are

Forbin Do you feel fluffy, punk?

Will Power If you only knew the irony of my name.

Volpone Zombie Hunter

Bailey It's always Christmas Eve Super Moderator

MoulinRouge Fresh Meat

Lanzman Vast, Cool and Unsympathetic Formerly Important

Log in or Sign up

RIP Robert Culp

Paladin Overjoyed Man of Liberty

Ward A Stepford Husband

Sean the Puritan Endut! Hoch Hech!

brudder1967 this is who we are

Forbin Do you feel fluffy, punk?

Will Power If you only knew the irony of my name.

Volpone Zombie Hunter

Bailey It's always Christmas Eve Super Moderator

MoulinRouge Fresh Meat

Lanzman Vast, Cool and Unsympathetic Formerly Important

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