RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST FROM CINEMA RETRO'S ARCHIVES
A welcome addition to the library of any fan of spy
movies or 1960s TV is I Spy: A History and Episode Guide to the Groundbreaking Television Series
by Marc Cushman and Linda J. LaRosa (McFarland, $40). This is a meticulously researched and very
entertaining look at the groundbreaking show that aired on NBC between 1965 and 1969. The show provided
the first serious dramatic role for an African American actor and helped vault Bill Cosby (previously
known primarily as a stand-up comic) into fame and fortune as a leading man. The chemistry he shared
with co-star Robert Culp was instrumental in the show's success. The series presented Culp as Kelly
Robinson, a world-famous tennis pro and Bill Cosby as Alexander Scott, his trainer. In reality, the
tennis schtick was merely a cover for their real day jobs as intelligence agencies for the
U.S. government.