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Robert Culp

Actor, writer and director Robert Culp brought roguish charm with a hint of self-deprecating humor to two popular television series - "I Spy" (NBC, 1965-68) and "The Greatest American Hero" (ABC, 1981-83) - as well as a host of television episodes and the occasional feature film. Culp's role on "I Spy" - a secret agent posing as a tennis player - largely defined his screen persona, which was alternately freewheeling and deadly serious - and made him a welcome presence on network TV for decades after its conclusion. His "Greatest American Hero" role was a sort of cracked revamp of his "Spy" character - a caffeinated government spook charged with protecting an ersatz superhero - which endeared him to a new generation of viewers. Along the way, there were several features, including the sex comedy "Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice" (1969), though few as successful as his TV work, and several scripts and turns as director for various shows. His series work, however, assured him lasting fame as a TV star who acted outside the mold.