Robert Culp

Setting his sights on an acting career as a teen, Robert Culp -- born Aug. 16, 1930, in Oakland, Calif. -- first honed his skills in local theater. In 1951, he moved to the Big Apple, where he landed roles in off-Broadway productions and live TV anthology shows before breaking through as the star of the Western series "Trackdown" (1957-59).

Culp continued to find steady work on television for the next several years and was eventually paired with funnyman Bill Cosby for the groundbreaking series "I Spy" (1965-68). Scoring Best Actor Emmy nods for each of the show's three seasons, Culp always lost to his co-star. He later earned a new generation of fans in the 1980s playing the slightly unhinged Bill Maxwell on "The Greatest American Hero."

Among Culp's memorable film credits are Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969), Hannie Caulder (1971) and The Pelican Brief (1993). He died March 24, 2010.

Filmography