The Illustrated Guide to I Spy

David Friedkin and Mort Fine

DAVID FRIEDKIN (1912 - 1976)

MORT FINE (1916 - 1991)

The team of DAVID FRIEDKIN and MORT FINE produced "I Spy." They began working together in the 1940's. They composed the scripts for the legendary Bogart & Bacall radio series BOLD VENTURE as well as CRIME CLASSICS and BROADWAY IS MY BEAT which ran from 1949-1954. They also wrote memorable scripts for the long-running SUSPENSE. One of their most interesting credits is the pilot for the radio series GUNSMOKE which went on to last 20 seasons on television.

In the late 50's they went into motion pictures, and wrote the screenplays for HOT SUMMER NIGHT and the Dean Jones film HANDLE WITH CARE, both of which Friedkin also directed.

Their most notable screenplay was for the Rod Steiger film THE PAWNBROKER which was released in 1965 when Sheldon Leonard brought them in to produce and develop “I Spy.” (see WRITERS and DIRECTORS for their “I Spy” contributions in these areas.)

At the end of “I Spy” they scripted the Tony Perkins film THE FOOL KILLER. In 1970 they produced and co-wrote the TV movie RIVER OF GOLD which Friedkin also directed.

Also that year Friedkin and Fine created and produced THE MOST DEADLY GAME with Ralph Bellamy & George Maharis. It had been intended as a vehicle for Inger Stevens who died before the series went into production, to be replaced by Yvette Mimieux. Other series they produced were BEARCATS (1971), CHASE (1973) and BERT D'ANGELO/SUPERSTAR which David Friedkin was directing when he died.

Other writing collaborations included a number of scripts for the legendary ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS with Friedkin directing. As with “I Spy” they produced and co-wrote also for some episodes of THE VIRGINIAN with Friedkin directing. Other series they wrote for include KOJAK, BARNABY JONES, THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO, BANACEK and BANYON.

David Friedkin, who studied violin at Julliard, was also an accomplished actor. He did a guest-starring role in the "I Spy" episode A CUP OF KINDNESS. Friedkin's other directorial work included IRONSIDE, HAWAII FIVE O, SWITCH, DOCTORS' HOSPITAL and SEA HUNT.

Mort Fine also acted in an "I Spy" episode, LET'S KILL KARLOVASSI, where he played a murder victim who was found hanged. After David Friedkin's death, Mort Fine wrote the Sean Connery film THE NEXT MAN, THE GREEK TYCOON with Anthony Quinn and Jacqueline Bisset, and in 1980, the Charles Bronson film, CABOBLANCO.

Get all episodes from

I Spy Season 1

I Spy Season 2

I Spy Season 3

Read the I Spy Book

Film Score Monthly has released an album of five “I Spy” scores

by Earle Hagen on CD.

Direct from the soundtracks of "So Long, Patrick Henry" - "A Time of the Knife" - "Turkish Delight," - "The Warlord" - "Mainly on the Plains" along with a 24-page booklet of liner notes and photos and foreword by Robert Culp It'

Buyt it through Amazon

Earle Hagen, composer of the music from “I Spy” has now published his autobiography

"Memoirs of a Famous Composer - Nobody Ever Heard Of"