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The Illustrated Guide to I Spy
 "I Spy" Questions
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EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW …
For some “I Spy” admirers, certain questions have lived on, burning away for 35 years and more, seemingly never to be answered. One great advantage of the WONDERFULNESS OF I SPY FORUM is that at least there is an opportunity to spell out these queries. And indeed, numerous puzzlements about guns, locations and a variety of other topics have finally been laid to rest on The Forum.
But many issues brought there remain unresolved, and there are quite a number of things fans would still like to know.
If put in the position of an “enemy agent,” given the chance to interrogate the man who played Kelly Robinson, the Forum participants' grilling might include some of the following. Just click on the topic to go directly to that section.)
When scripting episodes did you (and the other writers) generally leave opportunities for yourself and Bill Cosby to ad-lib, or did you reinterpret written dialogue?
Which of the guest stars were the most fun to work with?
How long did it take to shoot an episode and was continuity between location and studio filming difficult?
What episode(s) do you consider to be the most demanding for your acting abilities?
Did you ever have, or run across any unproduced scripts/ideas that you would have liked to see made?
Do you have any ideas or insights about why the public's attachment to this show has endured for over 30 years?
Is there one comment in particular made to you regarding your involvement with I Spy that stands out in your mind?
If it had been within your power or influence, what would you have liked to have done differently in the production, casting, location setting, or anything, in the making of I Spy (in your scripted episodes or otherwise)?
What do the 3 F's in Three F (or Triple F) Productions stand for?
What was your reaction to the NBC executives' viewpoint about bringing Bill Cosby on board in the very beginning?
Is there any one scene that you recall that you feel translated well to film? That you found ultimately disappointing?
Bill Cosby has alluded to the possibility of doing an episode where there'd be no script. How do you imagine an entirely improvised episode would have been structured?
What track do you think the current I Spy feature film project should go in? Would you ever consider writing a script for the movie?
Your scripts are often much darker and serious than the usual I Spy fare, so in contrast, how did you like making the lighter episodes such as CHRYSANTHEMUM or THE BARTER etc?
Which episode was the most fun to do?
Was it ever considered to bring back Jimmy from THE LOSER or Elroy Browne as a recurring supporting character?
After your experience directing COURT OF THE LION, were you interested in directing more episodes of the series, whether they were scripted by you or not?
Would you have liked to see more realistic gadgets in the series?
ON WRITING FOR “I SPY”Did you have any input into the casting decisions for your stories?
Do you find opening your scripts with films that sum up the lead guest star's character and the plot the most effective way of exposition?
When writing your screenplays do you work the background elements (e.g. Scott and Elroy's exchange, Sam and Kelly's past relationship, the previous mission in HOME TO JUDGMENT, Kelly's childhood) out on paper for yourself or do you refer to them from memory alone?
Did you have any story ideas in mind for a "fourth" season?
Is it true you had written an unproduced draft for the I Spy TV reunion film? If so, how did this differ from the 1994 CBS Telefilm?
What was the idea for a series you originally presented to Sheldon Leonard? If it was similar to I Spy, was any of it eventually incorporated into that series?
Have you written or published a novel?
SO LONG PATRICK HENRYWas the character of Elroy Browne based on any real- life celebrity or athlete?
What made you write the character so cynical/daring/outspoken for the time?
How was this episode chosen out of the early completed episodes to be the first aired?
Where did you get the idea for Scotty's stimulant/pain killer belt buckle?
Were you afraid of breaching any copyright issues when writing the running gag with the bellhop's infatuation with 007 and Goldfinger? Does/did this reflect your own views about the Bond franchise?
THE LOSERWas Eartha Kitt the actress you had in mind when creating this story? Were there any other actresses considered for the role?
THE TIGERWhere was THE TIGER filmed?
Was the boat scene at the end as difficult to shoot as it appeared?
Was Scotty's line "If you're going to be running around the jungle like Superman, someone has to be there to carry your phone booth." scripted or an ad-lib by Cosby?
COURT OF THE LIONWas the character of Cetshyayo based on any real life/historical person?
It seems that Scotty had a personal vendetta against the killer of the female agent he knew or was possibly involved with. Why did Kelly stop Scotty from taking the killer on in a hand-to-hand fight and take over himself?
MAGIC MIRRORWas the poignant ending of MAGIC MIRROR - the "salvation steambath scene” - an integral part of the story from the beginning, or something you developed later on?
THE WARLORDWas this a story idea you had created earlier and adapted for I Spy or was it written specifically for the show?
Where did you write THE WARLORD, and how long did it take?
Is the plotline for THE WARLORD drawn from any personal history?
What made you decide to take on the challenge of performing a dual role for this episode?
How did you feel about playing Chuang-Tzu opposite Bill Cosby or yourself as Kelly Robinson?
Was it difficult to alter the normal character balance created between you and Cosby?
How did you prepare for the role of Chuang-Tzu? How did you create his powerful, cultured voice?
Can you tell us any background about the character of Chuang-Tzu?
Was there any significance or relevance in choosing the same name as a well-known Chinese philosopher for the character Chuang-Tzu?
Did you have any input into the selection of a director for this episode?
What was it like being directed by Mr. Kjellin in THE WARLORD?
Since this was your story and you knew exactly how the characters and scenes should be presented and portrayed, what were the dynamics involved, and did Mr. Kjellin nvolve you in any aspects of the directing?
In a revised script of THE WARLORD, there is a most exquisite scene in the bedroom between Chuang-Tzu and Katherine. After the "What a relief you are, My Lord" passage. He says that he "cannot sell silks ... what I am is my profession ... here and now till it ends ... my world lay in ruins, my China gone for all time" and to each of his statements Katherine softly replies "I know" - until at the end he responds "You know!" Was this beautiful scene ever filmed - was it cut prior to shooting - and who made the decision of what and which scenes to cut?
When you mention the “ Owen McLean Foundation” (in COURT OF THE LION and THE WARLORD) are you alluding to 'Intermed' - established by Dr. Tom Dooley in the early 1960's?
HOME TO JUDGEMENTDid you discuss the music with Earle Hagen, or did he just go ahead and interpret things in his own way?
Was Scotty wounded at the end of this episode, or did he simply faint from relief/exhaustion at the end?
In this episode the enemy is a faceless, ameless gang of hit men. This increases the level of danger for Kelly and Scotty and directly contrasts the grayed,/complex and singular antagonists you wrote about in your previous scripts. Was this a conscious decision to change approach?
Did you spend an extensive amount of time in a rural farm setting?
Was Una Merkel's Aunt Alta character based on your real-life grandmother?
THE CHARACTER OF KELLY ROBINSONHow much of Kelly's background was developed by you (in HOME TO JUDGMENT, THE TIGER) and how much by Morton Fine and David Freidkin or Sheldon Leonard?
Whose idea was it to wear the white trousers, and did the ring you wore have any special significance for you?
Did you plan any changes, however slight, to the Kelly character in a possible fourth season?
Can you recall if the following were your own idea in these scenes:
- The famous 'Hit me' scene at the end of TATIA
- In TATIA when you dance for joy at the end of your first date.
- The beach scene in NO EXCHANGE ON DAMAGED MERCHANDISE when you silently cradle Sue Lyon's face in your hands
- In BET ME A DOLLAR, on the boat, when you begin to feel ill, you hold your abdomen, rock back and forth, then stare blankly
ON LOCATION WORKHow was it decided where to film I SPY? Was there a reason places like Greece, Spain, Morocco and Italy were chosen? Was climate a factor?
Were the camel riding scenes in Honorable Assassins actually filmed in Morocco or the Coachella Valley?
When tight budgets and austerity policies gave certain episodes that "Hollywood back lot" appearance, was that reason enough for you to classify those episodes in a not-so-favorable category all their own?
Were any of the episodes totally completed on location?
In MAINLY ON THE PLAINS it is stated that the characters are in Madrid, but it looks like they are really in Barcelona. Was this, or another city used as a double for Madrid?
Did some scripts designate certain locales that could not be filmed in, and were substituted at the last minute?
Where would you have liked to see the series go, had it continued?
Where were the following scenes filmed:
- The farm in HOME TO JUDGMENT.
- The scene in TRIAL BY TREEHOUSE where you had the motorcycle accident by the Laundromat. You can see a street sign for Fountain Avenue in Hollywood. What was the cross street? What was the location of the house where Scotty "lived" with his fake family?
- The scenes near LA Harbor where LISA was filmed?
ON STUNTSHow involved were you in the fight choreographing?
Were your natural-looking running scenes and your several ballet-like 'falls' rehearsed
How was it determined when you and Bill Cosby would perform your own stunt work?
Was it you climbing on the scaffolding at RocketDyne in APOLLO?
What episode(s) do you consider to be the most demanding for you as far as stunt work?
Did you acquire karate or tai kwon do prior to the series?
YOUR FAVORITE …? - of the episodes you wrote?
- (and least favorite) of the episodes you didn't write?
- director?
- leading lady?
- 'locked room' scene?
- locale?
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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"
 Read the inside story on I Spy!
scouting locations with Sheldon Leonard - life on the I Spy set
and the rest of Earle Hagen's fascinating career in big bands, movies & TV
Buy it Now
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