First Review - CULP's INTERVIEW

Hi everyone,


WHAT???? No comments at all on our Bob's ARCHIVE of AMERICAN TELEVISION Interview ...

You didn't devote 3 hours to watching it ?? You don't have any opinions on it??

Guess I'll get the ball rolling, then ... I truly hope Mr. Culp was in error when he said he thought I SPY has not left much of a legacy. WE - here on the FORUM - are the torchbearers, folks! Let's hear from you - we need to keep that flame alive!!






O.K. now Tatia is probably NOT the one to give the first review on this interview, since she still has never forgiven Kelly about that little "incident" in Tokyo, but here are a few impressions, nonetheless ....


If you haven't seen his interview as yet, there are probably some spoilers ahead, but I don't think much that will interfere with your viewing.


First off - it was, of course, so very interesting to hear Mr. Culp discuss his career for 3 hours. And he looked great! But all in all, I don't think Mr. Abramson was quite the right person for the job as interviewer. When Earle Hagen and Sheldon Leonard were interviewed for the ARCHIVE many years ago, they had interviewers who knew them and were associates and friends. This made the interviews go far more smoothly, as the interviewers were well aware of their careers, and the interview-ees were more comfortable being interviewed by someone they knew. That "getting-to-know you" period was not a factor. But I think the ARCHIVE now uses only one or two interviewers, perhaps to maintain consistency. And the ARCHIVE is such a wonderful and worthwhile project!!

I don't know how comfortable Mr. Culp was - or - for that matter, how comfortable the interviewer was, during the interview? At times the interview appeared rather disjointed - I don't know if that was all the interviewer's fault or some of it Bob's pacing. There were just so many areas that the interviewer didn't even touch on. Don McGregor's 1-hour interview with Culp at SPYFEST (from 2003) was in many ways superior to this one.

AND .... we are trying to get an audio link set up, so we can post Don's interview on the FORUM, so you can get to hear that one, also!

It's obvious that Mr. Culp is a "take charge" kind of guy. He's also quite intense and serious vs. soft and fuzzy. And as he has been known to say, he does have a healthy ego, which has held him in good stead all these years.

It was interesting to me that lots of those early western appearances didn't register in his memory. Appearances that we out here in "fanland" loved so much. But I think only the projects Mr. Culp was actively involved with in writing or developing really made a difference to him - the rest were probably just work. And to be fair, can you recall things you did 40 years ago (and some of you aren't even 40 )? I know I can't even remember what I had for dinner last night. And we are talking about one very long and full career here. In one article that I read, he is quoted as saying that he "detested 90% of my work as an actor. It just helped me learn my craft and make a living."

I imagine some of you diehards also picked up on a few guest appearance discrepancies and mix-ups during the interview. But there were also some things he discussed that haven't seen the light of day, like Frank Silvera's (a.k.a. Senor Munoz in "Crusade to Limbo") role as acting coach for Bill Cosby - and - how that story about replacing J.R. Ewing on DALLAS was a total fabrication.

It was a shame that the interviewer didn't guide Mr. Culp more into discussing some of the people he has worked with over the years, as in Tatia's "He's worked with everyone out there twice ...!!" mantra.

It was also a shame that they never got back to discussing "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," and they didn't talk about "Columbo," "Hickey & Boggs," "Get Smart," "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice," "Hannie Caulder," "The Name of the Game," etc., etc., etc. and all of his Movies of the Week, like "The Chill Factor" and "The Hanged Man" and SO many others! I've heard him describe himself as the king of the M.O.W.s - he certainly did a great number of them.

What was nice to hear was Culp's love for Cosby. Their deep friendship is a strong and long-lasting bond.

He definitely is a very, very bright man and has one extensive vocabulary! Though it wasn't the smoothest of interviews, he did throw in some funny asides. I liked his comment, after discussing how Dick Powell dressed him down for speaking negatively about his show and his colleagues - that he never, never did that again ...... and then added (wait a beat or two and add a little half smile) ... "well not until now!" And in discussing his "Outer Limits" outing "Corpus Earthling" with Salome Jens - the one about the "talking rocks," he said Cosby used to kid him about it alot and added - "he said it was like being at Hef's place."

And I SPY was certainly a main focus for him, his life, his career - the top of his mountain, and it was good to know that he recognizes this and values it. But it was sad that he feels that it has left little legacy. Since this interview took place in 2007, I hope that Mr. Culp may have changed his opinion, especially since he has been out and about with fans more at autograph shows and conventions. Hopefully he has seen firsthand how much impact I SPY and TGAH has had on people - and - how many, many loyal fans are out there who truly appreciate his talents.

O.K. who is next? .... Let's share some opinions, gang!!


As always,

Tatia




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