Hello, all,

My "Robert Culp" google alert gave me two articles today:

louderthanwords.blogsport.com In this brief article we learn that the author's father sold some Big Little Books to Robert Culp in the 1970s. MBF, how did that collection of BLB go for Mr. Culp? Did it get pretty substantial?

And in The Desert Sun, we learn that Culp is still "tall, trim and heart-poundingly handsome" as he gave Earle Hagen his award. Why newreporters feel compelled to report the obvious, I have no idea!

Mona

Mona, thanks to Tatia we have this transcription of an interview with Robert Culp from the January 1983 issue of Comics Interview in which he discusses, among other things, his interest in Big Little Books.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/172251/message/1015913122/JAMMIES+%26amp%3B+COMICS+%26amp%3B+SUSPENSION+OF+DISBELIEF---+Up+here%21%21

Here is a link to a site about Big Little Books.

http://www.biglittlebooks.com/

Jimmy

You beat me to the punch, Mona. I was about to post my comments on the same two articles.

I must say, “heart-poundingly handsome” is the best description of our Mr. Culp I’ve read in some time. My sentiments exactly.


Regards—

Thanks Mona for letting us know about the "Desert Sun" article about our marvelous maestro, Earle Hagen's, wonderful Award ceremony last week-end, with a nod to our Mr. Culp's "presenting skills" ... the (woman) reporter's "exact" phrase was ...

"Actor Robert Culp, as trim, tall and heart-pounding handsome as he was in "I Spy" presented the award to Hagen and reminisced that Hagen's theme for "I Spy" also won an Emmy."

I always admire straight hard-hitting reporting - no editorializing here!


Here's the link to the article ....

http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080427/LIFESTYLES09/804270315/1026/news12


As always,

Tatia


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Sometime in the late 1960s, Bob went on "The Tonight Show" and talked with Johnny Carson about how much he loved Big Little Books. I think some people from around the country sent some to him, but I do know that is the time he began collecting in earnest.

He had a collection of 500 books, with doubles of each, making the total 1000. He kept the books in custom made wooden display cases, that lined the wall of his Beverly Hills home, actually following the curving spiral staircase that spanned all three floors of the house.

That home, on Readcrest Drive (which was featured of course in "Vanity"), is now owned by horror author Clive Barker. There is interview footage of Barker, I believe from an episode of "Biography", which features the author in front of a tiled fireplace, which is in the living room. There is also footage of Barker in his studio painting, which was formerly the garage. Barker actually bought the houses on either side, turning it into a compound.

Sadly to say, Bob sold the collection years ago, for much less than they were worth.

MBF