I'm sorry if this type of stuff was discussed before I got on board here.
With Maya's question for her story, it got me thinking more about who Kelly is. He is a very complicated character, true, and I think there is a problem seeing him first and foremost as "cool".
You know, I've been giving their coolness some thought lately, because I think it is actually a very shallow aspect of a personality. Is Kelly really that "cool" as an individual--partly, yes, but it's not really "who" he is. Yes, he is amazingly cool when it comes to races and working with a black man and allowing that man to be equal to him. Kelly simply isn't racist or bigoted in any way, shape, or form, which was an incredibly progressive attitude in the mid-65s. He was also cool at times with women, being charismatic, charming, handsome, courteous and no doubt conscientious of sharing the enjoyment of their time in bed.
He also dressed cool, being fashionable, and even making some new fashion statements.
However, as B-L wrote as usually so well, Kelly is damaged goods psychologically. One could positively debate that he is not innately a happy man, and his addictions to tobacco, alcohol, and women are, as they are with so many others, trying to fill a void that life itself cannot. He had a very problematic childhood, being a single child, with relatives dying early, probable divorce, and estrangement from his Aunt and Uncle. Although he enjoys the excitement of his work, he doesn't actually enjoy doing much of it, especially when friends need to be stopped, and violence happens to friends and him. He is (in my opinion) much more attached to Scotty than Scotty is to him, since Scotty does have a large, close family back home in Philadelphia, including siblings, mom and extended family members. Anyway, is it cool that Kelly drinks too much, gets into depressions, is otherwise moody, uses and leaves women (we can assume some wanted him to stay), is addicted to his job because he is hesitant or fearful or unwilling to love a woman and set up a normal life? Not really. Perhaps the action of his job is necessary to keep him out of his mind, a mind which doesn't easily give him happiness. I imagine others interpret his avoidance of getting out of spying in their own ways.
This is why Culp was so masterful in his portrayal of the complexity of Kelly Robinson. For a prime time ratings winner, having so emotionally labile a character in charge of "I Spy" is amazing. What we see in the show are two very realistic humans, with flaws and virtues, in a very flawed yet virtuous profession. But, I can't see Kelly as the "epitome" of cool, except superficially. Which is why, no doubt, I love him as a character even more. Nothing is more interesting and fascinating than a psychologically multi-layered character. Kelly Robinson was, indeed, the epitome of a real human and as UNcartoonish as James Bond.
I'm sorry I hadn't noticed your post at the bottom of the page in that other thread before. Thanks for directing me to it. I read your ten aspects of Kelly and thought they were right on target. I would add an eleventh, which is "moody". But, yes, you pegged him very well!
The character Kelly Robinson was very "cool" . He was deadly. charming, devoted to his friend, and his job. James Bond was very cool. I think the best scene which showed that was in "Golden Eye" in the tank chase. After running through Moscow and demolishing cars and statues. Then he get up and straightens his tie. The epitome of cool. He was just as elegant to attend a cocktail party yet just came through a combat without getting mussed and just needed to straighten his tie.
Being cool often is being cool under fire and being deadly and never show fear. The witticism and humor under adversity was the coolness factor.
Of course being handsome, debonair,which is defined as suave and urbane, graceful and a snappy dresser is also cool. The sunglasses were very cool and the flair of taking them out when needed. Being an international playboy was cool, he was comfortable with the rich lifestyle and jet setting around the world.
Most people that have to be social and attend parties develop a party persona. The artificial congeniality and smiles. The best make it seem sincere. The most gracious have the ability to portray sincerity. I recall well the cocktail parties of the 1960's. I was a child , my father was in government and we entertained large parties of up to 50-100 people. People from overseas and in the State Department, DOD,CIA and NSA. My fathers best friends where friendships developed from the war and work after WWII. Those friendships lasted beyond retirement. The worst is now all the funerals. Drinking was the social code. A person always offered a cocktail even to an enemy. If you recall in "Lotus Eaters" that Sorgi offered a drink to Scotty. In "Tonia", the enemy offered a brandy to Kelly. The social code to offer a drink was so strong it was given to enemies and friends.
Scotty was not as graceful and did not have that long lean look though he was about the same height. He was not as agile swinging up on bars in fight scenes. Plus Scotty was not gay and charming. Kelly had that ability to be gay, smile and charm in any situation yet still be a loner when he wanted.
In "So long Patrick Henry" I was struck by the serious and intent attitude that Kelly Robinson portrayed when talking to Elroy and then goes to a congenial,goofy drunk in a flash when they leave. That ability to immediatly put on an act. In the scene Scotty never changes his attitude which was serious and disgusted.
Scotty was the serious person and only in his reactions to Kelly did he indulge in being witty. Kelly was witty to most people. His charm was his defense. He rarely allowed anyone to get through his defenses. When you are an agent and know that your romantic relationships are based on lies and short term, Men just keep the charm and go from woman to woman. Only with Scotty could he allow himself to trust.
In a "Cup of Kindness" he was confronted early with the choice to kill a fellow agent or not. He decided that he would trust and help and found out the man was indeed a turncoat.
His partner got shot and Kelly was less likely to trust any again. That lesson was honed with Tatia who was an agent and he destroyed her when he sprung his trap.
Kelly had superiors that were traitors that he had to kill and others who tried to frame him. The only person he could trust was Scotty. In I Spy that bond of trust with his partner supercedes any other bond to country. Soldiers develop that trust in their fellow soldiers and it lasts beyond the rotation. In "Cops and Robbers" when Scotty took the film ,Kelly went after him and threatened with a bottle and not a gun to get the truth, not to hurt Scotty. He figured Scotty had to have a good reason and just had to get Scotty to reveal it. Then he created a plan to help Scotty with the problem.
In "Tag your it" the partners were being framed and set up and reacted as a team against all others. They had to act that way overseas and were used to only depending on each other to get them out of trouble. Trouble with the Department was just another situation to get out of.
The only bond that could damage the bond between partners was another bond with a woman. Both Scotty and Kelly tried to damage any bond that threatened their own bond. Scotty's fight with Kelly in "Tatia" and Kelly's actions in "Laya" where he took the papers and delivered when Scotty got too involved.
The partners always forgave each other for that. That was devotion.
In real life Culp stayed friends with Cosby despite Cosby getting the awards when Culp actually acted so much better in the dramatic parts. Culp went through several wives but kept his old friends especially Cosby. Culp was betrayed by many in Hollywood. Sheldon Leonard on the I Spy cancellation is just one example.
There is a lot of Culp in Kelly, Some Kelly in Culp. That ability to brood that made Kelly so real to his audience. That flash of pain that is supressed when he is betrayed by a woman.
Kelly did not forgive betrayal easily and could go from loving to killing in a heart beat. Scotty could not kill what he loved as shown in "Laya".
Kelly's style, charm, grace in movement, elegance of build and dress,his humor and being witty. His fast change from charm and courtesy to killer all were part of his "coolness".
Becca