I Spy (1965 TV series)

I Spy
Title card
Genre	Adventure Action Comedy drama
Developed by	David Friedkin Morton Fine
Starring	Robert Culp Bill Cosby
Theme music composer	Earle Hagen
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	82
Production
Executive producer	Sheldon Leonard
Running time	50–51 minutes
Production company	Three F Productions
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	September 15, 1965 (1965-09-15) – April 15, 1968 (1968-04-15)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

I Spy is an American secret-agent adventure television series that ran for three seasons on NBC from September 15, 1965, to April 15, 1968, and teamed American intelligence agents Kelly Robinson (Robert Culp) and Alexander "Scotty" Scott (Bill Cosby), traveling undercover as international "tennis bums." Robinson poses as an amateur with Scott as his trainer, playing against wealthy opponents in return for food and lodging. Their work involved chasing villains, spies, and beautiful women.

The creative forces behind the show were writers David Friedkin and Morton Fine and cinematographer Fouad Said. Together they formed Triple F Productions under the aegis of Desilu Productions where the show was produced. Fine and Friedkin (who previously wrote scripts for radio's Broadway Is My Beat and Crime Classics under producer-director Elliott Lewis) were co-producers and head writers, and wrote the scripts for 16 episodes, one of which Friedkin directed. Friedkin also dabbled in acting and appeared in two episodes in the first season.

Actor–producer Sheldon Leonard, known for playing gangster roles in the 1940s and 1950s, was the executive producer (receiving top billing before the title in the series' opening title sequence). He also played a gangster/villain role in two episodes and appeared in a third show as himself in a humorous cameo. In addition, he directed one episode and served as occasional second-unit director throughout the series.