Never underestimate the power of a good old-fashioned pair of Hanes underpants. Case in point: one Mr. Robert Culp. A staple on television from the ‘60s through the ‘80s, he was even more impressive on the big screen as Bob Sanders in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969). Co-starring Natalie Wood, Elliott Gould, and Dyan Cannon, the four engage in a little fun, summed up by the line, “First, we’ll have an orgy. Then we’ll go see Tony Bennett.” While there’s no nudity in the flick, we do get to see Robert in his tightie-whities, skin tight and cupping with loving care what looks to be an impressive package. His bare torso is lean with subtle muscle definition, and his trademark smirk is ever present. While he had some success in films (Sunday in New York(1963), Silver Streak (1976), The Pelican Brief (1993)), television is where he really excelled. In the early part of his career, he played Hoby Gilman on Trackdown from 1957-1959, and earned four primetime Emmy nominations for his work as Kelly Robinson on I Spy from 1965-1968. In the ‘80s, he played grumpy but loveable Bill Maxwell on The Greatest American Hero (believe it or not) from 1981-1986, and in the ‘90s, had recurring roles as Warren in Everybody Loves Raymond, Lois & Clark, and appeared in the mini-series Lonesome Dove: The Series (1994) as Cornelius Farnsworth. All told, he had regular, recurring, or guest-spot roles in over 500 episodes of over 140 TV series. Sadly, Robert passed away of a heart attack in 2010, at the age of 79. He, and his underpants, are sorely missed.
