I Spy

Two Points of Historical Significance

The historical significance of this show is twofold. First, it featured Bill Cosby, who was the first African American actor to costar in a weekly television series drama. This was groundbreaking for other black actors, and as Variety magazine put it, Bill Cosby was the Jackie Robinson of TV. Other programs such as Amos ‘n Andy had featured African American actors, but those depictions were based on racial stereotyping. In I Spy, Cosby's character did not play second fiddle to the main white actor; he was a costar in every sense of the term. His character was a fully realized person. Not only was he a Rhodes Scholar who could speak seven languages, but he could also run, jump, karate chop, and shoot a gun.

Sheldon Leonard is widely quoted as saying that he consciously made the decision to cast an African American actor in this role as a result of the rising civil rights movement. The shifting racial attitudes of the 1960s supported by Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson were beginning to be reflected on television. Although the show did not expressly confront racial issues through the use of themes, plots, dialogue, or other production tools, the program strived to be socially relevant. Cosby was aware of the racial implications of his role, but he did not confront issues head-on because he did not consider that his style. His comedy routines, for example, were nonconfrontational and meant to show people that African Americans were the same humans beings as every other person with any other skin tone.

When I Spy premiered, it was shown on 180 stations covering 96 percent of the country. Although widely accepted, it became apparent that not everyone in the country was as forward-thinking as Leonard and his team. Stations in Savannah and Albany, Georgia, as well as a station in Dayton Beach, Florida, refused to air the show. Letters were also received that expressed a backlash against the pairing of white and black actors. Despite these objections, the show did not experience any problems with its sponsors.

The second feature of the show that highlights its significance was the unique use of international locations to film the program. In a rare move, Leonard chose to shoot over one-third of the show on location throughout the world, including locations like China, Greece, and Italy. This strategy made I Spy one of the most expensive television series ever produced at the time. This strategy allowed audiences to see an African American actor in a new light: Cosby's character was depicted as a representative of the United States traveling around the world on assignments to protect U.S. interests.

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