I spy stars. I Spy: Pioneering TV Series That Broke Racial Barriers and Defined a Genre

How did I Spy revolutionize 1960s television. What made the partnership between Robert Culp and Bill Cosby so groundbreaking. Why is I Spy considered a landmark in the spy genre.

The Genesis of I Spy: A Groundbreaking Concept

In the mid-1960s, the television landscape was ripe for innovation, and “I Spy” emerged as a trailblazing series that would leave an indelible mark on the industry. Premiering in 1965, the show introduced viewers to a fresh take on the spy genre, blending action, humor, and social commentary in a way that had never been seen before.

The concept behind “I Spy” was deceptively simple: two secret agents, posing as a tennis player and his trainer, travel the world on covert missions. However, what set the show apart was its groundbreaking casting decision. For the first time on American television, an African American actor was cast in a lead role as an equal partner to his white counterpart.

Breaking the Color Barrier

The decision to cast Bill Cosby alongside Robert Culp was revolutionary for its time. In an era when racial tensions were high and segregation was still a reality in many parts of the United States, “I Spy” dared to present an integrated team working together as equals. This bold move not only challenged societal norms but also paved the way for greater diversity in television programming.

Robert Culp and Bill Cosby: A Dynamic Duo

The chemistry between Robert Culp as Kelly Robinson and Bill Cosby as Alexander Scott was the heart and soul of “I Spy.” Their on-screen rapport was natural and effortless, setting a new standard for buddy partnerships in television and film.

• Culp’s Kelly Robinson: A suave, tennis-playing secret agent
• Cosby’s Alexander Scott: A quick-witted, highly intelligent trainer and linguist
• Their complementary skills and personalities created a perfect balance

The duo’s ability to seamlessly blend comedy with drama was a key factor in the show’s success. Their witty banter and genuine friendship shone through in every episode, making them relatable and likable to audiences across America.

Behind the Scenes: A True Partnership

The camaraderie between Culp and Cosby extended beyond the screen. Culp, an accomplished writer, penned several episodes of the series, further cementing their collaborative relationship. This behind-the-scenes partnership was instrumental in shaping the show’s unique voice and tone.

Revolutionizing the Spy Genre on Television

“I Spy” arrived at a time when the spy genre was experiencing a surge in popularity, thanks in large part to the success of the James Bond films. However, the show managed to carve out its own niche by offering a fresh perspective on the genre.

Key Elements that Set “I Spy” Apart

1. Realistic portrayal of espionage work
2. Focus on character development and relationships
3. Blend of humor and serious themes
4. Exotic locations filmed on-site around the world
5. Topical storylines addressing contemporary issues

Unlike many of its contemporaries, “I Spy” eschewed gadgetry and over-the-top villains in favor of more grounded, character-driven storytelling. This approach resonated with viewers and critics alike, earning the show critical acclaim and a devoted fan base.

The Legacy of “I Spy” in Popular Culture

The impact of “I Spy” extended far beyond its original three-season run from 1965 to 1968. The show’s influence can be seen in numerous television series and films that followed, particularly in the realm of buddy cop and interracial partnerships.

Inspiring Future Generations

“I Spy” opened doors for actors of color in lead roles on television. Its success demonstrated that audiences were ready and willing to embrace diverse casts, paving the way for future shows that would continue to push boundaries and promote inclusivity.

The show’s legacy also lives on through its impact on the careers of its stars. Bill Cosby’s performance in “I Spy” earned him three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, making him the first African American actor to win an Emmy in any category.

Robert Culp: A Multifaceted Talent

While “I Spy” was undoubtedly a defining moment in Robert Culp’s career, his talents extended far beyond his role as Kelly Robinson. Throughout his five-decade career in Hollywood, Culp demonstrated his versatility as an actor, writer, and director.

Notable Roles and Achievements

• “Trackdown” (1957-1959): Culp’s first starring role on television
• “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice” (1969): A critically acclaimed film exploring sexual and emotional boundaries
• “The Greatest American Hero” (1981-1983): Culp played FBI agent Bill Maxwell
• Directorial debut with “Hickey & Boggs” (1972), reuniting with Bill Cosby
• Recurring role on “Everybody Loves Raymond” as Ray’s father-in-law

Culp’s ability to seamlessly transition between drama and comedy, as well as his skills as a writer, made him a respected figure in the entertainment industry. His contributions to “I Spy,” both on-screen and as a writer for several episodes, were instrumental in shaping the show’s unique voice.

The Enduring Appeal of “I Spy”

Despite being rooted in the social and political context of the 1960s, “I Spy” continues to resonate with modern audiences. The show’s themes of friendship, trust, and cooperation in the face of adversity remain as relevant today as they were over half a century ago.

Factors Contributing to the Show’s Longevity

1. Strong character development and relationships
2. Timeless themes of friendship and loyalty
3. High-quality writing and performances
4. Innovative approach to the spy genre
5. Historical significance as a groundbreaking series

The show’s ability to balance humor with serious subject matter allows it to remain engaging and entertaining for contemporary viewers. Its place in television history as a trailblazer for diversity and representation also ensures its continued relevance in discussions about media and social progress.

The Impact of “I Spy” on Television Production

“I Spy” not only broke new ground in terms of its casting and storytelling but also in its approach to television production. The show was notable for its extensive use of on-location filming, a rarity for television series of the time.

Innovative Production Techniques

• Filming in exotic locations around the world
• Use of local talent and extras in various countries
• Incorporation of authentic cultural elements into storylines
• Cinematic quality cinematography

This commitment to authenticity and high production values set a new standard for television series, inspiring future shows to push the boundaries of what was possible within the constraints of TV budgets and schedules.

The Cultural Significance of “I Spy” in the 1960s

To fully appreciate the impact of “I Spy,” it’s essential to consider the social and political context in which it aired. The 1960s were a tumultuous time in American history, marked by the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and significant social upheaval.

Reflecting and Challenging Social Norms

“I Spy” didn’t shy away from addressing contemporary issues, often incorporating themes of racial tension, international politics, and social change into its storylines. By presenting a positive example of interracial cooperation and friendship, the show offered viewers a hopeful vision of what American society could be.

The series also challenged stereotypes and preconceptions about race, presenting both Culp and Cosby’s characters as equally competent, intelligent, and essential to their missions. This portrayal was groundbreaking at a time when roles for African American actors were often limited to stereotypical or subservient positions.

Impact on the Civil Rights Movement

While “I Spy” was not explicitly a civil rights program, its very existence and popularity contributed to the ongoing conversation about race in America. The show demonstrated that audiences were ready to accept and embrace integrated casts, providing a powerful argument for increased diversity in media.

Bill Cosby’s success on the show, including his historic Emmy wins, helped to open doors for other actors of color in the television industry. The series proved that diversity could be both socially progressive and commercially successful, a lesson that would continue to resonate in the decades that followed.

The Evolution of the Spy Genre Post-“I Spy”

“I Spy” left an indelible mark on the spy genre, influencing numerous television shows and films that followed. Its unique blend of humor, action, and character-driven storytelling set a new template for espionage narratives.

Influential Elements

• The buddy dynamic between agents
• Use of humor to balance tense situations
• Focus on character relationships over gadgetry
• Exploration of moral ambiguity in espionage

Shows like “Mission: Impossible,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” and even modern series like “Burn Notice” and “Chuck” owe a debt to the groundwork laid by “I Spy.” The series demonstrated that spy stories could be more than just action-packed adventures, but also vehicles for exploring complex characters and relationships.

Legacy in Film and Television

The influence of “I Spy” can be seen in numerous buddy cop films and interracial partnerships in media. Movies like “Lethal Weapon” and “Rush Hour” built upon the dynamic established by Culp and Cosby, showcasing how partners from different backgrounds could form effective and entertaining teams.

In television, shows like “Miami Vice” in the 1980s and “White Collar” in the 2000s continued the tradition of pairing partners with contrasting personalities and backgrounds, often incorporating elements of humor alongside their dramatic storylines.

Robert Culp’s Enduring Legacy

While “I Spy” remains Robert Culp’s most iconic role, his contributions to television and film extended far beyond the series. Throughout his career, Culp demonstrated remarkable versatility as an actor, writer, and director.

Notable Achievements

1. Emmy nominations for his work on “I Spy”
2. Critically acclaimed performance in “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice”
3. Successful transition to character roles in later years
4. Continued collaboration with Bill Cosby on various projects
5. Respected as a television writer and director

Culp’s ability to adapt to changing industry trends and audience tastes allowed him to maintain a successful career for over five decades. His work on “I Spy” not only showcased his acting talents but also his skills as a writer, with several episodes penned by Culp himself.

Lasting Impact on the Entertainment Industry

Robert Culp’s approach to his craft, his willingness to take risks, and his commitment to quality storytelling left a lasting impression on the entertainment industry. His collaborations with Bill Cosby, both during and after “I Spy,” demonstrated the power of partnerships based on mutual respect and shared creative vision.

Culp’s legacy extends beyond his on-screen performances. His work behind the camera, particularly his directorial debut with “Hickey & Boggs,” showcased his understanding of the filmmaking process and his ability to bring complex stories to life.

The Reunion: “I Spy Returns” and Beyond

The enduring popularity of “I Spy” and the chemistry between Robert Culp and Bill Cosby led to several reunions over the years. These projects not only capitalized on nostalgia but also demonstrated the timeless appeal of the characters and their relationship.

Notable Reunions

• “I Spy Returns” (1994): A television movie featuring Culp and Cosby reprising their roles
• Culp’s guest appearance on “The Cosby Show” in 1987
• A 1999 episode of “Cosby” featuring an “I Spy” dream sequence

These reunions allowed fans to revisit the beloved characters of Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott, while also introducing the concept to new generations of viewers. The enduring friendship between Culp and Cosby off-screen lent authenticity to these revivals, recapturing the magic that made the original series so special.

Legacy Continuation

While attempts to reboot or remake “I Spy” for modern audiences have been met with mixed success, the original series continues to hold a special place in television history. Its influence can be seen in countless buddy cop shows, interracial partnerships, and spy series that followed.

The show’s legacy also lives on through its impact on diversity in television. By proving that an integrated cast could lead a successful primetime series, “I Spy” helped pave the way for greater representation in media, a process that continues to evolve and progress to this day.

Celebrating “I Spy”: A Cultural Touchstone

As we reflect on the significance of “I Spy” more than half a century after its debut, it’s clear that the show was more than just a popular television series. It was a cultural touchstone that challenged societal norms, pushed the boundaries of television production, and left an indelible mark on popular culture.

Key Contributions to Television History

1. Groundbreaking integrated cast
2. Innovative approach to the spy genre
3. High-quality, on-location production values
4. Strong character development and relationships
5. Blend of humor and drama
6. Tackling of contemporary social issues

“I Spy” remains a testament to the power of television to entertain, educate, and inspire. Its legacy continues to influence creators and performers, serving as a reminder of the medium’s potential to effect positive change in society.

Enduring Relevance

In an era where discussions about diversity and representation in media are more prominent than ever, “I Spy” stands as a pioneering example of inclusive storytelling. The show’s success demonstrated that audiences were ready and willing to embrace diverse casts and narratives, a lesson that remains relevant in today’s media landscape.

As we continue to grapple with issues of racial equality and social justice, the partnership between Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott serves as a powerful symbol of cooperation, understanding, and friendship across racial lines. The show’s ability to address serious topics while maintaining a sense of humor and adventure continues to resonate with viewers, making “I Spy” a timeless classic that deserves to be celebrated and remembered.

Robert Culp, Star in ‘I Spy,’ Dies at 79

Robert Culp, who teamed with Bill Cosby as a secret agent in the hit 1960s television series “I Spy” and starred as one of the sexually adventurous title characters in the 1969 film “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,” died on Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 79.

His agent, Hillard Elkins, said that Mr. Culp apparently died of a heart attack after collapsing outside his home.

Later in his career Mr. Culp had a recurring role as Ray Romano’s father-in-law in the sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” but he may be best remembered for his role in NBC’s “I Spy” as part of an easygoing, wisecracking interracial team that was a first for network television and the inspiration for later black and white buddy films.

Robert Culp, left, and Bill Cosby in “I Spy,” in the mid-1960s.Credit…NBC, via Associated Press

Secret agents and international intrigue in exotic locations loomed large on the big and small screens in the mid-1960s after the runaway success of the James Bond films. “I Spy,” which ran from 1965 to 1968, presented viewers with a couple of new twists on the formula.

Kelly Robinson, played by Mr. Culp, posed as a dissolute, globe-trotting tennis bum accompanied by his trainer, Alexander Scott, played by Mr. Cosby. Traveling from one tournament to another in glamorous settings, they carried out dangerous assignments in their real roles as agents for the Pentagon.

Blending comedy and drama, “I Spy” clicked with television audiences and established Mr. Culp as a suave leading man. After the series ended he took a starring role with Natalie Wood, Elliott Gould and Dyan Cannon in Paul Mazursky’s “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,” playing a documentary filmmaker keen to test emotional and sexual limits after attending a group therapy session.

Later he played the F.B.I. agent Bill Maxwell in the television series “The Greatest American Hero,” which ran from 1981 to 1983.

Robert Martin Culp was born on Aug. 16, 1930, in Oakland, Calif. , and attended high school in Berkeley. He attended the College of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif.; Washington University in St Louis; San Francisco State College; and the drama school of the University of Washington, though he never earned a degree.

Mr. Culp, in love beads, in “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice” (1969), with Elliott Gould, far left, Natalie Wood and Dyan Cannon.Credit…Columbia Pictures

His first starring role in television came in 1957 with the CBS series “Trackdown,” a spinoff of “Zane Grey Theater.” As Hoby Gilman, a Texas Ranger, he hunted down criminals all over the state.

When “Trackdown” ended in 1959, Mr. Culp appeared in numerous television series, including “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” “Bonanza,” “The Rifleman” and “The Outer Limits” before teaming up with Mr. Cosby. Mr. Culp wrote the scripts for seven episodes of “I Spy,” and was nominated for an Emmy for all three years the show was in production. Each year, he lost to Mr. Cosby.

There were no hard feelings. He reunited with Mr. Cosby in 1972 on the film “Hickey & Boggs,” a fast-paced crime drama about a couple of seedy private-eyes. The film was Mr. Culp’s directorial debut. He later appeared opposite Mr. Cosby in a 1987 episode of “The Cosby Show,” playing Scott Kelly, an old friend of Dr. Cliff Huxtable’s, and, once again as Kelly Robinson, in a 1999 episode of “Cosby” that included a dream sequence of “I Spy.” They had also reunited in the television movie “I Spy Returns” in 1994.

In other films Mr. Culp played John F. Kennedy’s best friend in “PT 109” (1963), Wild Bill Hickok in “The Raiders” (1963), Jane Fonda’s fiancé in “Sunday in New York” (1963), and the president of the United States in “The Pelican Brief” (1993).

Mr. Culp was married five times. He is survived by his daughters, Samantha, who lives in China, and Rachel, of San Francisco; and his sons, Joseph and Joshua, of Los Angeles, and Jason, of New York City.

Robert Culp, Star of I Spy and Other Series, Dies at 79

Actor Robert Culp, who rose to fame as Bill Cosby’s counterpart on the 1960s television series I Spy and continued to on the large and small screens for more than five decades, died March 24, 2010, after collapsing outside his Hollywood home. According to news reports, Culp fell while on a walk. He was 79.

I Spy, which leavened intrigue with humor, aired from 1965 to 1968, and was the first integrated television show to feature a black actor in a starring role.

On the show, Culp played Kelly Robinson, a U.S. spy who fronted as a champion tennis player. Cosby was fellow spy Alexander Scott, whose fronted as Culp’s trainer.

Both actors earned Primetime Emmy nominations for actor in a leading role all three years of the show’s run. Although Cosby won each time, Culp never expressed anything but support of his co-star’s success.

When I Spy ended, Culp starred in his most notable feature film, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, directed and co-written by Paul Mazursky. The movie dealt humorously with the sexual revolution of the 1960s. Culp and Natalie Wood played Bob and Carol, a couple introduced to wife-swapping by their friends, Ted and Alice, played by Elliott Gould and Dyan Cannon.

Culp’s other film roles included The Castaway Cowboy, Golden Girl and Turk 182!.

In 1994, the duo reprised their small-screen roles as Robinson and Scott in a CBS movie, I Spy Returns.

Robert Martin Culp was born August 16, 1930 in, Oakland, California. He attended College of the Pacific, Washington University in St. Louis and San Francisco State College before landing at the University of Washington drama school.

At age 21, just a semester removed shy if earning his degree, Culp moved to New York to pursue his career. He began to score parts in off-Broadway plays, including a production of He Who Gets Slapped. He earned an Obie award for his performance, after which his career took off.

Before long he relocated to Los Angeles, where he found a great deal of television work, including episodes of Kraft Television Theatre, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Rifleman and many others.

His first starring role in a television series came in 1957 with a short-lived western called Trackdown. In the 1980s, he played an FBI agent in another series, The Greatest American Hero.

In later years he appeared in numerous guest roles, including episodes of Cosby and Chicago Hope. He also had a recurring role as Patricia Heaton’s father in the popular TV comedy Everybody Loves Raymond.

In addition to his work as an actor and director, Culp wrote episodes of The Rifleman and I Spy, among others. In his later years he was reported to have been working on screenplays.

Culp was married five times, to Nancy Ashe, Elayne Wilner, France Nuyen, Sheila Sullivan and Candace Culp, to whom he was wed at the time of his death. He had four children with Ashe and one with Candace Culp.

Robert Culp had the distinction of being interviewed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation’s Archive of American Television. On November 6, 2007, in Los Angeles, California, he was interviewed for the Archive by Stephen J. Abramson.

During the discussion, which lasted three hours, Culp talked about his childhood interests and how he aspired to be an animator for Disney when he grew up. He talked about his acting training and his move to New York City, breaking into theater and television.

He went on to explain how he was able to get work in television as an indirect result of the Hollywood Blacklist: since he was a newcomer, he had no affiliations. He talked about his early experiences in Los Angeles as a struggling actor and described his first role as a series regular on the series Trackdown, which he called a “western Dragnet.” He spoke fondly of working with Dick Powell, whose Four Star Productions produced this series.

Culp also described some of the roles he had in a variety of the popular TV genres of the day — western, detective, medical, sci-fi — including his memorable parts on the classic sci-fi anthology The Outer Limits.

He then spoke in great detail about the role and the series for which he is most closely associated: Kelly Robinson on I Spy. For this series he talked about the on-location shooting, working with co-star Bill Cosby and the controversial casting of an African-American lead, and talked about some of the episodes that he wrote as. He then spoke about two other memorable series, The Greatest American Hero and Everybody Loves Raymond.

The entire discussion is available here.

The Groundbreaking Wonderfulness of ‘I Spy’

I Spy is the perfect TV show to watch if you want to see Bill Cosby throw a punch. It’s probably the only show to hold that unique distinction. In the mid-’60s casting Cosby in a lead role in a spy drama was controversial and it had nothing to do with his career as a stand-up comedian. You see, Cosby became the first black man to star in a TV drama in the United States.

Casting an African American in a starring role at that time was enough to forever guarantee NBC’s I Spy’s place in the history of television. In 1965 when I Spy was first broadcast, the revolutionary idea didn’t pull any punches.

By casting Cosby alongside Robert Culp, NBC found itself up against a fair amount of racial prejudice in America. Several stations in the South initially refused to air the show, but that didn’t stop the series from becoming a hit.

I Spy debuted amidst the spy craze ignited by the first James Bond films, and it was certainly nothing like the other shows sparked by 007 such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. For three seasons, the series followed the exploits of US spies Kelly Robinson (Culp) and Alexander Scott (Cosby). Kelly posed as a globetrotting professional tennis player and Scott as his personal trainer. They traveled the world as secret agents, but told everyone they were traveling to tennis tournaments.

If the premise sounds ridiculous, well, it is. But somehow it worked. The new DVD collectionI Spy: The Complete Series proves that, at least in its heyday, the show was worth marveling at.

Airing from 1965-1968 I Spy demonstrated a real “color blind” approach, presenting its white and black protagonists as equals. Racial issues were rarely dealt with directly; audiences were merely given a model to imitate. Scott was Kelly’s partner, his equal and his friend; he was anything but a bumbling sidekick or a black stereotype.

As Kelly, Culp was suave and daring with a sly smile, while Cosby portrayed Scott as a contemplative, intellectual hero. Cosby and Culp’s performances, especially during their breezy, lighthearted exchanges, are the very definition of on screen chemistry. Almost 50 years after its debut, the pair’s performances remain as impressive today as they were in its initial run. If nothing else in I Spy exactly stands the test of time, the performances of Culp and Cosby do. The duo earned a combined six Emmy nominations in three years with Cosby rightfully winning each time for best lead actor.

While I Spy is an action / adventure drama full of gunfights, secret microfilm, and explosions, the quick-witted humor the duo displays really makes the show shine even in the middle of its dullest moments. While the characters do get into some deep, introspective chats, some of the conversations between Kelly and Scott are so energetic that there’s no way they weren’t improvised.

Friendship, not race or espionage, was certainly the central theme of the show. Today it’s action probably won’t have you on the edge on your seat, but its wit will probably leave a smile on your face.

As an added bonus, those absurd tennis-playing aliases let the heroes roam freely around the world. And roam about they did. (In case you’re wondering, you don’t see them play or even discuss tennis often.) The exotic locales were a major part of what made the program so unique.

Furthering the show’s championing of diversity, thanks to creator/executive producer Sheldon Leonard, episodes were shot on location all over the world including China, Mexico, Japan, Spain and Greece. So, I Spy easily avoided looking like it was shot on some cheap studio back lot, simply because it wasn’t. The innovative, integrated settings gave it a decidedly lavish international flare while exposing American audiences in the ‘60s to a variety of distinctive architecture, languages, fashion, and culture.

All in all, while the plots weren’t bad, they didn’t matter as much as the banter and the relationship between the two protagonists. So, as you might expect, the series is slow and plodding by today’s standards. Many of the 50-minute episodes on the DVD collection can feel excruciatingly long and sluggish. In season three’s “The Seventh Captain”, more than five minutes go by without a word of dialogue or any meaningful action. This stretch of that episode is far from exciting, unless you’ve somehow never seen scuba diving before, and many other episodes have similar problems.

Despite the pacing issues, the episodes are rarely predictable or formulaic. The agents chase their fair share of MacGuffins, but there’s usually more to it than that. I Spy took a think-outside-the-box approach with its spy storylines, several of which were actually written by Culp, like “Home to Judgment” which finds Kelly and Scott pursued by enemy agents while they hide out at an isolated family farm.

Plus, since I Spy features no serialized storytelling during its three seasons, if you get your hands on the new DVD collection, you can choose any episode from the series and enjoy it with no prior knowledge of the episodes that preceded it. This allows you to, for instance, get right to the spirited cat-and-mouse game of “Bet Me a Dollar” or the dark, introspective “Anyplace I Hang Myself is Home”.

Additionally, to its credit, I Spy eschews many of the conventions of the spy adventures that inspired it. With I Spy there’s a welcome dose of realism in a genre known for such polish. Kelly and Scott, at least compared to other TV dramas of the era, are fully realized characters and are far from super spies. They get winded while chasing culprits. They bleed. They question their superiors, get burnt out, and fail. In one episode Kelly even contemplates suicide as a way to get rid of the pressures of his job.

Meanwhile, there are no jet packs, exploding briefcases, or other gadgets to help the secret agents save the day. They’re left to use their pistols, their fists, and mostly their wits to get out of trouble. For example, in the episode “Cops and Robbers”, they actually have to go to a Philadelphia department store to buy a tape recorder to get them out of a jam.

Overall, it’s a good thing the characters often use their brains more than their brawn, because the fights on I Spy are terribly staged, cheesy, and laughably fake. And it’s not Cosby’s fault. Culp has plenty of charm, but he also manages to be the least convincing expert in marital arts on television, despite dropkicking someone in almost every episode.

The only thing that makes the show appear more dated than some awkward attempts at kung fu fighting, is the lack of respect for many female characters. Though the performances hold up well, and many of the stories still work, this series sees women often treated exclusively as objects to be desired. For a show such celebrated for its equality, it’s a little disappointing to frequently see Culp’s character squeezing a different nameless “chick” by the typical episode’s conclusion.

In spite of these flaws, you can’t discredit I Spy’s assortment of guest stars. The diversity of characters, locations, and situations allowed for a stellar cast of familiar actors to appear in guest-starring roles including Gene Hackman, Eartha Kitt, Jim Backus, Ron Howard, Ricardo Montalban, and, oh my, George Takei. These guest stars often make their episodes instantly entertaining, like when an elderly Boris Karloff plays a batty professor (who thinks he might be Don Quixote) or when Carroll O’Connor gives a memorable performance as a ominous Soviet scientist.

The new DVD collection includes the show’s entire 82-episode run on 18 DVDs. The full-frame transfers on these discs surely look their age, as there seems to be no significant restoration. Plus, the only extra included in this set is a 20-page booklet that includes an episode guide littered with trivia. Not a single featurette or commentary track appears, which is a real mystery worth uncovering for the fans that hold the show dearly.

Overall, during an era filled with an endless parade of spies taking on missions of varying levels of plausibility, I Spy did the impossible; it defied conventions and embraced both diversity and equality, admirably altering the television landscape. The show didn’t always make solving the world’s problems look easy, nor is it going to win over countless new fans in 2014, but “wonderfulness” (a ‘60s catchphrase the show inspired) was and still remains a fitting word to describe I Spy.

As the new Complete Series DVD collection will show you, not unlike a secret agent, I Spy infiltrated television, made it better, and changed it forever. Cosby punches are included in the purchase price.

Ten Must-See Spy Films on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime to Stream

From Christopher Nolan’s Hollywood blockbuster Tenet to Stephen Spielberg’s spy-swap drama Bridge of Spies, these 10 films are SPYSCAPE’s pick of the most engaging espionage films to stream on a night indoors.
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John David Washington stars in Tenet

Tenet (2020, Amazon Prime) 

Christopher Nolan’s time-warping Tenet begins with an undercover operation at the Kiev opera house, an ‘inverted’ bullet, and a secret agent (John David Washington) on a dangerous mission involving an algorithm, a Russian oligarch (Kenneth Branagh), and a plot to start World War III.

EXPLORE THE CONUNDRUM
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Tom Cruise and Vanessa Kirby star in Mission Impossible

Mission Impossible – Fallout (2018, Amazon Prime & Hulu)

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team are assigned to buy three stolen plutonium cores from eastern European gangsters, but he must work with the CIA to save the world. August Walker (Henry Cavill) plays the CIA assassin monitoring Hunt and actress Vanessa Kirby is the White Widow. The film grossed $790m, the top earner of the franchise so far.

CRUISE ON STUNTS
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Charlize Theron stars in Atomic Blonde

Atomic Blonde (2017, Amazon Prime)

MI6’s Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) is on a mission to find a top-secret list of intelligence officers that is held on microfilm and concealed in a wristwatch. The KGB likely stole the microfilm during an operation that left an MI6 officer dead. Lorraine arrives in Germany in 1989, just days before the Berlin Wall falls, with orders to find the list and a KGB double agent named Satchel.

THERON’S DEBRIEF

Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies

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Bridge of Spies (2015, Netflix, Amazon Prime)

Soviets shoot down a CIA U-2 spy plane during the Cold War and arrest American pilot Gary Powers. A Brooklyn attorney is then tapped to negotiate a prisoner exchange, offering KGB spy Rudolf Abel in a swap on Germany’s Glienicke Bridge – the so-called Bridge of Spies. Steven Spielberg’s historical thriller stars Tom Hanks. Mark Rylance won the Oscar for portraying Abel.

 SPYSCAPE’S REVIEW
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Marwan Kenzari stars in The Angel

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The Angel (2018, Netflix)

An Egyptian codenamed Angel spies for Mossad in the midst of turmoil in the Middle East. Is Angel a man agitating for peace or a power-hungry double agent? The film stars Tunisian-Dutch actor Marwan Kenzari as Egyptian diplomat Ashraf Marwan, the president’s son-in-law.

DISCOVER YOUR SPY SKILLS

Keira Knightley stars in Official Secrets

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Official Secrets (2019, Amazon Prime & Hulu)

Katharine Gun (Keira Knightly) is a British intelligence specialist who wrestles with her conscience after reading a National Security Agency email to UK spies asking for help with dirty tricks, bribery and blackmail. Gun leaks the email hoping to stop the 2003 Iraq war as the clock ticks down to the conflict. 

GUN’S PODCAST

Helen Mirren in Eye in the Sky

Eye in the Sky (2015, Amazon Prime)

This is a fast-paced film starring Helen Mirren as a British officer dealing with Al-Shabaab terrorists who may have killed an undercover agent in British-Kenya. The Colonel, in charge of a drone-based African operation, discovers suicide bombers are preparing an attack, but her strike plan is delayed.

SPYSCAPE’S REVIEW

John David Washington in BlackKkKlansman

BlacKkKlansman (2018, Netflix, Amazon Prime)

Ron (John David Washington is assigned to the intelligence division of the Colorado Springs police department where he infiltrates a Ku Klux Klan group via phone by pretending to be interested in joining. He teams up with a co-worker to keep up the pretense.

HEAR WASHINGTON’s VIEW

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Edward Snowden

Snowden (2016, Amazon Prime)

Edward Snowden’s co-worker nicknames him ‘Snow White’ when Snowden joins the NSA as a contractor. That’s because Snowden thinks the NSA only tracks enemies of the state rather than eavesdropping on every mobile phone in the US. Snowden is soon blowing the whistle. Nicolas Cage stars as a CIA instructor and Rhys Ifans (Berlin Station) as a CIA recruiter.

SPYSCAPE’S REVIEW

A Call to Spy with screenplay by Virginia Hall (right)

A Call to Spy (2019, Amazon Prime) 

British PM Winston Churchill orders his spy agency to hire women for sabotage and resistance-building during WWII. The female recruits at the Special Operations Executive (including screenwriter Sarah Megan Thomas who plays Virginia Hall and Radhika Apte who portrays undercover agent (Noor Inayat Khan), are part of an unlikely group determined to undermine the Nazis.

HEAR MORE ABOUT NOOR INAYAT KHAN

%22i Spy%22 Star Bill – Crossword Clue Answers

The crossword clue See 22 with 7 letters was last seen on the November 30, 2021. We think the likely answer to this clue is VERDICT. Below are all possible answers to this clue ordered by its rank. You can easily improve your search by specifying the number of letters in the answer.

Rank	Word	Clue
90%	VERDICT	See 22
85%	TEN	Billfold bill
85%	ONE	Billfold bill
85%	TAB	Bar bill
85%	CIA	Spy org
85%	ALLY	See 22
85%	MOLE	Embedded spy
85%	PLANT	Factory spy
85%	COSBY	“I Spy” star Bill
80%	HARI	Mata ___ (W. W. I spy)
80%	SATISFY	Fill the bill
80%	KGB	Cold War spy grp
80%	CELEB	Star
80%	KWH	Elec. bill unit
80%	NAY	Bill-rejecting word
80%	TRADE	See 22 Across
80%	HALL	See 22 Across
80%	LEN	Spy novelist Deighton
80%	VETOES	Bill killers
80%	ATMS	Bill issuers

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• 17 across, composer appearing in month — where reason for being late remains unknown? Crossword Clue
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I Spy – Episode 102: A Cup of Kindness

I Spy – Episode 102: A Cup of Kindness

Episode 02: A Cup of Kindness

DVD: I Spy: Disk 1 – A Cup of Kindness

Starring

Robert Culp – Kelly Robinson

Bill Cosby – Alexander Scott

Guest Stars

David Friedkin – Russ Conley

Irene Tsu – Girl at Export Company

Lee Kolima – Kwan Tak

Robin Lee – Child

Tommy Lee – Bellhop

Locale: Hong Kong

Summary

As Kelly bumps into his old mentor, Russ Conley, he finds that his latest orders
are to kill his old friend. It seems as if Conley has become a double agent,
and turned over a prototype weapons signaling device to the enemy. Conley
knows Kelly’s orders, and pleads Robinson and Scott to retrieve the prototype
and clear his name. Kelly’s loyalty to his old friend compels him to ignore
his orders and help save Conley’s life.

Conley leads Robinson and Scott to the exporting company where he was captured
and tortured. The exporting company is a front for the enemy, and the prototype
is still inside. Kelly goes on a hilarious recon mission, and the three return
to recover the prototype. However, as luck would have it, things don’t go as
planned.

Cool Stuff

In this episode, we learn a bit about how Alexander joined the service. During
his undergrad years, he was studying languages. As it turns out, his professor
was a recruiter, and recognized Scott’s potential.

This episode features an extensive fight scene involving Kelly against a gang
of agents posing as employees of an export company. It’s cool to see Robert
Culp going through some rather acrobatic moves, unlike some of the usual fight
scenes in Star Trek where it’s painfully obvious that stunt doubles are used.

There’s a funny camera goof during the fight scene, where a big goon lifts
Kelly onto a counter and shoves him across. While Kelly is probably played by
a stunt double for this scene, a pull cable is clearly visible, carefully
guiding the stunt Kelly along the counter.

Alexander Scott also shows off his MacGuyveristic side by creating a low-level
bomb using materials found in your run-of-the-mill export warehouse. He uses
a combination of ammonia, fertilizer, and dry ice to create a mildly volatile
mixture. He then sets it off using a makeshift timing fuse made out of a lit
cigarette.

What’s disconcerting about this episode’s enemy agents is their ineptness when
dealing with captured spies. First, they throw Scott, Robinson, and Conley into
a storage room where they can find raw materials to concoct a bomb. Second,
they don’t search their prisoners to find a potentially useful match, and
-yikes!- the prototype! Unbelievable. ..

Cool Babes

Now what self-respecting spy show would not include a hot babe? Well, “A Cup of
Kindness” is no exception. Irene Tsu, a former beauty queen, is this episode’s
exotic babe. Her character doesn’t even have a name, but her appearance at the
end of the episode pratically steals the show.

Closing

Overall, the episode is enjoyable but does have a slightly predictable plot
twist. However, like many of the early episodes in the series, “A Cup of
Kindness” benefits from location shooting. There’s something about Hong Kong
in the Sixties that adds an air of intrigue. The exotic setting is almost like
a supporting character, and is missing in the series’ later episodes which were
filmed in Desilu Studios.

Maya’s Mysteries: I Spy Kindness

“Give light to our eyes, hearing to our ears, and understanding and love to our hearts.

”
—‘Abdu’l-Bahá

In science experiments, it helps to have superb observation skills. When I pay close attention to anything, from plants to pollution, I make cool discoveries.

It’s amazing to observe the people around me, too. I love to see all the ways that people practice kindness. I’ve found that when we pay attention to and appreciate each other’s thoughtful actions, it encourages the spread of even more positivity. Imagine the world if everyone made observations like these!

What acts of kindness do you catch at home, at school, or in your community? Create this “I Spy” game to play with family and friends. It’s a great way to practice your powers of perception.

You’ll Need:

white paper, 10–20 trinkets or words that express kindness, clear sheet protector, scissors, glue, sheet of thick paper, hole punch, binder ring, 3-ring pencil pouch with clear window and zipper, about 1 lb. (454 g) assorted beads, digital camera, printer, and printer paper or pencil and markers

Step 1: Set trinkets on white paper in neat rows. Take pictures and make prints (or draw them on paper).

Step 2: Glue drawing or photo onto thick paper. Trim excess paper. Place inside sheet protector against its crease.

Step 3: Trim excess protector. Punch hole in corner of key card. Attach card to pouch with ring.

Step 4: Put all beads and trinkets in pouch, zip, and shake it up.

To Play: Have friends time each other to see who can be the quickest to spy all the items! For new challenges, switch trinkets and key card to another theme, such as animals or nature.

For a printable version, download a PDF of this activity.

Updated 10/17/2018Characters380

Maya’s Mysteries83

Maya107

Kindness97

Crafts179

Games65

Observation7

Appreciation17

Celebrate37

90,000 Earned millions at the board, hated women and spied for the USSR. Bobby Fischer is the rock star of chess

Bobby Fischer is the strongest chess player alive today.

Lisa Lane, US Chess Champion

This is true, even though Lisa Lane does not know what she is judging about.

Chess

Oksimiron compared himself to Fischer. Here is the story of the great chess player

12/2/2021 At 07:45

Bobby Fischer

World Chess Champion Boris Spassky smoked alone at a table with a blackboard and a clock in complete silence, but there were several hundred people in the audience in front of him.Spectators, organizers, cameramen, KGB officers assigned to Spassky, and journalists were tensely silent. In the USSR, America and all over the world, thousands of people sat in front of screens in vain expectation of the match of the century, the clash of two empires on a board with cells. But the hall in Reykjavik resembled a flask with chemical reagents that did not react without a catalyst – there was an empty space in front of the Soviet grandmaster with a sign “Robert Fischer”.

This was the second game, to which the impudent contender for the title, who lost in the first meeting, did not appear.Before the start of the championship, Bobby forced the organizers to double the prize money to a record 250 thousand dollars (1.5 million dollars in terms of today) – everyone knew how much interest a match of this magnitude would cause, so they went for extortion. Then Fischer demanded to move the tournament from Reykjavik to the capital of Yugoslavia, Belgrade. US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had to put the brawler in his place. And after a very miserable defeat in the very first game, this impudent Fischer demanded that the cameras be removed from the hall – they interfere with thinking.The 1972 World Championship was broadcast live for the first time, the organizers signed advertising contracts, it is impossible to remove the equipment. After that, the challenger did not come to the second game and received a technical defeat.

World Champion Boris Spassky before the match with Bobby Fischer

Photo: Eurosport

Before the third meeting, Fischer was persuaded by the organizers and seconds: “Robert, don’t you want your game to be watched at home? Your friends, relatives, and finally, your mother are worried about you! ” At the last word, Bobby turned pale, got up from the couch, on which he was comfortably lying in one of his 157 suits, and silently walked to the door. “You represent the United States of America, after all!” – flew after. The chess player stopped in the doorway. “I represent Robert James Fisher,” he said and slammed the door.

Why do children from single-parent families feel rejected? After all, next to them is the second parent, brothers, sisters, friends – they choose you. It’s all about the lack of control over the most important event in your life. “Children without parents grow up as wolf cubs. I am only a man, but a man of unusual destiny, “said Robert Fisher.

Betrayal turned out to be the central event in the life of the future chess player. His mother, Regina Vender, was born in Switzerland, but lived in the USSR for several years, where she studied to be a doctor and worked as an assistant to geneticist Hermann Müller in Moscow. The girl married another assistant to Müller, biophysicist Hans Fischer. The couple moved to the United States, Regina gave birth to daughter Joan and then became pregnant with Robert. The family lived very poorly, Hans went on business trips all the time to get money, and his wife continued to study as a doctor and worked in parallel.But even before the birth of a son, the family suddenly fell apart.

Bobby and Regina Fischer before the fight

Photo: Eurosport

Regina was left alone with two children and barely survived. In fact, Robert was raised by his sister Joan, who bought him a chess set because it was the cheapest board game in the store. The siblings learned the rules written on the box, and very soon Bobby easily beat Joan. Once he got bored – he taught his mother to play, but she did not compete.Then a family friend, Paul Nemenyi, came to the rescue, who in every possible way tried to replace Bobby’s father. At some point, he even unsuccessfully tried to sue Regina for custody, because the woman developed a nervous breakdown and she often behaved inappropriately. Paul even paid for the boy’s education until his death in 1952.

Once Bobby learned to play chess, other people were gone to him. Peers who did not know the rules fell out of life. The teenager studied Russian, German, Spanish and Serbo-Croatian languages ​​in order to read chess literature in the original, and the main goal was the title of world champion.But while Bobby mostly lost – from the age of seven to 10, he missed victories so often that sometimes matches ended in tantrums and tears. And Fischer was not reassured that his opponents were several times older and had been playing much longer than Bobby lived. The boy even practiced in the bathroom – sometimes he washed only under this condition.

Robert saved all his pocket money for tournament fees, which he paid on an equal basis with adults. From the age of 12, he traveled alone to these competitions. At 13, the boy won the US Junior Championship.At 14 – an adult. In 1958, in the status of the US champion, he visited the USSR and demanded a match with the world champion Mikhail Botvinnik, but the advice only chuckled at the kid. The Soviet chess school was the best in the world. And the American one is very weak, and even if a child became a grandmaster there, then how can you take their champion seriously? But in this case, the dependence was the opposite: the guy turned out to be so good at chess that he dropped out of school at the age of 15 to earn money by playing his favorite game. “There is nothing to learn at school.Teachers are stupid. Women should not be employed as teachers. In my school, only the physical education teacher was smart – he played chess well, ”the guy explained.

Bobby Fischer a few years before the first championship

Photo: Eurosport

Mother was totally against it. Since childhood, she resisted her son’s hobby, hid the board, forced her to do her homework and go out into the street. And this led to scandals. Due to constant conflicts, Regina eventually packed up and left home, leaving her 17-year-old son alone in a New York apartment.And the young grandmaster enjoyed it like a real rock star. He changed girls, charming them with arrogance and self-confidence unusual for geeks, and then threw them out of life. “Women are not serious. The boys are wasting time with them. Chess is what brings satisfaction and can also bring money, ”said Robert.

In tournaments, the four-time US champion behaved like a king. Fischer calmly said that he was better than any opponent, demanded privileges, violated the rules, and often out of spite.He could easily coordinate the event with his participation, and at the last moment he refused on a far-fetched pretext. He was constantly late for the start of the game, which over time everyone got used to. Once Bobby said that for religious reasons he could not play on Friday at all, and on Saturday – before seven o’clock in the evening. “I will make sure that chess is treated with no less respect than boxing. No matter how much Mohammed Ali asks for a fight, I will demand more, ”Fischer said.

Bobby hated Soviet chess players, while admiring their school.Fischer believed that they conspired to play draws among themselves, so as not to let other players into the championship. At the same time, the FBI suspected Robert of spying for the advice. The Bureau oversaw the Fischer family for 30 years. Interest was especially keen when the chess player went to a match in the USSR in 1958. An FBI agent followed and followed Fisher, but the recruitment reports were not confirmed. The dossier on his mother was 750 pages – all because of several years of life in the USSR. In the end, the FBI admitted that Regina Fisher and Bobby Fisher were not spies, but it took years of researching their mail, interviewing neighbors, surveillance and wiretapping.It wasn’t until 1972 that Fischer finally made it to the championship match against Boris Spassky.

The field of defeat in the first game in Reykjavik and Fischer’s refusal to enter the second Spassky himself suggested that the organizers move the game to a more chamber hall without operators and with a smaller number of spectators. Boris did not want the entire tournament against Fischer to turn into a series of technical victories. The Russian champion acted in a sporty way, but this also led him to complete collapse.In the next nine games Spassky lost five times, won a draw three times, and won only once. At some point, the KGB officers demanded to disassemble Fischer’s swivel chair – allegedly it contains a hidden device that prevents Boris from playing with ultrasound. It turned out that there was a foreign object in the chair – a screwdriver that was forgotten during assembly. Fischer triumphantly won and returned home a hero. Politicians immediately tried to use the achievement for their own purposes, but the world champion refused to dinner with Nixon at the White House: “I hate it when I chew, but they look into my mouth.”

Bobby was showered with advertising contracts, but he brushed them off one by one. He rejected Volkswagen because he considered it a suicide machine, called Coca-Cola poison. At the same time, he still did not develop relationships with women.

Bobby Fischer on a wave of fame

Photo: Eurosport

In 1975, Fischer refused to play a match with world title challenger Anatoly Karpov – the organizers did not agree to Bobby’s demands for money and changes in the rules, so he resigned and disappeared. To discourage the media, Fischer set an insane price tag: he demanded $ 2,500 for a conversation on the phone, $ 5,000 for a personal meeting, and $ 25,000 for an interview.

20 years later, an 18-year-old Fischer fan from Hungary, chess player Zita Ricanyi, decided to write an idol. A correspondence began between them, and a year later she went to visit Robert, and she stayed with him. Their romance blossomed, and Bobby coached the girl. Once she asked him how it happened that by the age of 50 he had never been married, treated women badly and broke off relations with his mother.Reluctantly, Bobby laid out to the girl what had been weighing on his heart for years.

Hans Fischer is not his real father. Regina betrayed her husband, cheating on his friend Paul Nemenyi, while Hans hunched over in search of money for the family. And so he dumped them, so Bobby grew up without a real father – Paul never really became his parent. And then his mother betrayed Bobby himself, leaving one because of chess at the age of 17.

Revenge of Spassky and Fischer

Photo: Eurosport

Zita persuaded Bobby to return to chess, and in 1992 Fischer played an unofficial rematch with Spassky.Robert won again, and both great chess players received huge fees – three and two million dollars, respectively. This game made Boris a millionaire, and he called Fischer “Our Trade Union” because the American regularly knocked out cash raises. But Zita also betrayed the idol – when he proposed to her, the girl rejected the aging champion, which launched him into an even steeper peak.

Fischer hated everything and everyone: Jews – although he was a Jew himself, America – although he grew up there, the USSR – although thanks to his books he learned to play and achieved everything.In a recent interview, Robert said he was happy about the September 11 attacks. “Look at the history of the United States. What is the history of a country in general? Become someone from nobody, right? Conquer, kill. They took over the country, plundered the lands of the American Indians, killed almost all of them. This is the history of the United States. Despicable country “.

For this, the United States stripped him of his citizenship and put him on the wanted list for years of tax evasion. As a result, Fischer was arrested in Japan when he tried to fly away on an invalid passport.But the Japanese refused to extradite and deported the chess player to Reykjavik. Iceland agreed to give him political asylum – after all, the famous duel between Fischer and Spassky made this country famous throughout the world.

Bobby Fischer’s inconspicuous grave

Photo: Eurosport

Until his death, Fischer lived in seclusion in Reykjavik with his girlfriend, the Japanese chess player Miyoko Watai, whom they met back in the 70s. Robert made it to the United States only once: he illegally crossed the border into Canada to attend the funeral of his sister Joan, who once bought him a chess set.The secret services knew about this, but did not arrest the old chess player. He died in 2008 from kidney failure.

Even Fischer’s death turned into a scandal, like his whole life. Bobby did not leave a will, which is why Watai, Fischer’s nephews, the daughter of a former mistress and the US tax authorities quarreled over the two million dollars left in the chess player’s account.

Aged World Champion in Iceland

Photo: Eurosport

Bobby Fischer has become one of those people who make the world pay attention to this or that phenomenon.For many, the brawler from the United States turned out to be a reason to go to chess. He wrote one of the best tutorials on the game. The increase in fees is also his merit. Scandals and setbacks in his personal life lie deep in Bobby’s personality traumatized by childhood memories. But if they did not exist, then it is unlikely that the world would have received the craziest chess player in history.

Other texts by Artyom Mazilkin:

The Russian boxing champion stood up for the artist and died at the hands of the mafia. He was a bouncer in New York, learning how to wrestle on cassettes and becoming a UFC champion.The MMA legend died, lost in the desert Review of the 8th game of the tournament

11/27/2021 At 07:30

Chess

Who will become the king of chess? Chances of a Russian grandmaster to win the World Cup

11/25/2021 At 15:14

Cult director Werner Herzog: You can learn how to make films in a week | Culture and Lifestyle in Germany and Europe | DW

Hollywood stars of the first magnitude are shot in his new films, and all his cinematic work is an existential study of the human soul in extreme circumstances.A creator of mesmerizing cinematic images and a connoisseur of everything that is not “normal” and “everyday,” filmmaker Werner Herzog is ready to take unprecedented steps to achieve the desired effect.

Herzog was born in Munich on September 5, 1942 into a family of scientists. At the age of 19, he shot his first film while a student at the University of Munich, where he studied history, literature and theater. In 1966 he went to the United States on a scholarship, but studied there for only a week. Since 1970, he has been shooting several films a year, alternating documentaries and fiction, writing scripts, publishing books, staging operas, and acting as an actor himself.Films in exotic locations – at the end of the world, preferably in English. In 2001 he settled in Los Angeles. In 2010 he headed the jury of the Berlin International Film Festival, where the Russian film How I Spent This Summer was awarded several awards.

Werner Herzog at the European Film Academy Awards on December 17, 2019

Werner Herzog is one of the leading directors of our time. He only has one Oscar nomination, but the list of awards won around the world is truly endless.Among them – the prize for the contribution to the cinema of the European Film Academy, prizes of prestigious film festivals, including the Cannes one. On January 25, in the USA, Herzog received his next award – for his contribution to the development of cinema he was awarded by the American Society of Cinematographers.

DW: For the past ten years, you have been receiving awards for “contribution” every now and then. How does such an abundance of honorary awards make you feel?

Werner Herzog: A bit weird, because I’m still a long way from the finish line in my work and I’m making more films now than 30 or 40 years ago.I released three full-length films last year alone: ​​about Gorbachev, about the writer Bruce Chatwin, and another feature film shot in Japan. Everything – in 12 months. For others, it takes six or eight years. For “contribution” is awarded if you have not filmed a film for ten years and go to the stage in a wheelchair …

– You are from Bavaria. Do you still consider Bavaria as your homeland, although you have not lived here for 20 years?

– Here are my cultural roots. Although my ancestors are from completely different places.On the father’s side – the Swabians and Huguenots. From the mother – from Austria and Croatia. But I grew up in the Alps, so my native language is Bavarian. In my travels around the world, I miss the sound of the Bavarian dialect the most.

– You did not study in film schools and do not consider it necessary. Why?

– In my opinion, they are not properly arranged, and students study there for too long. In three or four years, you can make three fiction films – instead of poring over the theory of cinema.What you need to know can be learned in a week.

– You are giving master classes. What do you teach in a week?

– My Rogue Filmschool is a scam movie school. It can be considered an alternative to traditional film schools around the world. Here you can learn two really necessary things: how to pick locks and how to forge a filming permit with impunity. Everything else is conversations and examples from films, music and literature.

Recently I have switched to workshops where the participants have to make a very short film in nine days – without a prepared script, because they do not know what topic I will give them.The topic can be any. I recently gave a seminar like this in the Peruvian jungle of the Amazon on the topic “Fever dreams in the jungle.” Seminar participants had to come up with a story, define a shooting location, find actors, shoot a film without the help of a cameraman, edit it on their laptops and show it no later than nine days later. Great films turned out!

– In your films, whether documentary or fiction, extreme is always present: extreme landscapes, extreme circumstances, extreme characters.What motivates you to seek extremes?

– In fact, I’m not looking for extreme, it seems to me normal what I do. They tell me that shooting in the Amazon jungle is extreme. But this is just a forest! Nothing special!

– Your movie Fitzcarraldo is famous for the scenes of a ship being dragged across the mountains in the Peruvian jungle. The fanatical music lover is played by Klaus Kinski, whose obsession is legendary, as is your relationship with him. How do you rate your collaboration today?

– Kinski has starred in five feature films for me.I expressed my attitude towards him in the film “My Beloved Enemy”. Kinski was special. But not the best I’ve worked with. Best of all was Bruno S. in “Every man for himself, and God is against all” and “Stroshek”. I worked with the best actors and actresses – Christian Bale, Nicolas Cage, Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise. But they are all far from Bruno S. in depth, charisma and authenticity.

– Your “Bad Lieutenant” with Nicolas Cage was a great success. In the thriller “Jack Reacher” with Tom Cruise, you yourself played one of the negative characters.Is it difficult to play the villain?

– No problem. Absolutely none. I knew I could do it. The director and Tom Cruise wanted me for the role, so I didn’t have to audition. Likewise, I recently made it onto Star Wars: The Mandalorian.

– You have been living in Los Angeles for a long time and do not consider yourself a part of German cinema. But in America you have the cult status of “Hollywood Bavarian”. How did it happen?

– I would be very careful with the term “cult status”.In Brazil, for example, or in Russia, Poland, Ireland or Algeria, there is much more excitement when I appear there with my films.

I live in Los Angeles, but not in a dream factory. And I would not say that I have anything to do with German cinema. It seems to me that this classification is incorrect. I should be attributed to something more regional: to the Bavarian film – because of its special character, its baroque, vital intensity. That is why I sometimes say that Ludwig II would be the only one who else, apart from me, could have made Fitzcarraldo.

– In the documentary “Grizzly Man,” you are looking for a clue to the suicidal behavior of naturalist Timothy Treadwell, who spent 13 years in a national park with grizzly bears and was eventually killed by them. Are there boundaries that you do not cross?

– There is a dying audio recording of Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend. They were killed by bears. Moreover, the bears ate them alive, gradually. The distributors and producers demanded that this recording be included in the film. I listened to it.And it was so creepy that I said: “No, only through my corpse!” This is an ethical limit, because no one cancels the dignity of a person and the inviolability of his private life at the time of his death.

– You have already been under water, in the jungle, in the desert, in the ice … Where else are you drawn?

– I would like to visit the orbiting space station. Or fly to the moon. Or to Mars when possible.

See also:

“German villains of Hollywood” photo gallery

• German villains of Hollywood (photo gallery)

  Falk Hentschel (Falk Hentschel): body as capital

  9000 the painting “Knight of the Day” with Tom Cruise, and in “Street Dancing 2” he demonstrated his fantastic body of a professional dancer.Universal Pictures recently reported that Falk had recruited Forrest Gump director Robert Zemeckis in an as-yet-unnamed drama about amnesia following a brutal assault.

• German villains in Hollywood (photo gallery)

  Christoph Waltz: a charming villain

  Hollywood likes to invite German-speaking actors to play villains. The last valuable import of this kind was Christoph Waltz, an Austrian actor who is considered by many to be German as he has often filmed in Germany.His role as SS Standartenfuehrer in Inglourious Basterds earned him an Oscar. Then came other schemers and psychopaths with a gentlemanly guise and a devilish essence.

• German villains in Hollywood (photo gallery)

  Gert Fröbe: a worthy opponent

  Colorful villains, terrorists and agents of enemy intelligence have always been the enemies of James Bond. In the movie “Goldfinger”, which is considered the best of the Bond films, the title role of Aurik Goldfinger was played by German Gert Froebe, who was hired to replace Orson Welles, who asked for too much royalties.The versatile actor became the first German to play the role of Bond’s main opponent, but not the only one.

• German villains in Hollywood (photo gallery)

  Gottfried John: with a Soviet accent

  Bond villains often speak Russian. The unforgettable image of the Soviet Major General Arkady Urumov was created in the film “Golden Eye” by the German actor Gottfried Jon.

• German villains in Hollywood (photo gallery)

  Andreas Wisniewski: a tight grip

  Born in Berlin, Andreas Wisniewski came to the cinema from ballet, made his acting career in the UK and the USA, and then began acting in German serials.In the film about the adventures of the British intelligence agent James Bond “Sparks from the Eyes” Vishnevsky played the killer Nekros, in the action movie “Die Hard” – one of the German terrorists.

• German villains in Hollywood (photo gallery)

  Curd Jürgens: aristocratic

  German actor Kurd Jürgens played cold-blooded and calculating bon vivans and businessmen. Pictured is the “villain” confronting James Bond in The Spy Who Loved Me, millionaire Carl Stromberg (left).

• German villains in Hollywood (photo gallery)

  Götz Otto: no change

  The actor is best known for his role as a villain in the James Bond series Tomorrow Never Dies. During the casting, he was given 20 seconds to introduce himself. The actor said: “I am tall. I am angry. I am bald. I am German. That’s five seconds. You can do it without surrendering.” Otto also played the role of the SS in the films Schindler’s List and The Bunker.

• German Villains in Hollywood (photo gallery)

  Clemens Schick: Dream Man

  The list of German actors who played villains in Bond films is endless.In “Casino Royale”, where Daniel Craig made his debut as British intelligence agent, the right hand of the main villain Le Schiffre was played by the German actor Clemens Schick. Hollywood villains (photo gallery)

  Jürgen Prochnow: Awe-inspiring

  Jürgen Prochnow’s worldwide fame began with his positive role as a submarine captain, but in Hollywood, however, he has played a wide range of villains.And very talented. After the release of one of the pictures, the actor’s real wife, according to him, refused to be in the same room with him at night.

• German villains in Hollywood (photo gallery)

  Til Schwaiger: in defiance of stereotypes

  Schweiger achieved some fame in Hollywood, but not fame. In American films, the actor appears as a classic villain (Lara Croft, King Arthur, etc.). But he refuses to play the stereotypical SS men, even if the offer comes from Spielberg himself.Principles are more important than career. In Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino Schweiger played a German who hates the Nazis.

• German villains of Hollywood (photo gallery)

  Thomas Kretschmann: playing by the rules

  But the equally talented Thomas Kretschmann did not refuse the roles of Nazis in Hollywood and gained fame first overseas, and only then in Germany … Krechman also played a Nazi officer in the Russian film “Stalingrad” by Fyodor Bondarchuk.

• German villains in Hollywood (photo gallery)

  Klaus Kinski: beast

  Kinsky acquired his reputation as a brawler and villain, both in cinema and in life, without the help of Hollywood. His “sinister spirit” manifested itself most strongly in the films of Werner Herzog. It was with this director that Kinski played his main villains: Lope de Aguirre and Count Dracula. The actor and the director were connected by a creative friendship, which often turned into personal hatred.

  Author: Ella Volodina

90,000 Orlando Bloom admitted that he was in love with Cate Blanchett on the set of “The Lord of the Rings”: “I spied on her!”

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20 June 2018, 01:54

Legolas (Orlando Bloom) / Galadriel (Cate Blanchett)

Orlando Bloom is silent about the affair with Katy Perry, but he readily recalls how Cate Blanchett dreamed.The actor spoke about his love on the set of the James Corden show.

Sitting on the couch next to Kate, Orlando revealed that he was crazy about her while filming The Lord of the Rings. In the film trilogy of Peter Jackson, Bloom played the elf Legolas, and Blanchett created the image of the elven mistress Galadriel.

Cate Blanchett as Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings

I was so in love … I was in love with you more than anyone else, – said Orlando to Kate, who was sitting next to him.

Orlando Bloom as Legolas in The Lord of the Rings

Stunned by the confession, she suggested that such feelings were characteristic of his character, but the actor was quick to disbelieve:

No, it was me! I walked around and spied on her! However, the office romance on the set never broke out. As for the relationship between Orlando and Katy Perry, insiders say that the lovers want to get married, discuss plans, but do not rush things.

Cate Blanchett and Orlando Bloom in the James Corden Show

Cate Blanchett

Orlando Bloom

Olga Maximova

A source
ET

Photo
Gettyimages.ru

Photo
Stills from the movie “The Lord of the Rings”

All reviews of the movie “Spy” (USA, 2015) – Afisha-Kino

More than 52 years have passed since the release of the first James Bond film, but the popularity of the hero is a super-agent of the Secret Service who fights against supervillains and saves alone the world only gets bigger.The franchise spawned a huge number of imitators, each of whom, like a supporting character, set off some of the sides of the best agent of all times and peoples. Someone made the plot tougher, like the authors of the Bourne cycle, but there were still more parodies. Humor, as you know, is hidden aggression, and the success of the franchise is so great that to this day it does not allow colleagues in the cinematography to sleep peacefully.

At first glance, the film “Spy” (due to the fact that in Russian, in contrast to English, nouns wander according to gender, the play on words in the title has disappeared, so I will name the film alternately in masculine and feminine genders) is another parody, an attempt to bask in the glory of agent 007.However, in reality, everything is much more interesting. The film, as befits an American comedy, is colorful, noisy, full of grotesque and burlesque, to which good taste and sense of proportion are sacrificed. But, contrary to appearances, in this shiny and rustling package, the viewer is presented with an interesting and benign product.

“The Spy” is imbued with feminism through and through, which does not interfere with the fact that the author and director of its script and director Paul Fig is a man. I mean, of course, not the Russian version of feminism under the slogan “shake more money out of a man and throw it away”, but the real, American version.

The plot twists and the whole intrigue of the film are not built around where the nuclear bomb is located, and who will ultimately be the owner of it. The plot itself is trivial and clichéd, you can not expect any scenario finds in it. “The Spy” is a film about a search not for a bomb, but about a woman’s search for herself in a world where her true calling is hidden behind a transparent ceiling stronger than a diamond one. The problem of unequal opportunities is presented here as clearly as possible. If male spies travel the world under the legends of successful businessmen in tuxedos in sports cars and settle in luxury hotels, then the female operative has to be content with the roles of a cat-lady housewife with four children, a saleswoman of Mary Kay cosmetics, and even an unemployed person on benefits.The set of “spyware” is even more caricatured. And a woman can only get into operational work by chance. Whatever her academic performance at a spy school, she is, according to her diploma, a CIA agent, but in fact she is nothing more than a personal assistant to the operative on a direct connection at the computer.

The role of the head of the department of super agents (Allison Jenny) is indicative in this respect. A woman in a command position is a person without empathy and a sense of humor, this is not even a “woman with eggs”, but a naked function, devoid of any individuality.The same can be said about the main villain, Reina Boyanova (Rose Byrne). A hysterical bitch, she is surrounded by men who obey her like a corps de ballet dancer, she claims to be the supremacy in the underworld, but at the same time plays an alien role imposed on her, as it turns out in the course of the action. The ideal of success and the envy of the female characters of the “Spy” – “super spy” Karen Walker (Morena Baccarin) is the personification of the concept of “objectification” and warm greetings to Sharon Stone, who raised him to the rank of virtue.

The world of “Spy” is a world of men, as befits a spy fighter. And here the satire of the author of the film is fully manifested. The film’s gallery of male images is as brilliant as it is merciless towards its heroes.

Rick Ford performed by Jason State – the most venomous mockery of the superhero image. Ford wears a weekly stubble, sprinkles his speech with the word “fuck” in all variations, and on every corner brags about feats that would make him quietly strangle himself with envy of Chuck Norris himself.He does not know fear and doubts (and generally knows little), always goes ahead and, as it should be with such tactics, he constantly gets into trouble.

Bradley Fine Jude Law is, of course, a direct hello to 007 himself. Confident in his own irresistibility and indelibility of the impression made on any woman, glamorous, insidious and deadly – a real fighting and sexy machine, in fact he turns out to be just a clever puppet, helpless and a blind man without prompts from the “all-seeing eye” of the curator in the earpiece.From this point of view, it is not much different from another machine: the powerful, chic and impeccable “Rinaldo” – the keeper of the quest for all the characters in the film.

Aldo Peter Serafinovich deserves a separate mention – a typical “beta male”, making a stand at the sight of boobs (but not going further than loud promises to “fuck”), and yielding a leading role to anyone, even the professional loser Nancy (Miranda Hart).

All the characters are good in and of themselves, but I would like to say a special thank you to the dubbing actors who did an excellent job and made their characters play with all the colors in the Russian version.

Melissa McCarthy, who played the main role in “The Spy”, seriously claims the title of the queen of modern American comedy, and does it quite rightly. She demonstrates in the frame all her flaws with the same ease as her virtues (and some, as usual, are often a continuation of others), her self-irony is not derogatory, she calls on the viewer to laugh not at the flaws in her appearance, but at the complexes about these flaws … And this is perhaps the main message of the film – accept yourself as you are, do what you feel called to, but do not try to be perfect, and even more so do not worry that you did not succeed.The ideal is unattainable, diamonds falling in bulk into the water are indistinguishable from the drops of summer rain, and all superheroism, like supervillainy, is in fact just a sublimation of sexual desire. And do not shout indignantly – you liked it.

90,000 10 Hollywood Stars Who Hate Superhero Blockbusters – Popcorn

Who among us would not like to star in the role of a superhero? A cool costume, superpowers, the latest gadgets and the love of millions of fans, who wouldn’t like that? However, not all Hollywood actors agree to such roles, even for a multimillion-dollar fee.The site Kinoafisha.info recalled ten Hollywood stars, whom we will definitely never see in raincoats fluttering in the wind and tight leotards.

Jason State

Source: pinterest.com

Although there are not so many replicas in State’s action films, the star of “Carrier” and “Fast and Furious” is much more verbose with regard to blockbusters. Back in 2013, the actor categorically stated that movie comics are exclusively money, not art, and even if someone asked him to try on a superhero’s cloak, this cloak would not “fit” on him.In 2015, Marvel tried to convince Jason and offered him a role in their new series “Daredevil”, and this turned out to be a mistake: Statham publicly criticized the movie comics, saying that playing the role of a superhero was so easy that even his grandmother could handle it …

Amanda Seyfred

Source: pinterest.com

In 2015, in an interview, Amanda said that she would never agree to the role of a heroine with supernormal abilities – and all because of the filming of “Travels to Neverland”, where the actress had to portray “flight”, hanging on a rope in front of a green screen.Apparently, the experience was so negative that the actress decided never to repeat it. However, unlike State, Seyfred stressed that, in principle, she has nothing against such films and likes to watch them at home. “I like being a spectator. I just don’t want to wear a superhero costume, ”said the actress.

Rose McGown

Source: pinterest.com

Ex-star of the series “Charmed” just a few months ago, significantly spoiled the marketing plans of 20th Century Fox.The studio was forced to remove the billboards for “X-Men: Apocalypse”, on which the Apocalypse strangled the Mystic, because Rose launched a campaign against the film on social networks. “The geniuses behind this would love to look in the mirror and think about what they are giving to society,” McGown said tartly. Prior to that, she has repeatedly argued that superhero franchises are the main reason she abandoned her acting career. “Where are the human stories? I don’t need green goblins and tight suits! I need a mind, a passion that moves society forward. “

John Hamm

Source: pinterest.com

After spending seven years on the set of the cult TV series Mad Men, Hamm, after the end of the series, finally freed himself up for movie roles – and mercilessly, one after another, began to reject the scripts offered to him. Back in 2014, in an interview, the actor said that he was repeatedly offered roles in movie comics – and he did not regret at all about his refusal from them.John, indirectly alluding to the multi-part Marvel franchises, explained that he did not want to sign “draconian” contracts for shooting in one film, followed by shooting in two more, “whose scripts you have not even read and have no idea what they will be about and what are you going to do there. ”

Daniel Craig

Source: pinterest.com

Like Hamm, Craig spent so much in one single role that he is no longer going to accept a role that requires investment of many years and efforts.The sixth performer of the role of James Bond somehow unsuccessfully joked that he would rather cut his veins than star in another film about agent 007. Meanwhile, back in 2008, the actor was offered to change his tuxedo to a raincoat – he was one of the candidates for the role Thor, which eventually went to Chris Hemsworth. Daniel himself, however, after that repeatedly stated that such roles were not at all interesting to him.

Jude Law

Source: pinterest.com

Few people know that Jude Law is a big fan of comics, but two minutes in a Superman suit was enough for the actor to give up his superhero ambitions once and for all. Back in 2002, the British actor was the first to be offered the lead role in “Man of Steel” – and even brought home the very same Superman costume. After standing in front of the mirror in a superhero costume for literally two minutes, Lowe, as the actor himself later said, realized that he didn’t want the whole world to see him like that.

Simon Pegg

Source: pinterest.com

Perhaps the most surprising member of this ranking, Pegg regularly calls himself a geek and the most devoted comic book fan in new interviews. But the adaptation of these very comics causes Simon’s sincere disgust – the actor accuses

superhero movie genre

in that they “make the movie dumber.” In a 2016 interview with the Radio Times, the British actor gave another reason not to like such films – they, in the actor’s opinion, distract people from the truly important problems of the world and make viewers more childish.

Mark Gatiss

Source: pinterest.com

Familiar to the audience for his roles in the most popular TV series “Doctor Who”, “Sherlock”, “Game of Thrones”, Gatiss is another fan of geek culture, who literally “got” the constant screen adaptations of comic universes. First of all, the Sherlock star is irritated by the endless “reboots” of the Spider-Man franchise, Mark is sure that Hollywood will shoot stories about this superhero until “until everyone dies.”

Sean Penn

Source: pinterest.com

Penn, at the end of his career, decided to repeat the path of Liam Neeson and “retrain” from a dramatic actor to an action star, but the opportunity to join the super-popular superhero franchises still feels like some incredible nonsense. In an interview with Reuters in 2015, Penn, when asked by journalists about the opportunity to appear in a movie comic strip, could not help laughing.“You ask me in front of the camera, during this period of my life, would I agree to become a superhero? Well, maybe only if it is somehow very, very funny, “he said, adding that he would like to see how” the film industry will stop drowning itself in superhero films. ”

Reese Witherspoon

Source: pinterest.com

Reese has long decided for herself that she will not take on such films – back in 2010, in an interview, she said that “in such films there is no place for a 34-year-old woman,” and she is not at all interested in them.Moreover, the actress later admitted that the explosion in the popularity of film comics forced her to take a more careful approach to the choice of new projects.

Source: kinoafisha.info.
August 1, 2016

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The film My Spy (2020) watch online in good HD 1080/720 quality

The events of the film tell about JJ, he is a veteran of the US Army Special Forces. After leaving the army, the protagonist was tested by the CIA.During an extremely important assignment, JJ, acting in secret, inadvertently declassifies himself to the corrupt Russian military and the leader of international terrorists, who bought a suitcase with a plutonium nucleus from the military. In the army, JJ acted radically, he never stood on ceremony with enemies and just killed them. Now JJ was forced to take by cunning, but it is this human quality that is the most ineffective for the protagonist. Revealing himself to his enemies, Jay-Jay, for lack of alternatives, staged a bloody massacre.JJ killed almost all of the enemies and took possession of a suitcase with a plutonium nucleus, but as it turned out, there was another suitcase that contained a second nucleus. It was with the second suitcase that Azar, a henchman of the leader of the terrorists who had been eliminated by the protagonist, disappeared. As a result of the task, the boss of the protagonist Kim does not find a place for himself. Having calmed down, Kim tells JJ to rest, and later entrusts him and his new partner, a hacker-operator named Bobby, with the task of tracking down Victor, a very dangerous arms dealer from France.

Victor wants to get hold of the special nuclear device schemes, which he developed together with his brother, who later hid these schemes from Victor. Victor went into a rage and finished off his brother, but did not find out exactly where the schemes were hidden. Having found the schemes, Victor plans to sell them to Azar. Bobby, who is a fan of JJ, must live with him in the Chicago tenement house where Kate, the widow of Victor’s brother, and her nine-year-old daughter Sophie live. When Kate and Sophie leave their apartment, JJ sets up hidden cameras under Bobby’s supervision.Thus, JJ and Bobby are going to find out if Kate knows anything about the schemes to create a nuclear device. Everyday observation of the mother and daughter does not bring any results to the partners, and at some point one of their cameras is discovered by an inquisitive Sophie. It turns out that Sophie is pretty good at understanding all kinds of microcircuits and satellite signals, so she easily goes to the apartment where JJ and Bobby are staying. Sophie takes her teammates by surprise and starts filming their spy activities with her smartphone.JJ, driven by a military past and the credo of eliminating unwanted witnesses, takes Bobby to the next room and invites her to get rid of the girl, arranging everything like an accident.

Bobby opposes unplanned violence against civilians and even more so against children. Suddenly, the partners notice that Sophie followed them and stood near the door, continuing to shoot. JJ tells the girl that he was just joking about her murder, but Sophie is indifferent to the excuses of the would-be criminals – at the press of just one button, she threatens to send the footage to the Internet.JJ believes that Sophie is bluffing and trying to intimidate them, besides JJ, who is far from the world of computer technology gadgets, does not believe that it is possible to put a video on the Internet in such a simple way for the viewing of millions of users. Hacker Bobby convinces JJ of the opposite and asks him not to rush to take any radical actions that could expose the reputation of the CIA in a bad light. Sophie shows her composure and turns the current situation in her favor: by blackmailing JJ and Bobby, Sophie gets into their friends.The main goal of the girl is JJ. It is with the help of him that she intends to make a phenomenally positive impression on her school friends and teachers. In addition to attending school, JJ is forced to go with Sophie to the rink. When Sophie introduces JJ to her mother, introducing him as a newly settled householder neighbor, it looks very awkward, but Kate soon realizes that JJ is a good person. Gradually, Sophie, whose blackmail spreads much further, tries to bring her mother and JJ closer together, potentially uniting them into a couple in love.

Also, viewers, along with JJ, learn that Sophie, after losing her father, dreams of a replacement for him (judging by the drawing of Sophie, who got to know better about JJ’s life, she wants him to be this replacement). At the moment, JJ becomes a local star. However, after JJ went to a restaurant on a date with his sympathetic Kate, where he sparked a relaxed atmosphere with an energetic dance, he became a worldwide star. The fact is that someone secretly filmed JJ’s dance on a smartphone and posted the video on YouTube – literally overnight, the video gained a million views.For JJ, the sudden collapse of fame was useless. Nevertheless, surveillance of Kate’s apartment continued. Sophie does not betray JJ and Bobby, continuing to behave as if nothing had happened. In addition to Kate and Sophie, JJ manages to get to know Carlos and Todd, who are a neighbor’s gay couple. They were the ones who helped JJ pick up clothes before he went on a date with Kate. Taking this opportunity, Sophie asks JJ to teach her the basics of the spy-combat craft. Reluctantly, JJ starts teaching Sophie for a short time, which annoys Bobby, who also wanted to take some lessons from JJ, but he refused her.After a while, Kim calls JJ and Bobby for a conversation in his office.

It turns out that as a precaution, Kim was remotely spying on JJ and Bobby, and it turns out that now he is aware that JJ has become close to Kate, that is, with his goal. In addition, Kim shows the agents the same video of JJ’s dancing. As a result of the conversation, Kim removes JJ and Bobby from work in the CIA. JJ and Bobby return to the apartment and start turning off all spy devices.JJ sees Kate, whom he likes, and, showing her the apartment in which he and Bobby were, reveals himself as a CIA agent. Kate is shocked and thinks that JJ was just using her for his own purposes. Sophie becomes a defendant in the conversation between the mother and JJ. Sophie asks her mother not to be angry with JJ. Sophie also tells her mother that she initially knew who JJ really was. Meanwhile, Victor, who faked his own death, finds out that the schemes he is looking for may be in Kate’s house.Victor arrives in Chicago and enters Kate’s apartment, where he downloads the above schemes to a USB flash drive from his brother’s MacBook. At the moment, Victor confronts Kate and Carlos and Todd, who invaded her apartment, who in fact turn out to be independent mercenaries (but still gay) interested in appropriating the schemes.

Unwittingly caught up in the tense situation, JJ and Bobby, who came to his aid, who first took up a firearm, confront both Victor and Carlos and Todd.Victor escapes taking with him a case with a flash drive and a captive Sophie. JJ and Kate chase Victor to the airfield. Victor forces Sophie into a private jet and intends to fly out of the country. JJ manages to damage the plane’s tire, and it can no longer take off. Leaving Sophie bound on the plane, Victor, dropping the flash drive case near the steering wheel, gets out and begins to fight JJ. Meanwhile, the plane, due to the fact that trying to free herself, Sophie accidentally pressed the lever, rolls to the cliff, and, entangled by the wheels in the fence net, hangs at the very edge.JJ, having fought off Victor, frees Sophie. Sophie takes the flash drive case with her. Threatening with a pistol, Victor forces Sophie to give him the case. Sophie does so, but before that, she reveals to JJ with an encrypted blink that she managed to remove the flash drive from the case. Kate arrives. She stuns Victor and he falls onto the fence net, in which the wheels of the plane are entangled. JJ seizes the moment and pushes the plane off the cliff. Victor, together with the plane, rushes down and dies in the explosion.After all that happened, Kim reimagined the course of the assignment and reinstated both JJ and Bobby in their positions. In addition, the partners will receive a salary increase. In the finale, JJ invites Bobby to work with each other on a permanent basis, and also moves to Chicago in order to live with Kate and Sophie.

Spy for hire: who owned the plane that nearly collided with the Aeroflot airliner | Articles

Bombardier Challenger 650 ARTEMIS aircraft, one of which nearly caused a plane crash over the Black Sea, have been used by the United States for several years as a means of electronic reconnaissance.This was reported to Izvestia by sources in the RF Ministry of Defense. On December 3, an experimental reconnaissance aircraft, whose crew consisted of the so-called “contractors”, narrowly escaped a collision with an Aeroflot passenger airliner. This happened against the backdrop of a sharp activation of NATO forces in the region – as said by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, the actions of the US Air Force and its allies are already posing a threat to civil aviation. And although at the current level, the activity of reconnaissance aviation should not lead to restrictions on flights, further escalation of tension may cause the emergence of no-fly zones over the Black Sea, according to experts interviewed by Izvestia.

Heading for collision

The incident, according to the Federal Air Transport Agency, occurred on the morning of December 3. According to the agency, the CL600 reconnaissance aircraft “performed a flight with an intensive descent from an altitude of 11 thousand to 9200 m, crossing the route established for civil aircraft.” The crew did not respond to requests from air traffic services, and the dispatchers had to quickly change the directions and flight levels of two passenger liners at once in order to prevent the danger of collision.One of them was Aeroflot’s Airbus A330-300, which flew from Ben Gurion Airport to Moscow, and the other was the Maltese Bombardier CL650, which flew from Sochi to Skopje (North Macedonia).

Aeroflot confirmed to Izvestia information about the change in the echelon of a civilian liner flying from Tel Aviv to Moscow at the direction of the dispatcher, since its trajectory was crossed by another aircraft. The crew followed the flight controllers’ commands to change the level and, at the time of the divergence, observed the other aircraft visually.The airline added that there were 142 passengers on board.

The increased intensity of NATO aircraft flights near the borders of the Russian Federation creates risks of dangerous incidents in relation to civil aircraft, the Federal Air Transport Agency said. The ministry said that in connection with the indicated fears and an increase in the frequency of such cases, the Russian side will send a protest through diplomatic channels.

Bombardier Challenger 600 passenger aircraft

Photo: flickr.com / Nate Nickell

Now a catastrophe in the airspace over the open waters of the Black Sea has been averted, but this does not mean that the United States and NATO can continue to risk their lives with impunity, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on December 5.

– This was not even the case during the Cold War. At that time, spy planes were only military, ”Valery Gorbenko, the former commander of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army, ex-general director of the FSUE State ATM Corporation, told Izvestia.- The American plane behaved by and large like a military aircraft. He was crossing the international highway. According to the rules, he was obliged to contact the control point, in whose area of ​​responsibility he was, and to request the altitude, the level at which he could safely pass. A normal civilian car would do just that.

Izvestia’s reference

CL600 is a popular series of commercial aircraft manufactured by the Canadian company Bombardier. The series includes about a dozen different modifications and the most advanced among them is the CL650, which made its first flight in 2015.

Bombardier Challenger 650 ARTEMIS with civilian crews of contractors has been used by the United States as electronic reconnaissance aircraft for a couple of years, sources in the Russian defense department and the aviation industry told Izvestia. Based in Romania, these aircraft are regularly used, including over the Black Sea, the editor’s interlocutors specified.

The story that happened to Aeroflot is far from the first in recent years: after 2014, NATO intelligence officers have regularly created and continue to create dangerous situations over the Black Sea, according to a Izvestia source in the air circles.

“Unfortunately, as far as I know, no sanctions were applied to anyone following the results of such accidents,” he said.

Business jet Challenger 650 by Bombardier at the international business aviation exhibition JET EXPO in Moscow, 2015

Photo: RIA Novosti / Ilya Pitalev

According to him, today there are no real levers of influence on the “partners” that create dangerous situations in the air and violate international air law – unless, of course, counting the air defense forces.

The increased activity of American reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea has been observed for several years already, Oleg Panteleev, an avia expert, executive director of the Aviaport agency, confirmed in an interview with Izvestia.

– The situation when an aircraft does not respond to numerous calls from air traffic controllers is extremely dangerous, as it creates the prerequisites for aviation accidents, potentially with serious consequences. However, there are no effective measures against such violations: it is impossible to prohibit such flights, it is also impossible to suppress them if there are no facts of violation of the state border, – he added.

Photo: Izvestia / Pavel Volkov

According to the expert, earlier reconnaissance aircraft, as a rule, either used echelons different from those typical for civil aviation, or their routes did not cross international air routes, or all the requirements for vertical and horizontal separation were met.

Izvestia sent requests to major Russian airlines asking them to inform them if they had previously encountered such incidents and what were their consequences.Aeroflot declined to comment, S7 said there were no such cases, and no comments were received from other carriers at the time of publication.

Winged Artemis

Reconnaissance and target designation aircraft Bombardier Challenger 650 ARTEMIS belong to private companies working for the Pentagon under contract. In total, the US military department has two ARTEMIS. One with tail number N488CR belongs to LASAI AVIATION LLC, and the second one – N9191 – TENAX AEROSPACE LLC.It is not yet known which of these two aircraft was involved in the incident over the Black Sea.

The main crew of ARTEMIS, including pilots, is provided by the contractor, Izvestia sources familiar with the situation explained. The US military department only installed an experimental set of sensors on the converted serial business jet and deployed its personnel who work with it.

Beechcraft RC-12X Guardrail

Photo: flickr.com / Michael Alexander

In the future, new scouts should replace the outdated army Beechcraft RC-12X Guardrail, which have been operated by Americans since the Cold War. The turbojet ARTEMIS has an increased speed and flight range compared to them, and can patrol in the air for longer. According to Pentagon officials, it is better suited for “operations in dangerous regions with good air defense.”

Apart from a powerful radar, the ARTEMIS equipment includes electronic reconnaissance equipment.It detects electromagnetic signals from radars and radio stations and determines the exact location of their source from a distance of hundreds of kilometers. In addition, the aircraft is equipped with devices for remote wiretapping of communication channels. Information about found objects is processed automatically. It can be used to target high-precision weapons in real time.

One of two prototypes of such aircraft was transferred to Europe in September last year. There is information that he has already carried out reconnaissance missions over the Black Sea, as well as over Georgia, flying along the borders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

This year, such aircraft took part in the largest NATO exercise Defender Europe, operating mainly over the Baltic. After that, they were regularly observed again in the Black Sea region.

Pentagon Building

Photo: REUTERS / Carlos Barria

According to Valery Gorbenko, the former commander of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army and ex-general director of the FSUE State ATM Corporation, the use of a commercial “board” gives the Pentagon the opportunity, if necessary, to deny its involvement in any dangerous incident.There will always be an opportunity to blame an aviation incident on the error of non-military pilots.

Izvestia sent a request to the Pentagon to confirm the incident and explain how the safety of civil aviation flights is ensured when US reconnaissance aircraft and contractors operate over the Black Sea. No response had been received at the time of publication.

Disturbing presence

Last month, amid NATO naval exercises and its statements about the possibility of Russian aggression against Ukraine, the activity of the bloc’s aviation over the Black Sea increased sharply.On November 30, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that every week, over 50 foreign drones and reconnaissance aircraft were spotted by means of control near the border of our country.

– NATO is purposefully testing us for strength by sending warships and aircraft to zones in the immediate vicinity of our borders, forcing Russia to react, the Foreign Ministry stressed.

Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the publications of the American media about the probable attack on Ukraine, said that many provocative actions are taking place against Moscow, including active flights of NATO reconnaissance aircraft.

Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexey Vitvitsky

According to him, the North Atlantic Alliance is actively operating near the Russian borders, in the air, water and on land.

– We must be on the alert. These are not our friends, these are not Belarusian planes flying, our allies, these are the planes of those who declare their purpose to contain the Russian Federation, and those who call the Russian enemy an enemy, ”Peskov pointed out.