RIP Robert Martin Culp
Photo used without permission by David Stewart
Robert Culp is dead.
Before attending a Bill Cosby book signing for Come On People, I viewed the film Hickey and Boggs, starring Bill Cosby and Robert Culp (who also directed), written by Walter Hill of The Warriors fame and bought a poster to get autographed. Most people know the acting duo from the television series I Spy, which unfortunately, I have never seen. But, I liked the film. It was a bit hard to watch due to the terrible transfer; looked like it was copied straight off a VHS with bunch of grain added tossed on it. I haven’t seen it in a while so I can’t write up a comprehensive review or anything.
Cosby didn’t sign it. Still a nice guy though.
Two years later, Robert Culp was on the New York Comic-Con guest list. I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of him or spending $20 for a signature either. Even though I don’t like video games, I liked his work in Half Life 2, plus I spent $25 for this vintage poster anyway. I said, what the hell, what can I lose?
Since he was sitting at his table all weekend, I waited behind a two person line – myself being the last. I felt a little guilty not having seen I Spy. What was just supposed to be a quick signature ended up being one of my more memorable collector experiences. A tired, aged man; a humble guy with a dead career (harsh, I know). He had that aura, living each moment of his life with the pace of a single breath.
I said, “you know, I asked Mr. Cosby to sign it but he wouldn’t.”
“Really? That man bewilders me sometimes…”
It wasn’t any more than 5 minutes, but we had a small talk. He seemed surprised, he hadn’t seen an original poster of his only feature film in a long time. A little discussion about Hickey and Boggs, the quality of the transfer, even asking if I had even seen the film. William Katt, who starred along with Culp in The Greatest American Hero television program, had an adjacent table but no line either. Katt had never seen it, Culp told him about the editor, David Berlatsky, and how Hickey and Boggs taught him everything he needed to know about editing the sort of crime films throughout his career.
The man deserved better, he had something going with Hickey and Boggs, something the movie-going public ignored. Hell, it never even had a proper consumer release.
He folded the poster back up and said jokingly:
“Maybe Cosby will sign it, next time you see him.”
“Maybe.”
I shook his hand.
That was my encounter with Robert Culp.
