AS SEEN ON TV: XENOPHON

The late Robert Culp played several historical figures in Toobworld, although some of them are questionable. His character of Lyle Pettijohn in 'Roots: The Next Generation', for example, is one of my favorites from that sequel, but I can't claim with any certainty that he was a fictional character meant to represent several others.

Among his other historical roles were:

General Davies in "Voyage of Terror: The Achille Lauro Story" (another which might be a composite)

General Erwin Rommel from "The Key To Rebecca"

Joshua in 'The Greatest Heroes of the Bible'

Sam Houston - 'The Great Adventure'

Thomas Burdue - 'Death Valley Days'

Steve Bell - "Houston, We've Got A "Problem"

Cassius - 'You Are There'

All of those are tough to come by for pictures. But I did find one historical figure played by Robert Culp for whom there were available photographs:

XENOPHON

AS SEEN IN:
'You Are There' - "339 B.C. - The Death Of Socrates"

AS PLAYED BY:
Robert Culp

From Wikipedia:
Xenophon (ca. 430 - 354 BC), son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a soldier, mercenary, and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates. He is known for his writings on the history of his own times, the 4th century BC, preserving the sayings of Socrates, and the life of ancient Greece.

(Xenophon, with Plato, who was played John Cassavetes)

While a young man, Xenophon participated in the expedition led by Cyrus the Younger against his older brother, the emperor Artaxerxes II of Persia, in 401 BC. Xenophon writes that he had asked the veteran Socrates for advice on whether to go with Cyrus, and that Socrates referred him to the divinely inspired Delphic oracle. Xenophon's query to the oracle, however, was not whether or not to accept Cyrus' invitation, but "to which of the gods he must pray and do sacrifice, so that he might best accomplish his intended journey and return in safety, with good fortune." The oracle answered his question and told him to which gods to pray and sacrifice. When Xenophon returned to Athens and told Socrates of the oracle's advice, Socrates chastised him. Socrates did not approve of Xenophon's decision and responded to him by giving his love to Plato and his other students who did not disrespect him. Xenophon was later exiled from Athens, most likely because he fought under the Spartan king Agesilaus II against Athens at Coronea. (However, there may have been contributory causes, such as his support for Socrates, as well as the fact that he had taken service with the Persians.)

Xenophon's writings, especially the Anabasis, are often read by beginning students of the Greek language. His Socratic writings, preserved complete, along with the dialogues of Plato, are the only surviving representatives of the genre of Sokratikoi logoi.

BCnU!