Robert Conrad (born March 1, 1930) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and
directorA television director directs the activities involved in making a television episode.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or filmed/taped .In both types of productions, the director is responsible for supervising the placement of cameras ,...
of
filmFilm encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects....
and
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
. He is primarily known for the
1965-1969The year 1965 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1965.For the American TV schedule, see: 1965-66 American network television schedule.-Events:...
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
seriesA television program , television programme , or television show is a segment of content broadcast on television...
The Wild Wild WestThe Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969....
, in which he played the sophisticated
Secret ServiceThe United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that falls under the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
agent
James WestJames West or Jim West may refer to:* James West * James West , English politician and antiquary; president of the Royal Society...
. He currently hosts a weekly 2 hour national radio show ("The PM Show with Robert Conrad") on CRN Digital Talk Radio.
Conrad was born as
Konrad Robert Falkowski in Chicago, Illinois.
Robert Conrad (born March 1, 1930) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and
directorA television director directs the activities involved in making a television episode.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or filmed/taped .In both types of productions, the director is responsible for supervising the placement of cameras ,...
of
filmFilm encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects....
and
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
. He is primarily known for the
1965-1969The year 1965 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1965.For the American TV schedule, see: 1965-66 American network television schedule.-Events:...
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
seriesA television program , television programme , or television show is a segment of content broadcast on television...
The Wild Wild WestThe Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969....
, in which he played the sophisticated
Secret ServiceThe United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that falls under the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
agent
James WestJames West or Jim West may refer to:* James West * James West , English politician and antiquary; president of the Royal Society...
. He currently hosts a weekly 2 hour national radio show ("The PM Show with Robert Conrad") on CRN Digital Talk Radio.
Early life
Conrad was born as
Konrad Robert Falkowski in Chicago, Illinois. During his early career one of Conrad's best friends was actor Nick Adams, who by many accounts helped him get work in Hollywood.
Career
Before
The Wild Wild West, Conrad played Tom Lopaka in
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
's
Hawaiian EyeHawaiian Eye is an American television series that ran from October 1959 to September 1963 on the American Broadcasting Company television network.-Premise:...
opposite
Anthony EisleyAnthony Eisley was an American actor.Born Frederick Glendinning Eisley in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he began working in theatre before making his Hollywood motion picture acting debut with a small part in 1952's "Fearless Fagan." He began appearing on television the following year...
and
Connie StevensConnie Stevens is an American actress and singer.-On-Set:When Connie was with her pals in the making of "Saving Grace B Jones", she met a few people...
. In the 1970s, he played such roles as prosecuting attorney Paul Ryan in a short-lived 1971 TV series,
The D.A., and American spy Jake Webster in the series
Assignment ViennaAssignment Vienna is a drama television series aired in the United States by ABC as an element in its 1972-73 wheel series The Men.Assignment Vienna told the story of Jake Webster , an American expatriate in Vienna who was the operator of Jake's Bar & Grill, an American-style establishment near the...
. With his muscular build and cigarette-induced gravelly voice, Conrad found ratings success playing legendary tough-guy
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter aceFighter Ace is a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
Pappy BoyingtonGregory "Pappy" Boyington was a United States Marine Corps officer who was an American fighter ace during World War II. For his heroic actions, he was awarded both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross...
in
Baa Baa Black SheepBaa Baa Black Sheep is a television series that aired on NBC from 1976 until 1978. Its premise was based on the experiences of United States Marine Corps aviator Pappy Boyington and his World War II "Black Sheep Squadron". The series was created and produced by Stephen J. Cannell...
on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
(later known in
syndicationIn broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows to multiple individual stations, without going through a broadcast network. It is common in countries where television is scheduled by networks with local affiliates, particularly in the United States...
as
Black Sheep Squadron), from 1976 to 1978.
In the late 1970s, Conrad served as the captain of the
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
team for six editions of
Battle of the Network StarsBattle of the Network Stars was the name of nineteen U.S. television specials featuring competitions among teams of popular television performers representing the three major broadcast networks at that time: ABC, CBS, and NBC....
. In the first edition, his race against ABC's team captain
Gabe KaplanGabriel W. "Gabe" Kaplan is an American comedian, actor and professional poker player. He was born in Brooklyn, New York...
in the final event to settle a dispute regarding a technical foul (raised by CBS's team captain
Telly SavalasAristotelis “Telly” Savalas was an American film and television actor and singer, whose career spanned four decades. Best known for playing the title role in the 1970s crime drama Kojak, Savalas was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Birdman of Alcatraz...
) in the earlier co-ed track relay became one of the most memorable in the series. An infraction by NBC teammates during a baton hand-off had caused NBC to suffer a 2-second penalty, giving the victory to Kaplan's ABC team. But to appease the emotional Conrad, who challenged Kaplan in good sportsmanship, the tall gawky Groucho-moustached Kaplan agreed to run one last time. The race was held on the same regulatory clay track soon after the disputed relay had been completed. As Conrad knelt in the starting blocks in the traditional sprinter's form, Kaplan stayed upright like a cross-country runner. At the sound of the gun, Conrad sprinted to an early lead and led going into the turn with Kaplan close behind. As the pair came out of the turn, Kaplan drew even with Conrad, who was beginning to show his fatigue. As they entered the straight-away, Kaplan began his finishing kick and out-sprinted Conrad to take a commanding lead and crossed the finish line well ahead of a winded Conrad, who was some 20 yards behind. Unbeknownst to Conrad and many of the other competitors, Kaplan had run track in high school.
Conrad also played a modern day variation of James West in the short-lived secret agent series
A Man Called SloaneA Man Called Sloane was an American secret agent adventure television series that aired on NBC during the 1979-1980 television season. It was a Woodruff Production in association with QM Productions, and became the final series produced by Quinn Martin's company to debut .The series starred Robert...
in 1979, about the same time he reprised the role of West in a pair of made-for-TV films. He also starred in the 1978 TV miniseries
CentennialCentennial is a 12-episode American television miniseriesthat aired on NBC from October 1978 to February 1979. It was based on the novel of the same name by James A. Michener. The miniseries was produced by John Wilder....
on NBC.
Conrad was widely identified in the late 1970s for his television commercials for
EvereadyEnergizer Holdings , headquartered in Town and Country, Missouri, is an American manufacturer of multiple consumer products, including batteries, where it has a market share of approximately 25%. The company sells in over 165 countries.-History:...
batteries, particularly his placing of the battery on his shoulder and prompting the viewer to challenge its long-lasting power: "Come on, I dare ya". The commercial was frequently parodied on
Johnny CarsonJohn William “Johnny” Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
's
The Tonight ShowThe Tonight Show is an American late-night talk and variety show airing on NBC since 1954. Tonight is the third longest-running entertainment program in U.S...
and
The Carol Burnett ShowThe Carol Burnett Show is a sketch comedy television show starring Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, and Lyle Waggoner...
.
In 1988, Conrad starred in a short-lived TV series called
High Mountain RangersHigh Mountain Rangers was a weekly television show about a group of highly trained wilderness search and rescue law enforcement officers in Tahoe, Nevada....
with two of his sons. He also starred in that show's one season spin-off
Jesse Hawkes. In 1992, Conrad played the role of the
sheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
in Richard Marx's
Hazard"Hazard" is a 1991 song performed by pop music artist Richard Marx. It has since become one of the most popular songs of the decade, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. In addition, the song spent one week atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart...
video.
Conrad took over hosting
The History ChannelHistory, formerly known as The History Channel, is an international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts programs regarding historical events and persons, as well as various metaphysical, pseudoscientific, and paranormal phenomena—-often with observations and explanations by noted...
's
Weapons At War (later
Tech Force) in 2000 following
George C. ScottGeorge Campbell Scott was an Academy Award-winning American stage and film actor, director, and producer. He was best known for his bravura stage work, as well as his portrayal of General George S. Patton in the film Patton, and an early flamboyant film performance as General Buck Turgidson in...
's 1999 death. In 2006, Conrad recorded audio introductions for every episode of the first season of
The Wild Wild West for its North American DVD release on June 6. The DVD set also included one of Conrad's Eveready battery commercials; in his introduction, Conrad stated that he was flattered to be parodied by Carson.
He was inducted into the Stuntman's Hall of Fame for his work on
The Wild, Wild West series.
He appears in the documentary film "Pappy Boyington Field", where he recounts his personal insights about the legendary Marine Corps Aviator that he portrayed in the television series.
Personal life
Conrad is the father of nine children by 2 marriages, he has one daughter, Tammy, out of wedlock
. He lived in
Bear Valley, CaliforniaBear Valley is a census-designated place in Alpine County, California, United States. The population was 133 at the 2000 census. Although inside Alpine county, Bear Valley Fire Department has contracted with California Department of Forestry, San Andreas, for dispatching.-Geography:According to the...
in the High Sierras until 2006, and now lives in Southern California with his wife, LaVelda Fann and their children.
In a 2008 interview, Conrad described the late
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
MafiaThe Mafia is a Sicilian criminal society which is believed to have emerged in late 19th century Sicily, and the first such society to be referred to as a mafia . It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct...
associate and burglar
Michael SpilotroMichael Peter "Micky" Spilotro was the brother of Anthony "Tony the Ant" Spilotro and was an associate of the Chicago La Cosa Nostra organized crime organization referred to as "The Outfit".-Family background:...
as his "best friend". Spilotro's mob slaying is portrayed in the movie
CasinoCasino is a 1995 crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Scorsese....
.
Well placed sources in Bear Valley say that Conrad was involved with a volunteer organization in that small Sierra community, Bear Valley Search and Rescue. The rescue organization formed the basis of the television series High Mountain Rangers which aired briefly in 1988. Bear Valley Search and Rescue is known to locals as Bear Valley Slurp and Recline.
Locals also recall an incident involving an extremely inebriated Conrad getting lost in a snowstorm one winter night in Bear Valley and breaking into a local cabin to take cover. He was later overheard at the local bar bragging about his drunk break-in, yet he never paid to have the window repaired.
Conrad has been out of the public eye since 2003, when he was involved in a devastating car accident. Conrad was driving his Jaguar drunk on Highway 4 in the California Sierra foothills near his
Calaveras CountyCalaveras County is a county located in the Gold Country of the U.S. state of California. Calaveras is named for the Spanish word meaning skulls, reportedly for the bones of fighters left behind after an Indian war that were discovered by Captain Gabriel Moraga. As of the 2000 census, it had a...
home, when he crossed over the center median and slammed head-on into a
Subaruis the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries Group .Subaru is internationally known for their use of boxer engines in most of their vehicles. The company decided to use all wheel drive in most international markets as standard equipment in...
being driven by 26-year-old Kevin Burnett. Both men suffered serious injuries. Conrad was convicted of drunk driving (his blood-alcohol level was 0.22 percent, nearly three times the legal limit) and was sentenced to six months of house arrest. He also lost his driver's license for one year. During his DUI trial, court documents listed his year of birth as 1930, not the year 1935 listed in most entertainment biographies.