Robert Conrad

Robert Conrad
Conrad in 1965
Born Conrad Robert Falk
(1935-03-01) March 1, 1935
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1957–2002
Spouse(s) Joan Kenlay (1952–1977; divorced)
LaVelda Ione Fann (1983–2010; divorced)
Children 8

Robert Conrad (born Conrad Robert Falk; March 1, 1935) is a retired American film and television actor, singer, and stuntman. He was best known for his role in the 1965–69 television series The Wild Wild West, playing the sophisticated Secret Service agent James T. West. He portrayed World War II ace Pappy Boyington in the television series Baa Baa Black Sheep (later syndicated as Black Sheep Squadron). In addition to acting, he was a singer, and recorded several pop/rock songs in the late 1950s and early 1960s as Bob Conrad. He has hosted a weekly two-hour national radio show (The PM Show with Robert Conrad) on CRN Digital Talk Radio since 2008.[1]

Early life

Conrad was born Conrad Robert Falk in Chicago, Illinois. His father, born Leonard Henry Falk (born November 3, 1918), was then 16 years old; Leonard was of German descent. His mother, Alice Jacqueline Hartman (born May 15, 1919, daughter of Conrad and Hazel Hartman), was 15 years old when she gave birth, and named her son after her own father.[2] She became first publicity director of Mercury Records, known as Jackie Smith. She married twice, including once to Chicago radio personality Eddie Hubbard in 1948.[3] Eddie Hubbard and Jackie Smith reportedly had a child together (born circa 1949)[4] before splitting up in 1958.[5][6][7]

Conrad attended Chicago schools including South Shore High School, Hyde Park High School, the YMCA Central School, and New Trier High School.[8] He dropped out at age 15 to live on his own and begin working full time, including jobs loading trucks for Consolidated Freightways and Eastern Freightways, and driving a milk delivery truck for Chicago's Bowman Dairy.[8]

After working in Chicago for several years and studying theater arts at Northwestern University, Conrad pursued an acting career.[8] One of his first paying roles was a week-long job posing outside a Chicago theater when the 1956 film Giant was showing;[9] Conrad bore a resemblance to the iconic actor James Dean, who starred in Giant so his mother used her entertainment industry contacts to help him get the part, which was intended as a publicity stunt to boost attendance at the theater.[10] Conrad also studied singing; his vocal coach was Dick Marx, the father of singer Richard Marx.[11]

Career

Early Performances

In 1957, Conrad met actor Nick Adams while visiting James Dean's gravesite in Fairmount, Indiana.[12] The two became friends, and Adams suggested that Conrad move to California to pursue acting.[12][13]

Adams got Conrad a bit part in the 1958 film Juvenile Jungle.[12] Adams was supposed to appear in it, but later withdrew so he could take a part in a different movie.[12] His brief non-speaking role in Juvenile Jungle enabled him to join the Screen Actors Guild.[12] He had a small role in the film Thundering Jets (1958) and made his TV debut in the Bat Masterson episode, "One Bullet from Broken Bow".[14]

Warner Bros

Conrad was soon signed to an acting contract by Warner Bros. He also sang, and released several recordings with Warner Bros. Records on a variety of LPs, EPs, and SPs 33-1/3 and 45 rpm records during the late 1950s and early 1960s.[15] He had a minor Billboard hit song in "Bye Bye Baby" which reached #113.[16]

At Warners, he appeared in the 1958 second season of the James Garner series Maverick (episode: "Yellow River"). He guest-starred in a number of other shows, either for Warners or Ziv Television, including Highway Patrol, Lawman, Colt .45 (playing Billy the Kid[17]), Sea Hunt, The Man and the Challenge, and Lock Up.[18]

Hawaiian Eye

Robert Conrad with co-star Connie Stevens on Hawaiian Eye, 1961

Warners had a big success with its detective show 77 Sunset Strip and then made Hawaiian Eye, a follow-up series. Conrad starred as detective Tom Lopaka. He was introduced on Strip, then spun off into his own series that ran from 1959-63, both in the U.S. and overseas. During the series' run, Conrad appeared on an episode of the Warners series The Gallant Men. When it was over Conrad starred in Palm Springs Weekend (1963), Warners' attempt to repeat the success of Where the Boys Are (1960) with its young contract players.[19]

In Mexico, Conrad signed a recording contract with the Orfeon label, where he released two albums, with a few singles sung in Spanish. In 1964, he guest-starred on an episode of Temple Houston and then performed in the comedic film La Nueva Cenicienta (also known as Cabriola). The next year, he was in the episode "Four into Zero" of Kraft Suspense Theatre and played Pretty Boy Floyd in Young Dillinger alongside his old friend Nick Adams.[20]

The Wild Wild West

In 1965, Conrad also began his starring role as government agent James West on the popular weekly series The Wild Wild West, which aired on CBS until its cancellation in 1969. He made $5,000 a week.[21]

While starring in The Wild Wild West, Conrad found time to work on other projects as well. He went to Mexico in 1967 to appear in Ven a cantar conmigo (Come, sing with me), a musical. He also formed his own company, Robert Conrad Productions, and under its auspices he wrote, starred in, and directed the 1967 Western film The Bandits.[22]

Paul Ryan and Jake Webster

Conrad appeared in episodes of Mannix and Mission: Impossible. In 1969, he signed a three-picture deal with Bob Hope's Doan Productions. The first two were meant to be Keene then No Beer in Heaven but only the first was made.[23]

In 1969, he debuted as prosecutor Paul Ryan in the TV movie D.A.: Murder One (1969). He reprised the movie in D.A.: Conspiracy to Kill (1971) and the short-lived 1971 series The D.A..[24] He was also in such made-for-television movies as Weekend of Terror (1970) and Five Desperate Women (1971).[25] He tried another TV series as American spy Jake Webster in Assignment Vienna (1972), which only lasted eight episodes.[26] He was a murderous fitness franchise promoter in an episode of Columbo ("An Exercise in Fatality").[27] Conrad starred in the feature films Murph the Surf (1975) and Sudden Death (1977). He reprised his role as Paul Ryan in the TV movie Confessions of the D.A. Man.[28]

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Conrad found ratings success again from 1976 to 1978 as legendary tough-guy World War II fighter ace Pappy Boyington in Baa Baa Black Sheep, retitled for its second season and in later syndication as Black Sheep Squadron. He directed some episodes.[29]

The show's success led Conrad to win a People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Actor and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance.[30] He followed it with a lead part in the television miniseries Centennial (1978).

The Duke and A Man Called Sloane

In 1978, Conrad starred in the short-lived TV series The Duke as Duke Ramsey, a boxer turned private eye. Conrad directed some episodes. In the late 1970s, he served as the captain of the NBC team for six editions of Battle of the Network Stars. Around this time reprised the role of West in a pair of made-for-TV films which reunited him with his West co-star, Ross Martin, The Wild Wild West Revisited (1979) and More Wild Wild West (1980).[31]

Conrad was identified in the late 1970s for his television commercials for Eveready 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 parodied frequently on American television comedies such as Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show and The Carol Burnett Show.

Conrad made the occasional feature such as The Lady in Red (1979) for Roger Corman's New World Pictures, where he played John Dillinger from a script by John Sayles. Conrad later played a modern-day variation of James West in the short-lived series A Man Called Sloane in 1979. Conrad directed some episodes.[32]

1980s: Producer

Conrad spent most of the 1980s starring in TV movies. He played a paraplegic coach in Coach of the Year (1980), and the title role in Will: The Autobiography of G. Gordon Liddy (1982). Both were for his own company, A Shane Productions.[33] Conrad played a villain in the comedy Moving Violations (1985) for theaters, and the following was for TV: The Fifth Missile (1986), Assassin (1986) and Charley Hannah's War (1986).[34][35]

Conrad starred in a series High Mountain Rangers (1987), directing the pilot and writing several episodes. The series costarred Conrad's two sons and was produced by his daughter.[36] He appeared in the made-for-television movies Police Story: Gladiator School (1988), and Glory Days (1988), directing the latter. He then tried Jesse Hawkes (1989), another short-lived series and a spin off of High Mountain Rangers. He directed the pilot.[37]

1990s

Conrad appeared in the popular music video for Richard Marx's "Hazard", which was a #1 hit in 13 countries including the United States. He had a supporting role in Jingle All the Way (1996) with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Conrad's later credits included an episode of Nash Bridges and the film Dead Above Ground (2002).[38]

Conrad appeared in the movie Samurai Cowboy in 1994. The following year, he created the TV movie Search and Rescue, in which he starred, which led to a short-lived TV series, also created by Conrad.[39]

2000s-2010s

In 2005, he ran for head of the Screen Actors Guild. 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 he was flattered to be parodied by Carson. He was inducted into the Stuntman's Hall of Fame[40] for his work on The Wild, Wild West series, and notably is the only actor to claim this honor.[41]

Since 2008, he has hosted a weekly two-hour national radio show (The PM Show with Robert Conrad) on CRN Digital Talk Radio.[1] He appeared in the documentary film Pappy Boyington Field (released in July 2010 on DVD) where he recounted his personal insights about the legendary Marine Corps aviator whom he portrayed in the television series.[42]

Personal life

Conrad and his first wife Joan were married for 25 years until an amicable divorce. The couple had five children. His second marriage to LaVelda Ione Fann produced three children. They met when he emceed the Miss National Teen-ager Pageant, which she won.[43]

Conrad was joined on some television shows by his sons, Shane and Christian, and his daughter, Nancy. Another daughter, Joan, became a television producer. In a 2008 interview, Conrad described "The Outfit" "made man" and burglar Michael Spilotro as his "best friend". Spilotro's slaying was featured in the movie Casino.[44]

In 1984, Conrad was awarded a star on the Walk of Western Stars in Newhall, California.[45]

Volunteer involvement

Conrad was involved with a volunteer organization in Bear Valley known as Bear Valley Search and Rescue, which later formed the basis for High Mountain Rangers.[46]

Car accident

On March 31, 2003, while on Highway 4 in the California Sierra foothills near his Alpine County home, Conrad drove his Jaguar over the center median and slammed head-on into a Subaru driven by 26-year-old Kevin Burnett. Both men suffered serious injuries.[47] Tried on felony charges, Conrad pleaded no contest,[48] and he was convicted of drunk driving.

He was sentenced to six months of house confinement, alcohol counseling, and five years' probation.[48] A civil suit filed by Kevin Burnett against Conrad was settled the following year for an undisclosed amount. In 2005, Burnett died at age 28 from perforated ulcers, which his family attributed to his difficult recovery from the crash.[49][50] Conrad himself suffered severe nerve injuries from the crash, which left his right side partially paralyzed.[51]

Selected filmography

References

  1. 1 2 The PM Show with Robert Conrad, crntalk.com; accessed January 11, 2016.
  2. ↑ Cook Country Genealogy Certificate #6016090 (registration required)
  3. ↑ Marriage between Eddie Hubbard and Jackie Smith. 1948-06-12. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  4. ↑ Billboard. Google Books. 1949-05-28. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  5. ↑ Eddie Hubbard and wife Jackie split up. Google Books. October 20, 1958. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  6. ↑
    • 1940 CENSUS PROFILE:
      *Conrad Robert Falk
      *Age: 5
      *Estimated Birth Year: abt 1935
      *Gender: Male
      *Race: White
      *Birthplace: Illinois
      *Marital Status: Single
      *Relation to Head of House: Stepson
      *Home in 1940: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
      *Street: Ada Street
      *House Number: 8957
      *Inferred Residence in 1935: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
      *Residence in 1935: Same Place
      *Sheet Number: 1B
      *Household members:
      *Name: George Smith (26)
      *Name: Jacqueline Smith (20)
      *Name: Conrad Falk (5)
      *Birth Date: 1 Mar[ch] 1935
      *Birth Location: Cook County, IL
      *File Number: 6008106
      *Archive Collection Name: Cook County Genealogy Records (Births)
      *Archive repository location: Chicago, IL
      *Archive repository name: Cook County Clerk
      *Source Citation: Year: 1940; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T627_959; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 103-1267.
  7. ↑ Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.
  8. 1 2 3 Libman, Norma (December 8, 1991). "An Actor`s Memories Of His `Real` Working Days in Chicago". Chicago Tribune. Chicago. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  9. ↑ Thomson, Gus (August 28, 2005). "A wild, wild night with Conrad: Actor's Auburn visit recalls fond memories". Auburn Journal. Auburn, CA. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  10. ↑ Medley, Tony. "One on One with Robert Conrad". tonymedley.com. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  11. ↑ Steele, Shadoe (April 25, 2007). "Shadoe Steele's Interview with Robert Conrad". Entercom Radio Network. Lower Merion Township, PA: Entercom Communications.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "One on One with Robert Conrad".
  13. ↑ Zylstra, F. (March 13, 1964) "TV actor, former Chicagoan, likes to lend hand in kitchen", Chicago Tribune (1963-Current File) via search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/179389260?accountid=13902
  14. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  15. ↑ "Shadoe Steele's Interview with Actor Robert Conrad". nctc.net. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
  16. ↑ Whitburn, Joel. Top Pop Singles, 12th ed.
  17. ↑ "Colt .45". ctva.biz. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
  18. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  19. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  20. ↑ Major, Jack (1965). "Robert Conrad Interview", Akron Beacon Journal, August 22, 1965.
  21. ↑ Hopper, H. (January 25, 1966) "Bob Conrad doubles income five times", Chicago Tribune (1963-Current File) via search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au; accessed May 20, 2018.
  22. ↑ Martin, B. (April 29, 1966). "Tony Curtis joins 'Waves'", Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) via search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au.
  23. ↑ Martin, B. (March 22, 1969) "MOVIE CALL SHEET", Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) via search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au
  24. ↑ Walker, J. (September 25, 1971) "Robert Conrad: Law and order with a briefcase", Chicago Tribune (1963-Current File) via search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au
  25. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  26. ↑ "Robert Conrad takes 'assignment: Vienna'", June 18, 1972, The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973) via search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au
  27. ↑ "An Exercise in Fatality", imdb.com; accessed April 20, 2015.
  28. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  29. ↑ Daniels, M. (January 8, 1978), "Robert Conrad is flying high as 'Pappy' Boyington", Chicago Tribune (1963-Current File) via search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/169674502?accountid=13902
  30. ↑ "Robert Conrad biography". Tcm.com. 1935-03-01. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  31. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  32. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  33. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  34. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  35. ↑ Blake, J.P. (April 4, 1986), "ROBERT CONRAD/'LITTLE NICKY' SCARFO", Philadelphia Daily News via search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/1829457641?accountid=13902
  36. ↑ "Robert Conrad eager to quit California and move to Spain", November 6, 2014, Express (Online) via search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/1620905904?accountid=13902
  37. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  38. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  39. ↑ "Robert Conrad's high sierra search and rescue filming a series in the back yard", June 18, 1995, The Washington Post (1974-Current File) via search-proquest-com.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/docview/904883983?accountid=13902
  40. ↑ "Stuntmen's Hall of Fame (listed as Bob Conrad)". Stuntmen.org. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
  41. ↑ "Shadoe Steele's Interview with Actor Robert Conrad". Nctc.net. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  42. ↑ Robert Conrad on IMDb
  43. ↑ Hutchings, David (March 28, 1988). "Tough Guy Robert Conrad, with His Offspring in Tow, Heads for the Hills and High Mountain Rangers". Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  44. ↑ "One on One with Robert Conrad". TonyMedley.com. August 17, 1957. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
  45. ↑ "Downtown Newhall Walk of Western Stars". Scvhistory.com. April 16, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
  46. ↑ Winslow, Harriet (June 18, 1995). "Robert Conrad involved with Bear Valley Search and Rescue". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
  47. ↑ "Actor Robert Conrad to be tried on felony DUI charges". November 20, 2003. Archived from the original on September 14, 2008. Retrieved December 3, 2008.
  48. 1 2 "Robert Conrad sentenced for DUI accident". MSNBC.com. Associated Press. November 24, 2004. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  49. ↑ "Newsbank info re 2003 car crash". Nl.newsbank.com. August 19, 2005. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
  50. ↑ ""Man injured in Conrad accident dies from perforated ulcers at 28"". News.google.com. 2005-08-09. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  51. ↑ "Robert Conrad Takes Wrong Turn". CBSnews.com. April 15, 2003. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
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