Robert Conrad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robert Conrad
Conrad in 1971
Born	Conrad Robert Falk (1935-03-01)March 1, 1935 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	February 8, 2020(2020-02-08) (aged 84) Malibu, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Northwestern University
Occupation	Actor, singer, stuntman
Years active	1953–2019
Spouse(s)	Joan Kenlay ​ ​ (m. 1952; div. 1977)​ LaVelda Ione Fann ​ ​ (m. 1983; div. 2010)​
Children	8

Robert Conrad (born Conrad Robert Falk; March 1, 1935 – February 8, 2020) was a famous American actor. He was also a singer and a stuntman. Many people remember him for his role as James T. West in the TV show The Wild Wild West. This show aired from 1965 to 1969. He also played Pappy Boyington, a World War II pilot, in the TV series Baa Baa Black Sheep. Besides acting, he sang pop/rock songs in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He even had his own radio show called The PM Show with Robert Conrad starting in 2008.

Robert Conrad's Early Life

Robert Conrad was born Conrad Robert Falk in Chicago. His father was Leonard Henry Falk. His mother, Alice Jacqueline Hartman, named him after her own father. She worked as the first publicity director for Mercury Records. Robert Conrad's mother later married Chicago radio personality Eddie Hubbard.

Growing Up and Starting Work

Conrad went to several schools in Chicago. These included South Shore High School and New Trier High School. He left school at age 15 to start working full-time. He loaded trucks and drove a milk truck in Chicago.

Discovering Acting and Music

After working for some years, Conrad studied theater arts at Northwestern University. He then decided to become an actor. One of his first jobs was posing outside a Chicago theater. He looked like actor James Dean, who starred in the film Giant. This helped promote the movie. Conrad also took singing lessons.

Robert Conrad's Acting Career

In 1957, Conrad met actor Nick Adams. They became friends. Adams told Conrad to move to California to try acting.

First Roles in Hollywood

Adams helped Conrad get a small part in the film Juvenile Jungle (1958). Even though it was a non-speaking role, it allowed Conrad to join the Screen Actors Guild. He also had a small role in Thundering Jets in 1958.

Joining Warner Bros.

Soon, Warner Bros signed Robert Conrad to an acting contract. He also released several songs with Warner Bros. Records. In 1961, his song "Bye Bye Baby" became a minor hit.

At Warner Bros., he appeared in TV shows like Maverick and Highway Patrol. He also played Billy the Kid in an episode of Colt .45.

Starring in Hawaiian Eye

Conrad and Connie Stevens in Hawaiian Eye, 1960

Conrad and Stevens in Hawaiian Eye, 1961

Warner Bros. had a successful detective show called 77 Sunset Strip. They then created Hawaiian Eye, a similar series. Robert Conrad starred as detective Tom Lopaka. The show ran from 1959 to 1963. After Hawaiian Eye, Conrad appeared in the movie Palm Springs Weekend (1963).

In Mexico, Conrad recorded two albums and some songs in Spanish. He also guest-starred in Temple Houston in 1964. The next year, he played Pretty Boy Floyd in Young Dillinger.

The Wild Wild West Success

Ross Martin and Conrad in The Wild Wild West, 1965

Julie Payne and Conrad in The Wild Wild West, 1966

In 1965, Conrad began his most famous role as government agent James West. This was for the weekly series The Wild Wild West on CBS. The show was on TV until 1969. Conrad did most of his own stunts on the show. Once, he was hurt during filming when he fell 12 feet from a staircase.

While starring in The Wild Wild West, Conrad also worked on other projects. He went to Mexico in 1967 for a musical film. He also started his own company, Robert Conrad Productions. Through his company, he wrote, starred in, and directed the Western film The Bandits.

Later TV Roles

Conrad appeared in episodes of Mannix and Mission: Impossible. In 1969, he played prosecutor Paul Ryan in the TV movie D.A.: Murder One. He played this role again in other TV movies and a short-lived series called The D.A.. He also starred in TV movies like Weekend of Terror (1970). In 1972, he tried another TV series as American spy Jake Webster in Assignment Vienna. He also appeared in an episode of Columbo in 1974. Conrad starred in the movies Murph the Surf (1975) and Sudden Death (1977).

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Conrad found success again from 1976 to 1978. He played the brave World War II fighter pilot Pappy Boyington in Baa Baa Black Sheep. This show was later called Black Sheep Squadron. Conrad even directed three episodes of the show.

The show was very popular. Conrad won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Actor. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe. After this, he starred in the TV miniseries Centennial (1978).

The Duke and A Man Called Sloane

In 1978, Conrad starred in the TV series The Duke. He played Oscar 'Duke' Ramsey, a boxer who became a private detective. Conrad directed some episodes of this show too. In the late 1970s, he was the captain of the NBC team for the Battle of the Network Stars.

Around this time, he played James West again in two TV movies. These movies reunited him with his Wild Wild West co-star, Ross Martin. The films were The Wild Wild West Revisited (1979) and More Wild Wild West (1980).

Famous Commercials

In the late 1970s, Robert Conrad was known for his TV commercials for Eveready batteries. He would put the battery on his shoulder and challenge viewers. He would say, "Come on, I dare ya," to show how long the batteries lasted. These commercials were often made fun of on other TV shows.

Conrad also made a few movies. He played John Dillinger in The Lady in Red (1979). He then played a character similar to James West in the series A Man Called Sloane in 1979.

Producing and Directing in the 1980s

In the 1980s, Conrad mostly starred in TV movies. He played a coach in Coach of the Year (1980). He also played the main role in Will: The Autobiography of G. Gordon Liddy (1982). Both of these were for his own company, A Shane Productions.

In 1984, Conrad's company produced the film Hard Knox. He played the lead role of U.S. Marine Colonel Joseph Knox. The story was about a Marine pilot deciding his future. The film was shot in Mount Carroll, Illinois.

Conrad played a Police Chief in the comedy film Moving Violations (1985). He also appeared in TV movies like The Fifth Missile (1986) and Assassin (1986). In 1986, Conrad was a special guest referee for a wrestling match at WrestleMania 2.

1990s and Beyond

Conrad appeared in the music video for Richard Marx's song "Hazard". He also had a supporting role in Jingle All the Way (1996) with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Later, he was in an episode of Nash Bridges and the film Dead Above Ground (2002).

In 1994, Conrad was in the movie Samurai Cowboy. The next year, he created a TV movie called Search and Rescue. This movie then led to a short TV series, which Conrad also created.

Later Years and Radio Show

In 2005, he ran for President of the Screen Actors Guild. In 2006, Conrad recorded introductions for the DVD release of The Wild Wild West. He was honored in the Hollywood Stuntmen's Hall of Fame.

Starting in 2008, he hosted a weekly radio show called The PM Show with Robert Conrad. He also appeared in a documentary film about Pappy Boyington in 2010. His last radio show appearance was in July 2019.

Robert Conrad's Personal Life

Robert Conrad and his first wife, Joan, were married for 25 years. They had five children together. They divorced in 1977. That same year, he met his second wife, LaVelda Ione Fann. They had three children before divorcing in 2010. His two families were known to get along well.

Some of Conrad's children also appeared on his TV shows. His sons, Shane and Christian, and his daughter, Nancy, acted with him. Another daughter, Joan, became a television producer.

In 1984, Robert Conrad received a star on the Walk of Western Stars in Newhall, California. He was also involved with a volunteer group called Bear Valley Search and Rescue in Bear Valley, California. This group later inspired his TV series High Mountain Rangers.

Robert Conrad passed away from heart failure in Malibu, California, on February 8, 2020. He was 84 years old.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Robert Conrad para niños