William Conrad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Conrad
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Conrad in 1952, when he created the role of Matt Dillon on the radio version of Gunsmoke
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| Born |
John William Cann Jr.
September 27, 1920 |
| Died | February 11, 1994 (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Fullerton College (AA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1940–1992 |
| Spouse(s) |
June Nelson
(m. 1943; div. 1957)Susan Randall
(m. 1957; died 1979)Lewis Tipton Stringer Huntley
(m. 1980) |
| Children | 1 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
United States Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | 1943–1945 |
| Rank | Captain |
William Conrad (born John William Cann Jr., September 27, 1920 – February 11, 1994) was an American actor, producer, and director. His career in entertainment lasted for five decades. He worked in radio, movies, and television. He became very popular for starring in the detective TV show Cannon.
William Conrad started as a writer and actor for radio shows. After serving as a fighter pilot in World War II, he moved to Hollywood. There, he played many different characters in movies. His first film was The Killers (1946). He created the voice role of Marshal Matt Dillon for the radio show Gunsmoke (1952–1961). He also narrated popular cartoons like Rocky and Bullwinkle (1959–1964) and the TV series The Fugitive (1963–1967).
In the 1950s, he found fewer acting roles on screen. So, he started producing and directing TV shows and movies for Warner Bros. in the 1960s. Conrad became a big star playing a detective in the TV series Cannon (1971–1976). He also starred in Nero Wolfe (1981) and as district attorney Jason Lochinvar "J.L., Fatman" McCabe in Jake and the Fatman (1987–1992).
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
William Conrad was born John William Cann Jr., on September 27, 1920, in Louisville, Kentucky. His parents, John William Cann and Ida Mae Upchurch Cann, owned a movie theater. This meant Conrad grew up watching many movies. His family moved to Southern California when he was in high school. He studied drama and literature at Fullerton College in California. He began his career as an announcer, writer, and director for a Los Angeles radio station called KMPC.
Conrad served as a fighter pilot during World War II. In 1943, on the day he became an officer at Luke Field, he married June Nelson. He left the United States Army Air Forces as a captain. He also worked as a producer-director for the Armed Forces Radio Service.
William Conrad's Career
His Amazing Voice in Radio
William Conrad once said he played over 7,500 roles during his radio career. At age 22, he produced and acted in The Hermit's Cave for radio station KMPC. This was a popular horror show.
He was a supporting actor in many radio dramas. These included The Man Called X, Favorite Story, The Count of Monte Cristo, and Night Beat. He was also the voice of Escape, a high-adventure radio series.
Most famously, Conrad's deep voice was heard as Marshal Matt Dillon. This was for the CBS Radio Western series Gunsmoke (1952–1961). The producers first thought his voice was too familiar. But his audition was so good, he got the part. Conrad voiced Dillon for nine years. He even wrote one episode in 1953. When Gunsmoke became a TV show in 1955, Conrad and his radio co-stars were not chosen for the TV roles.
He also appeared in Suspense and Lux Radio Theater. In one Suspense episode from 1956, Conrad played every single character. Because of his contract with CBS Radio, he sometimes used the name "Julius Krelboyne" for shows on other networks.
Acting in Movies
In movies, Conrad often played tough or scary characters. His first credited role was as one of the gunmen in The Killers (1946). He also appeared in Body and Soul (1947), Sorry, Wrong Number (1948), and Joan of Arc (1948).
Later in his life, Conrad narrated the beginning and end of the 1991 Bruce Willis movie Hudson Hawk.
Behind the Scenes: Directing and Producing
In 1961, Conrad started working behind the scenes. He produced and directed movies for Warner Bros. In 1965, he produced and directed Two on a Guillotine, My Blood Runs Cold, and Brainstorm. He also narrated the start of Battle of the Bulge. Brainstorm is now seen as a "minor masterpiece" from the 1960s.
Conrad was the executive producer for Countdown (1968). This was a science-fiction thriller.
He also directed episodes of TV shows like Klondike, The Rifleman, Bat Masterson, and Have Gun – Will Travel.
Television Roles
Voice Work on TV
As "Bill Conrad," he narrated the cartoon series Rocky and Bullwinkle from 1959 to 1964. He also narrated This Man Dawson (1959–1960). Then, he became the famous voice narrating The Fugitive (1963–1967).
His voice was heard introducing Count Basie's Orchestra and Frank Sinatra on Sinatra's 1966 album Live at the Sands. He narrated the opening of the 1970 John Wayne Western film Chisum. From 1973 to 1978, Conrad narrated the TV nature show, Wild, Wild World of Animals. He also narrated The Making of Star Wars (1977) and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979). He voiced Lord Denethor in the 1980 animated TV version of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Return of the King.
Acting on TV
Conrad appeared as a guest star in the science-fiction series The Man and the Challenge. He also starred in an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour in 1962.
From 1971 to 1976, he starred as Frank Cannon in the TV detective series Cannon. This show was on CBS. During the show, his weight was around 230 pounds, and sometimes more.
Conrad joked about his weight in 1973: "I heard that Weight Watchers had banned its members from watching the show, but it turned out to be a gag. The publicist for Weight Watchers did call and suggest that I have lunch with their president. I said sure – if I could pick the restaurant."
From the early 1980s to the early 1990s, he starred in two more TV series. Both were about solving crimes or courtroom dramas. These were Nero Wolfe (1981) and Jake and the Fatman (1987–1992).
Hosting TV Shows
In the 1970s and 1980s, Conrad hosted the CBS All American Thanksgiving Day Parade. He would sit by a fireplace and anchor the network's yearly broadcast. It showed parades from cities like Detroit, New York City, and Toronto.
Later Life and Hobbies
In 1957, Conrad married Susan Randall, a former fashion model. They had one son, Christopher. In 1980, Conrad married Tipton "Tippy" Stringer. She was a TV pioneer and the wife of newsman Chet Huntley. She helped manage Conrad's career for 14 years.
Conrad loved the outdoors and was a very good fisherman. He was known for catching big fish with light fishing lines. On May 23, 1972, in Mexico, he caught a 62-pound sailfish using a very thin 6-pound-test line.
Death and Recognition
William Conrad died from a heart attack on February 11, 1994. He was 73 years old. He was buried in the Lincoln Terrace section of Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in California.
After he passed away, Conrad was honored for his work. He was chosen for the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1997. He was also inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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Conrad in 1952, when he created the role of Matt Dillon on the radio version of Gunsmoke
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The killers (Charles McGraw, William Conrad) in The Killers, Conrad's film debut
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William Conrad in Cannon (1972)
See also
In Spanish: William Conrad para niños
