Robert Conrad, the square-jawed actor best known for his role in the television show “The Wild, Wild West,” died Saturday in Malibu, California, of heart failure, a family spokesman said. He was 84.
Born in Chicago, Conrad worked as a milkman and a local nightclub singer before moving to Los Angeles in 1958. His first big recurring role was on “Hawaiian Eye” in 1959.
He went on to star as Secret Service agent James T. West in “The Wild Wild West,” which ran from 1965 to 1969.
From 1976 to 1978, he played World War II fighter Greg “Pappy” Boyington in “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” later renamed “Black Sheep Squadron.”
Conrad performed in multiple other television shows and movies, along with directing and producing in the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2008, he hosted a radio program on CRN Digital Talk Radio called “The PM Show with Robert Conrad.”
He also used his tough-guy image in commercials, including a classic series where he appeared with an Eveready battery on his shoulder and said, “I dare you to knock it off!”
Read more HERE.
RIP Mr. Conrad.
For myself being a kid back in the 70’s, Baa Baa Blacksheep was one of the most memorable and favorite tv shows I and my buddies of the day watched. Robert Conrad WAS DA MAN! as Pappy Boyington. He was a consummate actor of quality and that tv show was must see tv.
Being a huge aviation fan and a WWII history buff I loved and love to this day the F4U Corsair.
Robert Conrad and the other actors on the show were all great actors in their roles.
Hearing of Mr. Conrad’s passing brought a tear to my eye, he was a childhood tv hero of mine.
I know he is very well known in the Wild Wild West tv series and that is a great historic tv show too, but for me it was Pappy Boyington of Baa Baa Blacksheep as well as him leading TEAM NBC in the various Network Superstars competition.
He also starred in a Columbo Murder Mystery episode where he as a professional Gym owner murders his business partner to which Peter Falk (another tv great) had and of course did solve the murder… A VERY GOOD EPISODE!
So my heart goes out to the Conrad family and again RIP Mr. Robert Conrad.
It was “Hawaiian Eye” for me. May you be with those that went before you Robert.
Les H. Appreciate the love for the F4U, but it was the B-17’s in “12 O’Clock High” that kept me glued to that show. Especially when Robert Lansing was in command. He was a “Man’s Man” to me as we used to call it.
George,
Hell yeah I loved 12 O’clock High… And Yes the Robert Lansing years were the better ones. I have seen it in reruns a few times over the years. MeTv last had it running a number of years ago I hope they bring it back along with Baa Baa Blacksheep. In fact even though not aviation related the best WWII series ever was COMBAT. Vic Morrow as Sgt. Saunders was freaking awesome. Me Tv should do a classics of WWII night, COMBAT, BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP and 12 O’CLOCK HIGH,and what the Hell how about Rat Patrol? 🙂
8:00pm COMBAT
9:00pm BAA BAA BLACKSHEEP
10:00pm 12 O’CLOCK HIGH
11:00pm RAT PATROL
For me it would be must see tv. 🙂
Les and George, what about Rockford Files. Palladin. Those were indeed the golden age of TV . Great actors. Never to be repeated in todays age of PCBS
James Garner was another icon of tv and of the world of acting. Being involved in motorsports also made him more cool with me. He was an image of a real man too. Rockford Files was a GREAT TV show. I have the complete series on DVD. Palladin I did not watch as a kid but I am aware of it being a popular series back in the day.