Robert Conrad

For the U.S. judge, see Robert J. Conrad

Robert Conrad
Born	Conrad Robert Falk
Spouse(s)	Joan Kenlay Conrad (1952 - 1983) LaVelda Fann Conrad (1983 - present)

Robert Conrad (born March 1, 1930) is an American actor and director of film and television. He is primarily known for the 1965-1969 CBS television series The Wild Wild West, in which he played the sophisticated Secret Service agent James West.

Biography

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 ABC's Hawaiian Eye opposite Anthony Eisley and Connie Stevens. In the 1970s he was American spy Jake Webster in the series Assignment Vienna. With his muscular build and cigarette-induced gravelly voice, Conrad found ratings success playing legendary tough-guy World War II fighter ace Pappy Boyington in Baa Baa Black Sheep on NBC. His good friend, Larry Manetti , also appeared in this series, as well as the CBS series Magnum, P.I..

In the late 1970s, Conrad served as the captain of the NBC team for six editions of Battle of the Network Stars. In the first edition, his race against ABC's team captain Gabe Kaplan in the final event to settle a dispute regarding a technical foul (raised by CBS's team captain Telly Savalas) 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, the heavily-moustached, big-haired 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 Sloane 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 Centennial on NBC.

Conrad was widely identified in the late 1970s for his television commercials for Eveready batteries, particularly his challenge to the viewer to "knock the battery off my shoulder. I dare ya". The commercial was frequently parodied on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show and The Carol Burnett Show. In 1988, Conrad starred in a short-lived TV series called High Mountain Rangers 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 sheriff in Richard Marx's Hazard video.

Conrad took over hosting The History Channel's Weapons At War (later Tech Force) in 2000 following George C. Scott'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.

Personal life

Conrad is the father of nine children by two marriages. He lived in Bear Valley, California 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 Chicago Mafia associate Michael Spilotro as his "best friend".

Conrad has been out of the public eye since 2003, when he was involved in a devastating car accident. Conrad was driving his Jaguar on Highway 4 in the California Sierra foothills near his Calaveras County home, when he crossed over the center median and slammed head-on into a Subaru 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.