William Conrad

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William Conrad (1982)

William Conrad (born September 27, 1920 in Louisville , Kentucky , † February 11, 1994 in Los Angeles ; actually William Cann ) was an American actor , director and film producer . He became known to a wide audience through his leading roles in the television series Cannon and Jake and McCabe .

Life

William Conrad, best known for his baritone voice through radio drama and dubbing roles in radio, film and television, began his career in California in the late 1930s. After the Second World War , in which he had served as a fighter pilot, he returned to radio. This was followed - according to Conrad's own account - more than 7000 speaking roles for radio productions.

His deep, resonant voice earned him many roles in radio plays; Especially his impersonation of Marshal Matt Dillon in the radio production Gunsmoke , which was broadcast between 1952 and 1961 and was also adapted into the television series Smoking Colts , made him famous. When the series was adapted for television in 1955, Conrad was also under discussion for the title role. His corpulent build was the reason that James Arness got the role after John Wayne had previously turned it down.

Other series in which Conrad was able to show his talent included Escape , Suspense and The Damon Runyon Theater . Notwithstanding many film roles in which he often played menacing characters, perhaps his most respected role was that of a professional killer in the 1946 film Avengers of the Underworld, alongside Burt Lancaster . This was followed by other appearances in Body and Soul (1947), Sorry, Wrong Number , Johanna von Orleans (both 1948) and When the Marabunta threatens (1954).

When he switched to television in the 1960s, his first decade in the new medium was again largely characterized by dubbing and speaking roles. During this time, Conrad directed the film Brainstorm in 1965 . In addition, synchronized Conrad 1961-1973, the "Bullwinkle" - cartoons and borrowed in 1980 in the animated television version of JRR Tolkien's The Return of the King the character of Denethor his voice.

In the 1970s, the detective television series Cannon brought him a high profile. The series aired from 1971 to 1976, and Conrad was awarded a Bambi for it in Germany . This was followed by leading roles in the short-lived detective series Nero Wolfe (1981) and in the crime series Jake and McCabe - Through thick and thin (English Jake and the Fatman ), which ran from 1987 to 1992.

In 1994 William Conrad died of heart failure in North Hollywood at the age of 73 and was buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles. In 1997, Conrad, who appears in some of his films under the stage name William Darnoc, was posthumously honored by being inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame .

Filmography (selection)

As a performer

As a director

  • 1965: The Magician's Testament (Two on an Guillotine)
  • 1965: The Devilish Game (Brainstorm)

As a producer

  • 1957: The Ride Back (The Ride Back)
  • 1965: The Magician's Testament (Two on an Guillotine)
  • 1965: The Devilish Game (Brainstorm)
  • 1966: Second Hand Murder (An American Dream)
  • 1967: Shanghai-Jack (First to Fight)
  • 1967: Countdown: Start to the moon (countdown)
  • 1968: His most dangerous assignment (Assignment to Kill)

Web links

Commons : William Conrad  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files
personal data
SURNAME Conrad, William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Cann, William (real name); Darnoc, William (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH September 27, 1920
PLACE OF BIRTH Louisville , Kentucky
DATE OF DEATH February 11, 1994
Place of death los Angeles