In Memory of TV's 'Cannon' Star William Conrad: Thirty Years After His Tragic Death

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It's been thirty years since actor William Conrad died tragically of a heart attack in 1994. A versatile performer, Conrad was best known for several roles, on and off the screen. An affable and talented man, Conrad was respected by friends, family, and colleagues alike. This is his story.

A Closer Look

William Conrad was born on September 27, 1920 in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of a theater owner.

A former fighter pilot, who served during World War II, Conrad eventually relocated to Hollywood with his family following the end of his military service. He attended Fullerton College in Fullerton, CA, and soon began his acting career, which included radio programs. For one, he worked as an announcer, writer, and director at the Los Angeles radio station KMPC.

Conrad was eventually cast as the original radio voice of Marshall Matt Dillion before James Arness took over the part in the television edition of Gunsmoke. When the show transitioned to TV, it did so without Conrad, whose hefty physique did not jibe with the role of the charismatic Dillion character.

However, Conrad did find work on the big screen for a time, including Pillow to Post, a comedy (which was his film debut in 1945), and other movies like The Killers, and Sorry, Wrong Number.

In the 1950s, the movie role offers became less frequent, and he, like many actors of the era, began appearing on TV shows.

Conrad later produced several movies for Warner Bros. and directed at least two films. On the small screen, he also received credit as a producer for episodes of 77 Sunset Strip and other shows and directed as well.

Throughout his five-decades-long career, Conrad did voiceover work beyond Gunsmoke including the narration for Rocky & Bullwinkle TV show, and for the opening and closing credits of David Janssen's landmark series, The Fugitive.

The actor later became the on-screen beloved star of two of TV's most detective shows: Cannon, which aired in the 1970s, and Jake and the Fatman, which was broadcast in the 1990s.

Cannon was a highly-rated Quinn Martin Production, which was a spin-off from another detective series by the same company: Barnaby Jones, starring Buddy Ebsen (formerly of The Beverly Hillbillies country-comedy).

Conrad was then cast as Nero Wolfe in the short-lived series of the same name before Jake and the Fatman came along. The show aired from 1987 to 1992. Two years later, on February 4, 1994, Conrad died of a heart attack.

In 1997, the actor was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Conclusion

William Conrad undoubtedly left an indelible mark in several facets of the entertainment industry.