Robert Conrad
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Robert Conrad (born March 1, 1935) 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.

Early life

Conrad was born as Konrad Robert Falkowski[1] 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.[2]

[edit] 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 played such roles as prosecuting attorney Paul Ryan in a short-lived 1971 TV series, The D.A., and 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 (later known in syndication as Black Sheep Squadron), from 1976 to 1978.

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