Biografía

He was a Deputy Sheriff for approximately eight years in the Bear Valley area of California, where he resided.

On Jim West (1965) he did most of his own stunt work, resulting in several injuries during the course of the show. During one episode's shooting he slipped while performing a stunt and fell head- first onto a concrete floor 12 feet below. Seriously injured, his recuperation delayed the series' production for nearly three months.

Had an undefeated professional boxing record of 4-0-1.

During the Battle of the Network Stars (1976), Conrad and Gabe Kaplan (Welcome Back, Kotter (1975)) had an infamous showdown. Conrad was the NBC Team Captain, Kaplan was ABC Team Captain. A dispute arose over the winner of an event, and Conrad really lost his temper, pacing and saying he wouldn't accept that the other team had won. Finally he insisted that he and Kaplan, as team captains, have a race and the winner would win the event for their team. Conrad had underestimated Kaplan, however, who won easily, which made Conrad look pretty foolish.

When Wild Wild West (1999), the 1999 theatrical remake of his TV series Jim West (1965) swept the 20th Annual Razzie Awards, "winning" five statuettes (including Worst Picture), Conrad attended the ceremony and accepted three of the awards in person as his way of expressing his low opinion of what had been done with his source material. He then delivered them in person to the actual recipients.

[11/61, interview in Photoplay magazine] I neither condemn nor condone the morals of others. I think there are very few, really, whose conduct reflects unfavorably on the rest of us in this mythical kingdom of Hollywood. There are men who need many women in order to bolster their egos--half the time, they don't remember the girl's name afterward. But I've got a good ego to start with, and I'm too sensitive for a quick relationship with a dame and sex alone would never be enough for me. Marriage is something that goes way beyond the flesh. Each human being has his own need for security . . . It's great to have someone to lean on . . . it's great to have someone lean on you.

[about Jim West (1965)] We always put in lot more (fighting) than we really wanted to see. (The censors) would say, "We're going to take out two punches . . . two of this . . . three of that . . . ". So when they finished,we were still left with what we really wanted anyway.

[3/61, interview in Motion Picture magazine] Sometimes I'm so preoccupied you have to drop a bomb to communicate with me and most of the time I only average four hours sleep. I don't mind. I wanted to work this hard.

[10/62, asked in interview in Photoplay magazine if his daughter were to marry as a teenager like he did] If some sixteen-year-old punk were to come to me and say, "Sir, I want to marry your daughter" I'd say, "Fine", and escort him to an analyst. The average boy that age isn't remotely capable--from any point of view, including the emotional--of supporting a family.

[10/62, interview in Photoplay magazine] If one of the girls came to me before she had finished high school and announced that she had intended to marry a boy with no job and little education, I'd forbid it--just like a stern father in a melodrama.