Michael Conrad


Michael Conrad was an American actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of veteran cop Sgt. Phil Esterhaus on Hill Street Blues—a role for which he won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1981 and 1982. Among his other credits were the short-lived television series Delvecchio ; and the films The War Lord, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, The Todd Killings, and The Longest Yard.

Life and career

Conrad served in the United States Army during World War II. He had a long acting career in television from the 1950s to the 1980s. In 1962 he appeared in the television series Car 54, Where Are You? in an uncredited part as a construction worker. He played Felton Grimes, the title character and murder victim, in the 1963 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Bigamous Spouse", and in 1965 played the role of a villain named AC in My Favorite Martian, "Martin's Revoltin' Development", and played the role of Paul in The F.B.I., "The Man Who Went Mad by Mistake". He also had a notable supporting part in the 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, about a depression-era dance marathon.
In 1972, Conrad played Michael Stivic's conventional Polish-American Uncle Casimir on two episodes of All in the Family. The same year, he appeared, together with Richard Crenna and Alain Delon, in the French-language film Un flic, directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. He also had a memorable role in the 1974 film The Longest Yard, playing Nate Scarboro, a retired NFL tight end who was also the head coach for "the Mean Machine", the team of prisoners put together by Burt Reynolds's character Paul Crewe to play the team of guards.
During the 1976–77 season of Delvecchio, Conrad was a regular as Lt. Macavan.
Other notable films in which Conrad appeared throughout his career include Requiem for a Heavyweight, The War Lord, Blackbeard's Ghost, Castle Keep, Monte Walsh, The Todd Killings, Thumb Tripping, Scream Blacula Scream, and Harry and Walter Go to New York.
Conrad is perhaps best known for his role as Sgt. Philip Freemason Esterhaus on the 1981–1987 police drama Hill Street Blues, a role he played for 71 episodes until his death.

Death

Conrad died from urethral cancer in November 1983, during the fourth season of Hill Street Blues. The show's writers wrote his death into the show, with the cast offering an affectionate tribute to their colleague and friend.

Spouses

  • Denise McCluggage
  • Emilie Demille
  • Sima Goldberg

    Television and filmography

  • Demetrius and the Gladiators as Gladiator
  • Harbormaster
  • The Mugger as Guy Throwing Craps
  • Requiem for a Heavyweight as Ma Greeny's Thug
  • The Naked City as Hartog
  • The Edge of Night as "Big" Frank Dubeck
  • Car 54, Where Are You? as Construction Foreman / Smasher
  • Route 66 as Deputy Sam Harris / Al Jenkins
  • Perry Mason as Felton Grimes
  • Wagon Train as Luke Moss
  • The Twilight Zone as Deputy Sheriff Harper
  • Brenner as Chick Arnel
  • Flipper as Conlon
  • Rawhide as Jerry Munson
  • Daniel Boone as Sharben
  • The War Lord as Rainault
  • The Dick Van Dyke Show as Bernie Stern / Mr. Mack
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. as Sergeant Arthur Henchley
  • My Favorite Martian as A.C.
  • Laredo as Willie G. Tinney
  • Bonanza as Hank Kelly
  • I Spy as Dinat / Morton
  • Gunsmoke as Cash McLean / Paul Douglas / Dick Corwin
  • That Girl as Mr. Johnson
  • The Fugitive as Hogan
  • Felony Squad as Zackary / Steve
  • Blackbeard's Ghost as Pinetop Purvis
  • Lost in Space as Creech
  • Sol Madrid as Scarpi
  • Three Guns for Texas as Ranger Willy G. Tinney
  • It Takes a Thief as Anton
  • Castle Keep as Sgt. DeVaca
  • They Shoot Horses, Don't They? as Rollo
  • The Virginian as John White / Sam Marish
  • Monte Walsh as Dally Johnson
  • The Silent Force as Max Fredericks
  • Head On as Mike
  • The Todd Killings as Detective Shaw
  • Ironside as Tracy / Frank O'Neill
  • Thumb Tripping as Diesel
  • Mission: Impossible as Ralph Davies
  • Alias Smith and Jones as Mike McCloskey
  • Un Flic as Louis Costa
  • All in the Family as Uncle Casimir Stivic
  • Scream Blacula Scream as Sheriff Harley Dunlop
  • Love, American Style as Rossi
  • Mannix as Dave Tremble / Rick
  • The F.B.I. as Roger Tetlow / Paul Hogan
  • The Bob Newhart Show as Mr. Trevesco
  • W as Lt. Whitfield
  • The Longest Yard as Nate Scarboro
  • Lucas Tanner as Mr. Farnsworth
  • Planet of the Apes as Janor
  • Satan's Triangle as Lt. Cmdr. Pagnolini
  • Emergency! - Bob Stecker / Bob Hurley
  • S.W.A.T. as Vince
  • Gone with the West as Smithy
  • The Rockford Files as George Macklan
  • Baby Blue Marine as Drill Instructor
  • Harry and Walter Go to New York as Billy Gallagher
  • Starsky and Hutch as Capt. Mike Ferguson / Cannell
  • The Six Million Dollar Man as Boris Retsky / Jimbo
  • Little House on the Prairie as Broder
  • Hawaii Five-O as Arthur / Kira Johnson
  • How the West Was Won as Marshal Russell
  • Charlie's Angels as Ed Slocum
  • The Waltons as Matt Sarver
  • Soap as 'Boomer' David
  • Vega$ as Albert Brown
  • Barney Miller as Col. Charles Dundee
  • CHiPs as Mr. Chambers / Karl Maddox
  • Las mujeres de Jeremías as Spencer
  • Cattle Annie and Little Britches as Engineer
  • The Incredible Hulk as Emerson Fletcher
  • Hill Street Blues as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus