Conrad Brooks


Conrad Brooks was an American actor. He was known for his many appearances in the 1950s films of cult director Ed Wood.

Career

Born Conrad Biedrzycki on January 3, 1931, in Baltimore, Maryland, Brooks was the son of Polish immigrants, Victor and Katherine Biedrzycki. His father was a baker. Brooks was one of eight children.
He moved to Hollywood, California, in 1948 at age 17, along with his brothers Harry and Ted, attempting to break into acting. Brooks first encountered the legendary filmmaker Ed Wood in a donut shop, and eagerly agreed to appear in a short western film Wood was planning to direct. Brooks entered show business by acting in such Ed Wood cult classics as Plan 9 from Outer Space, Glen or Glenda, Bride of the Monster, Night of the Ghouls, The Sinister Urge and Jail Bait. He appeared in more Ed wood films than any other actor in fact. He also appeared briefly as an airplane pilot in The Beast of Yucca Flats.
Brooks took a break from acting during the 1960s and 1970s, but due to the later revived interest in the films of Ed Wood, he re-emerged in the 1980s and became a prolific actor in low-budget films. He even went on to write, produce and direct several films.
Along with Gregory Walcott, Brooks appeared briefly in Tim Burton's film Ed Wood, playing a bartender, while his own character was played by Brent Hinckley. Brooks was a frequent guest at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention and I-Con at Stony Brook University, where he signed autographs for his fans.
He made a cameo appearance as the pianist for the Sound The Surrender music video by heavy metal band, Darkest Hour. When The Sinister Urge episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 was released on DVD, Brooks filmed a special introduction. Brooks was interviewed in two documentaries about Ed Wood, Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The Plan 9 Companion and The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood Jr..
Brooks teamed up again with filmmaker Jonathan M. Parisen on two films, Toilet Gator and Space Vampires from the Planet Blood, and a television show, Blast Corrigan: Rocketship To Earth.
Brooks was founder and owner of Conrad Brooks Productions, which has produced the Gypsy Vampire series, starring Bruce "Porkchop" Lindsay as Count Lugo, as well as the "Jan-Gel" film trilogy.
Brooks continued acting well into his 80s, making an appearance in a 2015 remake of Plan 9 from Outer Space. He made his last appearance in the 2016 film Don't Let the Devil in.
Brooks was married to Ruth Marilyn Biedrzycki from the late 1960s until her death. They had one daughter.

Death

Brooks, who suffered from prostate cancer, died of complications from sepsis on December 6, 2017, in Martinsburg, West Virginia, at age 86. At the time of his death, Brooks resided in nearby Inwood, West Virginia.

Selected filmography

  • Jalopy as Party Guest
  • Glen or Glenda as Banker / Reporter / Pickup Artist / Bearded Drag
  • Clipped Wings as Recruit
  • Jail Bait as Medical Attendant / Photographer
  • The Mad Magician as Bonfire Extra
  • Bride of the Monster as Suspect Outside Office
  • Plan 9 from Outer Space as Policeman
  • The Sinister Urge as Connie
  • Night of the Ghouls as man in Fight
  • Mystery in Shadows as Bob Ryan
  • Bob and Run as Bob
  • The Beast of Yucca Flats as man at Airfield
  • Girl Madness
  • Hellborn
  • The Young and the Immoral
  • A Polish Vampire in Burbank as Bartender
  • Deathrow Gameshow as Judge
  • Curse of the Queerwolf as Wally Beaver
  • Young Rebels as Drug Boss
  • On the Trail of Ed Wood as himself
  • F.A.R.T. the Movie as Game Show Panelist
  • Shadow of the Dragon as Officer Singer
  • Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The Plan 9 Companion as himself
  • Hellborn as himself / Connie
  • Test Tube Teens from the Year 2000 as Janitor
  • Ed Wood: Look Back in Angora as himself
  • Ed Wood as Bartender
  • Conrad Brooks vs. the Werewolf as himself
  • Baby Ghost as Elliot
  • The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood Jr. as Himself
  • Bikini Drive-In as Oscar
  • Misfit Patrol as Officer Buford Murphy
  • Toad Warrior as Swamp Farmer
  • The Saturn Avenger Vs. the Terror Robot as Doc
  • Shotgun Boulevard as Rinaldi
  • Rollergator as Swamp Farmer
  • Blood Slaves of the Vampire Werewolf as Monk
  • Snuff Films: An Exposé as himself
  • Guns of El Chupacabra as Deputy Reins
  • Dalziel and Pascoe: Deadheads
  • The Ironbound Vampire as Ambrose
  • Ice Scream as Ricky
  • Alien Agenda: Under the Skin as Sal Pantangilo
  • I Woke Up Early the Day I Died as Cruiser Cop #3
  • Hollywood Mortuary as himself
  • Creaturealm: From the Dead as himself
  • Armageddon Boulevard as Godfather Rinaldi
  • The Atomic Space Bug as Mr. Donaldson
  • Silent Scream as Silent Screen Villain
  • The Beast of Retro City
  • Ghost Taxi
  • Jan-Gel, the Beast from the East as himself
  • Transylvania Police; Monster Squad
  • The Vampire Hunters Club as Conrad
  • The Monster Man as Lord Gideon
  • El Cerebro de Hitler! as Babbling Drunkard
  • Max Hell Frog Warrior as Swamp Farmer
  • Raising Dead as Police Chief Arbogast
  • Pacino Is Missing as Blind Camera Operator
  • Bikini Planet as Vice-President
  • Attack of the Giant Gull
  • Zombiegeddon as Dean Martinson
  • Minds of Terror as Doctor
  • Jan-Gel 3: Hillbilly Monster as Dirty Harry
  • Corpses Are Forever as Mr. Fairbrass
  • Dr. Horror's Erotic House of Idiots as Conrad Andrews
  • Brain Robbers from Outer Space as Officer Jamey
  • Super Hero Central as Laslo Mauser
  • Bob's Night Out as Crazy Cop
  • Gypsy Vampire as Cap
  • That's Independent! as himself
  • The Demon Monster from Outer Space
  • 2020 An American Nightmare as Dad
  • 9mm Sunrise as Mr. Rinaldi
  • Purvos as Professor Jessup
  • Zeppo: Sinners from Beyond the Moon! as Dept of Defense chief Brooks
  • Vampira: The Movie
  • Gypsy Vampire 2 - Gypsy Vampire's Revenge
  • Blast Corrigan: Rocketship To Earth
  • Toilet Gator
  • Freaky Vampire
  • A Taste of Desperation as The Landlord
  • It Came from Trafalgar as Wid Hawk
  • Shadows in the Woods
  • Space Vampires from the Planet Blood
  • Beside the Manor Selby as The Gardener
  • Zombie on the Loose
  • The Girl as Elderly Gentleman
  • Invasion of the Reptoids as Elderly Gentleman
  • Terror of the Giant Tentacle
  • Psychotic State as Grandpa
  • Plan 9 as Jamie
  • Bite School as Conrad
  • Pitfire of Hell as UFO Spotter
  • Killer Waves as Marvin
  • Subconscious Reality as The Seer
  • Don't Let the Devil In as Mr. Taylor
  • Toilet Gator as Walter Vonleer
  • Abaddon as Hippie
  • Midnight Massacre as Grandfather Anthony
  • ''Ghost of El Chupacabra''