A sad week for the death of actors. Robert Conrad has died at age 84. From 1965-1969 a young Don McClarey was always planted in front of the television whenever this show was on to view another thrilling, and amusing, episode of the adventures of Secret Service Agent James West (Robert Conrad). Set during the Grant administration, The Wild Wild West depicted the exploits of Agent James West and Agent Artemus Gordon (the late Ross Martin) as they battled evil throughout the West. The evil often took the form of science fiction, what would today be called steam punk, or the supernatural. The archenemy of the agents was evil genius Doctor Miguelito Loveless, played with scene stealing panache by the late Michael Dunn. The show was basically a skillful mixture of a traditional Western with the spy genre then popular, the show being described as James Bond on horseback. Conrad had a very successful career as an actor, but he will ever be remembered for this role. It was an early victim of political correctness being cancelled by CBS after the fourth season in 69 due to pressure from the idiots in Congress over violence on television. I trust that there has been a great cast reunion in the world beyond.
The Wild Wild West, Star Trek, Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and The Prisoner were all my favorites in the 60s as well.
I hope Robert Conrad made it to Heaven.
The Wild Wild West was the best. Conrad made that show. The tongue in cheek Man From U.N.C.L.E., Combat and the Gallant Men were also very high on my list in those days.
I often thought of The Wild Wild West as Star Trek set in the Old West. Of course, Conrad would give his name just as Bond did. “West. James West.” There was the terrible movie where Will Smith was horribly miscast, stupid Hollywood.
Worth mentioning is the 1970s series Baa Baa Black Sheep/Black Sheep Squadron that featured Conrad.
Robert Conrad is a man who would have no place in the Hollywood of today. His era is gone.
I liked him in Baa Baa Black Sheep as well.
The real Greg “Pappy” Boyington made a cameo appearance on the show:
Conrad = a man’s man.
Few bishops get it. Cannot fathom it and despise the concept, in fact.
Per a post I read on a Polish group in Facebook…Robert Conrad was a relative of the author Joseph Conrad, a native of Chicago, whose real last name was Falkowski….no wonder I liked the guy.
I don’t remember any particular episode, but the opening and theme song have sure stuck in my mind.
It is also very good that you recall the issue that cancelled this great, ingenious, entertaining fantasy West series (“violence”), and the overreach of extremists and social manipulators even then (1969) in Congress, those so conscientiously attempting to engineer and control our minds, our thoughts, and our lives.
It is a good reminder that the effort to install a Brave New World was well underway 50 years ago, when they really had virtual complete control of the information mews media and the airwaves ( = The real reason they hate Rush Limbaugh so much).