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Starting work in radio in the late 1930s in California, Conrad went on to serve as a fighter pilot in World War II. He returned to the airwaves after the war, going on to accumulate over 7,000 roles in radio by his own estimate.
Conrad's deep, resonant voice led to a number of noteworthy roles in radio drama, most prominently his originating the role of Matt Dillon on the old-time radio program GunsmokeGunsmoke was a long-running old-time radio and television western drama program. Radio The radio show ran 1952- 1961 on the CBS radio network, with William Conrad as Marshall Matt Dillon, Howard McNear as Doc, Georgia Ellis as Kitty, and Parley Baer as De from 1952Summary of notable events in 1952 . Events January events January 8 West Germany has 8 million refugees inside its borders. January 24 Sudden heavy snowfall in Algeria. January 24 Vincent Massey sworn in as first Canada-born Governor-General of Canada.- 611961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first "upside-down" year i. one that looked the same upside down since 1881, and the last until 6009. Events January January 1 The farthing coin, used since the 13th century, cease. He was considered for the role when the series was brought to television in 19551955 is a common year starting on Saturday. see link for calendar) Events January events January 2 Panama president Jose Antonio Remon is assassinated. January 19 The Scrabble board game debuts. February events February 8 Nikolai Bulganin ousts Georgi Mal, but his increasing obesity led to the casting of James ArnessJames Arness (originally Aurness) (born May 26, 1923 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an actor best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke a role he played for 20 years, to this day the longest any actor has played the same role on the same sho. Other series to which Conrad contributed his talents included Escape , SuspenseOne of the premier programs of the Golden Age of Radio (now known as old-time radio), Suspense advertised itself as "radio's oustanding theater of thrills" and was heard in one form or another from 1942 through 1962. There were approximately 945 episodes and The Damon Runyon Theater .
Among his various film roles, where he was usually cast as threatening figures, perhaps his most notable role was his first credited one, as one of the gunmen sent to eliminate Burt LancasterBurt Lancaster ( November 2, 1913 October 20, 1994) was an American film actor. Born Burton Stephen Lancaster in New York City, he was one of five children of a postal worker. He grew up in East Harlem and spent much of his time on the streets, where he d in the 1946 film The Killers . He also appeared in Body and Soul ( 1947), Sorry, Wrong Number, Joan of Arc (both 1948), and The Naked Jungle ( 1954).
Moving to television in the 1960s, his first decade in the medium was largely marked by a return to voice work; he narrated the Bullwinkle cartoons from 1961- 73, and later performed the role of Denethor in the 1980 animated TV version of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Return of the King. But the 1970s saw him starring in the first of three detective series which would bring him an added measure of renown, Cannon, which ran from 1971- 76. He later starred in both Nero Wolfe ( 1981) and Jake and the Fatman ( 1987- 92).
Conrad died at age 73 in Los Angeles, California and is interred at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery. He was elected to the Radio Hall of Fame in 1997.