Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Michael Conrad

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Michael Conrad was born on October 16, 1925, in New York City. He was an American actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of veteran cop Sgt. Phil Esterhaus on ‘Hill Street Blues’. Where he won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1981 and 1982. 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.

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 (New York Giants) 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’.

Conrad died from urethral cancer on November 22, 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.

Conrad’s only Euro-western was as Spencer Dalton in 1979’s “Las mujeres de Jeremías” (Garden of Venus).

CONRAD, Michael [10/16/1925, New York City, New York, U.S.A. – 11/22/1983, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. (urethral cancer)] – theater, film, TV actor, married to race car driver, actress Denise McCluggage [1927–2015] (1953-1954), married to Emilie D. Demille (1963-1967), married to Sima S. Goldberg (1974-1983).

Garden of Venus – 1979 (Spencer Dalton)