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William Conrad

William Conrad

Actor, director and producer · Died February 11, 1994, aged 73 · Louisville, Kentucky, USA

William Conrad (September 27, 1920 - February 11, 1994) was an American actor, producer, and director. He was born William Cann in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of a theatre-owner who moved to southern California, where he excelled at drama and literature while at school. Starting work in radio in the late 1930s in California, Conrad went on to serve as a fighter pilot in World War II. He entered the army in 1942, and was commissioned at Luke Field, Arizona in 1943 (now Luke Air Force Base). On the day of his commission he married June Nelson. He returned to the airwaves after the war, going on to accumulate over 7,000 roles in radio by his own estimate. Among Conrad's 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 Lancaster 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). As a producer for Warner Brothers, he made a string of feature films, including An American Dream (1966, retitled See You in Hell, Darling for British release), A Covenant With Death (1966), First to Fight (1967) and The Cool Ones (1967), and also directed My Blood Runs Cold, Brainstorm and Two on a Guillotine (all 1965).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 27, 1920
Died
February 11, 1994 (aged 73)
From
Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Works as
Actor, director and producer
Titles
54 on MovieCove · 117 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 43% in 30 days

What are William Conrad's films like?

Across their 28 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 12th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Western2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Western movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
35%
Bonds
26%
Power
15%
Survival
11%
Self
9%
Society
3%
Ideas
1%
Justice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 28 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 17 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 15 · Intense 9

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 13 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 23 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 13 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 13 · Full focus 3

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 9 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 8

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 22 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 2 of 5 analyzed roles.

Hero
2 of 5
Trickster
1 of 5
Shadow
1 of 5
Mentor
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
26
Melancholic
15
Contemplative
8
Dread
4
Romantic
6
Other
15

How their films linger

Bittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch William Conrad's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 54 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for William Conrad's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

117 credits, 54 with a MovieCove page; 12 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Hudson Hawk(1991)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Jake and the Fatman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 106 episodes · as Jason McCabe

  • The Highwayman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Narrator

  • Vengeance: The Story of Tony Cimo(1986)

    as Jim Dunn

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 2 episodes · as James McShane

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Killing Cars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Mr. Mahoney

  • In Like Flynn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Sgt. Dominic

  • Blitz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Mr. Mahoney

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Anatole Karzof

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • The Mikado(1982)

    as The Mikado

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Shock-Trauma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Dr. R. Adams Cowley

  • Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid(1982)

    as (in "The Killers") (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Police Squad! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Stabbed Man

  • The Cremation of Sam McGee: A Poem by Robert W. Service (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Narrator

  • Nero Wolfe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 14 episodes · as Nero Wolfe

  • Side Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director · Songs · as Ring Announcer (voice)

  • The Return of Frank Cannon(1980)

    as Frank Cannon

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Turnover Smith (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Executive Producer · as Thaddeus Smith

  • The Return of the King(1980)

    as Lord Denethor (voice)

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Murder That Wouldn't Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as William Battles

  • Buck Rogers in the 25th Century(1979)

    as Opening Narrator / Draconian officer (uncredited) (voice)

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Keefer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Col. Keefer

  • Night Cries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Dr. Whelan

  • The Making of 'Star Wars'(1977)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Moonshine County Express (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Jack Starkey

  • Catastrophe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • The Force of Evil(1977)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • How the West Was Won(1976)

    Show 3 episodes · as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 8 episodes · as Narrator

  • The City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • The Macahans (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

  • The F.B.I. Story: The FBI Versus Alvin Karpis, Public Enemy Number One(1974)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Voices (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Barnaby Jones(1973)

    Show 2 episodes · as Frank Cannon

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Cannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 123 episodes · as Frank Cannon

  • O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Keegan

  • Cannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Frank Cannon

  • D.A.: Conspiracy to Kill(1971)

    as Chief Vincent Kovac

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Brotherhood of the Bell(1970)

    as Bart Harris

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Chisum(1970)

    as Narrator - Opening Credits (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Learning Tree(1969)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Dudley Do-Right Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 39 episodes · Actor

  • The Name of the Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Director · as Arnold Wexler

  • Assignment to Kill(1968)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Chubasco(1968)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The High Chaparral (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as China Pierce

  • Countdown(1967)

    Executive Producer · as TV Newscaster (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Cool Ones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Executive Producer

  • First to Fight(1967)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • A Covenant with Death(1967)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Chamber of Horrors(1966)

    as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • An American Dream(1966)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Battle of the Bulge(1965)

    as Narrator (uncredited) · as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Dean Martin Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • F Troop(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Brainstorm(1965)

    Director · Producer · as Mental Patient (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • My Blood Runs Cold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director · Producer

  • Two on a Guillotine(1965)

    Director · Producer · as Fat Man in Hall of Mirrors (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Eggs Benedict (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Narrator

  • The Man from Galveston(1963)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Temple Houston (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • The Fugitive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 120 episodes · as Narrator

  • General Electric True (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 22 episodes · Director · Actor

  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Sergent Cresse

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Saints and Sinners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Design for Disaster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Narrator

  • Target: The Corruptors! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 8 episodes · Director · Actor

  • The Case of the Dangerous Robin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Klondike (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Route 66(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • The Aquanauts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Corey

  • The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 163 episodes · as Narrator (voice)

  • The Bullwinkle Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 815 episodes · as Narrator (voice)

  • -30-(1959)

    as Jim Bathgate

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • This Man Dawson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 11 episodes · Director · as Narrator (voice only)

  • Men Into Space (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Lock-Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Man and the Challenge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Bold Venture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

  • 77 Sunset Strip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · as Baseball Announcer (voice) (uncredited) · as Bystander (uncredited) · as Clapper (uncredited)

  • Mackenzie's Raiders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Bat Masterson(1958)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · as Clark Benson · as Dick MacIntyre

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • The Rough Riders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Naked City(1958)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • The Rifleman(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Zero Hour!(1957)

    as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Tombstone Territory(1957)

    Show 5 episodes · Director · as Frank Banter

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Have Gun, Will Travel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 5 episodes · Director · as Moses Kadish

  • The Ride Back(1957)

    Producer · as Sheriff Chris Hamish

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Johnny Concho (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Tallman

  • The Conqueror(1956)

    as Kasar

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • The Naked Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Narrator

  • Highway Patrol(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · as Narrator (voice)

  • 5 Against the House(1955)

    as Eric Berg

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Naked Jungle(1954)

    as Commissioner

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Desert Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Lachmed

  • Cry of the Hunted(1953)

    as Goodwin

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Lone Star(1952)

    as Mizette

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Racket(1951)

    as Turk

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Sword of Monte Cristo(1951)

    as Major Nicolet

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Cry Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Louie Castro

  • Dial 1119 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Chuckles

  • The Milkman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Mike Morrel

  • One Way Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Ollie

  • East Side, West Side(1949)

    as Lt. Jacobi

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Tension (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Lt. Edgar Gonsales

  • Any Number Can Play(1949)

    as Frank Sistina

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Joan of Arc(1948)

    as Guillaume Erard, a Prosecutor

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • To the Victor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Farnsworth

  • Sorry, Wrong Number(1948)

    as Morano

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Four Faces West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Sheriff Egan

  • Arch of Triumph(1948)

    as Policeman at Accident (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Body and Soul(1947)

    as Quinn

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Killers(1946)

    as Max

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Pillow to Post (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as First Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 117 titles from 1945 to 1991; peak year 1965.

Biggest box office

The Conqueror (1956)

$15K worldwide

Highest rated

Body and Soul (1947)

Midcredits 93rd

Most popular right now

The Return of the King (1980)

Film career

19451991

Peak 1965 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1946Screen debut· The Killers
  • 1977First top-billed film· The Making of Star Wars
  • 1977Career best· The Making of Star Wars

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting96 of 117: 81 only acting, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score61stDirecting27 of 117: 14 only directing, 13 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rdProducing12 of 117: 6 only producing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score39thOther crew1 of 117: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

117 titles, 16 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 12 of them.

By decade

1940s11 · acting1950s34 · 26 acting · 15 crew1960s30 · 17 acting · 19 crew1970s21 · acting1980s20 · 20 acting · 2 crew1990s1 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 4% of 23 roles
465161

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do William Conrad's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 42; across their 28 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Approval · how many liked their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Reach · how many have seen their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Midcredits score across 54 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th22
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

28 of their 54 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Crowd Pleaser28
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · actor

The Conqueror (1956)

68th percentile spread · 66% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Killers (1946)

Midcredits 96th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 26 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does William Conrad work with?

People who share at least 2 of William Conrad's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jimmy Lydon shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers