Conrad Philip Havord (13 April 1925 – 13 January 2016), known professionally as Conrad Phillips, was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

television and film actor. He is best known for playing William Tell in the adventure series ''

The Adventures of William Tell ''The Adventures of William Tell'' is a British swashbuckler adventure series, first broadcast on the ITV network in 1958, and produced by ITC Entertainment. In the United States, the episodes aired on the syndicated NTA Film Network in 1958 ...

'' (1958–1959).

Life and career

Phillips was born Conrad Philip Havord in London, the son of Horace Havord who was a journalist and detective story writer. He attended St John's Bowyer School,

Clapham Clapham () is a suburb in south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (most notably Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. History Early history ...

, south London.Conrad Philips obituary
''The Guardian''. Retrieved 13 January 2016. He worked for an insurance company, and forged his birth date on his ration book so that he could join the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...

at the age of 17. In three years of service during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

he saw action in the Atlantic Ocean,

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on ...

and the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian ...

and survived the mining of a landing craft. He called himself 'Bill' in the navy because his shipmates kept ridiculing the name Conrad. His name wasn't changed to 'Phillips' until he started acting. His father had been using the name 'Conrad Phillips' as a pen name for his thriller writing, and suggested that his son use this as his stage name. In his autobiography, Conrad said that he regretted making that decision. He studied at

RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the S ...

, and then appeared in repertory theatre and in the West End. He is best known for portraying William Tell in the popular ITV television series ''

'', which ran for 39 episodes from 1958 to 1959. Phillips also played Stefan, Tell's mentor, in the updated version ''

Crossbow A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an Elasticity (physics), elastic launching device consisting of a Bow and arrow, bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar ...

'' in 1987. During the 1960s and 1970s, he worked in theatre, television and films – it was to be his busiest period as an actor. Severe back pain, two replacement knees and a replacement hip brought a premature end to Conrad Phillips' acting career, and he retired from the screen in 1991. He spent the last episode of ''

'' in a wheelchair, because he had broken his ankle whilst on location. Even the fighting shots were done in this way. He met his second wife, Jennie, in April 1968. In January 1972 they set about restoring a Scottish hill farm called Skeoch.
'Skeoch – Our life on a Scottish hill farm''. Retrieved 15 January 2013. They finally lived in

Chippenham Chippenham is a market town in northwest Wiltshire, England. It lies northeast of Bath, west of London, and is near the Cotswolds Area of Natural Beauty. The town was established on a crossing of the River Avon and some form of settlement i ...

, Wiltshire. Phillips released his autobiography, ''Aiming True'', in 2013.

Other TV appearances

* '' The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel'' (1956) episode 17 – ''Gentlemen of the Road''. Character – Latour. * ''

The Invisible Man ''The Invisible Man'' is a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells. Originally serialized in '' Pearson's Weekly'' in 1897, it was published as a novel the same year. The Invisible Man to whom the title refers is Griffin, a scientist who has devo ...

'' – Series 2, Episode 12 – ''Shadow Bomb'' (1961). Character – Captain Finch. * ''

Richard the Lionheart Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and was overl ...

'' (1961–62 TV series) – episode 21 – ''A Marriage of Convenience'' (1962). Character – Guy. * '' The Avengers'' (1966) episode – ''Silent Dust''. Character – Mellors. * '' Callan'' (1967) episode – ''Jack on Top''. Character – Wilson. * ''

The Prisoner ''The Prisoner'' is a 1967 British television series about an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village, where his captors designate him as Number Six and try to find out why he abruptl ...

'' (1967) episode – " The General" * ''

UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are ide ...

'' (1971) episode – ''Reflections in the Water''. Character – Skipper. * ''

Fawlty Towers ''Fawlty Towers'' is a British television sitcom written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, broadcast on BBC2 in 1975 and 1979. Two series of six episodes each were made. The show was ranked first on a list of the 100 Greatest British Televisio ...

'' (1975) episode – '' The Wedding Party''. Character – Mr Lloyd * '' Cribb'' (1980) episode – ''Mad Hatter's Holiday''. Character – Dr. Prothero * ''

The Return of Sherlock Holmes ''The Return of Sherlock Holmes'' is a 1905 collection of 13 Sherlock Holmes stories, originally published in 1903–1904, by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The stories were published in the ''Strand Magazine'' in Britain and ''Collier's'' in ...

'' (1985) episode – ''The Abbey Grange''. Character – Sir Eustace Brackenstall * '' Hannay'' (1989) episode - ''Double Jeopardy''. Character – Dirk Huysman. Other TV shows: ''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. L ...

'', '' The New Adventures of Charlie Chan'', ''The Newcomers'' (recurring character – Robert Malcolm), ''

Sutherland's Law ''Sutherland's Law'' is a television series made by BBC Scotland between 1973 and 1976. The series had originated as a stand-alone edition of the portmanteau programme ''Drama Playhouse'' in 1972 in which Derek Francis played Sutherland and ...

'', '' Howards' Way'', '' Never the Twain'', '' The Gaffer'', '' Sorry!'' and '' Emmerdale Farm'' (recurring character – Dr Christopher Meadows from 1981 to 1986). Mini-series: '' Into the Labyrinth'' and '' The Master of Ballantrae''.

Selected filmography

* '' A Song for Tomorrow'' (1948) – Lieutenant Fenton * ''

The Temptress ''The Temptress'' is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film directed by Fred Niblo and starring Greta Garbo, Antonio Moreno, Lionel Barrymore, and Roy D'Arcy. It premiered on October 10, 1926. The film melodrama was based on a novel by V ...

'' (1949) – Captain Green * '' Lilli Marlene'' (1950) – Security Officer * '' The Last Page'' (1952) – Detective Todd (uncredited) * '' It Started in Paradise'' (1952) – 1st Photographer (uncredited) * '' Three Steps to the Gallows'' (1953) – Clerk – Travel Agent (uncredited) * '' Mantrap'' (1953) – Barker * '' The Diamond'' (1954) – Policeman (uncredited) * ''

Johnny on the Spot ''Johnny on the Spot'' is a 1954 British crime drama film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Hugh McDermott, Elspet Gray and Paul Carpenter. It was shot at Bushey Studios and on location in London. It was produced as a second feature. ...

'' (1954) – Police Sergeant (uncredited) * ''

The Secret Tent ''The Secret Tent'' is a 1956 crime film directed by Don Chaffey. It stars Donald Gray and Andrée Melly and was made at Shepperton Studios. Plot Respectable wife Ruth attempts to conceal her secret past as a criminal from neighbours and from h ...

'' (1956) – Detective Sergeant * '' The Last Man to Hang'' (1956) – Dr. Mason * ''Circus Friends'' (1956) – Larry * '' The Battle of the River Plate'' (1956) – Lt. Washbourne – Gunnery Officer, HMS Achilles (uncredited) * ''

Zarak ''Zarak'' is a 1957 CinemaScope adventure film based on the 1949 book ''The Story of Zarak Khan'' by A.J. Bevan. It was directed by Terence Young with assistance from John Gilling and Yakima Canutt. Set in the Northwest Frontier (though film ...

'' (1956) – Johnson – Young Officer * '' A Question of Adultery'' (1958) – Mario * ''

The White Trap ''The White Trap'' is a 1959 British B movie, second feature thriller film directed by Sidney Hayers and starring Lee Patterson. The screenplay is by playwright Peter Barnes (playwright), Peter Barnes, who went on to write the cult The Ruling Clas ...

'' (1959) – Sgt. Morrison * '' Witness in the Dark'' (1959) – Inspector Coates * ''

The Desperate Man ''The Desperate Man'' is a 1959 British B movie crime film directed by Peter Maxwell and starring Conrad Phillips, Jill Ireland, William Hartnell, Charles Gray and Peter Swanwick. The plot involves a writer who investigates a murder in the ...

'' (1959) – Curtis * '' Circus of Horrors'' (1960) – Insp. Arthur Ames * ''

Sons and Lovers ''Sons and Lovers'' is a 1913 novel by the English writer D. H. Lawrence. It traces emotional conflicts through the protagonist, Paul Morel, and his suffocating relationships with a demanding mother and two very different lovers, which exert c ...

'' (1960) – Baxter Dawes * '' The Fourth Square'' (1961) – Bill Lawrence * ''

No Love for Johnnie ''No Love for Johnnie'' is a 1961 British drama film in CinemaScope directed by Ralph Thomas. It was based on the 1959 book of the same title by the Labour Member of Parliament Wilfred Fienburgh, and stars Peter Finch. It depicts the disillu ...

'' (1961) – Drake * ''

The Secret Partner ''The Secret Partner'' is a 1961 British thriller film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Stewart Granger, Haya Harareet and Bernard Lee. The screenplay concerns a shipping executive officer who is blackmailed by an evil dentist. Plot Jo ...

'' (1961) – Dr. Alan Richford * '' Shadow of the Cat'' (1961) – Michael Latimer * '' Murder, She Said'' (1961) – Harold * ''A Guy Called Caesar'' (1962) – Tony * ''

The Durant Affair ''The Durant Affair'' is a 1962 British drama film directed by Godfrey Grayson and starring Jane Griffiths, Conrad Phillips and Nigel Green. Plot A will is contested in court after a fortune is granted to an unexpected heiress. Cast * Jane Gr ...

'' (1962) – Julian Armour * ''

Dead Man's Evidence ''Dead Man's Evidence'' is a 1962 British crime thriller film directed by Francis Searle. Its plot follows a British spy sent to Ireland to investigate the death of a former colleague who defected and who has been found dead on a beach. Cast * Co ...

'' (1962) – David Baxter * ''

Don't Talk to Strange Men ''Don't Talk to Strange Men'' is a 1962 black and white British crime thriller film directed by Pat Jackson and produced at Marylebone Film Studios and on location in Buckinghamshire. Plot As a prologue an unseen driver gives a lift to a woman. ...

'' (1962) – Ron * ''

Impact Impact may refer to: * Impact (mechanics), a high force or shock (mechanics) over a short time period * Impact, Texas, a town in Taylor County, Texas, US Science and technology * Impact crater, a meteor crater caused by an impact event * Imp ...

'' (1963) – Jack Moir * '' The Switch'' (1963) – John Curry * ''

Heavens Above! ''Heavens Above!'' is a 1963 British satirical comedy film starring Peter Sellers, directed by John and Roy Boulting, who also co-wrote along with Frank Harvey, from an idea by Malcolm Muggeridge. It is in a similar vein to the earlier collabor ...

'' (1963) – P.R.O. * ''Stopover Forever'' (1964) – Eric Cunningham * '' Dateline Diamonds'' (1965) – Tom Jenkins * '' The Murder Game'' (1965) – Peter Shanley * ''

Who Killed the Cat? ''Who Killed the Cat?'' is a 1966 British crime film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Mary Merrall, Ellen Pollock and Amy Dalby. It was based on the 1956 play ''Tabitha'' by Arnold Ridley and Mary Cathcart Borer. Plot Three elderly ...

'' (1966) – Inspector Bruton * ''The Ghost of Monk's Island'' (1967) – Eli Oakes.

References

External links

*
''Aiming True – The Autobiography of Conrad Phillips''''Skeoch – Our New Life On A Scottish Hill Farm''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Conrad English male television actors 1925 births 2016 deaths English male stage actors English male film actors Male actors from London 20th-century English male actors 21st-century English male actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Royal Navy personnel of World War II 21st-century English male writers English autobiographers