Michael Conrad (October 16, 1925November 22, 1983) was an American actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of veteran cop Sgt. Phil Esterhaus on '' Hill Street Blues''. He won two

Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for ''Hill Street Blues'' in 1981 and 1982.

Life and career

Conrad served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. 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? ''Car 54, Where Are You?'' is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 1961 to April 1963. Filmed in black and white, the series starred Joe E. Ross as Gunther Toody and Fred Gwynne as Francis Muldoon, two mismatched New York City Po ...

'' in an uncredited part as a construction worker. He played Felton Grimes, the title character and murder victim, in the 1963 '' Perry Mason'' episode "The Case of the Bigamous Spouse", and in 1965 played the role of a villain named AC in ''

My Favorite Martian ''My Favorite Martian'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 29, 1963, to May 1, 1966, for 107 episodes. The show stars Ray Walston as "Uncle Martin" (the Martian) and Bill Bixby as Tim O'Hara. ''My Favorite Martian'' was th ...

'', "Martin's Revoltin' Development", and played the role of Paul in '' The F.B.I.'' (season 1, episode 24), "The Man Who Went Mad by Mistake". In 1972, Conrad played Michael Stivic's conventional Polish-American Uncle Casimir on two episodes of ''

All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American sitcoms in the United States, sitcom television series that aired on CBS for nine seasons from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979, with a total of 205 episodes. It was later produced as ''Archie Bunker's Pla ...

''. The same year, he appeared, together with Richard Crenna and

Alain Delon Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (; 8 November 1935 – 18 August 2024) was a French actor, film producer, screenwriter, singer, and businessman. Acknowledged as a cultural and cinematic leading man of the 20th century, Delon emerged as one of ...

, in the French-language film ''

Un flic ''Un flic'' ('A Cop'), also known as ''Dirty Money'', is a 1972 crime thriller film, the last directed by Jean-Pierre Melville before his death the following year. It stars Alain Delon, Richard Crenna and Catherine Deneuve. Delon had previously ...

'', directed by

Jean-Pierre Melville Jean-Pierre Grumbach (20 October 1917 – 2 August 1973), known professionally as Jean-Pierre Melville (), was a French filmmaker. Considered a spiritual godfather of the French New Wave, he was one of the first fully-independent French filmmake ...

. He also had a memorable role in the 1974 film '' The Longest Yard'', playing Nate Scarboro, a retired NFL tight end (

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...

) who was also the head coach for "the Mean Machine", the team of prisoners put together by

Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor most famous during the 1970s and 1980s. He became well known in television series such as ''Gunsmoke'' (1962–1965), '' Hawk'' (1966) and '' Dan Augus ...

'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 is perhaps best known for his role as Sgt. Philip Freemason Esterhaus on the 1981–1987 police drama '' Hill Street Blues'', a role he played for 71 episodes until his death.

Death

Conrad died from urethral cancer in November 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.

Spouses

* Denise McCluggage (1953–54; divorced) * Emilie Demille (October 30, 1963 - February 1967; divorced) * Sima Goldberg (January 27, 1974 - November 22, 1983; his death)

Television and filmography

* '' Demetrius and the Gladiators'' (1954) as Gladiator (uncredited) * '' Harbormaster'' (1957, TV Series) * '' The Mugger'' (1958) as Guy Throwing Craps * ''Requiem for a Heavyweight'' (1962) as Ma Greeny's Thug * '' The Naked City'' (1959, TV Series) as Hartog (episode "

Fire Island Fire Island is the large center island of the outer barrier islands parallel to the South Shore of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy once again divided Fire Island into two islands. Together, these two isl ...

") * ''

The Edge of Night ''The Edge of Night'' is an American mystery crime drama soap opera, created by Irving Vendig and produced by Procter & Gamble Productions. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that network for most of its ...

'' (1959–60, TV Series) as "Big" Frank Dubeck * ''

'' (1962, TV Series) as Construction Foreman / Smasher (uncredited) * '' Route 66'' (1960–1963, TV Series) as Deputy Sam Harris / Al Jenkins * '' Perry Mason'' (1963, TV Series) as Felton Grimes * ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'' (1963, TV Series) as Luke Moss * ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology series, anthology television series created by Rod Serling in which characters find themselves dealing with often disturbing or unusual events, an experience described ...

'' (TV Series, episode " Black Leather Jackets") as Deputy Sheriff Harper * '' Brenner'' (1959–1964, TV Series) as Chick Arnel * '' Flipper'' (1964, TV Series) as Conlon * '' Rawhide'' (1965, TV Series) as Jerry Munson * ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (, 1734September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyo ...

'' (1965, TV Series) as Sharben * ''

The War Lord ''The War Lord'' is a 1965 American drama historical film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and starring Charlton Heston. The film, which concerns medieval warfare and culture in 11th-century Normandy, is an adaptation of the play ''The Lovers ...

'' (1965) as Rainault * '' The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (1965, TV Series) as Bernie Stern / Mr. Mack * '' Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.'' (1966, TV Series) as Sergeant Arthur Henchley * ''

'' (1966, TV Series) as A.C. * '' Laredo'' (1966, TV Series) as Willie G. Tinney * ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on ...

'' (1966, TV Series) as Hank Kelly * '' I Spy'' (1965–1966, TV Series) as Dinat / Morton * ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...

'' (1964–1966, TV Series) as Cash McLean / Paul Douglas / Dick Corwin * '' That Girl'' (1966, TV Series) as Mr. Johnson * '' The Fugitive'' (1966, TV Series) as Hogan * '' Felony Squad'' (1966–1967, TV Series) as Zackary / Steve * '' Blackbeard's Ghost'' (1968) as Pinetop Purvis * '' Lost in Space'' (1968, TV Series) as Creech * '' Sol Madrid'' (1968) as Scarpi * ''Three Guns for Texas'' (1968) as Ranger Willy G. Tinney * '' It Takes a Thief'' (1968, TV Series) as Anton * '' Castle Keep'' (1969) as Sgt. DeVaca * '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' (1969) as Rollo * '' The Virginian'' (1969–1970, TV Series) as John White / Sam Marish * '' Monte Walsh'' (1970) as Dally Johnson * ''

The Silent Force ''The Silent Force'' is the third studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation, released on 15 November 2004, by GUN Records. On 5 August 2008, ''The Silent Force'' along with ''Mother Earth (Within Temptation album), Mother Eart ...

'' (episode "Cry in Concrete") (1970, TV Series) as Max Fredericks * ''Head On'' (1971) as Mike * '' The Todd Killings'' (1971) as Detective Shaw * '' Ironside'' (1970–1971, TV Series) as Tracy / Frank O'Neill * '' Thumb Tripping'' (1972) as Diesel * '' Mission: Impossible'' (1970, TV Series) as Ralph Davies * ''

Alias Smith and Jones ''Alias Smith and Jones'' is an American Western television series that originally aired on ABC from January 1971 to January 1973. The show initially starred Pete Duel (and, after Duel's death, Roger Davis) as Hannibal Heyes and Ben Murphy ...

'' (1972, TV Series) as Mike McCloskey * ''

Un Flic ''Un flic'' ('A Cop'), also known as ''Dirty Money'', is a 1972 crime thriller film, the last directed by Jean-Pierre Melville before his death the following year. It stars Alain Delon, Richard Crenna and Catherine Deneuve. Delon had previously ...

'' (1972) as Louis Costa * ''

'' (1972, TV Series) as Uncle Casimir Stivic * '' Scream Blacula Scream'' (1973) as Sheriff Harley Dunlop * ''

Love, American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an American anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from September 29, 1969, to January 11, 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a pa ...

'' (1973, TV Series) as Rossi (segment "Love and the See-Through Mind") * ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that originally aired for eight seasons on CBS from September 16, 1967, to March 13, 1975. The show was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer ...

'' (1970–1973, TV Series) as Dave Tremble / Rick * '' The F.B.I.'' (1966–1973, TV Series) as Roger Tetlow / Paul Hogan * ''

The Bob Newhart Show ''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American television sitcom produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psychol ...

'' (1973–1974, TV Series) as Mr. Trevesco * '' W'' (1974) as Lt. Whitfield * '' The Longest Yard'' (1974) as Nate Scarboro * '' Lucas Tanner'' (1974, TV Series) as Mr. Farnsworth * ''

Planet of the Apes ''Planet of the Apes'' is a science fiction media franchise consisting of films, books, television series, comics, and other media about a Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic world in which humans and intelligent apes c ...

'' (1974, TV Series) as Janor * '' Satan's Triangle'' (1975, TV Movie) as Lt. Cmdr. Pagnolini * ''

Emergency! ''Emergency!'' is an American Action fiction, action-adventure medical drama television series jointly produced by Mark VII Limited and Universal Television. Debuting on NBC as a midseason replacement on January 15, 1972, replacing two situatio ...

'' (1973–1975, TV Series) - Bob Stecker / Bob Hurley * '' S.W.A.T.'' (1975, TV Series) as Vince * '' Gone with the West'' (1975) as Smithy * ''

The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner, aired on NBC from September 13, 1974, to January 10, 1980. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investigator Jim Rockford, with Noah Beery Jr. in th ...

'' (1975, TV Series) as George Macklan * ''

Baby Blue Marine ''Baby Blue Marine'' is a 1976 American drama film set during World War II that was directed by John D. Hancock and starred Jan-Michael Vincent. The feature film was produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg. Plot Marion “Hedge” H ...

'' (1976) as Drill Instructor * '' Harry and Walter Go to New York'' (1976) as Billy Gallagher * '' Starsky and Hutch'' (1975–1976, TV Series) as Capt. Mike Ferguson / Cannell * ''

The Six Million Dollar Man ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' is an American science fiction and action television series, running from 1973 to 1978, about a former astronaut, USAF Colonel Steve Austin, portrayed by Lee Majors. After being seriously injured in a NASA test f ...

'' (1975–1977, TV Series) as Boris Retsky / Jimbo * ''

Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books comprise a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adulthood in the Midwestern United States, Americ ...

'' (1977, TV Series) as Broder * '' Hawaii Five-O'' (1972–1978, TV Series) as Arthur / Kira Johnson * '' How the West Was Won'' (1978, TV Series) as Marshal Russell * ''

Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...

'' (1978, TV Series) as Ed Slocum * ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural mountainous Western Virginia of the Appalachian Mountains / Allegheny Mountains / Blue Ridge Mountains chain, during the economic hardships and mass unemp ...

'' (1978, TV Series) as Matt Sarver * ''

Soap Soap is a salt (chemistry), salt of a fatty acid (sometimes other carboxylic acids) used for cleaning and lubricating products as well as other applications. In a domestic setting, soaps, specifically "toilet soaps", are surfactants usually u ...

'' (1978, TV Series) as 'Boomer' David * '' Vega$'' (1979, TV Series) as Albert Brown * ''

Barney Miller ''Barney Miller'' is an American sitcom television series set in a New York City Police Department police station on East 6th Street in Greenwich Village (Lower Manhattan). The series was broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from Janu ...

'' (1979, TV Series) as Col. Charles Dundee * '' CHiPs'' (1979, TV Series) as Mr. Chambers / Karl Maddox * ''Las mujeres de Jeremías'' (1980) as Spencer * '' Cattle Annie and Little Britches'' (1981) as Engineer * '' The Incredible Hulk'' (1981, TV Series) as Emerson Fletcher * '' Hill Street Blues'' (1981–1984, TV Series) (65 episodes) as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus (final appearance)

References

External links

* * *
Michael Conrad
at the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...

'
Actors Studio audio collection
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conrad, Michael 1925 births 1983 deaths Male actors from New York City American male television actors Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners 20th-century American male actors