William Conrad

William Conrad
Conrad in 1952, when he created the role of Matt Dillon on the radio version of Gunsmoke
Born	John William Cann Jr. (1920-09-27)September 27, 1920 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	February 11, 1994(1994-02-11) (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	Excelsior Union High School
Alma mater	Fullerton College (AA)
Occupations	Actor director producer
Years active	1940–1992
Known for	Cannon Jake and the Fatman The Fugitive The Killers
Spouses	June Nelson ​ ​ (m. 1943; div. 1957)​ Susan Randall ​ ​ (m. 1957; died 1979)​ Lewis Tipton Stringer Huntley ​ ​ (m. 1980)​
Children	1
Awards	National Radio Hall of Fame
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army Air Forces
Years of service	1943–1945
Rank	Captain

William Conrad (born John William Cann Jr., September 27, 1920 – February 11, 1994) was an American actor, producer, and director whose entertainment career spanned five decades in radio, film, and television, peaking in popularity when he starred in the detective series Cannon.

A radio writer and actor, he moved to Hollywood after serving in World War II as a fighter pilot, and played a series of character roles in films, beginning with the film noir The Killers (1946). He created the role of Marshal Matt Dillon for the radio series Gunsmoke (1952–1961) and narrated the television adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (1959–1964) and The Fugitive (1963–1967).

Finding fewer onscreen roles in the 1950s, he changed from actor to producer-director with television work, narration, and a series of Warner Bros. films in the 1960s. Conrad found stardom as a detective in the TV series Cannon (1971–1976) and Nero Wolfe (1981), and as district attorney Jason Lochinvar "J.L., Fatman" McCabe in the legal drama Jake and the Fatman (1987–1992).