Michael Conrad
Michael Conrad (October 16, 1925 – November 22, 1983) was an American actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of veteran cop Sgt. Phil Esterhaus on Hill Street Blues—a role for which he won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1981 and 1982. Among his other credits were the short-lived television series Delvecchio (1976–1977); and the films The War Lord (1965), They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Michael Conrad

NBC Television · ebay: https: Archive: https: archive.ph/2OuUV · Public domain
- Name
- Michael Conrad
- Born
- 16 October 1925
- Birthplace
- New York City, U.S.
- Died
- 22 November 1983
- Place of death
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor
- Nationality
- United States
- Honours
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
- Languages
- English
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
gnd · 1146008236 · wikidata · Q1278413 · wikipedia · Michael Conrad
In this article
Biography
Biography
(1969), The Todd Killings (1971), and The Longest Yard (1974). "Let's be careful out there." was Michael Conrad's signature salute at the end of every daily roll call, at the beginning of every Hill Street Blues episode.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Michael Conrad • Born — 16 October 1925 • Birthplace — New York City, U.S. • Died — 22 November 1983 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Years Active — 1937–1983 • Occupation — Actor
Life and career
Life and career
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. 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, "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". He also had a notable supporting part in the 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, about a depression-era dance marathon. 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. Other notable films in which Conrad appeared throughout his career include Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962), The War Lord (1965), Blackbeard's Ghost (1968), Castle Keep (1969), Monte Walsh (1970), The Todd Killings (1971), Thumb Tripping (1972), Scream Blacula Scream (1973), and Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976). 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
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
Spouses
• Denise McCluggage (1953–1954; divorced) • Emilie Demille (October 30, 1963 – February 1967; divorced) • Sima Goldberg (January 27, 1974 – November 22, 1983; his death)
Television and filmography
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 • Naked City (TV series) (1959, TV Series) as Hartog (episode "Fire Island") • The Edge of Night (1959–1960, TV Series) as "Big" Frank Dubeck • Car 54, Where Are You? (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 (1963, TV Series) as Luke Moss • The Twilight Zone (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 (1965, TV Series) as Sharben • The War Lord (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 • My Favorite Martian (1966, TV Series) as A.C. • Laredo (1966, TV Series) as Willie G. Tinney • Bonanza (1966, TV Series) as Hank Kelly • I Spy (1965–1966, TV Series) as Dinat / Morton • Gunsmoke (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 (episode "Cry in Concrete") (1970, TV Series) as Max Fredericks • Head On (1971) as Mike (post-war psychological drama film, directed by Edward J. Lakso) • 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 (1972, TV Series) as Mike McCloskey • Un Flic (1972) as Louis Costa • All in the Family (1972, TV Series) as Uncle Casimir Stivic • Scream Blacula Scream (1973) as Sheriff Harley Dunlop • Love, American Style (1973, TV Series) as Rossi (segment "Love and the See-Through Mind") • Mannix (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 (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 (1974, TV Series) as Janor • Satan's Triangle (1975, TV Movie) as Lt. Cmdr. Pagnolini • Emergency! (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 (1975, TV Series) as George Macklan • Baby Blue Marine (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 (1975–1977, TV Series) as Boris Retsky / Jimbo • Little House on the Prairie (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 (1978, TV Series) as Ed Slocum • The Waltons (1978, TV Series) as Matt Sarver • Soap (1978, TV Series) as 'Boomer' David • Vega$ (1979, TV Series) as Albert Brown • Barney Miller (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)
Identity
Identity
Michael Conrad is recorded with the occupation television actor. Established in Library of Congress under n83039904. Recorded as having received Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1925
Michael Conrad was born on 16 October 1925.
1983
Michael Conrad died on 22 November 1983.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Michael Conrad was born at New York City.
Birthplace
Michael Conrad died at Los Angeles.
Deathplace
New York City.
Birth place
Los Angeles.
Death place
Michael Conrad was born in New York City.
Birthplace
Michael Conrad died in Los Angeles.
Deathplace
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 1146008236, Michael, Conrad.
General reference · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
reference work
- “Michael Conrad”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
institutional register
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1278413: Michael Conrad
General reference · Wikimedia Foundation
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Michael Conrad, revision 1363757072 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Kerr, Peter. Michael Conrad, 58; Won Emmy for Role In 'Hill Street Blues'. The New York Times. November 23, 1983.
- 2.All in the Family (TV Series 1971–1979) - IMDb. IMDb.
- 3.Hill Street Blues (TV Series 1981–1987) - IMDb. IMDb.
- 4.Michael Conrad, 58, Sgt. Esterhaus on 'Hill Street Blues,' Dies. The Washington Post. November 23, 1983.
- 5.When a TV show loses an actor. today.com. 15 September 2003.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 1146008236, Michael, Conrad.Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witnessinstitutional register
Wikidata, structured authority record Q1278413: Michael ConradWikimedia Foundation
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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