Robert Conrad: Wildly, Wildly Hot

This week, on March 1, Robert Conrad blew out 83 candles.

Most famous for his role as secret agent James West on The Wild Wild West (1965-1969), a show that fetishized him in skintight clothing, leather and even bondage motifs, Conrad also anchored the series  Hawaiian Eye (1959-1963) and Baa Baa Black Sheep (1976-1978), along with other very short-lived projects.

Algong with numerous TV movies, he also appeared in the features Palm Springs Weekend (1963) and Young Dillinger (1965).

His involvement in the Battle of the Network Stars TV specials of the '70s and '80s gave Conrad an opportunity to show off his physique in his forties, as did his Eveready battery TV commercials, in which he dared viewers to knock one off his shoulder.

Conrad was charged with drunk driving following a 2003 accident that left him partially paralyzed and severely injured a young motorist who would later die.

In recent years, Conrad has appeared at autograph shows, mostly speaking and posing for photos due to his inability to sign.

Feast your eyes on him in his prime:

12 Responses

  1. Thanks for reminding me! Hot as f***! He commanded my attention any time he was on the screen as I grew up.

  2. Thanks for remembering Robert Conrad. I interviewed him for the N.Y. Daily News in 1993. I asked Conrad, then 58, who he’d like to see play James T. West on the big screen, and the answer was surprising: ”Dana Carvey. He’s so damn talented. I just went to see ‘Wayne’s World 2.’ He’s hilarious. Don’t remake it with Mel Gibson. He just did ‘Maverick.’ Spoof it. I’d like to pay a small part as Dana’s father, and he’d be my illegitimate son.” As for the 1999 remake of ”The Wild, Wild West” with Will Smith, he later called the casting ”silly.” Asked if he’d go to see the movie: ”Not in this lifetime!”

    Conrad also told me that ”The Wild, Wild West” has a formula: ”I’d take off my shirt in every episode, Ross would be in drag, and then we’d have an elephant and a villain. It was escapist fare at its best.” He based the way West moved on ”Toshiro Mifune, one of the great action actors of all time,” and said the crew was in stitches at how often Conrad split the britches of his very tight pants.

  3. Ah — no copy of my favorite Conrad outfit : the Bolero jacket and tight pants from Wild, Wild, West!

  4. He was my first celebrity crush. I used to watch re-runs of Wild Wild West over and over when I was a kid. Loved that he was shirtless all the time and boy oh boy those pants. I new I was gay the first time I saw this beautiful and talented man.

  5. His body was amazing in WWW, but even hotter in Black Sheep. I could spend hours worshipping his chest, and then there’s that butt and basket. Yumm!

  6. I was in college when WWW first aired. I remember the first time I saw him shirtless it took my breath away, and still does. Actually I think he was even sexier in Black Sheep. Some men just get more stunning as they age. Would love to have met him.

  7. Ken

    This man filled out those pants very nicely. And that hairy chest? VERY enjoyable to watch.!

    • I know. Ive been watching wild wild west. Can’t take my eyes off him. Love the tight pants. The cloths.

  8. I loved seeing him in his TV series. Especially in his tight blue pants.

  9. Wow. Seeing James West again brought back childhood memories — excellent ones! Like so many of my generation , I am sure West’s tight clothes, amazing butt, and wildly handsome face helped me realize that I was gay. I once read an interview with Conrad where he acknowledged this — and the show really played it up. I miss it!

  10. I must say…Mr.Conrad…may he R.I.P….Possibly the highest form of male beauty to ever grace the screen.

  11. I remember meeting him somewhere in Florida in the 70’s. We went to some kind of festival and he was there with his horse from the show, my Mom thought it would be cool if he would let me sit on his horse with him. she later got a picture of it where he signed it to James from RC sure wish I had that picture now.

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