William Conrad became a television star relatively late in his career. In fact, the former Army Air Corps World War II fighter pilot began his screen career playing heavies. He was Max, one of _The Killers to the Radio Hall of Fame in 1997.
Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1997.
Buried at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills in the Lincoln Terrace Plot # 4448. He is surrounded by his fellow TV detectives at this cemetery who are either in the same section or within very close proximity. They include Telly Savalas and George Savalas from "Kojak" and William Talman , Wesley Lau , and Ray Collins of "Perry Mason" fame and "Dragnet" s Jack Webb.
There were several 11-1/2"-tall falcon props made for use in The Maltese Falcon . Some were cast of plastic resin, some of lead. Only two 45-lb. lead falcons and two 5-lb., 5.4-oz resin falcons are verified to be in existence. One lead Falcon has been displayed for years at various venues. The second, which was marred at the end of the movie by Sydney Greenstreet , was a gift to Conrad by studio chief Jack L. Warner. It was auctioned in December 1994, nine months after Conrads death, for $398,500 to Ronald Winston of Harry Winston, Inc. At that time it was the highest price ever paid for a movie prop. It was used to model a 10-lb. gold replica displayed at the 69th Academy Awards. The replica has Burmese ruby eyes, interchangeable claws (one set of gold, one set of coral) and holds a platinum chain in its beak with a 42.98 flawless diamond at the end. Its valued at over $8 million. The lead and resin falcons are valued in excess of $2 million - coincidentally the value placed on the "real" Maltese Falcon by Kasper Gutman, Greenstreets character in the 1941 classic movie.
His third wife was the widow of newscaster Chet Huntley.
One of the true superstars of the "Golden Age of Radio", he appeared in more than 7,500 radio programs.
In World War II, he flew a P-39 under the Golden Gate Bridge twice.
