Michael Conrad


Michael Conrad was an American actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of veteran cop Sgt. Phil Esterhaus on Hill Street Blues, in which he ended the introductory roll call to each week's show with "Let's be careful out there". He won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Hill Street Blues in 1981 and 1982.

Career

Conrad 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. In 1963 he played Felton Grimes, the title character and murder victim, in the Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Bigamous Spouse". He played Michael Stivic's conventional Polish-American Uncle Casimir on All in the Family.
Conrad played the role of a villain named AC in My Favorite Martian, "Martin's Revoltin' Development".
In 1972, 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 who was also the head coach for "the Mean Machine", the team of prisoners put together by Burt Reynolds' character Paul Crewe to play the team of guards.
During the 1976–77 season of Delvecchio, Conrad was a regular as Lt. Macavan.

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.

Spouses