Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Randyman]

I bet that Rick can tell us some stories about Conrad


Robert Conrad recalls his 'Wild Wild West' pal, and his favorite villains, as the series becomes a DVD set.

By Susan King

In the mid-1960s, there seemed to be plenty of guys named James running around blowing things up, foiling dastardly plans and making the planet -- and galaxy -- a safer place for Western-style democracies. And they all achieved this with a distinctive style.

British secret agent James Bond did it shaken, not stirred. Starship Capt. James T. Kirk did it with his middle initial. And U.S. Secret Service agent James West did it in very, very tight pants.

Fans of “The Wild Wild West," which originally aired on CBS from 1965-69, can revisit the fashion and the adventures of West with today's release of a 27-disc set that includes the entire series plus two made-for-television movies.

For Robert Conrad, who famously played West, the rugged federal agent charged with guarding President Ulysses S. Grant, it's a case of better late than never. Even though single-season sets are already out on DVD, the 73-year-old Thousand Oaks resident has seen only a handful. He said he was so busy shooting his series that he never had a chance to watch.

"I never really remembered them," said Conrad. "It's campy. It's fun."

Along with "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," and "Get Smart," "The Wild West West" capitalized on the James Bond craze of the 1960s. In fact, when the show was originally pitched to the networks, it was described as "James Bond on horseback."

Like Bond, West -- and his adversaries -- had a cache of secret gadgets that audiences loved. There were guns concealed in his shoes and sleeves, exploding billiard tables, not to mention sci-fi torpedoes disguised as dragons with radio homing devices. And like Bond, West was a bachelor who rarely seemed far from a beautiful woman. Unlike Bond, West enjoyed male companionship as well with his sidekick Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin), a master of technology and disguises.

Just as Robert Vaughn and David McCallum had perfect chemistry on "U.N.C.L.E.," so did Conrad and Martin. The two had never met before the show.

"I knew he was quadruple bilingual and had a law degree," said Conrad. "I got to know him on the show. We had fun."

The series was hurt toward the last season when Martin suffered a heart attack and had to take a sabbatical. Several were brought in to be West's foil, but the chemistry "wasn't the same," said Conrad.

Another hallmark of the show was its villains, none more infamous than the brilliant, demonic Miguelito Loveless -- played by Michael Dunn, who was less than 4 feet tall.

"He stayed at my house when he came to town," said Conrad. "He came from New York and we were personal friends. On Saturday we had a touch football game. We played different studios and he was the referee. He refereed on a golf cart."

Dunn even had a drink named after him at a watering hole across the street from the studio. "It was real powerful drink," said Conrad. "He was real proud of it."

Conrad also remembered Boris Karloff guest-starring. "He was an icon. I watched him when I was a little boy and here he was playing one of the bad guys."

The show also attracted Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis Jr. -- "nobody turned down the show because they all liked it," added Conrad.

Bad ratings did not ultimately do in the show. Rather, it was a pledge by CBS' president to Congress to reduce violence on television.

These days, Conrad is officially retired from acting.

"For 20 years I made movies for television," said the actor, who is the father of eight. "I had my dog, my children, my grandchildren and friends of mine in the movies."

And that's not counting his TV series. "I had 'Hawaiian Eye' when I was a young man. I did 'West' when I was in my 30s and in my 40s, and I did 'The Black Sheep Squadron.' So what else was there?"

For the last year, he has had his own radio show, which airs on CRN Digital Talk Radio at 4 p.m. Thursdays.

"It's entertainment," he said. "The show is a blast."

Susan King is a Times staff writer.

[email protected]

It's kind of dated now but when it was still fresh, during the 1960's, my father and I were big fans. I always enjoyed the fight scenes, which utilized (somewhat) boxing, as well as martial arts. I'm disappointed to hear that Conrad had a heart "the size of a pea".

[Randyman]

I have been so busy this last week or two, with heavy overtime, helping my daughter move (back home) and spending time with my grandkids, that I haven't had much time for myself or this thread.

I can't say enough how much I am looking forward to the WBHOF. It's gonna be great. Frank, I hope your feeling better and I hope you make it on the 15th. Rick, a quick rundown again, if you don't mind, on who, from this thread will be there and who, other than this thread will be sharing our table.

Randy

[Randyman]

Im a big Merle Haggard fan myself.
Also like Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Hank jr, Johnny Cash etc.
Love that classic country.

Chuck, Tom and Pug, you guys have great taste in music. I have been a fan of Merle Haggard for over thirty years. I've seen him in concert a few times but it has been years. He remains one of my favorites. The following photo with Jeri and I, is from a Haggard concert in 1982 at the Chino Downs Ranch in Southern california. It was an outdoor concert and Haggard was at his best that day. That was my favorite Merle Haggard concert, probably because it was so informal and laid back.

[kikibalt]

Im a big Merle Haggard fan myself.
Also like Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Hank jr, Johnny Cash etc.
Love that classic country.

Chuck, Tom and Pug, you guys have great taste in music. I have been a fan of Merle Haggard for over thirty years. I've seen him in concert a few times but it has been years. He remains one of my favorites. The following photo with Jeri and I, is from a Haggard concert in 1982 at the Chino Downs Ranch in Southern california. It was an outdoor concert and Haggard was at his best that day. That was my favorite Merle Haggard concert, probably because it was so informal and laid back.

Lookin' good, Randy & Jeri.

[dagosd2000]

Im a big Merle Haggard fan myself.
Also like Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Hank jr, Johnny Cash etc.
Love that classic country.

Chuck, Tom and Pug, you guys have great taste in music. I have been a fan of Merle Haggard for over thirty years. I've seen him in concert a few times but it has been years. He remains one of my favorites. The following photo with Jeri and I, is from a Haggard concert in 1982 at the Chino Downs Ranch in Southern california. It was an outdoor concert and Haggard was at his best that day. That was my favorite Merle Haggard concert, probably because it was so informal and laid back.

Lookin' good, Randy & Jeri.

You young fellas with your Country Western music. How 'bout Ernest Tubb,Roy Acuff,Jim Reeves,Patsy Cline,and my favorite Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys.

[Randyman]

Rog Said:
You young fellas with your Country Western music. How 'bout Ernest Tubb,Roy Acuff,Jim Reeves,Patsy Cline,and my favorite Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys.

I'm a fan of all of them Rog, to some degree or another, especially Patsy Cline. The current crop of country stars don't compare. Kinda like in boxing.

[Randyman]

Im a big Merle Haggard fan myself.
Also like Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Hank jr, Johnny Cash etc.
Love that classic country.

Chuck, Tom and Pug, you guys have great taste in music. I have been a fan of Merle Haggard for over thirty years. I've seen him in concert a few times but it has been years. He remains one of my favorites. The following photo with Jeri and I, is from a Haggard concert in 1982 at the Chino Downs Ranch in Southern california. It was an outdoor concert and Haggard was at his best that day. That was my favorite Merle Haggard concert, probably because it was so informal and laid back.

Lookin' good, Randy & Jeri.

Thanks Frank

[dagosd2000]

LADY

There's a Portugese section where I used to live in Point loma on the other side of the bay in San Diego. The Portugese migrated mostly from the Azores and Maderias Islands that where off the coast of Portugal. These men were a tough breed. Considered primitive by mainland Portugese,the men who made their living tuna fishing,came from generations of fishing families. The fathers of the my Portugese buddies started out "pole fishing". Sometimes the tuna was so big that there were two or three men manning the poles , yanking the big fish over their heads into the wells behind them. They didn't even have to bait the hooks. Just the shiny hooks was enough for those big fish to strike. I always was in awe of the arms and shoulders of those fishermen.

Later the boats got bigger and they started using nets. The boats were called "purseiners." The Portugese families that came from those islands had a lock on the tuna industry. They became very rich. It was a community,that despite had family fueding,was very bonded by their race.

I'll talk about one family in particular. The Avila family. The Father,Fernando,his wife and four sons. There was also a daughter named Fernanda. Thay called her Nandy. I was friends with all of them. I remember the only American words the boys knew when they arrived to America were "Mickey Mantle" and "F--K Y--." In those days they just threw everyone of those Portugese kids in a regular class and within a year they spoke English. Usually there was a Portugese kid who had been here a while who would help one of the new kids.

I remember Henry Avila. He was the youngest of the sons. I palled around with his older brothers mostly. Henry,his brothers said,couldn't adjust to America very well. Of all the brothers,he might have been the biggest and strongest. And they were all big and strong. But Henry lived downstairs in the basement of the house with his cocker spaniel dog he named Lady. It seemed to be Henry's only friend. Henry didn't learn English very well. He just stayed in the basement with Lady and watched sports on TV.

One time I went to a San Diego State football game at the Stadium. It was freezing. I just wore a windbreaker. I thought I was going to pass out from the cold. I remember scannig the Stadium with my binoculars. Across the Stadium on the last row of the top deck I saw a guy with just a T Shirt, It was Henry with one of his brothers. He was smilng and looked very comfortable. I'm telling you those Portugese were a tough breed.

Sometimes we would go down to the basement to say "hello" to Henry. We'd often see him yelling at Lady and even give her a swat. But Lady was Henry's dog and she lived in the basement with him. I don't even know if Henry went to school. One night I went over to the Avila house to round up Henry's brother John so we could go to the Rec Center to play Hoops. John came to the door and told me he couldn't go to the Rec Center. He said that Lady had died. John said the dog died of a stroke. Lady was an old dog and had died in the night.
"Henry had a break down."
"Over the dog?"
"Yes",said John. "He wants to go back to the Azores."
"He doesn't want to stay here?"
"No.he wants to go back home."

I remembered all the times I saw Henry yell at that dog and give her a kick. I guess those people from the old country had a different way of showing their love. I never saw Lady leave the basement without Henry. I guess that basement was the only world they had.

[Randyman]

LADY

There's a Portugese section where I used to live in Point loma on the other side of the bay in San Diego. The Portugese migrated mostly from the Azores and Maderias Islands that where off the coast of Portugal. These men were a tough breed. Considered primitive by mainland Portugese,the men who made their living tuna fishing,came from generations of fishing families. The fathers of the my Portugese buddies started out "pole fishing". Sometimes the tuna was so big that there were two or three men manning the poles , yanking the big fish over their heads into the wells behind them. They didn't even have to bait the hooks. Just the shiny hooks was enough for those big fish to strike. I always was in awe of the arms and shoulders of those fishermen.

Later the boats got bigger and they started using nets. The boats were called "purseiners." The Portugese families that came from those islands had a lock on the tuna industry. They became very rich. It was a community,that despite had family fueding,was very bonded by their race.

I'll talk about one family in particular. The Avila family. The Father,Fernando,his wife and four sons. There was also a daughter named Fernanda. Thay called her Nandy. I was friends with all of them. I remember the only American words the boys knew when they arrived to America were "Mickey Mantle" and "F--K Y--." In those days they just threw everyone of those Portugese kids in a regular class and within a year they spoke English. Usually there was a Portugese kid who had been here a while who would help one of the new kids.

I remember Henry Avila. He was the youngest of the sons. I palled around with his older brothers mostly. Henry,his brothers said,couldn't adjust to America very well. Of all the brothers,he might have been the biggest and strongest. And they were all big and strong. But Henry lived downstairs in the basement of the house with his cocker spaniel dog he named Lady. It seemed to be Henry's only friend. Henry didn't learn English very well. He just stayed in the basement with Lady and watched sports on TV.

One time I went to a San Diego State football game at the Stadium. It was freezing. I just wore a windbreaker. I thought I was going to pass out from the cold. I remember scannig the Stadium with my binoculars. Across the Stadium on the last row of the top deck I saw a guy with just a T Shirt, It was Henry with one of his brothers. He was smilng and looked very comfortable. I'm telling you those Portugese were a tough breed.

Sometimes we would go down to the basement to say "hello" to Henry. We'd often see him yelling at Lady and even give her a swat. But Lady was Henry's dog and she lived in the basement with him. I don't even know if Henry went to school. One night I went over to the Avila house to round up Henry's brother John so we could go to the Rec Center to play Hoops. John came to the door and told me he couldn't go to the Rec Center. He said that Lady had died. John said the dog died of a stroke. Lady was an old dog and had died in the night.
"Henry had a break down."
"Over the dog?"
"Yes",said John. "He wants to go back to the Azores."
"He doesn't want to stay here?"
"No.he wants to go back home."

I remembered all the times I saw Henry yell at that dog and give her a kick. I guess those people from the old country had a different way of showing their love. I never saw Lady leave the basement without Henry. I guess that basement was the only world they had.

It's not just the Portugese Rog, a lot of the guys from the old country are "Old School" tough. Macho, crude, earthy and proud. Even if they were cold or hurting you wouldn't know because they would never say anything. I have a couple of friends from Illinois and Minnesota. Same way as far as the cold. Dead of winter (Southern California style) and they're wearing teeshirts and shorts.

Your story about the Portugese kids going to school reminded me of a boy in the fifth grade named Oswaldo Lozano. He was from Mexico. At that time most of the kids in school were white or Mexican American, Chicanos. It was more or less rare, for someone to not speak English. They just put him in school, and he learned. By the end of the year he was speaking pretty good English. When I was in the Navy and on the Coral Sea, I ran into him. He was a Petty Officer. His English was damned near perfect.

Randy

[dagosd2000]

Rog Said:
You young fellas with your Country Western music. How 'bout Ernest Tubb,Roy Acuff,Jim Reeves,Patsy Cline,and my favorite Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys.

I'm a fan of all of them Rog, to some degree or another, especially Patsy Cline. The current crop of country stars don't compare. Kinda like in boxing.

Randy
You might not remember this,but the Saturday Baseball Game of the Week featured the announcing team of Buddy Blattner and Dizzy Dean. That Dizzy was a good 'ol boy. Everytime the pitcher would get up to hit ,he'd say what a threat he was to hit a home run. Sometimes the camera would pan around to Dizzy and he'd be half drunks chompin' away on a hot dog with all the relish and mustard falling onto his shirt and tie. He'd always wear that ten gallon cowboy hat. Then when a Latino or Italian player would come to bat,he'd always mispronounce his neme.
"Next up for the Sox,Louie Apparicha." (Luis Aparichio)
Or
"Rocky Calvitio."(Rocky Colavito)
Then the big son of a bitch would start laughin' with his big belly shaking. I think Buddy Blattner,and later Pee Wee Reese ,were embarrased half the time working with him. But my best memories of Dizzy Dean,after he had 7 or 8 Falstaffs,(the show's sponsor),was that he'd start singing Roy Acuff's "Wabash Cannonball." He could really rip that up 'ol Diz could. Almost made me put in an Easy Rider Rifle Rack in my truck.

[Rick Farris]

I bet that Rick can tell us some stories about Conrad


Robert Conrad recalls his 'Wild Wild West' pal, and his favorite villains, as the series becomes a DVD set.

By Susan King

In the mid-1960s, there seemed to be plenty of guys named James running around blowing things up, foiling dastardly plans and making the planet -- and galaxy -- a safer place for Western-style democracies. And they all achieved this with a distinctive style.

British secret agent James Bond did it shaken, not stirred. Starship Capt. James T. Kirk did it with his middle initial. And U.S. Secret Service agent James West did it in very, very tight pants.

Fans of “The Wild Wild West," which originally aired on CBS from 1965-69, can revisit the fashion and the adventures of West with today's release of a 27-disc set that includes the entire series plus two made-for-television movies.

For Robert Conrad, who famously played West, the rugged federal agent charged with guarding President Ulysses S. Grant, it's a case of better late than never. Even though single-season sets are already out on DVD, the 73-year-old Thousand Oaks resident has seen only a handful. He said he was so busy shooting his series that he never had a chance to watch.

"I never really remembered them," said Conrad. "It's campy. It's fun."

Along with "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," and "Get Smart," "The Wild West West" capitalized on the James Bond craze of the 1960s. In fact, when the show was originally pitched to the networks, it was described as "James Bond on horseback."

Like Bond, West -- and his adversaries -- had a cache of secret gadgets that audiences loved. There were guns concealed in his shoes and sleeves, exploding billiard tables, not to mention sci-fi torpedoes disguised as dragons with radio homing devices. And like Bond, West was a bachelor who rarely seemed far from a beautiful woman. Unlike Bond, West enjoyed male companionship as well with his sidekick Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin), a master of technology and disguises.

Just as Robert Vaughn and David McCallum had perfect chemistry on "U.N.C.L.E.," so did Conrad and Martin. The two had never met before the show.

"I knew he was quadruple bilingual and had a law degree," said Conrad. "I got to know him on the show. We had fun."

The series was hurt toward the last season when Martin suffered a heart attack and had to take a sabbatical. Several were brought in to be West's foil, but the chemistry "wasn't the same," said Conrad.

Another hallmark of the show was its villains, none more infamous than the brilliant, demonic Miguelito Loveless -- played by Michael Dunn, who was less than 4 feet tall.

"He stayed at my house when he came to town," said Conrad. "He came from New York and we were personal friends. On Saturday we had a touch football game. We played different studios and he was the referee. He refereed on a golf cart."

Dunn even had a drink named after him at a watering hole across the street from the studio. "It was real powerful drink," said Conrad. "He was real proud of it."

Conrad also remembered Boris Karloff guest-starring. "He was an icon. I watched him when I was a little boy and here he was playing one of the bad guys."

The show also attracted Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis Jr. -- "nobody turned down the show because they all liked it," added Conrad.

Bad ratings did not ultimately do in the show. Rather, it was a pledge by CBS' president to Congress to reduce violence on television.

These days, Conrad is officially retired from acting.

"For 20 years I made movies for television," said the actor, who is the father of eight. "I had my dog, my children, my grandchildren and friends of mine in the movies."

And that's not counting his TV series. "I had 'Hawaiian Eye' when I was a young man. I did 'West' when I was in my 30s and in my 40s, and I did 'The Black Sheep Squadron.' So what else was there?"

For the last year, he has had his own radio show, which airs on CRN Digital Talk Radio at 4 p.m. Thursdays.

"It's entertainment," he said. "The show is a blast."

Susan King is a Times staff writer.

[email protected]

It's kind of dated now but when it was still fresh, during the 1960's, my father and I were big fans. I always enjoyed the fight scenes, which utilized (somewhat) boxing, as well as martial arts. I'm disappointed to hear that Conrad had a heart "the size of a pea".

Randy. . . Conrad doesn't have to great a rep in the film business. Like a lot of actors, he has a big ego, which is fine, however, Conrad was the kind of guy who became tougher when he was surrounded by his own group of stuntmen buddies. While managing Frankie Crawford, he would go out with the fighter and instigate fights in bars, etc. Conrad never would fight himself, but have his gang fight for him. In one such situation, he almost got Frankie killed. I have a lot of first hand info on this, he wasn't the kind of guy I imagine the men on this board would respect. This isn't gossip or my own personal opinion, it's fact to those of us who were around him. He wasn't the smallest man in the world, but he had a Napoleonic complex. I'm not here to trash Bob Conrad, but those who know him from TV have a quite different opinion about him than those who know him up close and personal.

-Rick

[bennie]

I bet that Rick can tell us some stories about Conrad


Robert Conrad recalls his 'Wild Wild West' pal, and his favorite villains, as the series becomes a DVD set.

By Susan King

In the mid-1960s, there seemed to be plenty of guys named James running around blowing things up, foiling dastardly plans and making the planet -- and galaxy -- a safer place for Western-style democracies. And they all achieved this with a distinctive style.

British secret agent James Bond did it shaken, not stirred. Starship Capt. James T. Kirk did it with his middle initial. And U.S. Secret Service agent James West did it in very, very tight pants.

Fans of “The Wild Wild West," which originally aired on CBS from 1965-69, can revisit the fashion and the adventures of West with today's release of a 27-disc set that includes the entire series plus two made-for-television movies.

For Robert Conrad, who famously played West, the rugged federal agent charged with guarding President Ulysses S. Grant, it's a case of better late than never. Even though single-season sets are already out on DVD, the 73-year-old Thousand Oaks resident has seen only a handful. He said he was so busy shooting his series that he never had a chance to watch.

"I never really remembered them," said Conrad. "It's campy. It's fun."

Along with "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," and "Get Smart," "The Wild West West" capitalized on the James Bond craze of the 1960s. In fact, when the show was originally pitched to the networks, it was described as "James Bond on horseback."

Like Bond, West -- and his adversaries -- had a cache of secret gadgets that audiences loved. There were guns concealed in his shoes and sleeves, exploding billiard tables, not to mention sci-fi torpedoes disguised as dragons with radio homing devices. And like Bond, West was a bachelor who rarely seemed far from a beautiful woman. Unlike Bond, West enjoyed male companionship as well with his sidekick Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin), a master of technology and disguises.

Just as Robert Vaughn and David McCallum had perfect chemistry on "U.N.C.L.E.," so did Conrad and Martin. The two had never met before the show.

"I knew he was quadruple bilingual and had a law degree," said Conrad. "I got to know him on the show. We had fun."

The series was hurt toward the last season when Martin suffered a heart attack and had to take a sabbatical. Several were brought in to be West's foil, but the chemistry "wasn't the same," said Conrad.

Another hallmark of the show was its villains, none more infamous than the brilliant, demonic Miguelito Loveless -- played by Michael Dunn, who was less than 4 feet tall.

"He stayed at my house when he came to town," said Conrad. "He came from New York and we were personal friends. On Saturday we had a touch football game. We played different studios and he was the referee. He refereed on a golf cart."

Dunn even had a drink named after him at a watering hole across the street from the studio. "It was real powerful drink," said Conrad. "He was real proud of it."

Conrad also remembered Boris Karloff guest-starring. "He was an icon. I watched him when I was a little boy and here he was playing one of the bad guys."

The show also attracted Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis Jr. -- "nobody turned down the show because they all liked it," added Conrad.

Bad ratings did not ultimately do in the show. Rather, it was a pledge by CBS' president to Congress to reduce violence on television.

These days, Conrad is officially retired from acting.

"For 20 years I made movies for television," said the actor, who is the father of eight. "I had my dog, my children, my grandchildren and friends of mine in the movies."

And that's not counting his TV series. "I had 'Hawaiian Eye' when I was a young man. I did 'West' when I was in my 30s and in my 40s, and I did 'The Black Sheep Squadron.' So what else was there?"

For the last year, he has had his own radio show, which airs on CRN Digital Talk Radio at 4 p.m. Thursdays.

"It's entertainment," he said. "The show is a blast."

Susan King is a Times staff writer.

[email protected]

It's kind of dated now but when it was still fresh, during the 1960's, my father and I were big fans. I always enjoyed the fight scenes, which utilized (somewhat) boxing, as well as martial arts. I'm disappointed to hear that Conrad had a heart "the size of a pea".

Randy. . . Conrad doesn't have to great a rep in the film business. Like a lot of actors, he has a big ego, which is fine, however, Conrad was the kind of guy who became tougher when he was surrounded by his own group of stuntmen buddies. While managing Frankie Crawford, he would go out with the fighter and instigate fights in bars, etc. Conrad never would fight himself, but have his gang fight for him. In one such situation, he almost got Frankie killed. I have a lot of first hand info on this, he wasn't the kind of guy I imagine the men on this board would respect. This isn't gossip or my own personal opinion, it's fact to those of us who were around him. He wasn't the smallest man in the world, but he had a Napoleonic complex. I'm not here to trash Bob Conrad, but those who know him from TV have a quite different opinion about him than those who know him up close and personal.

-Rick

Rick, I know this is not a very sensitive question, but what is the story with Frankie getting shot in the Las Vegas bar?

[Rick Farris]

I have been so busy this last week or two, with heavy overtime, helping my daughter move (back home) and spending time with my grandkids, that I haven't had much time for myself or this thread.

I can't say enough how much I am looking forward to the WBHOF. It's gonna be great. Frank, I hope your feeling better and I hope you make it on the 15th. Rick, a quick rundown again, if you don't mind, on who, from this thread will be there and who, other than this thread will be sharing our table.

Randy

Hopefully, Frank will be well enough to make it, and if so, I've got Frank & Connie, Roger and Maria, You, Jeri and Ed Hernandez, John Bardelli & his sister Cleo, Pug (Brian), Chuck Johnston, Me and wife Monica, my dad, Dan Hanley (Scartissue) and his dad, Greg Patterson (our cameraman/partner), Lucia Rijker and her guest, and my friend Bob Seagren, the former Olympic gold medalist in the pole vault. We have two tables side-by-side, 10 per table.

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

Rick, I know this is not a very sensitive question, but what is the story with Frankie getting shot in the Las Vegas bar?[/quote][/quote][/quote]

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bennie . . . That's a long story, however, Frankie was not shot in a bar. He was shot in Las Vegas and I was given the details by his sister Chris (Whom Frankie called Choo-Choo). At the moment I haven't time to tell the story, but it has a number of twists and turns, and is something I will share with this group in due course. After the shooting, Frankie was almost completely paralyzed, having limited movement in one hand. He was dead from the waste down and did not have the mobility to commit suicide using a shot gun, as was reported by police. Although listed as a suicide, those close to Crawford have good reason to believe he was murdered. It would have been impossible for him to have taken his life using a shotgun. Frankie Crawford knew something long before being shot, he told a mutual friend of ours that he had discovered that a local crime figure was "holding a note" on him. Crawford confronted the man in the bar the "Tail of the Cock", which at the time was a trendy San Fernando Valley restaurant. Crawford dared the guy to shoot him right there and then, "right in the back, like to coward you are", Crawford dared him. The man just shook his head and said, "not here Frankie, not now". Crawford then packed up his wife and kids and left for Vegas, where he was about to start a comeback (he could no longer get a license in California). Crawford got a job as a security guard at a casino and secretly trained to resume his boxing career. Shortly thereafter, the shooting occured. The shooter's name was "Ray", and that's about all I have time to tell at the moment. I'll tell more about what went on leading up to the shooting, and what went on in the hospital as Crawford fought for his life.

-Rick

[bennie]

LADY

There's a Portugese section where I used to live in Point loma on the other side of the bay in San Diego. The Portugese migrated mostly from the Azores and Maderias Islands that where off the coast of Portugal. These men were a tough breed. Considered primitive by mainland Portugese,the men who made their living tuna fishing,came from generations of fishing families. The fathers of the my Portugese buddies started out "pole fishing". Sometimes the tuna was so big that there were two or three men manning the poles , yanking the big fish over their heads into the wells behind them. They didn't even have to bait the hooks. Just the shiny hooks was enough for those big fish to strike. I always was in awe of the arms and shoulders of those fishermen.

Later the boats got bigger and they started using nets. The boats were called "purseiners." The Portugese families that came from those islands had a lock on the tuna industry. They became very rich. It was a community,that despite had family fueding,was very bonded by their race.

I'll talk about one family in particular. The Avila family. The Father,Fernando,his wife and four sons. There was also a daughter named Fernanda. Thay called her Nandy. I was friends with all of them. I remember the only American words the boys knew when they arrived to America were "Mickey Mantle" and "F--K Y--." In those days they just threw everyone of those Portugese kids in a regular class and within a year they spoke English. Usually there was a Portugese kid who had been here a while who would help one of the new kids.

I remember Henry Avila. He was the youngest of the sons. I palled around with his older brothers mostly. Henry,his brothers said,couldn't adjust to America very well. Of all the brothers,he might have been the biggest and strongest. And they were all big and strong. But Henry lived downstairs in the basement of the house with his cocker spaniel dog he named Lady. It seemed to be Henry's only friend. Henry didn't learn English very well. He just stayed in the basement with Lady and watched sports on TV.

One time I went to a San Diego State football game at the Stadium. It was freezing. I just wore a windbreaker. I thought I was going to pass out from the cold. I remember scannig the Stadium with my binoculars. Across the Stadium on the last row of the top deck I saw a guy with just a T Shirt, It was Henry with one of his brothers. He was smilng and looked very comfortable. I'm telling you those Portugese were a tough breed.

Sometimes we would go down to the basement to say "hello" to Henry. We'd often see him yelling at Lady and even give her a swat. But Lady was Henry's dog and she lived in the basement with him. I don't even know if Henry went to school. One night I went over to the Avila house to round up Henry's brother John so we could go to the Rec Center to play Hoops. John came to the door and told me he couldn't go to the Rec Center. He said that Lady had died. John said the dog died of a stroke. Lady was an old dog and had died in the night.
"Henry had a break down."
"Over the dog?"
"Yes",said John. "He wants to go back to the Azores."
"He doesn't want to stay here?"
"No.he wants to go back home."

I remembered all the times I saw Henry yell at that dog and give her a kick. I guess those people from the old country had a different way of showing their love. I never saw Lady leave the basement without Henry. I guess that basement was the only world they had.

Mr Bojangles.

[kikibalt]

[Bobbin & Weavin]

[quote="Randyman"][quote="kikibalt"]I bet that Rick can tell us some stories about Conrad

Some ways back in this thread Rick told the story about Frankie Crawford knocking Conrad out cold during a sparring session. This thread is so long now I don't know how you would find it but the story is worth reading!
Bobbin & Weavin

[raylawpc]

I bet that Rick can tell us some stories about Conrad


Robert Conrad recalls his 'Wild Wild West' pal, and his favorite villains, as the series becomes a DVD set.

By Susan King

In the mid-1960s, there seemed to be plenty of guys named James running around blowing things up, foiling dastardly plans and making the planet -- and galaxy -- a safer place for Western-style democracies. And they all achieved this with a distinctive style.

British secret agent James Bond did it shaken, not stirred. Starship Capt. James T. Kirk did it with his middle initial. And U.S. Secret Service agent James West did it in very, very tight pants.

Fans of “The Wild Wild West," which originally aired on CBS from 1965-69, can revisit the fashion and the adventures of West with today's release of a 27-disc set that includes the entire series plus two made-for-television movies.

For Robert Conrad, who famously played West, the rugged federal agent charged with guarding President Ulysses S. Grant, it's a case of better late than never. Even though single-season sets are already out on DVD, the 73-year-old Thousand Oaks resident has seen only a handful. He said he was so busy shooting his series that he never had a chance to watch.

"I never really remembered them," said Conrad. "It's campy. It's fun."

Along with "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," and "Get Smart," "The Wild West West" capitalized on the James Bond craze of the 1960s. In fact, when the show was originally pitched to the networks, it was described as "James Bond on horseback."

Like Bond, West -- and his adversaries -- had a cache of secret gadgets that audiences loved. There were guns concealed in his shoes and sleeves, exploding billiard tables, not to mention sci-fi torpedoes disguised as dragons with radio homing devices. And like Bond, West was a bachelor who rarely seemed far from a beautiful woman. Unlike Bond, West enjoyed male companionship as well with his sidekick Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin), a master of technology and disguises.

Just as Robert Vaughn and David McCallum had perfect chemistry on "U.N.C.L.E.," so did Conrad and Martin. The two had never met before the show.

"I knew he was quadruple bilingual and had a law degree," said Conrad. "I got to know him on the show. We had fun."

The series was hurt toward the last season when Martin suffered a heart attack and had to take a sabbatical. Several were brought in to be West's foil, but the chemistry "wasn't the same," said Conrad.

Another hallmark of the show was its villains, none more infamous than the brilliant, demonic Miguelito Loveless -- played by Michael Dunn, who was less than 4 feet tall.

"He stayed at my house when he came to town," said Conrad. "He came from New York and we were personal friends. On Saturday we had a touch football game. We played different studios and he was the referee. He refereed on a golf cart."

Dunn even had a drink named after him at a watering hole across the street from the studio. "It was real powerful drink," said Conrad. "He was real proud of it."

Conrad also remembered Boris Karloff guest-starring. "He was an icon. I watched him when I was a little boy and here he was playing one of the bad guys."

The show also attracted Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis Jr. -- "nobody turned down the show because they all liked it," added Conrad.

Bad ratings did not ultimately do in the show. Rather, it was a pledge by CBS' president to Congress to reduce violence on television.

These days, Conrad is officially retired from acting.

"For 20 years I made movies for television," said the actor, who is the father of eight. "I had my dog, my children, my grandchildren and friends of mine in the movies."

And that's not counting his TV series. "I had 'Hawaiian Eye' when I was a young man. I did 'West' when I was in my 30s and in my 40s, and I did 'The Black Sheep Squadron.' So what else was there?"

For the last year, he has had his own radio show, which airs on CRN Digital Talk Radio at 4 p.m. Thursdays.

"It's entertainment," he said. "The show is a blast."

Susan King is a Times staff writer.

[email protected]

It's kind of dated now but when it was still fresh, during the 1960's, my father and I were big fans. I always enjoyed the fight scenes, which utilized (somewhat) boxing, as well as martial arts. I'm disappointed to hear that Conrad had a heart "the size of a pea".

Randy. . . Conrad doesn't have to great a rep in the film business. Like a lot of actors, he has a big ego, which is fine, however, Conrad was the kind of guy who became tougher when he was surrounded by his own group of stuntmen buddies. While managing Frankie Crawford, he would go out with the fighter and instigate fights in bars, etc. Conrad never would fight himself, but have his gang fight for him. In one such situation, he almost got Frankie killed. I have a lot of first hand info on this, he wasn't the kind of guy I imagine the men on this board would respect. This isn't gossip or my own personal opinion, it's fact to those of us who were around him. He wasn't the smallest man in the world, but he had a Napoleonic complex. I'm not here to trash Bob Conrad, but those who know him from TV have a quite different opinion about him than those who know him up close and personal.

-Rick

People are not always as they seem. I had a conversation with a flight attendant who used to make the LA - NYC run. He told me that the two biggest (^&)&^^*&^ on his flights were Lucille Ball and Andy Griffith. Yet the friendliest celebrity he ever served was Elizabeth Taylor. Based on their public persona, one might have thought just the opposite would be true.

[bennie]

Everything considered with Conrad (and you wonder about the 'other guy' in the head-on car smash), it is a shame the steam train is stationary.

[bennie]

Im a big Merle Haggard fan myself.
Also like Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Hank jr, Johnny Cash etc.
Love that classic country.

Chuck, Tom and Pug, you guys have great taste in music. I have been a fan of Merle Haggard for over thirty years. I've seen him in concert a few times but it has been years. He remains one of my favorites. The following photo with Jeri and I, is from a Haggard concert in 1982 at the Chino Downs Ranch in Southern california. It was an outdoor concert and Haggard was at his best that day. That was my favorite Merle Haggard concert, probably because it was so informal and laid back.

Lookin' good, Randy & Jeri.

No wonder Randy looks happy. In a word, wow!

[bennie]

What happened to Ray's post?

PS: "Ray" was mentioned as Frankie Crawford's hit man a few posts earlier but I'm sure it wasn't our Ray.

[raylawpc]

I was being too harsh, bennie, so I deleted it.

[bennie]

I was being too harsh, bennie, so I deleted it.

No worries, Ray. Harsh away.

[bennie]

Sugar Ray Robinson vs Carmen Basilio

For pure toughness and durability it's pretty hard to top Carmen Basilio. He ranks with the best of them.

Basilio is the most famous onion farmer EVER.

[bennie]

Brixton veteran Danny Williams takes on Polish thumper Albert Sosnowski in a hastily rearranged headliner at York Hall on Saturday night, scheduled for 10 rounds. The 35-year-old Williams was originally scheduled to defend his British heavyweight crown on the top of the bill against Horndon's John McDermott, the Essex boy he edged out in the summer, but McDermott picked up a training injury and in comes Sosnowski, who lives in this country, at very late notice.
You know, Danny already has another fight lined up later this month in Egypt, of all places, in the shadow of the Pyramids, of all settings, against the hideous Frans Botha, of all opponents. He seems to be riding his luck an awful lot these days. He was hurt and nearly stopped by the much-improved McDermott in Dagenham in July and lost three points for various fouls but sucked it up and did enough to snatch the majority verdict. Before that, he survived three knockdowns at the hands of previously unbeaten Kazakhstani banger Konstantin Airich to win in the seventh round in Spain, much to the 'dismay' of Airich's promoter Ahmet Oner. He also outlasted his heir apparent, burly Welshman Scott Gammer, in nine rounds last year in Wales to win back the British title, a title he first won with a dislocated shoulder against Mark Potter in 2000.
When do the miracles evaporate?
Now, some would argue. Sosnowski lost his last one to erratic American Zuri Lawrence in June but is strong and effective and has threatened to deliver for some time. Lawrence nearly beat Hasim Rahman late last year (Rahman challenges Wladimir Klitschko in December) so one shouldn't judge Sosnowski too harshly. Maybe the loss, on points in the States, is the kick up the backside he needs. You certainly can't argue with his stats at 43-2 (26), although the 29-year-old rarely steps outside of his comfort zone and struggles when he does. The other man to beat him is Canadian "Big Bear" Arthur Cook back in 2001 in Hungary. Sosnowski was a mile ahead on points, ran out of steam and was stopped in the ninth round. He looks a bit muscle-bound.
By contrast, Danny comes in at whatever weight he chooses and uses his great experience - and heavy hands - to ride out the rough spots and come back. He looked finished when Audley Harrison, a man he had previously floored and outscored, butchered him in three rounds in London in December 2006 - but he hasn't lost since. He should be better-prepared than Sosnowski, given the pending Botha 12-rounder and how late Sosnowski took the fight, but 'prepared' and Danny rarely go hand in hand. If he is, the chirpy, likeable Londoner, who once flattened Mike Tyson, defies father time yet again and takes the points or even stops his man. It wouldn't surprise me, however, to see Sosnowski (or Botha) punch out a sloppy, foul-filled decision.
Bradford's Junior Witter also features on the card in a 10-rounder, his first fight since he was floored and outpointed by Tim "Desert Storm" Bradley for the WBC light-welterweight title in Nottingham in May. No opponent announced as yet, although Ricky Hatton is otherwise engaged with a flashy New Yorker.