Robert Conrad said he loved William Shatner's work: ''I said this guy could act''
When beloved actors compliment each other's skills, it's such a breath of fresh air. For decades, actors have (and some still do) had this "there can only be one" mentality. While it's not necessarily their fault, since Hollywood and production companies love competition and push out some more than others, it creates unnecessary feuds.
So when you see someone like Black Sheep Squadron's Robert Conrad speak highly of another legend like Star Trek's William Shatner, it can make you smile. Conrad was a Western legend who found success in other roles, like Pappy in Black Sheep Squadron, a bit later in his career. It's a series he had to fight for, and with only two seasons, it added to his already stellar list of credits.
However, before we saw him as a star (which he hated being called), Robert was just a young guy watching Shatner and being impressed by his acting.
During his Pioneers of Television interview, Conrad stated, "I love his work — William Shatner's work. I saw him when I was back in Chicago, when I was 20 years old, and he was in a play...and I said, 'Oh, this guy could act.' And I was studying at Northwestern [at the time], and I was very impressed with Bill's work. He does a big charity show every year, and my daughter produces it."
Shatner's Hollywood Charity Horse Show is a special organization that the actor created in 1990. Its mission is to support local and national children's and veterans' charities.