PopCult Rudy Panucci on Pop Culture

Sunday Evening Video: The Wild Wild West

In honor of Robert Conrad, who passed away yesterday at the age of 84, PopCult brings you an episode of the show that made him famous, and made a huge impression on your PopCulteer, The Wild Wild West.

The Wild Wild West was a hybrid show that took all the trappings of James Bond and the Superspy craze, and set them in the Old West Cowboy days. Later, Conrad would star in many movies and also make an impression as Pappy Boyington in the WWII action series, Baa Baa Black Sheep.

As James West, from The Wild Wild West, Conrad was set to be immortalized in action figure form by The Marx Toy Company, but at the last minute, a rights dispute killed the project. Still, Marx used the headsculpt, quite clearly based on Conrad, for their Captain Maddox figure in the Fort Apache Fighters series (seen at right). Later, the body and accessories intended for James West were used for the villainous Sam Cobra.

For his influence on toys and pop culture, we salute Robert Conrad.