As a child in the 60s, I watched The Wild Wild West. Pluto TV has this show. As an adult, I saw many dangerous stunts performed by Robert Conrad.
Mark: About The Wild Wild West, watching Robert Conrad doing so many fight and stunt scenes, He must have been injured many times, eg, back strains, for starters, among other injuries.
Grok: Robert Conrad, who starred as James T. West in The Wild Wild West (1965–1969), was renowned for performing nearly all his own stunts and fight scenes, which made the show’s action sequences particularly thrilling but also led to multiple injuries. His athletic background as a former boxer and his commitment to authenticity meant he took on physically demanding scenes, often at great personal risk. Below is an overview of the injuries he sustained, including specific incidents and the general toll of his stunt work, with a focus on back strains and other injuries, as you mentioned.
Major Concussion and Skull Fracture (Season 3, “The Night of the Fugitives”):
- During the filming of the Season 4 episode “The Night of the Fugitives” (airing in 1968, filmed near the end of Season 3), Conrad suffered a severe injury when he fell 12–15 feet from a chandelier onto a concrete floor. He was supposed to dive from a saloon staircase, grab the chandelier, and swing to kick an opponent, but lost his grip, landing on his head. This resulted in a six-inch linear skull fracture, a high temporal concussion, and temporary partial paralysis. He was hospitalized in intensive care for 72 hours, and production halted two weeks early that season. The footage of the fall was kept in the episode, and Conrad later kept the film as a reminder to be cautious. This incident led CBS to temporarily insist on a stunt double, though Conrad resumed most of his stunts in Season 4 with restrictions (e.g., no stunts over five feet off the ground, which he often ignored).
- Knee Injury:
- Conrad mentioned an explosion-related injury that damaged his knee, sidelining him for three to four days. This was one of the rare instances where he allowed a stunt double to step in, as the injury limited his mobility.
- Bursitis in Shoulders:
- He experienced bursitis in both shoulders, requiring cortisone treatments. This condition made movement painful, and he was doubled for stunts during this period, one of only three times he allowed it during the series.
- The show’s demanding schedule, with 14–16 hour days involving fight sequences, falls from horses, and other stunts, led to frequent minor injuries. Conrad noted a scar over his eye and described the cumulative toll of performing over 500 stunts without a double for most of the series. Stuntman Whitey Hughes recalled the set’s high injury risk, with the crew joking, “Roll the cameras and call the ambulances!”While specific back strains aren’t explicitly documented in the sources, the physical demands of choreography—falling from balconies, dodging fists, and being thrown down stairs—likely caused muscle strains, including to his back. Conrad’s low center of gravity and intense fighting style (designed to avoid real contact but appear forceful) put significant stress on his body, making strains a plausible recurring issue
- Near-Miss with a Venomous Snake:
Impact of Injuries
- After the chandelier fall, CBS enforced stricter stunt restrictions, using doubles like Jimmy George for high falls via techniques like the “Texas Switch” (where a double starts a stunt and Conrad finishes it on camera). However, Conrad’s determination to perform his own stunts persisted, and he gradually resumed most fight scenes.
The injuries, particularly the skull fracture, left lasting effects. Conrad experienced prolonged dizziness during recovery, and the incident influenced his decision to consider Season 4 his last, though he completed the series.
Later in life, a 2003 car accident caused severe nerve damage and partial paralysis on his right side, compounding the physical toll from his stunt career.
Published by Editor, Sammy Campbell.