While William Conrad was a multifaceted talent, his weight often became a focal point in the public eye, particularly during his television career. Best known for his roles in Cannon and Jake and the Fatman, Conrad's weight was sometimes addressed directly, even becoming a source of both humor and scrutiny.
Early Life and Career
William Conrad, born John William Cann Jr. on September 27, 1920, in Louisville, Kentucky, had a rich and varied career in entertainment. His parents owned a movie theater. Serving as a fighter pilot in World War II, he later transitioned to radio, estimating that he played over 7,500 roles. Conrad's deep, resonant voice made him a natural fit for the medium, leading to iconic roles such as Marshal Matt Dillon in the CBS Radio series Gunsmoke (1952-1961).
Beyond radio, Conrad found success in film, often cast as imposing or threatening figures, such as his credited role in The Killers (1946). In the 1960s, he moved into producing and directing for Warner Bros.
Transition to Television and Stardom
Despite his extensive work in radio and film, Conrad achieved widespread recognition with his television roles. From 1971 to 1976, he starred in the CBS television detective series Cannon. His physique was hard to miss. Conrad found stardom as a detective in the TV series Cannon (1971-1976) and Nero Wolfe (1981) and as district attorney Jason Lochinvar "J.
Weight as a Public Issue
Conrad's weight became a talking point during his time on Cannon. "I heard that Weight Watchers had banned its members from watching the show, but it turned out to be a gag," Conrad said in 1973. "The publicist for Weight Watchers did call and suggest that I have lunch with their president."
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William Conrad's Legacy
William Conrad's career spanned multiple media and genres, leaving a lasting impact on the entertainment industry. Conrad was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2019.
Conrad died in Los Angeles on February 11, 1994, from heart failure. He was 73 years old.
Weight Loss Journeys of Other Celebrities.
Here’s what we can learn from their stories. Many celebrities and social media influencers talk about their diets or exercise routines at length, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find stars who will speak as candidly about weight loss surgery. But why wouldn’t someone want to share with the world how weight loss surgery has helped them change their lifestyle, boost their confidence, and reduce their risk of serious disease? These five celebrities are more than happy to share their weight loss surgery journeys and their stories are sure to inspire you.
Gabourey Sidibe
Precious and American Horror Story star Gabourey Sidibe had bariatric surgery in May of 2016 after struggling with type 2 diabetes. Sidibe told People magazine that she took a long time to warm up to the idea of weight loss surgery because she was stuck on trying to lose weight through diet and exercise. "I really, really tried - I gave a valiant try," she commented. "So I’m glad that I finally realized that the surgery wasn’t the easy way out. I wasn’t cheating by getting it done.” Now she no longer wakes up anxious about diabetes complications, preaches body positivity wherever she goes, and does whatever she can to make her amazing weight loss results stick.
Al Roker
At his heaviest, Today weatherman and all-around funnyman Al Roker weighed 340 pounds. With the help of gastric bypass surgery, he lost 115 pounds, but it wasn’t always an easy journey. When his mother was hospitalized in 2008, Roker began emotionally over-eating and gained some of the weight back. Still, Roker bounced back quickly and returned to a healthy weight by exercising three times a week and sticking to a high-protein diet. Al Roker’s story shows that slip-ups on your weight loss journey are bound to happen, but it’s always possible to start over and get back on track.
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Anne Rice
Before Stephanie Meyer, there was literary vampire queen Anne Rice. The prolific author of more than 35 works of gothic fiction got gastric bypass in 2003. At 254 pounds she couldn’t walk up the stairs without feeling winded and struggled with sleep apnea and high blood pressure. After weight loss surgery, Rice lost 44 pounds in only six months. She counts getting weight loss surgery as one of the best decisions she’s ever made. In a 2003 Plainview interview, she mused: “When you’re fighting this type of battle your entire life, surgery is a very legitimate answer. For me, it was the best possible choice. I feel like I’ve already got a big part of my life back.”
Rosie O’Donnell
Unfortunately, sometimes a traumatic event inspires you to make a lifestyle change. Comedienne and actress Rosie O’Donnell suffered a near-fatal heart attack in 2012 and the very next year she committed to getting serious about her health. O’Donnell changed her life with vertical gastric sleeve surgery, a procedure that partitions the stomach and helps control hunger hormones. Six years later, she’s full of energy and can keep up with her five children. O’Donnell wants to spread awareness of weight loss surgery so more people who struggle with excess weight can see it as a viable option.
Graham Elliot
MasterChef and MasterChef Junior judge Graham Elliot had a gastric sleeve procedure done when he was 36. What made him do it? His three sons Mylo, Conrad, and Jedediah. Elliot had struggled with his weight for years but when it started affecting his boys, he knew it was time to make a serious change. Elliot’s doctors decided gastric sleeve was the best option for him because with this kind of weight loss surgery, he would still be able to enjoy a wide variety of foods.
Conrad: A Story of Transformation
Conrad was living the typical life of a busy, hardworking dad and paid little attention to his weight, let alone the amount he was gaining. He was saddened by what he saw in the photos and no longer recognized the person he’d become in the mirror. Doctors classified him as obese, and with the lingering fatigue following him everywhere - an indicator of the chronic disease - it didn’t come as much of a surprise. And that change was with V Shred, one of the fastest-growing fitness brands online. For Conrad, V Shred was the North Star he needed for his health and fitness journey. “I decided I wanted to do something for myself…and for my boys. I knew I needed to set a good example for them,” he shares.
Before Conrad decided to take his fitness journey more seriously, he had forced himself into a restrictive diet, and successfully dropped around 20 pounds over 2 months. But the results didn’t last. That’s when Conrad saw an ad for a men’s weight loss program that didn’t promote countless hours at the gym or forced you to sacrifice the food you love. “Since elementary school, it’s been a challenging roller coaster of trying to find something for myself that’s sustainable,” Conrad notes. “I saw it, and it was a light bulb moment that said, ‘This is it. This is going to be a lifestyle change. He joined the program aimed at helping men lose fat and build muscle. After consistent work, the weight started falling off. “I wanted to make sure I was doing the exercises right,” Conrad emphasizes. And after discovering the option to work with a personal trainer and Certified Coach, it was full steam ahead. And the number on the scale dropped even faster. The beautiful thing about losing weight? As the months passed, so did his weight, and he filled his cup with love, friendship, and enjoyment of life. But that’s not to say he didn’t experience bumps in the road. After almost 2 years, Conrad lost a total of 186 pounds. This is what almost 200 pounds lost looks like! To commemorate Conrad’s journey, his coach Adam invited Conrad to the V Shred Gym in Las Vegas. “When you’re overweight, you already feel that everyone’s looking at you,” Conrad says. This is one of the many V Shred transformation stories, and it’s people like Conrad who prove no matter your situation, with the right help, your weight loss journey is possible. “When I stepped on a scale and saw that I was over 460 pounds, I thought to myself, if I keep on going this way. But Conrad’s V Shred transformation isn’t only physical. He knew that losing weight wasn’t an option. He had to do it. Things started out pretty well. It was inevitable. “I saw it, and it was a light bulb moment that said, this is it. This was going to be a lifestyle change. Conrad signed up for the diet and exercise plan suggested for his body type, and for the first time in his life … he found something that worked! That was always Conrad’s issue. “I have lost 100+ pounds two other times in my life, but I just gained it all back. I tried Keto and other fad diets, but those programs were not sustainable. “When I saw the videos and the quiz that made me learn more about my body type, it made me realize how I needed to do things. This was a lifestyle change. A sustainable nutrition plan was only one thing about V Shred that appealed to Conrad. “When you’re overweight, you already feel that everyone’s looking at you. “I did month one, two, and three at home. Then I repeated month three, four more times. Next, I jumped into the Big Arm program and rotated that program three times. Then at 7 months, I started introducing weights, and so I went back to the Fat Loss Xtreme program, except I did the gym version that time. Conrad also went with a CUSTOM DIET. “I didn’t feel like everyone was following the same exact diet that was cookie cutter. It was something tailored to what my body needed and what I enjoyed. I was a very picky eater, and with the custom meal plan, I got to talk to my trainer and let him know my likes and dislikes. “It blew me away on what could be accomplished by proper dieting. Dieting was actually the easiest part for Conrad. “The hardest part was realizing and accepting how out of shape I was and being real with myself of what exercises I could do and which ones I couldn’t do. I couldn’t even do a push-up when I started, and I had a very tough time just getting up off the ground between supersets. Mentally I was there, I was determined, and I knew it was time. Nothing was stopping me. “You all taught me that it was okay to modify exercises. So I did modified push-ups and planks for a while, but now I can do them fully elevated. “I met Angela eight years ago, and we went on a first date. We had a great time, but we never went out again. The timing wasn’t right. I needed to love myself and be happy with myself if I wanted to have a long-lasting, sustainable relationship. Once I was finally in a good spot, I couldn’t get her out of my mind. That first date was actually a workout! Talk about starting out right!! “I never knew what it was like to be in love. I always knew I wanted somebody to make me a better person. Angela has supported me and motivated me through my journey. He says that finding love is just icing on the cake! He had to diet and exercise and put in the hard work every single day. “They kept things going. “It helped with my sweet tooth! If you know you need to make a change, then pick the only time you are guaranteed .. “I was scared. I was intimidated. I didn’t know what to do. But with V Shred, I was guided every single step of the way. Please don’t wait! Take charge of your life, and amazing things will happen. As for Conrad’s next goal? He is going to keep doing Ripped in 90 Days and would love to reach 220 pounds. “I’ve never been able to take my shirt off in public. I’ve always worn two shirts. So I’m hoping after a couple of rounds of Ripped In 90 that I will be ready to take my shirt off in public. It’s free and easy to start exactly where he did ..