William Conrad William Conrad William Conrad (September 27, 1920 – February 11, 1994) was an American World War II fighter pilot, actor, producer, and director whose career spanned five decades in radio, film, and television, peaking in popularity when he starred in the detective series "Cannon" (1971–1976). A radio writer and actor, he moved to Hollywood after his World War II service and played a series of character roles in films beginning with the quintessential film noir "The Killers" (1946). He created the role of Marshal Matt Dillon for the popular radio series "Gunsmoke" (1952–1961) and narrated the television adventures of "Rocky
Matt Dillon (Gunsmoke) cause trouble and he would occasionally mete out harsh treatment to those who publicly challenged his authority or unwisely pushed him too far. He was fast and accurate with the single gun he carried and could easily outdraw almost any adversary, despite the fact that he virtually always allowed them to draw first. Matt was also notably compassionate toward those who had fallen on hard times or who had lost a loved one to crime or violence. In both the television and the radio versions, his closest friends were his assistant Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver), town physician Charles "Doc" Adams