- Conrad Bain
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Conrad Bain 
Bain on the set of Diff'rent Strokes in 1983Born Conrad Stafford Bain
February 4, 1923
Lethbridge, Alberta, CanadaResidence Livermore, California Nationality Canadian-American Education Banff School of Fine Arts Alma mater American Academy of Dramatic Arts Occupation Actor Years active 1956–1996 Known for Phillip Drummond,
Dr. Arthur HarmonHome town New York City, NY Television Diff'rent Strokes,
MaudeSpouse Monica Sloan (1945–2009; her death)
4 childrenChildren 4 Relatives Bonar Bain Conrad Stafford Bain (born February 4, 1923) is a Canadian-American actor. His television credits include a leading role as Phillip Drummond in the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes and as Dr. Arthur Harmon on Maude.
Contents
Personal life
Bain was born in Lethbridge, Alberta, the son of Jean Agnes Young and Stafford Harrison Bain, who was a wholesaler.[1] He studied at the Banff School of Fine Arts before serving in the Canadian Army during World War II.[2] He then studied in New York at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where his classmates included actor Charles Durning and comedian Don Rickles; he became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1946 before graduating in 1948.[3]
Bain has three sons and a daughter with Monica Sloan, to whom he was married until her death in 2009. His identical twin brother is Bonar Bain,[4] who once played the brother of his Maude character, Dr. Arthur Harmon.
Conrad Bain now lives in an independent living center in Livermore, California, called Heritage Estates.
Career
After a stint at the Stratford (Ontario) Shakespeare Festival, Bain had further success as a stage actor in the 1956 Broadway revival of Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh.[5] The New York Times reviewer noted that his role was "especially well acted."[6] Bain's other Broadway theatre credits include Candide, Advise and Consent, An Enemy of the People, Uncle Vanya, and On Borrowed Time.[4] On Off Broadway, he appeared in the original run of Steambath. While doing stage work in New York City, Bain also found work on television appearing in the soap opera Dark Shadows as the town inkeeper, Mr. Wells, during season 1 and 2. His character was killed off by werewolf Chris Jennings (Don Briscoe).
In the early 1970s, Bain appeared in New York-based films like Lovers and Other Strangers and Woody Allen's Bananas before achieving national recognition for his work in television.[5] He is best known for his roles as Dr. Arthur Harmon, Bea Arthur's conservative nemesis, who married her best friend Vivian, in Maude (1972–78) and as Park Avenue millionaire, Phillip Drummond in Diff'rent Strokes (1978–86). In 1996, Bain reprised his role of Phillip Drummond on the series finale of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
Actor
- 1996: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air .... Philip Drummond (1 episode, 1996)
- 1992: The Adventures of The Black Stallion ...Racing Legend (1 episode, 1992)
- 1990: Postcards from the Edge .... Grandpa
- 1988: Mr. President .... Charlie Ross (24 episodes, 1987–1988)
- 1985: The Love Boat .... Charles Custers / ... (3 episodes, 1978–1985)
- 1981: Child Bride of Short Creek (TV) .... Frank King
- 1979: C.H.O.M.P.S .... Ralph Norton
- 1979: The Facts of Life .... Philip Drummond (1 episode, 1979)
- 1979: A Pleasure Doing Business .... Herb
- 1978: Grandpa Goes to Washington .... Robert Green (1 episode, 1978)
- 1978: The Waverly Wonders .... Tate Sr. (1 episode, 1978)
- 1978: Diff'rent Strokes .... Philip Drummond (189 episodes, 1978–1986)
- 1972: Maude .... Dr. Arthur Harmon (118 episodes, 1972–1978)
- 1975: Twigs (TV) .... Swede
- 1972: Up the Sandbox .... Dr. Gordon
- 1972: A Fan's Notes .... Poppy
- 1971: Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name? .... Val
- 1971: The Anderson Tapes .... Dr. Rubicoff
- 1971: Bananas .... Semple
- 1971: Jump .... Lester Jump
- 1971: Men of Crisis: The Harvey Wallinger Story (TV)
- 1970: The Edge of Night TV series .... Dr. Charles Weldon #1 (unknown episodes, 1970)
- 1970: I Never Sang for My Father .... Rev. Sam Pell
- 1970: Lovers and Other Strangers (uncredited) .... Priest in confessional
- 1969: Last Summer (uncredited) .... Sidney
- 1966: Dark Shadows .... Hotel Clerk / ... (4 episodes, 1966–1968)
- 1968: Coogan's Bluff .... Madison Avenue Man
- 1968: Star! (uncredited) .... Second Salesman at Cartier's
- 1968: A Lovely Way to Die .... James Lawrence
- 1968: Madigan .... Hotel clerk
- 1967: N.Y.P.D. .... Manager (1 episode, 1967)
- 1967: The Borgia Stick (TV) .... Lawyer
- 1965: The Trials of O'Brien .... District Attorney (1 episode, 1965)
- 1961: The Defenders (1 episode, 1961)
- 1956: Studio One .... Evans (1 episode, 1956)
References
- ^ Conrad Bain Biography (1923-)
- ^ Conrad Bain at northernstars.ca.
- ^ Americada (The Newsletter of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Spring 2003.
- ^ a b Conrad Bain at the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ a b Conrad Bain at starpulse.com
- ^ Brooks Atkinson, "O'Neill Tragedy Revived," The New York Times, May 9, 1956.
External links
- Conrad Bain at the Internet Movie Database
- Conrad Bain at the Internet Broadway Database
- Conrad Bain at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Conrad Bain at AllRovi
Categories:- 1923 births
- Living people
- American film actors
- American television actors
- Canadian Army personnel
- Canadian emigrants to the United States
- Canadian military personnel of World War II
- Canadian film actors
- Canadian television actors
- Identical twin actors
- Naturalized citizens of the United States
- People from Lethbridge
- Actors from Alberta
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