Conrad 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.

Personal life

Bain was born in Lethbridge, Alberta, the son of Jean Agnes (née Young) and Stafford Harrison Bain, who was a wholesaler.^[1] He studied at the Banff School of Fine Arts before serving in theCanadian 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 had 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.

Career

After a stint at the Stratford (Ontario) Shakespeare Festival, Bain had further success as a stage actor in the 1956 Broadway revival ofEugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh.^[5] The New York Times reviewer noted that his role was "especially well acted."^[6] Bain's otherBroadway 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 during season 1 and 2.

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 in Maude (1972–78) and 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)
• 1990: Postcards from the Edge .... Grandpa
• 1988: Mr. President .... Charlie Ross (24 episodes, 1987–1988)
• 1986: Diff'rent Strokes .... Philip Drummond (189 episodes, 1978–1986)
• 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)
• 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)

Posted in: Canadian actors