Conrad Bain

1.1. Education and Military Service

Bain pursued his education at the Banff School of Fine Arts before joining the Canadian Army and serving during World War II. Following his military service, he continued his studies in New York City at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, graduating in 1948. One of his notable classmates at the academy was the comedian Don Rickles.

1.2. Citizenship Acquisition

In 1946, Conrad Bain became a naturalized citizen of the United States, acquiring American citizenship in addition to his Canadian nationality.

2.1. Stage Career

Bain began his acting career in theater. After performing at the Stratford Festival in Canada, he achieved further success as a stage actor. He was notably praised for his role in the 1956 revival of Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh, with a reviewer from The New York Times remarking on his "especially well acted" performance. His extensive Broadway credits included roles in plays such as Candide, Advise and Consent, An Enemy of the People, Uncle Vanya, and On Borrowed Time. Off-Broadway, he appeared in the original production of Steambath. While active in New York City's theater scene, Bain also began to find work in television.

2.2. Television Career

Bain's television career took off in the early 1970s, leading to his most recognizable roles. He appeared in the cult supernatural soap opera Dark Shadows during its first and second seasons, portraying Mr. Wells, the town innkeeper. His character was notably killed off by the werewolf Chris Jennings.

He is widely remembered for his role as Dr. Arthur Harmon on Maude, a sitcom that aired from 1972 to 1978. In the show, Dr. Harmon was the conservative foil and next-door neighbor to Bea Arthur's title character, eventually marrying her best friend, Vivian.

Following Maude, Bain starred as Phillip Drummond in the hit sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, which ran from 1978 to 1986. In this role, he played a wealthy Park Avenue millionaire who adopted two African-American orphaned boys from Harlem, Willis and Arnold, bringing them to live in his luxurious apartment with his biological daughter, Kimberly, and their housekeeper, Mrs. Garrett. He reprised his role as Phillip Drummond in a 1979 episode of The Facts of Life, and again in 1996 for the series finale of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, where he appeared alongside his former Diff'rent Strokes co-star Gary Coleman as Arnold Jackson. Bain also played Charlie Ross in the series Mr. President from 1987 to 1988.

2.3. Film Career

In the early 1970s, before gaining national recognition for his television work, Bain appeared in several New York-based films. These included Lovers and Other Strangers and Woody Allen's Bananas. His film roles were varied and often showcased his versatility before his long-running television commitments.

2.4. Civic Activities

In the early 1960s, Conrad Bain was a key figure in the establishment of the Actors Federal Credit Union. He recalled that the initiative stemmed from the significant financial challenges faced by actors and performers, who often encountered difficulties in obtaining credit or loans from traditional financial institutions, noting that they "got no respect" in the world of financial services.

Bain recounted a meeting of the Actors' Equity Union where members voiced their frustration over the inability to secure credit, let alone mortgages. He emphasized that the core issue was one of "equity," as actors lacked it when dealing with banks. Bain advocated for consistent saving, regardless of the amount, believing it would provide financial security and access to loans where members would be treated with "dignity and respect, rather than suspicion and prejudice." He served as the credit union's first president, laying the foundation for an organization designed to serve the unique financial needs of the acting community.

5.1. Film

5.2. Television