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Phil Austin

2025-11-01T19:04:05Z

2603:3005:1503:A000:CDB4:8C47:6AD6:C67C:

{{Short description|American comedian and writer (1941–2015)}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name = Phil Austin
| image = Philip Austin 01.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Philip Baine Austin
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1941|4|6}}
| birth_place = [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], [[United States]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2015|6|18|1941|4|6}}
| death_place = [[Fox Island, Washington]], [[United States]]
| medium = {{Flat list|
*Radio
*recording
*film
}}
| nationality = American
| education = High school
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Comedian, writer
| active = 1966–2015
| employer =
| genre = {{Flat list|
*[[Surreal humor]]
*[[sketch comedy]]
*[[word play]]
}}

| subject =
| spouse = Annalee Austin, Oona Elliot
| children =
| parents =
| relatives =
| notable_work =
| memorials =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Philip Baine Austin''' (April 6, 1941 – June 18, 2015) was an American comedian and writer, best known as a member of [[the Firesign Theatre]].

==Early life and education==

Austin was born in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], and later grew up in [[Fresno, California]], attending [[Fresno High School]]. His mother was a drama teacher which influenced his upbringing as an actor.<ref name=lat/> He attended [[Bowdoin College]] in [[Brunswick, Maine]], because it was nearly the most distant point in the continental United States from Fresno. He also attended [[Fresno State College]] and [[UCLA]], but did not graduate from any of them. He was in the UCLA Drama Department at the same time as another dropout, [[Ray Manzarek]] of [[The Doors]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=http://mag.chromiumswitch.org/CSMagazine-03.pdf |title=The Chromium Switch Interview - Phil Austin |magazine=Chromium Switch |volume=2 |issue=3 |access-date=2018-01-06 |archive-date=2015-08-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820061359/http://mag.chromiumswitch.org/CSMagazine-03.pdf |url-status=usurped }}</ref>

== Career ==

=== Radio ===
In Los Angeles in the late 1960s, he was one of the first apprentices for the [[Center Theatre Group]] and worked on the staff of [[KPFK]] radio in [[Los Angeles]]. At KPFK he worked with other staffers [[David Ossman]] and [[Peter Bergman (comedian)|Peter Bergman]] who hosted Radio Free Oz on that station. Along with Bergman's friend [[Phil Proctor]], they formed [[The Firesign Theatre]].

Starting as live radio actors, the group would go on to record a series of [[Surrealism|surrealistic]] [[comedy]] albums that were a hit amongst an underground audience.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/firesign-theatre-mn0000795481/credits|title = Firesign Theatre | Credits|website = [[AllMusic]]}}</ref> Austin played the group's best-known creation, private investigator [[Nick Danger]]. Other prominent roles were as (Happy) Harry Cox, the narrator of ''[[Everything You Know Is Wrong]]'' and Bebop Loco/Lobo on ''[[Give Me Immortality or Give Me Death]]''. He had also served as the troupe's musician and record producer.

{{blockquote|"It was those comments, the off-mic things, that made Phil so funny. He was the most surreal writer of all of us."|[[David Ossman]]<ref name=lat/>}}

=== Short story writer ===
His collection of short stories, ''Tales of the Old Detective and Other Big Fat Lies'', is published by Audio Editions. Two of his stories appear in the third volume of ''Mirth of a Nation''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://firesigntheatre.com/media/media.php?member=Austin |title=Phil Austin |website=firesigntheatre.com |access-date=2015-06-20 |archive-date=2018-02-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226135829/http://firesigntheatre.com/media/media.php?member=Austin |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Record albums ===
Austin also wrote a solo work, ''[[Roller Maidens From Outer Space]]'', and directed (and acted in) ''Eat Or Be Eaten''.

Stage versions of ''[[Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers]]''; ''[[How Can You Be in Two Places at Once When You're Not Anywhere at All|The Further Adventures of Nick Danger, Third Eye]]''; ''[[Waiting for the Electrician or Someone Like Him]]''; and ''Temporarily Humboldt County'' are published by [[Broadway Play Publishing Inc.]]

== Death ==
Austin died at his home in [[Fox Island, Washington]], on June 18, 2015, at the age of 74. The cause of death was originally given as [[cardiac arrest]],<ref name=lat>{{cite news |last=Colker |first=David |date=June 19, 2015 |url=http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-phil-austin-20150620-story.html |title=Phil Austin, dies at 74; voice of Firesign Theatre's Nick Danger |newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> but this was later changed to an [[aneurysm]].<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/26/arts/phil-austin-who-played-nick-danger-on-firesign-theater-dies-at-74.html |title=Phil Austin (a.k.a. Nick Danger) of Firesign Theater Dies at 74 |last=Roberts |first=Sam |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 25, 2015}}</ref> When he died, his wife Oona mentioned that Austin also had been diagnosed with cancer months before.<ref name="nyt" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20020609053156/http://austin.weblogger.com/ Phil Austin's Blog of the Unknown]
* [http://www.firesigntheatre.com/albums/austin.html Austin's bio on Firesign Theatre site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702005058/http://www.firesigntheatre.com/albums/austin.html |date=2015-07-02 }}
* [http://www.firezine.net/issue4/fz4_05.htm Phil Austin: The Man Under The Hat]
* {{IMDb name|0042494}}

{{Firesign Theatre}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Austin, Phil}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:American male stage actors]]
[[Category:American male comedians]]
[[Category:Comedians from Denver]]
[[Category:American male radio actors]]
[[Category:21st-century American male writers]]
[[Category:Bowdoin College alumni]]
[[Category:Deaths from aneurysm]]
[[Category:The Firesign Theatre]]
[[Category:Writers from Denver]]
[[Category:Writers from Fresno, California]]
[[Category:People from Fox Island, Washington]]
[[Category:Comedians from California]]

Conrad Bain

2025-11-01T19:01:12Z

2603:3005:1503:A000:CDB4:8C47:6AD6:C67C:

{{Short description|Canadian-American actor (1923–2013)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Conrad Bain
| image = Conrad Bain Arthur Harmon Maude 1975.JPG
| caption = Bain as Arthur Harmon in ''[[Maude (TV series)|Maude]]'', 1975
| birth_name = Conrad Stafford Bain
| birth_date = {{birth date|1923|2|4}}
| birth_place = [[Lethbridge]], Alberta, Canada
| death_date = {{death date and age|2013|1|14|1923|2|4}}
| death_place = [[Livermore, California]], U.S.
| education = [[Banff Centre|Banff School of Fine Arts]]
| alma_mater = [[American Academy of Dramatic Arts]]
| television = ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'',<br/>''[[Maude (TV series)|Maude]]''
| known_for = Dr. Arthur Harmon on ''Maude'', <br>Phillip Drummond on ''Diff'rent Strokes''
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1952–1996, 2011
| spouse = {{Marriage|Monica Sloan|1945|2009|end=died}}
| children = 3
| relations = [[Bonar Bain]] (twin brother)
| signature =
}}
[[File:Nancyreagandiffrentstrokes.jpg|thumb|The cast of ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'' with guest star [[Nancy Reagan]] in 1983]]
'''Conrad Stafford Bain''' (February 4, 1923 – January 14, 2013) was a Canadian-American actor. His television credits include a leading role as [[List of Diff'rent Strokes characters#Phillip Drummond|Phillip Drummond]] in the sitcom ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'' (1978–1986), as Dr. Arthur Harmon on ''[[Maude (TV series)|Maude]]'' (1972–1978), and as Charlie Ross in ''[[Mr. President (TV series)|Mr. President]]'' (1987–1988).

==Biography==
===Early life===
Conrad Bain was born in [[Lethbridge]], Alberta, the son of Jean Agnes (née Young) and Stafford Harrison Bain, who was a wholesaler. He was an identical twin with actor [[Bonar Bain]].<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2013/01/diffrent-strokes-actor-conrad-bain-dies-at-89 | title='Diff'rent Strokes' Actor Conrad Bain Dies at 89 | first=Luchina | last=Fisher | work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] | date=January 16, 2013}}</ref><ref name=dig>{{Cite news | url=https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/big-screen/2013/jan/16/dig-a-hole-conrad-bain/ | title=Dig a hole: Conrad Bain | first=Scott | last=Marks | work=[[San Diego Reader]] | date=January 16, 2013}}</ref> He first appeared in a play in his senior year of high school, which sparked his interest in theatre.<ref name=wpobit>{{Cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/conrad-bain-diffrent-strokes-dad-dies-at-89/2013/01/16/77c3bcbe-6005-11e2-9940-6fc488f3fecd_story.html | title=Conrad Bain, ‘Diff’rent Strokes’ dad, dies at 89 | first=Adam | last=Bernstein | work=[[The Washington Post]] | date=January 16, 2013}}</ref>

Conrad studied at the [[Banff Centre|Banff School of Fine Arts]] before serving in the [[Canadian Forces Land Force Command|Canadian Army]] during [[World War II]].<ref name=guardianobit>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/17/conrad-bain | title=Conrad Bain obituary | first=Anthony | last=Hayward | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=January 17, 2013}}</ref> Bain became a [[naturalized]] citizen of the United States in 1946.<ref name=guardianobit/><ref name=wpobit/> In 1948, he graduated from the [[American Academy of Dramatic Arts]] in New York; one of his classmates was comedian [[Don Rickles]].<ref name=cbcobit>{{Cite news | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/diff-rent-strokes-actor-conrad-bain-dies-at-89-1.1369915 | title=Diff'rent Strokes actor Conrad Bain dies at 89 | work=[[CBC News]] | date=January 16, 2013}}</ref>

===Career===
After a stint at the [[Stratford Festival]] in Canada, Bain had further success as a stage actor in the 1956 revival of [[Eugene O'Neill]]'s ''[[The Iceman Cometh]]''.<ref name=guardianobit/> ''[[The New York Times]]'' reviewer noted that his role was "especially well acted."<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/05/09/archives/theatre-oneill-tragedy-revived-the-iceman-cometh-to-circle-in.html | title=O'Neill Tragedy Revived | first=Brooks | last=Atkinson | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=May 9, 1956}}</ref> He performed in ''[[Candide]]'' at the [[Martin Beck Theatre]] from 1956 to 1957.<ref name=guardianobit/> In 1961, he performed in ''[[Advise and Consent]]''.<ref name=wpobit/> He performed in ''[[Hogan's Goat]]'' in 1965, ''[[The Kitchen (play)|The Kitchen]]'' in 1966, and ''[[Scuba Duba]]'' in 1967.<ref name=playbillobit/> In 1970, he performed in the original [[Off Broadway]] run of ''[[Steambath (play)|Steambath]]''.<ref name=playbillobit/> In 1971, he performed in ''[[An Enemy of the People]]'' and in 1973, he performed in ''[[Uncle Vanya]]''.<ref name=wpobit/>

Bain also found work on television; in 1966 he appeared in the cult supernatural soap opera ''[[Dark Shadows]]'' as the town innkeeper, Mr. Wells, during seasons 1 and 2, before his character was killed.<ref name=playbillobit>{{cite news | url=https://playbill.com/article/conrad-bain-everyman-player-of-stage-and-tv-dies-com-201592 | title=Conrad Bain, Everyman Player of Stage and TV, Dies | first=Robert | last=Simonson | work=[[Playbill]] | date=January 16, 2013}}</ref>

In 1962, Bain was one of the principal organizers of the [[Actors Federal Credit Union]], inspired by an actor who could not obtain credit at a local department store.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.actorsfcu.com/about/about-us/our-leadership | title=Our Leadership | work=[[Actors Federal Credit Union]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cutimes.com/2007/02/06/actors-fcus-atm-policy-is-just-one-effort-to-serve-unique-acting-population/ | title=Actors FCU's ATM Policy is Just One Effort to Serve Unique Acting Population |first=David |last=Morrison | work=Credit Union Times |date=February 7, 2007}}</ref> Bain served as the credit union's first president.<ref name=playbillobit/>

In 1970, Bain appeared in the film ''[[Lovers and Other Strangers]]'' and in 1971, he appeared in [[Woody Allen]]'s ''[[Bananas (film)|Bananas]]''.

He was cast by producer [[Norman Lear]]<ref name=wpobit/> as Dr. Arthur Harmon, [[Bea Arthur]]'s title character's conservative nemesis, who married her best friend, Vivian, in ''[[Maude (TV series)|Maude]]'' (1972–1978).<ref name=dig/><ref name=cbcobit/>

Based on his success in ''[[Maude (TV series)|Maude]]'',<ref name=cbcobit/> Bain was cast in ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'' (1978–1986) as Park Avenue millionaire [[Phillip Drummond (character)|Phillip Drummond]], who adopted two African-American orphaned boys from [[Harlem]], Willis and Arnold, to live with him and his daughter, Kimberly, and housekeeper, Mrs. Garrett.<ref name=guardianobit/> In 1979, he played Phillip Drummond in an episode of ''[[The Facts of Life (TV series)|The Facts of Life]]''.<ref name=guardianobit/> In 1996, Bain reprised his role of Phillip Drummond alongside [[Gary Coleman]] as Arnold Jackson on the series finale of ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]''.<ref name=guardianobit/>

In 1987, Bain starred in [[Mr. President (TV series)|Mr. President]], a political sit-com.<ref name=cbcobit/> In 1991 and 1992, he performed in ''[[On Borrowed Time]]'', his last [[Broadway theatre]] production.<ref name=cbcobit/><ref name=wpobit/>

===Death===
Bain died from a [[stroke]] on January 14, 2013, in [[Livermore, California]], at the age of 89.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/17/arts/television/conrad-bain-actor-on-diffrent-strokes-dies-at-89.html |title=Conrad Bain, Actor on 'Diff'rent Strokes,' Dies at 89 |last=Yardley |first=William | work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 16, 2013 | url-access=limited}}</ref> His body was cremated.

==Personal life==
Bain had two sons and a daughter with Monica Sloan (1923–2009), to whom he wed in 1945; they remained married until her death in 2009.<ref name=guardianobit/>

==Filmography==
=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1967 || data-sort-value="Borgia Stick, The" | ''[[The Borgia Stick]]'' || Lawyer || TV movie, Uncredited
|-
| rowspan=4|1968 || ''[[Madigan]]'' || Hotel Clerk ||
|-
| data-sort-value="Lovely Way to Die, A" | ''[[A Lovely Way to Die]]'' || James Lawrence ||
|-
|| ''[[Star! (film)|Star!]]'' || Salesman at Cartier's || Uncredited
|-
|| ''[[Coogan's Bluff (film)|Coogan's Bluff]]'' || Madison Avenue Man ||
|-
| 1969 || ''[[Last Summer (1969 film)|Last Summer]]'' || Sidney || rowspan=2|Uncredited
|-
| rowspan=2|1970 || ''[[Lovers and Other Strangers]]'' || Priest in Confessional
|-
|| ''[[I Never Sang for My Father]]'' || Rev. Sam Pell ||
|-
| rowspan=6|1971 || ''[[Fury on Wheels]]'' || Lester Jump || Alternate title: ''Jump''
|-
| data-sort-value="New Leaf, A" | ''[[A New Leaf (film)|A New Leaf]]'' || Professor Heinrich || Uncredited
|-
|| ''[[Bananas (film)|Bananas]]'' || Semple ||
|-
| data-sort-value="Anderson Tapes, The" | ''[[The Anderson Tapes]]'' || Dr. Rubicoff ||
|-
|| ''[[Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name?]]'' || Val Rooney ||
|-
|| ''[[Men of Crisis: The Harvey Wallinger Story]]'' || [[Richard Nixon|President Richard M. Nixon]] || Short film
|-
| rowspan=2|1972 || data-sort-value="Fan's Notes, A" | ''[[A Fan's Notes (film)|A Fan's Notes]]'' || Poppy ||
|-
|| ''[[Up the Sandbox]]'' || Dr. Gordon ||
|-
| 1975 || ''[[Twigs (play)|Twigs]]'' || Swede || TV movie
|-
| rowspan=2|1979 || ''[[C.H.O.M.P.S.]]'' || Ralph Norton ||
|-
| data-sort-value="Pleasure Doing Business, A" | ''A Pleasure Doing Business'' || Herb ||
|-
| 1981 || ''[[Child Bride of Short Creek]]'' || Frank King || TV movie
|-
| 1990 || ''[[Postcards from the Edge (film)|Postcards from the Edge]]'' || Grandpa ||
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1952 ||rowspan=2| ''[[Studio One (American TV series)|Studio One in Hollywood]]'' || Dr. Caldwell || Episode: "The Hospital"
|-
| 1956 || Evans || Episode: "Family Protection"
|-
| rowspan=2|1961 || ''[[Naked City (TV series)|Naked City]]'' || Miller || Episode: "The Day the Island Almost Sank"
|-
| data-sort-value="Defenders, The" | ''[[The Defenders (1961 TV series)|The Defenders]]'' || D.A. Fred Monahan || Episode: "Gideon's Follies"
|-
| 1965 || ''[[The Trials of O'Brien]]'' || District Attorney || Episode: "Dead End on Flugel Street"
|-
| 1966 || ''[[Dark Shadows]]'' || Hotel Clerk || Episodes #1.1, #1.11, #1.61
|-
| 1967 || ''[[N.Y.P.D. (TV series)|N.Y.P.D.]]'' || Manager || Episode: "Shakedown"
|-
| 1968 || ''[[Dark Shadows]]'' || Mr. Wells || Episode #1.632
|-
| 1970 || data-sort-value="Edge of Night, The" | ''[[The Edge of Night]]'' || Dr. Charles Weldon #1 || Unknown episodes
|-
| 1972–1978 || ''[[Maude (TV series)|Maude]]'' || Dr. Arthur Harmon || Main cast (121 episodes)
|-
| rowspan=3|1978 || data-sort-value="Waverly Wonders, The" | ''[[The Waverly Wonders]]'' || Tate Sr. || Episode: "Tate vs. Tate"
|-
|| ''[[Grandpa Goes to Washington]]'' || Robert Green || Episode: "Kelley at the Bat"
|-
| data-sort-value="Love Boat, The" | ''[[The Love Boat]]'' || Les || Episode: "Till Death Do Us Part-Maybe/Locked Away/Chubs"
|-
| 1978–1986 || ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'' || rowspan=5|Philip Drummond || Main cast (189 episodes)
|-
| rowspan=4|1979 || ''[[Hello, Larry]]'' || Episode: "The Trip: Part 2"
|-
|data-sort-value="Facts of Life, The" | ''[[The Facts of Life (TV series)|The Facts of Life]]'' || Episode: "Rough Housing"
|-
|rowspan=2|''[[Hello, Larry]]'' || Episode: "Feudin' and Fussin': Part 2"
|-
|| Episode: "Thanksgiving Crossover: Part 2"
|-
| rowspan=2|1980 || data-sort-value="Beatrice Arthur Special, The" | ''[[The Beatrice Arthur Special]]'' || rowspan=2|Himself || TV special, Uncredited
|-
|| ''[[CHiPs]]'' || Episode: "The Great 5K Star Race and Boulder Wrap Party: Part 2"
|-
| rowspan=2|1985 || rowspan=2 data-sort-value="Love Boat, The" | ''[[The Love Boat]]'' || Leslie Campbell || Episode: "Instinct/Unmade for Each Other/BOS"
|-
|| Charles Custers || Episode: "A Day in Port"
|-
| 1987–1988 || ''[[Mr. President (TV series)|Mr. President]]'' || Charlie Ross || Main cast (24 episodes)
|-
| 1993 || data-sort-value="Adventures of the Black Stallion, The" | ''[[The Adventures of the Black Stallion]]'' || Tobias Doyle || Episode: "Legends Never Die"
|-
| 1996 || data-sort-value="Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The" | ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]'' || Philip Drummond || Episode: "I, Done: Part 2"
|-
| 2011 || data-sort-value="Unforgettable" | ''[[Unforgettable (American TV series)|Unforgettable]]'' || Priest || Episode: "Trajectories", (uncredited and final appearance)
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|0047699}}
* {{tcmdb name}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{iobdb name|5866}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bain, Conrad Stafford}}[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:2013 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian male actors]]
[[Category:American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni]]
[[Category:American male comedians]]
[[Category:American twins]]
[[Category:Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity alumni]]
[[Category:Canadian Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Canadian male comedians]]
[[Category:Canadian male film actors]]
[[Category:Canadian male television actors]]
[[Category:Canadian twins]]
[[Category:Comedians from Alberta]]
[[Category:Comedians from Alameda County, California]]
[[Category:Identical twin male actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Alberta]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States]]
[[Category:People from Lethbridge]]
[[Category:People from Livermore, California]]
[[Category:Western Canada High School alumni]]
[[Category:Male actors from Alameda County, California]]