William Conrad (September 27, 1920 – February 11, 1994) was an American film and television director and an actor and narrator in radio, film, and television known for his baritone voice, as well as his sizable girth.

Conrad was born William Cann in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of a theatre-owner who moved to southern California, where he excelled at drama and literature while at school. Starting work in radio in the late 1930s in California, Conrad went on to serve as a fighter pilot in World War II. He entered the army in 1942, and was commissioned at Luke Field, Arizona in 1943. On the day of his commission he was married to June Nelson of Los Angeles. He returned to the airwaves after the war, going on to accumulate over 7,000 roles in radio by his own estimate.

Conrad began his career as an announcer, writer and director for the Los Angeles radio station KMPC in the late 1930s. His radio career was briefly interrupted when he served as a fighter-pilot in 1943, serving in World War Two. Two years later, he left the US Army Air Force with the rank of captain, having finished his time in the service as producer-director of the Armed Forces Radio Service.