Conrad Brooks, born Conrad Biedrzycki on January 3, 1931, in Baltimore, Maryland, was the son of Polish immigrants who owned a bakery. He was one of eight siblings, with seven brothers and sisters. At the age of seventeen, Brooks, along with his brothers Henry and Ted, moved to Hollywood, California, seeking a career in the film industry.
Conrad's first encounter with legendary filmmaker Ed Wood was at a donut shop, where he collaborated with Wood on the short film "Range Revenge." Brooks went on to work with Wood on three more projects, including the fifteen-minute short "Glen or Glenda," where he had three roles.
Brooks' most enduring cult popularity came from his role as Patrolman Jamie in "Plan 9 from Outer Space." He also appeared in the low-budget film "The Beast of Yucca Flats."
After a hiatus from acting in the 1960s and 1970s, Brooks returned to the industry in the 1980s and went on to work in numerous low-budget independent films. He acted in three comedies for director Mark Pirro, including "A Polish Vampire in Burbank," "Deathrow Gameshow," and "Curse of the Queerwolf."
Brooks also appeared in several films for director Donald G. Jackson, including "Rollergator," "Toad Warrior," and "Max Hell Comes to Frogtown." He was particularly memorable in his role as the amiable Swamp Farmer.
In addition to his acting career, Brooks wrote, produced, and directed a few films, including "Gypsy Vampire" and all three "Jan-Gel" movies.
Conrad Brooks was interviewed in several documentaries about Ed Wood and was a regular guest at horror movie conventions across the country. He lived in northeast West Virginia before his death at the age of 86 on December 6, 2017.
