Guns, Girls, Gadgets

Robert Conrad starred in the TV version of The Wild, Wild West, and as far as he's concerned, the old series is irreplaceable. CBS Correspondent Russ Mitchell reports.

It was a one of a kind show, part science fiction, part western, part spy thriller. Conrad played Agent James T. West, who invariably got the bad guy and the girl as he made his way through the Wild West in a customized high-tech train.

"It won't happen again," says Conrad of the series, which ran from 1965 to 1970. "You're not going to duplicate this show. It was so elaborate and so luxurious. We had every gadget imaginable. I had the little gun that came out, and I had the gun in the heel of the shoe. You name it, we had it."

If you want to see the original shows, you can pick up a newly released collection of The Wild Wild West series at the video store. It was built around guns, girls, gadgets and Conrad's sex appeal.

"The character was light years away from me, Conrad says modestly. "I am not debonair. I am not suave. I did wear tight pants, though, because I found it worked."

Conrad says what they were selling at that time is no different from what is currently popular.

"We merchandise conditioning and sex. You can do all kinds of things with innuendo. You don't have to show me things. I don't really need to see. It is so much sexier just to be subtle, to maybe have tight pants and take your shirt off."

Conrad is underwhelmed by director Barry Sonnenfeld's $160 million Wild Wild West remake.

"To be candid with you, I'm disappointed," says Conrad. "Will, God bless, he's a hit. Go for it, Will. As an actor, what young actor wouldn't want to do that? But I think Barry Sonnenfeld let his ego go out of control. He told me in a meeting that he had to do something to make it his film. Well, Barry, it's your film. So, if it rises or falls, you're the man."

In addition to the new video collection, there's a book about the TV show called Inside Wild Wild West, written by R.M. Cangey. Both CBS Video and Columbia House distribute videos of the television show.