Biography
Patrick (Pat) Douglas Conway was born on January 9, 1931, in Los Angeles, California. He was the son of Hollywood figure Hugh ("Jack") Ryan Conway, an actor, director, and producer, and Virginia C. Bushman Conway, daughter of silent film star Francis X. Bushman. Pat grew up as a genuine cowboy on his father's 125-acre ranch in Pacific Palisades, where he learned to ride and rope before age ten and helped tend the cattle. After graduating from Menlo Junior College in San Francisco, he studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, then spent six months in London studying Shakespearean theater at the Old Vic. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps before returning to Hollywood to sign a contract with MGM.
In the early 1950s, Pat appeared in several movies and television shows. At 26, standing 6'3" with blue eyes and dark hair, he secured the role that would define his career: Sheriff Clay Hollister, the young, tough yet fair sheriff of Tombstone in pre-statehood Arizona, in the TV series "Tombstone Territory." Originally cast as the deputy, he was promoted to lead when the director recognized his potential, leading to a reshoot of the first episode. The series aired from October 16, 1957, to July 1960, with Conway starring in all 92 episodes. Contemporary interviews described him as "nice," "shy," and serious about his craft. His interests included reading, cooking, music, sailing, and skin diving, and he described himself as a solitary person.
After "Tombstone Territory" ended, Conway guest-starred on numerous western series such as "Gunsmoke," "Rawhide," and "Bonanza." He appeared in the films "Geronimo" (1962) and "Brighty of the Grand Canyon" (1967). His last roles were in 1975 on "The Streets of San Francisco" and the TV movie "The Abduction of Saint Anne." He passed away on April 24, 1981, in Santa Barbara County, California, at the age of 50.
