Back in the early 1970s when Marvel Comics began publishing the adventures of Robert E.Howard's barbarian anti-hero Conan as comic books I thought the perfect actor to play the character in a movie would have been William Smith. I had known "Big Bill" as Joe Reilly , the strong as an ox Texas Ranger on the television series LAREDO. And for his roles in various biker flicks. I obviously wasn't the only person who thought so. Because in 1982 when Conan was brought to life on the big screen Arnold Schwarzenegger portrayed him. But Big Bill was cast as his father. Many ,including myself ,think that his performance as Conan's dad was the best thing about the film.
I could easily imagine Smith playing the older Conan in adaptations of Howard's stories BEYOND THE BLACK RIVER and HOUR OF THE DRAGON. Nor is it hard to imagine a younger Smith starring in an adaptation of A WITCH SHALL BE BORN. This story contains the most famous scene from Howard's Conan stories. One that was used in the 1982 movie. But didn't have the same context.
Aside from Big Bill as Conan I imagine Vincent
Price as the mercenary leader Constantius, the Falcon. And in the dual role of the twin sisters Queen Taramis and Salome , the witch of the title , Barbara Steele.
I would have really loved to have seen Frazetta illustrate that crucified Conan scene from A WITCH SHALL BE BORN.
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