Conrad Janis

Conrad Janis pursued careers in both television and motion pictures while maintaining a lifelong passion for Dixieland trombone. His mother, Harriet Janis, collaborated closely with critic Rudi Blesh on the authoritative volume They All Played Ragtime as well as projects tied to the Circle label. Although he began with guitar, Janis taught himself trombone and did not take up the instrument until close to age 21. From the 1950s onward he worked as a freelance musician whenever acting assignments allowed. His recording activity remained sporadic, limited to early sessions for Circle, London, and Jubilee. In 1978 he secured a recurring part on the hit sitcom Mork & Mindy, cast appropriately as Mindy’s father, a musician who owned a music store. During the 1980s Janis took the helm of the well-known Beverly Hills Unlimited Jazz Band. Conrad Janis died on March 1, 2022, at the age of 94.