<P> Developed at a time when the television western was losing ground to the spy genre , this show was conceived by its creator , Michael Garrison , as `` James Bond on horseback . '' Set during the administration of President Ulysses Grant ( 1869 -- 77 ) , the series followed Secret Service agents James West ( Robert Conrad ) and Artemus Gordon ( Ross Martin ) as they solved crimes , protected the President , and foiled the plans of megalomaniacal villains to take over all or part of the United States . </P>
<P> Developed at a time when the television western was losing ground to the spy genre , this show was conceived by its creator , Michael Garrison , as `` James Bond on horseback . '' Set during the administration of President Ulysses Grant ( 1869 -- 77 ) , the series followed Secret Service agents James West ( Robert Conrad ) and Artemus Gordon ( Ross Martin ) as they solved crimes , protected the President , and foiled the plans of megalomaniacal villains to take over all or part of the United States . </P>
who was james west in the wild wild west
who was james west in the wild wild west
Robert Conrad
Robert Conrad