Robert J. Wilke
Prolific American character actor of primarily villainous roles. The son of German parents, Cincinnati feed-store manager August Wilke and his wife Rose, Robert Joseph Wilke grew up in Cincinnati. He worked as a lifeguard at a Miami, Florida, hotel, where he made contacts in the film business. He was able to obtain work as a stuntman and continued as such until the mid-'40s, when he began getting actual roles in low-budget westerns and serials. A prominent appearance as one of the heavies in Le train sifflera trois fois (1952) led to work in higher-quality films. He worked extensively in television as well as movies, and became an enormously familiar face, though a fairly anonymous one to the general public. His weathered visage made him a perfect western bad guy, but he occasionally played sympathetic parts as well, as in Les moissons du ciel (1978). An expert golfer, he was said by his friend Claude Akins to have earned more money on the golf course than he ever did in movies. He died in 1989. -
Known For
Credits
- 1988 · James Stewart: A Wonderful Life as Self (archive footage)
- 1981 · Stripes as Gen. Barnicke
- 1979 · The Sweet Creek County War as
- 1978 · Days of Heaven as The Farm Foreman
- 1978 · Dallas as Tom Owens
- 1978 · Wild and Wooly as Demas Scott
- 1977 · How the West Was Won as Appleton
- 1975 · Starsky & Hutch as Mac Johnson
- 1974 · Run, Joe, Run as
- 1973 · Santee as Deaks (as Robert Wilke
- 1973 · The Boy Who Cried Werewolf as The Sheriff
- 1972 · Kung Fu as
- 1972 · The Rookies as Officer Shaw
- 1971 · They Call It Murder as Sheriff Rex Brandon
- 1971 · The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler as Hugh Fielding
- 1971 · A Gunfight as Marshal Tom Cater
- 1970 · The Cheyenne Social Club as Corey Bannister
- 1969 · The Desperate Mission as Gant
- 1968 · Lancer as
- 1968 · The Outcasts as
- 1967 · Tony Rome as Ralph Turpin
- 1967 · The Guns of Will Sonnett as
- 1967 · Cimarron Strip as
- 1967 · Rango as
- 1966 · Tarzan as Spooner
- 1966 · The Monroes as
- 1966 · The Magnificent Stranger as Sheriff McVey
- 1966 · Smoky as Jeff Nicks
- 1965 · The Legend of Jesse James as Marshal Sam Corbett
- 1965 · The Hallelujah Trail as Chief Five Barrels
- 1964 · Fate Is the Hunter as Stillman
- 1964 · Daniel Boone as Toff
- 1964 · Daniel Boone as Jake Manning
- 1964 · Daniel Boone as Fryman
- 1964 · Shock Treatment as Technician Mike Newton (as Robert Wilke)
- 1963 · The Fugitive as Johnny
- 1963 · The Greatest Show on Earth as
- 1963 · The Gun Hawk as Johnny Flanders
- 1963 · The Dakotas as
- 1962 · The Lucy Show as Tom Carter
- 1962 · The Virginian as Conrad
- 1962 · The Virginian as Colton
- 1962 · Sam Benedict as
- 1962 · The Beachcomber as Bill Winters
- 1962 · The Beachcomber as Jason Despol
- 1961 · Target: The Corruptors! as
- 1961 · The Long Rope as Ben Matthews
- 1960 · Spartacus as Guard captain
- 1960 · The Magnificent Seven as Wallace
- 1960 · Stagecoach West as Taylor Norman
- 1960 · The Westerner as Murdo
- 1960 · Outlaws as
- 1960 · The Tall Man as
- 1960 · The Slowest Gun in the West as Billy the Kid Blake
- 1959 · The Untouchables as George 'Bugs' Moran
- 1959 · Adventures in Paradise as Riker
- 1959 · Bourbon Street Beat as
- 1959 · The Third Man as
- 1959 · Law of the Plainsman as Amos Cameron
- 1959 · Wichita Town as
- 1959 · Laramie as
- 1959 · Riverboat as Bolesy
- 1959 · Riverboat as Red Dog Hanlon
- 1959 · Bonanza as Charlie Sheppard
- 1959 · Bonanza as Al Simmons
- 1959 · Bonanza as Sheriff Claude T. Booker
- 1959 · The Deputy as Ace Gentry
- 1959 · Never Steal Anything Small as Lennie
- 1959 · Rawhide as Sheriff McVey
- 1959 · Rawhide as Tom Galt
- 1959 · Rawhide as Lafe Thomas
- 1958 · 77 Sunset Strip as Vern Reece
- 1958 · Bat Masterson as Bull Kirby
- 1958 · Bat Masterson as Rod Clements
- 1958 · Lawman as
- 1958 · Lawman as Marshal Tom Haddon
- 1958 · The Rifleman as
- 1958 · The Texan as
- 1958 · The Texan as Marshal Bart Pennock
- 1958 · Bronco as
- 1958 · Peter Gunn as
- 1958 · Wanted: Dead or Alive as Virgil
- 1958 · Wanted: Dead or Alive as Jack Radovitch
- 1958 · Wanted: Dead or Alive as Ben Hooker
- 1958 · Man of the West as Ponch
- 1958 · Return to Warbow as Red
- 1957 · The Tarnished Angels as Hank
- 1957 · Tombstone Territory as Burt Foster
- 1957 · Tombstone Territory as Jess Caulfield
- 1957 · Zorro as
- 1957 · The Walter Winchell File as
- 1957 · Maverick as McCabe
- 1957 · Maverick as Diamond Dan Malone
- 1957 · Perry Mason as Deputy Sheriff Connors
- 1957 · The Thin Man as
- 1957 · Wagon Train as Sgt. Wick
- 1957 · Wagon Train as Wesley Thomas
- 1957 · Wagon Train as Col. Thomas Stone
- 1957 · Have Gun, Will Travel as
- 1957 · Have Gun, Will Travel as Will Tybee
- 1957 · Night Passage as Concho
- 1957 · Hot Summer Night as Tom Ellis (as Robert Wilke)
- 1956 · Gun the Man Down as Matt Rankin
- 1956 · Written on the Wind as Dan Willis
- 1956 · The Adventures of Jim Bowie as
- 1956 · Canyon River as Joe Graycoe
- 1956 · The Rawhide Years as Neal (as Robert Wilke)
- 1956 · Raw Edge as Sile Doty
- 1956 · Backlash as Jeff Welker
- 1956 · The Lone Ranger as Cassidy
- 1955 · Cheyenne as Bob Manson
- 1955 · Cheyenne as Jed Begert
- 1955 · Cheyenne as Kelso Prather
- 1955 · Cheyenne as Ben Creed
- 1955 · Cheyenne as Carl Banner
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Hickock
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Pegger
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Tom
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Pitt
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Ab Rankin
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Kelby
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Luke Cumberledge
- 1955 · Wichita as Ben Thompson
- 1955 · Shotgun as Bentley (as Robert Wilke)
- 1955 · Strange Lady in Town as Karg
- 1955 · Smoke Signal as First Sergeant Daly (as Robert Wilke)
- 1954 · 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as First Mate of the Nautilus
- 1954 · The Wonderful World of Disney as Jed - Outlaw
- 1954 · The Wonderful World of Disney as Ben Tilton
- 1954 · Lassie as
- 1954 · Two Guns and a Badge as Moore - Outlaw
- 1954 · The Lone Gun as Hort Moran (as Robert Wilke)
- 1954 · The Far Country as Madden
- 1953 · From Here to Eternity as Sgt. Henderson (uncredited)
- 1953 · War Paint as Trooper Grady
- 1953 · Arrowhead as Sgt. Stone
- 1953 · Cow Country as Sledge
- 1952 · The Maverick as Massey
- 1952 · The Abbott and Costello Show as Mike Brodie
- 1952 · Wyoming Roundup as Wyatt - Henchman
- 1952 · Cavalcade of America as
- 1952 · Four Star Playhouse as George
- 1952 · Four Star Playhouse as Ben Crane
- 1952 · Adventures of Superman as Bingham
- 1952 · Fargo as Link - Henchman
- 1952 · Cattle Town as Keeno
- 1952 · Hellgate as Sgt. Maj. Kearn
- 1952 · High Noon as Jim Pierce
- 1952 · Road Agent as Slab Babcock
- 1952 · The Las Vegas Story as Clayton (as Robert Wilke)
- 1951 · Overland Telegraph as Bellew - Henchman (as Robert Wilke)
- 1951 · Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as Red Fischer
- 1951 · Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as
- 1951 · Hot Lead as Stoney Dawson (as Robert Wilke)
- 1951 · Pistol Harvest as Andy Baylor
- 1951 · Cyclone Fury as Henchman Bunco (as Bob Wilke)
- 1951 · Best of the Badmen as Jim Younger
- 1951 · Gunplay as Henchman Winslow
- 1951 · Saddle Legion as Henchman Hooker
- 1951 · Vengeance Valley as Cowhand (uncredited)
- 1950 · Frontier Outpost as Krag Benson
- 1950 · Across the Badlands as Duke Jackson / Keno Jackson (as Bob Wilke)
- 1950 · The Cisco Kid as Henchman Vic
- 1950 · The Cisco Kid as Barney
- 1950 · The Cisco Kid as Judd Storme
- 1950 · The Desert Hawk as Camel Driver
- 1950 · The Gene Autry Show as Henchman Cody
- 1950 · The Gene Autry Show as Charlie Bolton
- 1950 · The Gene Autry Show as Monte - Henchman
- 1950 · The Gene Autry Show as Henchman in Plaid Shirt
- 1950 · Outcasts of Black Mesa as Curt - Henchman (as Bob Wilke)
- 1950 · Mule Train as Bradshaw - Henchman (uncredited)
- 1949 · Coyote Canyon as Deputy Sheriff Ed (as Bob Wilkie)
- 1949 · The Lone Ranger as Henchman (uncredited)
- 1949 · Flaming Fury as
- 1949 · The Wyoming Bandit as Sam - Henchman (as Bob Wilke)
- 1949 · Laramie as Cronin (uncredited)
- 1948 · Homicide for Three as Policeman
- 1948 · Daredevils of the Clouds as Joe
- 1948 · Carson City Raiders as Ed Noble (as Bob Wilke)
- 1947 · The Ghost Goes Wild as Burglar
- 1947 · Blackmail as Policeman
- 1947 · Web of Danger as Station Wagon Driver
- 1947 · Law of the Canyon as Knife-Throwing Henchman (uncredited)
- 1947 · Buck Privates Come Home as GI Buddy (uncredited)
- 1947 · Twilight on the Rio Grande as Henchman
- 1946 · White Tie and Tails as Starter (uncredited)
- 1946 · The Inner Circle as Police Officer Cummings (as Bob Wilke)
- 1946 · Rendezvous with Annie as MP (uncredited)
- 1946 · Traffic in Crime as Hogan's Driver
- 1946 · Passkey to Danger as Police Sergeant
- 1946 · Badman's Territory as Deputy Marshal (uncredited)
- 1946 · The Catman of Paris as The Catman (uncredited)
- 1945 · Rough Riders of Cheyenne as Smoke - Henchman (as Bob Wilke)
- 1945 · Sunset in El Dorado as Curley Roberts
- 1945 · Bandits of the Badlands as Keller
- 1945 · Hitchhike to Happiness as Stage Hand (uncredited)
- 1945 · Trail of Kit Carson as Dave MacRoy (as Bob Wilke)
- 1945 · Santa Fe Saddlemates as Rawhide
- 1945 · Corpus Christi Bandits as Henchman Steve
- 1945 · Earl Carroll Vanities as Cab Driver
- 1945 · Sheriff of Cimarron as Henchman Dobie
- 1944 · Faces in the Fog as Photographer
- 1944 · Vigilantes of Dodge City as Bill
- 1944 · Sheriff of Sundown as Bradley - Henchman (as Bob Wilke)
- 1944 · Code of the Prairie as
- 1944 · San Antonio Kid as Henchman (as Bob Wilke)
- 1944 · Bordertown Trail as Henchman
- 1944 · Call of the Rockies as Deputy Jim
- 1944 · Cowboy and the Senorita as Townsman (uncredited)
- 1944 · Hidden Valley Outlaws as Rancher (uncredited)
- 1944 · The Fighting Seabees as Arriving Construction Worker (uncredited)
- 1943 · Whispering Footsteps as Bank Customer
- 1941 · Dick Tracy vs. Crime Inc. as Cutter Helmsman
- 1941 · Sierra Sue as Carnival Spectator (uncredited)
- 1940 · Adventures of Red Ryder as Henchman
- 1940 · Grand Ole Opry as Hillbilly (uncredited)
- 1940 · In Old Missouri as Hillbilly
- 1939 · In Old Monterey as Man on Wagon
- 1939 · Daredevils of the Red Circle as G-Man
- 1939 · S.O.S Tidal Wave as Man in TV Studio
- 1939 · Star Reporter as Reporter
- 1938 · The Fighting Devil Dogs as Marine in Shanghai (uncredited)
- 1937 · San Quentin as Young Convict in Yard (uncredited)
- 1937 · That Man's Here Again as (uncredited)