Dale Robertson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Dayle Lymoine Robertson (July 14, 1923 – February 27, 2013) was an American actor best known for his starring roles on television. He played the roving investigator Jim Hardie in the long-running NBC/ABC hit television series Tales of Wells Fargo, and Ben Calhoun, the owner of an incomplete railroad line in ABC's The Iron Horse. He was often presented as a deceptively thoughtful but modest Western hero. From 1968 to 1970, Robertson was the fourth and final host of the syndicated Death Valley Days anthology series. For most of his career, Robertson played in western films and television shows—well over sixty titles in all. His best-remembered series, Tales of Wells Fargo aired on NBC from 1957 to 1961, when it moved to ABC and expanded to an hour-long program for its final season in 1961-1962. The show was originally produced by Nat Holt whom Robertson felt he owed his career to for giving him his first leading roles.[10] Robertson also did the narration for Tales of Wells Fargo through which he often presented his own commentary on matters of law, morality, and common sense. He was unique among his television contemporaries, stating that he hated the gun he was forced to carry, but saw it as a necessary evil, a "tool of the trade", and kept practicing.[citation needed] In its March 30, 1959, cover story on television westerns, Time reported Robertson was 6 feet tall, weighed 180 pounds, and measured 42-34-34. He sometimes made use of his physique in "beefcake" scenes, such as one in 1952's Return of the Texan where he is seen bare-chested and sweaty, repairing a fence. In 1960, Robertson guest-starred as himself in NBC's The Ford Show, starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.[12] In 1962, he similarly appeared on a short-lived western comedy and variety series, ABC's The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show. In 1963, after Tales of Wells Fargo ended its five-year run, he played the lead role in the first of A.C. Lyles' second feature westerns, Law of the Lawless.
Known For
Credits
- 2000 · The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story as
- 1993 · Harts of the West as
- 1992 · Legends of the West as Maj. Robert Parrish in 'Sitting Bull'
- 1987 · J.J. Starbuck as Jerome Jeremiah Starbuck
- 1984 · Murder, She Wrote as Colonel Lee Goddard (uncredited)
- 1981 · Dynasty as Walter Lankershim
- 1979 · The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang as Judge Isaac Parker
- 1978 · Dallas as Frank Crutcher
- 1977 · The Love Boat as Mason Fleers
- 1975 · The Kansas City Massacre as Melvin Purvis
- 1975 · Melvin Purvis G-Man as Melvin Purvis
- 1970 · The Walking Major as Major Clark J. Allen
- 1969 · The Johnny Cash Show as Self
- 1966 · The Iron Horse as Ben Calhoun
- 1966 · Scalplock as Benjamin Calhoun
- 1966 · The One Eyed Soldiers as Richard Owen
- 1965 · The Man from Button Willow as Justin Eagle
- 1965 · Coast of Skeletons as A.J. Magnus
- 1964 · Blood on the Arrow as Wade Cooper
- 1964 · Law of the Lawless as Judge Clem Rogers
- 1964 · The Hollywood Palace as Self - Host
- 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self - Co-Host
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self
- 1961 · Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon as Jim Hardie
- 1958 · Fast and Sexy as Raffaele
- 1957 · Hell Canyon Outlaws as Sheriff Caleb Wells
- 1957 · Tales of Wells Fargo as Jim Hardie
- 1956 · The Dinah Shore Chevy Show as Self
- 1956 · High Terrace as Bill Lang
- 1956 · Dakota Incident as John Banner
- 1956 · The Steve Allen Show as Self - Tales of Wells Fargo
- 1956 · The Steve Allen Show as Self - Guest
- 1956 · A Day of Fury as Jagade
- 1955 · The 20th Century Fox Hour as Lt. Clay Tucker
- 1955 · Son of Sinbad as Sinbad
- 1955 · Top of the World as Lee Gannon
- 1954 · Climax! as
- 1954 · Climax! as Nicky Jordan
- 1954 · Sitting Bull as Bob Parrish
- 1954 · Studio 57 as
- 1954 · The Gambler from Natchez as Vance Colby
- 1953 · City of Bad Men as Brett Stanton
- 1953 · Devil's Canyon as Billy Reynolds
- 1953 · The Farmer Takes a Wife as Dan Harrow
- 1953 · The Silver Whip as Race Crim
- 1952 · The Outcasts of Poker Flat as John Oakhurst
- 1952 · The Ford Television Theatre as Donny Weaver
- 1952 · This Is Your Life as Self
- 1952 · Death Valley Days as Self - Host
- 1952 · O. Henry's Full House as Barney Woods (segment "The Clarion Call")
- 1952 · Lydia Bailey as Albion Hamlin
- 1952 · Return of the Texan as Sam Crockett
- 1951 · Golden Girl as Tom Richmond
- 1951 · Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as
- 1951 · Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as Jim Hardie
- 1951 · The Red Skelton Show as Robinson Crusoe
- 1951 · The Secret of Convict Lake as Narrator (Voice) (uncredited)
- 1951 · Take Care of My Little Girl as Joe Blake
- 1951 · Call Me Mister as Capt. Johnny Comstock
- 1950 · Two Flags West as Lem
- 1950 · The Cariboo Trail as Will Gray
- 1949 · Fighting Man of the Plains as Jesse James
- 1949 · Flamingo Road as Tunis Simms (uncredited)
- 1948 · The Boy with Green Hair as Policeman (uncredited)