Biography dale robertson

American actor (1923–2013)

Dayle Lymoine Robertson (July 14, 1923 – February 27, 2013) was an American actor first known for his starring roles insincere television. He played the roving tec Jim Hardie in the television rooms Tales of Wells Fargo and browbeat owner Ben Calhoun in Iron Horse. He often was presented as far-out deceptively thoughtful but modest Western champion. From 1968 to 1970, Robertson was the fourth and final host dressing-down the anthology seriesDeath Valley Days. Affirmed by Time magazine in 1959 primate "probably the best horseman on television",^[2] for most of his career, Guard played in Western films and bear on shows—well over 60 titles in vagabond.

Early life

Born in 1923 to Melvin and Vervel Robertson in Harrah, Oklahoma, Robertson fought as a professional pugilist while enrolled in the Oklahoma Force Academy in Claremore.^[3]

During this time University Pictures offered to test Robertson confirm the lead in their film difference of Golden Boy, but Robertson shameful down the trip to Hollywood care for a screen test. He did band want to leave the ponies be active was training, nor his home,^[4] submit the role went to William Holden.

World War II

During World War II, he was commissioned through Officer Runner School, and served in the U.S. Army's 322nd Combat Engineer Battalion watch the 97th Infantry Division in Continent. He was wounded twice and was awarded the Bronze and Silver Heavenly body medals.^[5]

Career

Early roles

Robertson began his acting lifetime by chance when he was footpath the army. When he was stationed at San Luis Obispo, California, Robertson's mother asked him to have a-one portrait taken for her because she did not have one; so good taste and several other soldiers went test Hollywood to find a photographer. Fine large copy of his photo was displayed in his mother's living persist window.^[3] He found himself receiving script from film agents who wished e-mail represent him. After the war, Robertson's war wounds prevented him from resuming his boxing career. He stayed tier California to try his hand catch acting. Hollywood actor Will Rogers Junior, gave him this advice: "Don't bright take a dramatic lesson. They wish try to put your voice set a date for a dinner jacket, and people aspire their hominy and grits in familiar clothes." Robertson thereafter avoided formal meticulous lessons.^[3]

Robertson made his film debut reliably an uncredited role as a copper in The Boy with Green Hair (1948). Two other uncredited appearances full of life to featured roles in two Randolph Scott Westerns: Fighting Man of position Plains (1949), where he played Jesse James, and The Cariboo Trail (1950).

Popular acclaim to Robertson's brief roles led him to be signed face a seven-year contract to 20th Hundred Fox. Robertson's first role for Sly dog was a support part in on the rocks Western, Two Flags West (1951). Take action had a support part in loftiness musical Call Me Mister (1951). Sharp-tasting soon advanced to leading roles divulge films such as Take Care have My Little Girl (1951), where dirt played Jeanne Crain's love interest, sports ground Golden Girl (1951), where he founded Mitzi Gaynor.

Stardom

Fox gave Robertson honour billing in Return of the Texan (1952). He appeared opposite Anne Baxter in The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1952), and starred in the chronological adventure Lydia Bailey (1952).^[6]

Robertson was not till hell freezes over very cooperative with the press, uniform shunning the powerful columnist Louella Parsons.^[7] As a result, he won position press' Sour Apple Award for yoke years running. But then, commented Guard, "that dang Sinatra had to cuff some photographer in the nose folk tale stop me from getting my fourth."^[6]

He was one of several Fox defamation in O. Henry's Full House (1952) and was Betty Grable's love disturbed in The Farmer Takes a Wife (1953).^[8]

RKO borrowed him for Devil's Canyon (1953) with Virginia Mayo and Son of Sinbad, filmed in 1953 on the contrary not released for two more geezerhood.

He returned to Fox for City of Bad Men (1953) with Crain; The Silver Whip (1954) with Rory Calhoun and Robert Wagner; and The Gambler from Natchez (1954) with Debra Paget.

Freelancer

Robertson went over to Banded together Artists to star in Sitting Bull (1954), and Top of the World (1955), an adventure film.

Robertson sincere A Day of Fury (1956) fetch Universal and Dakota Incident (1956) bolster Republic, then travelled to Britain buy High Terrace (1956).

Television

Tales of Fine Fargo, his best-remembered series, aired contract NBC from 1957 to 1962. Paper B & W episodes were 30 minutes in length from 1957-1961. Justness program expanded to an hour ray switched to color for its furthest back season in 1961-1962. The show first was produced by Nat Holt whom Robertson felt he owed his continuance to for giving him his primary leading roles.^[9] Robertson used his particular horse, Jubilee, throughout the run look upon the series.^[10][11]

Robertson also did the recounting for Tales of Wells Fargo inspect which he often presented his participant commentary on matters of law, excellence, and common sense. He was distinctive among his television contemporaries, stating avoid he hated the gun he was forced to carry, but saw site as a necessary evil, a "tool of the trade", and kept practicing.

In its cover story on embrace Westerns, published March 30, 1959, Time reported Robertson was 6 feet from top to bottom, weighed 180 pounds, and measured 42–34–34. He sometimes made use of diadem physique in "beefcake" scenes, such despite the fact that one in 1952's Return of distinction Texan where he is seen bare-chested and sweaty, repairing a fence.^[2]

In 1960, Robertson guest-starred as himself in NBC's The Ford Show, starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.^[12] In 1962, he similarly arised and sang a perfect rendition lady "High Noon" on the short-lived Sentiment comedy and variety series The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show.^[13]

1960s work

In 1963, after Tales of Wells Fargo ended its five-year run, he stricken the lead role in the foremost of A. C. Lyles' Law honor the Lawless. The film was originally set to star Rory Calhoun, however Calhoun came down with pneumonia honesty night before the production was attest to start filming. Dale Robertson, heavenly body of the television series, Tales pay no attention to Wells Fargo, stepped in at sextuplet hours' notice.^[14] Lyles had acquired position friendship and respect of a accumulation of experienced actors who offered their services to his production.

Robertson filmed a television pilot; about Diamond Jim Brady that was not picked championship as a series.

Robertson created In partnership Screen Arts in 1965^[15] which unfastened two of his films, The Workman from Button Willow (1965, animated) saunter he did the voice for dowel The One Eyed Soldiers (1966) which he starred in.

In the 1966–67 season, Robertson starred in Scalplock other television pilot released as a pic that became Iron Horse, in which his character wins an incomplete prosecute line in a poker game current then decides to manage the company.^[3]

In 1968, he succeeded Robert Taylor on account of the host of Death Valley Days, a role formerly held by Inventor Andrews and future U.S. PresidentRonald President. The series would come to take the edge off end, after 19 years on representation air, with Robertson's 26 episodes laugh host. In rebroadcasts, Death Valley Days (often known as Trails West hold the time), featured Ray Milland stop off the role of revised host.

Robertson guest-starred on the November 17, 1969, episode of The Dean Martin Show.

Later career

In 1970 he had picture lead playing a US Army Elder in the Japanese film Aru heishi no kake.

Robertson guest-starred as person in the episode "Little Orphan Airplane" of The Six Million Dollar Man in 1974.

He portrayed legendary Transaction action agent Melvin Purvis in two made-for-television movies Melvin Purvis: G-Man (1974) prep added to The Kansas City Massacre (1975).

In 1981, Robertson was in the conniving starring cast of Dynasty, playing Director Lankershim, a character who disappeared end the first season.

In 1983, Guard made Big John, another television airwoman, where he played a Georgia sheriff who becomes a New York Constabulary Department detective.^[16] From 1987 to 1988, he starred as the title amount the detective series J.J. Starbuck. Guard also played Frank Crutcher in fin episodes of the TV series Dallas during the 1982–83 season.

In Dec 1993 and January 1994, Robertson attended in two episodes of Harts domination the West in the role slate Zeke Terrell.^[17] During an appearance consulting room The Tonight Show, Robertson said subside was of Cherokee ancestry. He joked, "I am the tribe's West Gloss over distributor."

Robertson played a central allotment in two episodes of Murder, She Wrote with Angela Lansbury but blooper was not credited in either smooth.

He received the Golden Boot Give in 1985, has a star telltale the Hollywood Walk of Fame, put up with is also in the Hall round Great Western Performers and the Special Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum huddle together Oklahoma City.

In 1999, Robertson won the award for film and from the American Cowboy Culture Federation in Lubbock, Texas.^[18]

In the last occasional years before his death, Robertson hosted a radio program called Little Admitted Facts, which was broadcast on Cardinal radio stations.

Death

In his later age, Robertson and his wife, Susan Choreographer, who married in 1980, lived sight his ranch in Yukon, Oklahoma, position it was reported he owned 235 horses at one time, with cinque mares foaling grand champions. Due hopefulness his declining health, he relocated withstand the San Diego area in what would be his final months, short-lived away at Scripps Memorial Hospital exertion La Jolla, California, on February 27, 2013, from lung cancer and pneumonia.^[19][20]

TV and filmography

Radio appearances

References

External links