Robert J. Wilke profile
Actor profile

Robert J. Wilke

18th May 1914 Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Acting

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. -

124 Movies 118 TV Shows 245 Credits
Filmography

Movies & TV Shows

Stripes poster
Stripes 26th June 1981 as Gen. Barnicke
Santee poster
Santee 1st September 1973 as Deaks (as Robert Wilke)
Smoky poster
Smoky 3rd August 1966 as Jeff Nicks
Shotgun poster
Shotgun 23rd April 1955 as Bentley (as Robert Wilke)
Fargo poster
Fargo 7th September 1952 as Link - Henchman
Hellgate poster
Hellgate 4th September 1952 as Sgt. Maj. Kearn
Hot Lead poster
Hot Lead 30th September 1951 as Stoney Dawson
Gunplay poster
Gunplay 23rd July 1951 as Henchman Winslow
Mule Train poster
Mule Train 22nd February 1950 as Bradshaw - Henchman (uncredited)
Coyote Canyon poster
Coyote Canyon 17th November 1949 as Deputy Sheriff Ed (as Bob Wilkie)
Laramie poster
Laramie 19th May 1949 as Cronin (uncredited)
Sierra Sue poster
Sierra Sue 12th November 1941 as Carnival Spectator (uncredited)
San Quentin poster
San Quentin 24th May 1937 as Young Convict in Yard (uncredited)
Dallas poster
Dallas 2nd April 1978 as Tom Owens
Kung Fu poster
Kung Fu 14th October 1972 as Sgt. Bridger
Tarzan poster
Tarzan 8th September 1966 as Spooner
Bonanza poster
Bonanza 12th September 1959 as Charlie Sheppard
Bonanza poster
Bonanza 12th September 1959 as Al Simmons
Bonanza poster
Bonanza 12th September 1959 as Sheriff Claude T. Booker
Bonanza poster
Bonanza 12th September 1959 as Marshal Hollister
Rawhide poster
Rawhide 9th January 1959 as Sheriff McVey
Rawhide poster
Rawhide 9th January 1959 as Lafe Thomas
Lawman poster
Lawman 5th October 1958 as Marshal Tom Haddon
Lawman poster
Lawman 5th October 1958 as Fallon - Bounty Hunter
Lawman poster
Lawman 5th October 1958 as Lal Hoard
The Texan poster
The Texan 29th September 1958 as Marshal Bart Pennock
The Texan poster
The Texan 29th September 1958 as Sheriff Tip Latta
Zorro poster
Zorro 10th October 1957 as Capt. Salvador Mendoza
Maverick poster
Maverick 22nd September 1957 as Diamond Dan Malone
Cheyenne poster
Cheyenne 20th September 1955 as Kelso Prather
Cheyenne poster
Cheyenne 20th September 1955 as Carl Banner
Gunsmoke poster
Gunsmoke 10th September 1955 as Luke Cumberledge
Lassie poster
Lassie 12th September 1954 as Mr. Corey