Robert J. Wilke
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. -
Known for
Acting194
movieJames Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987
Self (archive footage)
movieStripes
1981
Gen. Barnicke
movieDays of Heaven
1978
The Farm Foreman
tvDallas
1978
Tom Owens
movieWild and Wooly
1978
Demas Scott
tvHow the West Was Won
1977
Appleton
tvStarsky & Hutch
1975
Mac Johnson
movieSantee
1973
Deaks (as Robert Wilke)
movieThe Boy Who Cried Werewolf
1973
The Sheriff
tvKung Fu
1972
Sgt. Bridger
movieThe Rookies
1972
Officer Shaw
movieThey Call It Murder
1971
Sheriff Rex Brandon
movieThe Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler
1971
Hugh Fielding
movieA Gunfight
1971
Marshal Tom Cater
movieThe Cheyenne Social Club
1970
Corey Bannister
movieTony Rome
1967
Ralph Turpin
tvThe Guns of Will Sonnett
1967
Sheriff Dan Butler / Tom Judd
tvCimarron Strip
1967
Hardy Miller
tvTarzan
1966
Spooner
movieThe Magnificent Stranger
1966
Sheriff McVey
movieSmoky
1966
Jeff Nicks
tvThe Wild Wild West
1965
Maj. Gen. Titus Ord Baldwin
tvThe Legend of Jesse James
1965
Marshal Sam Corbett
movieThe Hallelujah Trail
1965
Chief Five Barrels
movieFate Is the Hunter
1964
Stillman
tvDaniel Boone
1964
Toff / Jake Manning / Fryman
movieShock Treatment
1964
Technician Mike Newton (as Robert Wilke)
tvThe Fugitive
1963
Johnny
movieThe Gun Hawk
1963
Johnny Flanders
tvThe Lucy Show
1962
Tom Carter
tvThe Virginian
1962
Conrad / Colton
tvSam Benedict
1962
Lt. Mike Radich
The Beachcomber
1962
Bill Winters / Jason Despol
movieThe Long Rope
1961
Ben Matthews
movieSpartacus
1960
Guard captain
tvStagecoach West
1960
Taylor Norman
tvThe Westerner
1960
Murdo
tvMy Three Sons
1960
Danny Donnigan
tvThe Tall Man
1960
Marshal Ben Hartley
movieThe Slowest Gun in the West
1960
Billy the Kid Blake
tvThe Untouchables
1959
George 'Bugs' Moran / Dutch Schultz
tvThe Third Man
1959
Vince Gabriel
tvLaw of the Plainsman
1959
Amos Cameron
tvRiverboat
1959
Bolesy / Red Dog Hanlon
tvBonanza
1959
Charlie Sheppard / Al Simmons / Sheriff Claude T. Booker / Brazos / Marshal Hollister
tvThe Deputy
1959
Ace Gentry
tvRawhide
1959
Sheriff McVey / Tom Galt / Lafe Thomas
tv77 Sunset Strip
1958
Vern Reece
tvBat Masterson
1958
Bull Kirby / Rod Clements
tvLawman
1958
Marshal Tom Haddon / Fallon - Bounty Hunter / Lal Hoard
tvThe Rifleman
1958
Flory Sheltin / Ward Haskins
tvThe Texan
1958
Marshal Bart Pennock / Sheriff Tip Latta / Pete Torrey / Asa Kirby
tvWanted: Dead or Alive
1958
Virgil / Ben Hooker / Jack Radovitch
tvTombstone Territory
1957
Burt Foster / Jess Caulfield
tvZorro
1957
Capt. Salvador Mendoza
tvMaverick
1957
McCabe / Diamond Dan Malone
tvPerry Mason
1957
Deputy Sheriff Connors
tvWagon Train
1957
Sgt. Wick / Wesley Thomas / Col. Thomas Stone / Jabez Moore
tvHave Gun, Will Travel
1957
Will Tybee / Casey Bryan / Walt DeVries / Trail Boss Rook / Maj. Blake
movieNight Passage
1957
Concho
movieHot Summer Night
1957
Tom Ellis (as Robert Wilke)
movieGun the Man Down
1956
Matt Rankin
movieWritten on the Wind
1956
Dan Willis
movieCanyon River
1956
Joe Graycoe
movieThe Rawhide Years
1956
Neal (as Robert Wilke)
movieRaw Edge
1956
Sile Doty
movieBacklash
1956
Jeff Welker
movieThe Lone Ranger
1956
Cassidy
tvCheyenne
1955
Bob Manson / Jed Begert / Kelso Prather / Ben Creed / Carl Banner
tvGunsmoke
1955
Hickock / Tom / Pegger / Pitt / Ab Rankin / Kelby / Luke Cumberledge
movieWichita
1955
Ben Thompson
movieShotgun
1955
Bentley (as Robert Wilke)
movie20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
1954
First Mate of the Nautilus
tvThe Wonderful World of Disney
1954
Jed - Outlaw / Ben Tilton
tvLassie
1954
Mr. Corey
movieTwo Guns and a Badge
1954
Moore - Outlaw
movieThe Lone Gun
1954
Hort Moran (as Robert Wilke)
movieThe Far Country
1954
Madden
movieWar Paint
1953
Trooper Grady
movieFrom Here to Eternity
1953
Sgt. Henderson (uncredited)
movieArrowhead
1953
Sgt. Stone
movieCow Country
1953
Sledge
movieThe Maverick
1952
Massey
tvThe Abbott and Costello Show
1952
Mike Brodie
movieWyoming Roundup
1952
Wyatt - Henchman
tvFour Star Playhouse
1952
George / Ben Crane
tvAdventures of Superman
1952
Bingham
movieFargo
1952
Link - Henchman
movieCattle Town
1952
Keeno
movieHellgate
1952
Sgt. Maj. Kearn
movieHigh Noon
1952
Jim Pierce
movieRoad Agent
1952
Slab Babcock
movieThe Las Vegas Story
1952
Clayton (as Robert Wilke)
movieOverland Telegraph
1951
Bellew - Henchman (as Robert Wilke)
tvSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
Red Fischer / Whitey
movieHot Lead
1951
Stoney Dawson
tvBoston Blackie
1951
Edgar
moviePistol Harvest
1951
Andy Baylor
movieCyclone Fury
1951
Henchman Bunco (as Bob Wilke)
movieBest of the Badmen
1951
Jim Younger
movieGunplay
1951
Henchman Winslow
movieSaddle Legion
1951
Henchman Hooker
movieVengeance Valley
1951
Cowhand (uncredited)
movieFrontier Outpost
1950
Krag Benson
movieAcross the Badlands
1950
Duke Jackson / Keno Jackson (as Bob Wilke)
The Cisco Kid
1950
Henchman Vic / Judd Storme / Barney
movieThe Desert Hawk
1950
Camel Driver
tvThe Gene Autry Show
1950
Henchman Cody / Charlie Bolton / Monte - Henchman / Henchman in Plaid Shirt
movieOutcasts of Black Mesa
1950
Curt - Henchman (as Bob Wilke)
movieMule Train
1950
Bradshaw - Henchman (uncredited)
movieThe Blonde Bandit
1949
Police Det. Walker
movieCoyote Canyon
1949
Deputy Sheriff Ed (as Bob Wilkie)
tvThe Lone Ranger
1949
Henchman (uncredited)
movieLaramie
1949
Cronin (uncredited)
movieHomicide for Three
1948
Policeman
movieCarson City Raiders
1948
Ed Noble
movieThe Ghost Goes Wild
1947
Burglar
movieBlackmail
1947
Policeman
movieWeb of Danger
1947
Station Wagon Driver
movieLaw of the Canyon
1947
Knife-Throwing Henchman (uncredited)
movieBuck Privates Come Home
1947
GI Buddy (uncredited)
movieWhite Tie and Tails
1946
Starter (uncredited)
movieThe Inner Circle
1946
Police Officer Cummings (as Bob Wilke)
movieRendezvous with Annie
1946
MP (uncredited)
movieTraffic in Crime
1946
Hogan's Driver
moviePasskey to Danger
1946
Police Sergeant
movieBadman's Territory
1946
Deputy Marshal (uncredited)
movieThe Catman of Paris
1946
The Catman (uncredited)
movieRough Riders of Cheyenne
1945
Smoke - Henchman (as Bob Wilke)
movieSunset in El Dorado
1945
Curley Roberts
movieHitchhike to Happiness
1945
Stage Hand (uncredited)
movieTrail of Kit Carson
1945
Dave MacRoy (as Bob Wilke)
movieLone Texas Ranger
1945
Henchman (uncredited)
movieCorpus Christi Bandits
1945
Henchman Steve
movieEarl Carroll Vanities
1945
Cab Driver
movieSheriff of Cimarron
1945
Henchman Dobie
movieFaces in the Fog
1944
Photographer
movieSheriff of Sundown
1944
Bradley - Henchman (as Bob Wilke)
movieSan Antonio Kid
1944
Henchman
movieBordertown Trail
1944
Henchman
movieCall of the Rockies
1944
Deputy Jim
movieCowboy and the Senorita
1944
Townsman (uncredited)
movieHidden Valley Outlaws
1944
Rancher (uncredited)
movieThe Fighting Seabees
1944
Arriving Construction Worker (uncredited)
movieWhispering Footsteps
1943
Bank Customer
movieDick Tracy vs. Crime Inc.
1941
Cutter Helmsman
movieSierra Sue
1941
Carnival Spectator (uncredited)
movieAdventures of Red Ryder
1940
Henchman
movieGrand Ole Opry
1940
Hillbilly (uncredited)
movieIn Old Missouri
1940
Hillbilly
movieIn Old Monterey
1939
Man on Wagon
movieS.O.S Tidal Wave
1939
Man in TV Studio
movieStar Reporter
1939
Reporter
movieThe Fighting Devil Dogs
1938
Marine in Shanghai (uncredited)
movieSan Quentin
1937
Young Convict in Yard (uncredited)
movieThat Man's Here Again
1937
(uncredited)