Robert J. Wilke


Robert Joseph Wilke was an American film and television actor noted primarily for his roles as villains, mostly in Westerns.

Early years

Wilke was a native of Cincinnati. Before going into acting, he had a variety of jobs, including working in a high-dive act at the Chicago World's Fair in 1933–1934.

Career

Wilke started as a stuntman in the 1930s and his first appearance on screen was in San Francisco. He soon began to acquire regular character parts, mainly as a heavy, and made his mark when, along with Lee Van Cleef and Sheb Wooley, he played one of the "three men waiting at the station" in High Noon.

Westerns

Wilke appeared in many television Westerns, including seven episodes each of NBC's Laramie and CBS's Gunsmoke.
Wilke played a hired gun in The Far Country and continued to work steadily in films and television over the next 20 years. More Western credits followed in Man of the West and numerous lesser-known films.
In 1957 he played the role of the Marshall of a town named Ansara in the Wagon Train episode "The Jud Steele Story".
In 1960 Wilke appeared in The Magnificent Seven as the railroad bully, Wallace, who was quickly killed off by James Coburn. He also appeared in Days of Heaven as the farm foreman.
Wilke guest-starred on many other television Westerns, including Maverick, Tales of Wells Fargo, Have Gun – Will Travel, Bronco, The Westerner, Lawman, Wanted Dead or Alive, Zorro, The Rifleman, and Rango.

Other roles

Outside of Westerns, Wilke appeared in From Here to Eternity and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. In the former film, Wilke's character tells Maggio he has guard duty, which begins a series of events leading to the plot's climax. In the later film, he was cast as the first mate of the Nautilus. It is Wilke who, in the film, warns Captain Nemo that a giant squid is approaching the ship, and who utters the line "We understand, sir, and we're with you", when Nemo announces his final intentions.
His drama/adventure roles included U.S. Marshal, Peter Gunn, Tarzan, Bourbon Street Beat, 77 Sunset Strip, and The Untouchables. In 1953 Wilke, playing a henchman for an East European counterfeiter, shoved John Hamilton and George Reeves into side-by-side steam cabinets, locked them in, turned up the thermostat and left them to bake in "Perry White's Scoop", an episode of the Adventures of Superman.
Wilke played Deputy Sheriff Connors in the 1963 episode "The Case of the Drowsy Mosquito" on CBS' Perry Mason. He portrayed golf professional Danny Donnigan in a 1962 episode, "Robbie the Caddie", on the ABC sitcom My Three Sons. In 1964 Wilke played Tom Carter, the golf instructor of Lucy Carmichael, in The Lucy Show episode "Lucy Takes Up Golf".
Wilke's final film role was Gen. Barnicke in the 1981 comedy Stripes.

Golf

Wilke was an excellent golfer. Author Dan Jenkins, in his book The Dogged Victims of Inexorable Fate, describes a golf match at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles:

Mr. Wilke joined Mr. Jenkins, Vic Damone, James Garner, Jack Ging, Glen Campbell, Donald O'Connor, and Lindsay Crosby in the first and only Sports Illustrated Open Invitation at Riviera. The pro at Riviera at the time, Mac Hunter, is quoted as saying, "Bob Wilke used to be head and shoulders better than any of the actors and personalities. And he's still very good. A solid four handicap, but his putting is deteriorating. Wilke must have won more celebrity tournaments than you can count.

Ging edged out Bob Wilke for the win that day. James Garner also said that Wilke was the best golfer among the showbiz crowd at the Riviera in his book The Garner Files.
In 1966, Wilke was rated the best amateur golfer in Hollywood. In 1960, 1963, and 1964, he won the World Entertainment Championship golf title.

Private life

He married Laura Elizabeth Conroy in 1946, by whom he had one son. After their divorce, he remarried, to Patricia Kesinger in 1973. Wilke died of lung cancer.

Selected filmography

  • San Francisco as Earthquake Survivor
  • King of the Texas Rangers
  • That Man's Here Again as Extra in Park
  • San Quentin as Young Convict in Yard
  • S.O.S. Coast Guard as Seaman
  • Renfrew of the Royal Mounted as Mountie at Picnic
  • International Crime as Bar Patron
  • The Fighting Devil Dogs as Marine in Shanghai
  • Come On, Rangers
  • Woman Doctor as Ambulance Driver
  • Star Reporter as Reporter
  • Street of Missing Men as Henchman
  • Man of Conquest as Texican
  • S.O.S. Tidal Wave as Man in TV Studio
  • Daredevils of the Red Circle as G-Man
  • In Old Monterey as Man on Wagon
  • Jeepers Creepers as Gangster
  • In Old Missouri as Hillbilly
  • Grand Ole Opry as Hillbilly
  • Adventures of Red Ryder as Henchman
  • Hit Parade of 1941
  • Country Fair
  • Power Dive as Barfly
  • Sierra Sue as Carnival Spectator
  • Dick Tracy vs. Crime Inc. as Cutter Helmsman
  • Spy Smasher as Chief Government Agent
  • Bells of Capistrano as Roustabout
  • The Masked Marvel as Rental Garage Thug
  • Overland Mail Robbery as Shack Guard
  • Pistol Packin' Mama as Bodyguard
  • California Joe as Barfly
  • The Fighting Seabees as Arriving Construction Worker
  • Captain America as Thug with B-10
  • Beneath Western Skies as Henchman
  • Hidden Valley Outlaws as Rancher
  • Rosie the Riveter as Furniture Mover
  • Cowboy and the Senorita as Townsman
  • The Tiger Woman as Hill Heavy 1 / Road Heavy
  • The Yellow Rose of Texas as Deputy
  • Marshal of Reno as Deputy
  • Call of the Rockies as Deputy Jim
  • Bordertown Trail as Henchman
  • The San Antonio Kid as Henchman
  • Haunted Harbor as 1st Bartender
  • Stagecoach to Monterey as Barfly
  • Cheyenne Wildcat as Deputy Charlie
  • Code of the Prairie as Office Henchman
  • Sheriff of Sundown as Bradley - Henchman
  • Vigilantes of Dodge City as Henchman
  • Zorro's Black Whip as Bill Slocum
  • Faces in the Fog as Photographer
  • Firebrands of Arizona as 3rd Deputy
  • The Big Bonanza as Rancher
  • Sheriff of Las Vegas as Barfly
  • The Topeka Terror as Lynch-Mob Member
  • Great Stagecoach Robbery as Stage Guard
  • Sheriff of Cimarron as Dobie - Henchman
  • Earl Carroll Vanities as Cab Driver
  • Corpus Christi Bandits as Steve - Henchman
  • Lone Texas Ranger as Henchman
  • Santa Fe Saddlemates as Rawhide
  • Bells of Rosarita as Deputy
  • The Chicago Kid as Detective
  • The Man from Oklahoma as Chauffeur
  • Trail of Kit Carson as Dave MacRoy
  • Hitchhike to Happiness as Stage Hand
  • The Purple Monster Strikes as Dr. Harvey's Assistant
  • Bandits of the Badlands as Keller - Henchman
  • Sunset in El Dorado as Curley Roberts - Henchman
  • Rough Riders of Cheyenne as Smoke - Henchman
  • The Daltons Ride Again as Posseman
  • The Phantom Rider as Indian Rebel 1
  • Roaring Rangers as Outlaw Leader
  • The Catman of Paris as The Catman
  • The Wife of Monte Cristo as Minor Role
  • King of the Forest Rangers as Carleton - Forest Ranger
  • Badman's Territory as Deputy Marshal
  • Passkey to Danger as Police Sergeant
  • Traffic in Crime as Hogan's Driver
  • Rendezvous with Annie as MP
  • Daughter of Don Q as Smith
  • Inner Circle as Cummings - Police Officer
  • White Tie and Tails as Starter
  • The Crimson Ghost as Scott - Armored Car Driver
  • Out California Way as Nate
  • The Pilgrim Lady as Doorman
  • The Michigan Kid as Pool Player
  • The Ghost Goes Wild as Burglar
  • West of Dodge City as Adams - Henchman
  • Twilight on the Rio Grande as Henchman
  • Buck Privates Come Home as GI Buddy
  • Law of the Canyon as Knife-Throwing Henchman
  • The Vigilantes Return as Henchman
  • Web of Danger as Station Wagon Driver
  • Blackmail as Policeman
  • The Black Widow as Cabbie / Jailer
  • Last Days of Boot Hill as Bronc Peters
  • Frontier Outpost
  • Six-Gun Law as Larson - Henchman
  • G-Men Never Forget as Steele - Phony Detective
  • The Wreck of the Hesperus as Milton
  • West of Sonora as Brock - Henchman
  • Dangers of the Canadian Mounted as Cpl. Baxter
  • Carson City Raiders as Ed Noble
  • River Lady as Man
  • Daredevils of the Clouds as Joe
  • A Southern Yankee as Confederate Soldier Ordering Cease Fire
  • Trail to Laredo as Duke - Henchman
  • Desperadoes of Dodge City as Land Agent Runner
  • Sundown in Santa Fe as Henchman
  • Homicide for Three as Policeman
  • Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. as Zod - Pursuit Plane Pilot
  • Ghost of Zorro as Townsman
  • Death Valley Gunfighter as Henchman
  • Laramie as Cronin
  • The Wyoming Bandit as Sam - Henchman
  • Flaming Fury as Patrolman
  • The James Brothers of Missouri as Townsman
  • Post Office Investigator as Policeman
  • The Traveling Saleswoman as Loser
  • The Blonde Bandit as Det. Walker
  • Mule Train as Bradshaw - Henchman
  • The Kid from Texas as Henchman
  • Twilight in the Sierras as Bus Driver
  • Outcast of Black Mesa as Curt - Henchman
  • Kill the Umpire as Cactus
  • Beyond the Purple Hills as Jim Conners - Henchman
  • The Desert Hawk as Camel Driver
  • Across the Badlands as Duke Jackson / Keno Jackson
  • Frontier Outpost as Krag Benson
  • Vengeance Valley as Cowhand
  • Saddle Legion as Hooker - Henchman
  • GunPlay as Henchman Winslow
  • No Questions Asked as Police Sergeant
  • Best of the Badmen as Jim Younger
  • Cyclone Fury as Bunco - Henchman
  • Pistol Harvest as Andy Baylor
  • Hot Lead as Stoney Dawson
  • Overland Telegraph as Bellew - Henchman
  • Indian Uprising as Taggart Man
  • The Las Vegas Story as Clayton
  • Road Agent as Slab Babcock
  • Laramie Mountains as Henry Mandel
  • Carbine Williams as Guard on Train
  • High Noon as Jim Pierce
  • Hellgate as Sgt. Maj. Kearn
  • Cattle Town as Keeno
  • Fargo as Link - Henchman
  • Wyoming Roundup as Wyatt - Henchman
  • The Maverick as Massey
  • Cow Country as Sledge
  • Powder River as Will Horn
  • Arrowhead as Sgt. Stone
  • From Here to Eternity as Sgt. Henderson
  • War Paint as Trooper Grady
  • The Lone Gun as Hort Moran
  • Two Guns and a Badge as Moore - Outlaw
  • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as First Mate of the Nautilus
  • Death Valley Days
  • The Far Country as Madden
  • Smoke Signal as 1st Sgt. Daly
  • Strange Lady in Town as Karg
  • Shotgun as Bentley
  • Son of Sinbad as Musa
  • Wichita as Ben Thompson
  • Tarantula as Ranch Hand
  • The Lone Ranger as Cassidy
  • Backlash as Jeff Welker
  • Raw Edge as Sile Doty
  • The Rawhide Years as Neal
  • Canyon River as Joe Graycoe
  • The Vagabond King as Officer of the Day
  • Gun the Man Down as Matt Rankin
  • Cheyenne 'Mustang Trail' as Jed Begert
  • Written on the Wind as Dan Willis
  • Hot Summer Night as Tom Ellis
  • Night Passage as Concho
  • The Tarnished Angels as Hank
  • Return to Warbow as Red
  • Colgate Theatre S1 E2 "The Last Marshal"
  • Man of the West as Ponch
  • Never Steal Anything Small as Lennie
  • Wanted Dead or Alive S2 E13 "No Trail Back" as Ben Hooker
  • Spartacus as Guard Captain
  • The Magnificent Seven as Wallace
  • Blueprint for Robbery as Capt. Swanson
  • The Long Rope as Ben Matthews
  • Rawhide – Sheriff McVey in S3:E25, "Incident of the Running Man"
  • Death Valley Days 'Susie' as Sergeant Brill
  • Have Gun Will Travel.
  • The Gun Hawk as Johnny Flanders
  • Shock Treatment as Technician Mike Newton
  • Fate Is the Hunter as Stillman
  • Death Valley Days 'The Journey' as Sergeant Wilks
  • The Hallelujah Trail as Chief Five Barrels
  • Daniel Boone as Toff - S1/E18 "The Sound of Fear"
  • Morituri as Cmdr. Kelling
  • Smoky as Jeff Nicks
  • Tony Rome as Ralph Turpin
  • The Cheyenne Social Club as Corey Bannister
  • A Gunfight as Marshal Tom Cater
  • The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler as Hugh Fielding
  • The Boy Who Cried Werewolf as The Sheriff
  • Santee as Deaks
  • Days of Heaven as The Farm Foreman
  • The Sweet Creek County War as Lucas Derring
  • The Great Monkey Rip-Off as Zaerbo
  • Dallas 'The Dove Hunt' as Tom Owens
  • Stripes as Gen. Barnicke