Robert J. Wilke | WatchedThis

Robert J. Wilke

Robert J. Wilke

Acting

Biography

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. -

Filmography Movies

Acting

Poster for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
MOVIE

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

7.1(1.0K)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
First Mate of the Nautilus
Poster for High Noon
MOVIE

High Noon

7.7(1.6K)
High Noon
Jim Pierce
Poster for Spartacus
MOVIE

Spartacus

7.5(2.4K)
Spartacus
Guard captain
Poster for Flaming Fury
MOVIE

Flaming Fury

7.0(0.0K)
Flaming Fury
Poster for Night Passage
MOVIE

Night Passage

6.5(0.1K)
Night Passage
Concho
Poster for Tony Rome
MOVIE

Tony Rome

6.3(0.1K)
Tony Rome
Ralph Turpin
Poster for The Las Vegas Story
MOVIE

The Las Vegas Story

6.0(0.0K)
The Las Vegas Story
Clayton (as Robert Wilke)
Poster for Hitchhike to Happiness
MOVIE

Hitchhike to Happiness

7.0(0.0K)
Hitchhike to Happiness
Stage Hand (uncredited)
Poster for The Magnificent Stranger
MOVIE

The Magnificent Stranger

7.0(0.0K)
The Magnificent Stranger
Sheriff McVey
Poster for Man of the West
MOVIE

Man of the West

6.6(0.2K)
Man of the West
Ponch

Gallery

Robert J. Wilke portrait
Robert J. Wilke portrait
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