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. -
Acted in 192
1980s
- 1981
1970s
- 1979
The Sweet Creek County War
Movie
- 1978
Wild and Wooly
Demas Scott
- 1977
- 1975
- 1974
Run, Joe, Run
TV
- 1973
Santee
Deaks (as Robert Wilke)
The Boy Who Cried Werewolf
The Sheriff
- 1972
Kung Fu
Sgt. Bridger · 1 episode
The Rookies
Officer Shaw
- 1971
A Gunfight
Marshal Tom Cater
- 1970
1960s
- 1969
The Desperate Mission
Gant
- 1968
- 1967
Rango
TV
- 1966
The Magnificent Stranger
Sheriff McVey
Smoky
Jeff Nicks
- 1965
- 1964
Fate Is the Hunter
Stillman
Shock Treatment
Technician Mike Newton (as Robert Wilke)
- 1963
The Gun Hawk
Johnny Flanders
- 1962
The Beachcomber
Bill Winters, Jason Despol · 1 episode
- 1961
The Long Rope
Ben Matthews
- 1960
The Slowest Gun in the West
Billy the Kid Blake
1950s
- 1959
Wichita Town
TV
Never Steal Anything Small
Lennie
- 1958
Return to Warbow
Red
- 1957
The Tarnished Angels
Hank
Hot Summer Night
Tom Ellis (as Robert Wilke)
- 1956
Canyon River
Joe Graycoe
The Rawhide Years
Neal (as Robert Wilke)
Raw Edge
Sile Doty
Backlash
Jeff Welker
- 1955
Strange Lady in Town
Karg
Smoke Signal
Daly
- 1954
Two Guns and a Badge
Moore - Outlaw
- 1953
Arrowhead
Sgt. Stone
Cow Country
Sledge
- 1952
The Maverick
Massey
Wyoming Roundup
Wyatt - Henchman
Fargo
Link - Henchman
Cattle Town
Keeno
Road Agent
Slab Babcock
The Las Vegas Story
Clayton (as Robert Wilke)
- 1951
Overland Telegraph
Bellew - Henchman (as Robert Wilke)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Red Fischer, Whitey · 1 episode
Hot Lead
Stoney Dawson
Pistol Harvest
Andy Baylor
Cyclone Fury
Henchman Bunco (as Bob Wilke)
Gunplay
Henchman Winslow
Saddle Legion
Henchman Hooker
- 1950
Frontier Outpost
Krag Benson
Across the Badlands
Duke Jackson / Keno Jackson (as Bob Wilke)
The Desert Hawk
Camel Driver
Outcast of Black Mesa
Curt - Henchman (as Bob Wilke)
1940s
- 1949
The Blonde Bandit
Police Det. Walker
Coyote Canyon
Deputy Sheriff Ed (as Bob Wilkie)
Flaming Fury
Movie
The Wyoming Bandit
Sam
Laramie
Cronin (uncredited)
- 1948
Homicide for Three
Policeman
Daredevils of the Clouds
Joe
Carson City Raiders
Ed Noble
- 1947
The Ghost Goes Wild
Burglar
Blackmail
Policeman
Web of Danger
Station Wagon Driver
Law of the Canyon
Knife-Throwing Henchman (uncredited)
- 1946
White Tie and Tails
Starter (uncredited)
Rendezvous with Annie
MP (uncredited)
Traffic in Crime
Hogan's Driver
Passkey to Danger
Police Sergeant
The Catman of Paris
The Catman (uncredited)
- 1945
Rough Riders of Cheyenne
Smoke - Henchman (as Bob Wilke)
Sunset in El Dorado
Curley Roberts
Bandits of the Badlands
Keller
Hitchhike to Happiness
Stage Hand (uncredited)
Trail of Kit Carson
Dave MacRoy (as Bob Wilke)
Santa Fe Saddlemates
Rawhide
Lone Texas Ranger
Henchman (uncredited)
Corpus Christi Bandits
Henchman Steve
Earl Carroll Vanities
Cab Driver
Sheriff of Cimarron
Henchman Dobie
- 1944
Faces in the Fog
Photographer
Vigilantes of Dodge City
Bill
Sheriff of Sundown
Bradley - Henchman (as Bob Wilke)
Code of the Prairie
Movie
San Antonio Kid
Henchman
Bordertown Trail
Henchman
Call of the Rockies
Deputy Jim
Hidden Valley Outlaws
Rancher (uncredited)
The Fighting Seabees
Arriving Construction Worker (uncredited)
- 1943
Whispering Footsteps
Bank Customer
- 1941
Dick Tracy vs. Crime Inc.
Cutter Helmsman
Sierra Sue
Carnival Spectator (uncredited)
- 1940
Adventures of Red Ryder
Henchman
Grand Ole Opry
Hillbilly (uncredited)
In Old Missouri
Hillbilly
1930s
- 1939
In Old Monterey
Man on Wagon
Daredevils of the Red Circle
G-Man
S.O.S Tidal Wave
Man in TV Studio
- 1938
The Fighting Devil Dogs
Marine in Shanghai (uncredited)
- 1937
San Quentin
Young Convict in Yard (uncredited)
That Man's Here Again
(uncredited)
Appearances1
1980s
- 1987
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Self (archive footage)