Robert J. Wilke

Biography

Robert J. Wilke was an American film and television actor known for playing villains, especially in Westerns. Born in Cincinnati, he began as a stuntman in the 1930s and first appeared on screen in San Francisco (1936). He moved into character parts, often as a heavy, and drew notice as one of the three men in the station scene in High Noon (1952). Westerns followed, including The Far Country (1954), Man of the West (1958), and The Magnificent Seven (1960), where he played the railroad bully Wallace. He also appeared in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and Days of Heaven (1978). On television he worked on Westerns such as Laramie and Gunsmoke, and on Perry Mason, My Three Sons, and The Lucy Show. His last film role was in Stripes (1981).

74years old at death

Born May 18, 1914Cincinnati
Died March 28, 1989Los Angeles
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
Also credited as Robert Wilke, Bob Wilkie and Robert Joseph Wilke

Movie Career

Films: 29
Career span: 27 years1951 to 1978

Genres

Western62%, 18 films
Drama45%, 13 films
Adventure17%, 5 films
Mystery17%, 5 films
Romance14%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Wilke began his career as a stuntman during the 1930s, and he made his first screen appearance in the 1936 film San Francisco.
A first
Robert J. Wilke's final film role was as Gen. Barnicke in the 1981 comedy Stripes, which was the last part he played in a movie.

Robert J. Wilke movies on Netflix

Days of Heaven1978IMDb rating 7.7as The Farm Foreman
Santee1973IMDb rating 5.8as Deaks(Robert Wilke)
The Boy Who Cried Werewolf1973IMDb rating 5.1as The Sheriff
A Gunfight1971IMDb rating 6.3as Marshal Tom Cater
The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler1971IMDb rating 5.4as Hugh Fielding
They Call It Murder1971IMDb rating 5.6as Sheriff Rex Brandon
The Cheyenne Social Club1970IMDb rating 6.8as Corey Bannister
The Desperate Mission1969IMDb rating 6.1as Gant(Robert Wilke)
Tony Rome1967IMDb rating 6.5as Ralph Turpin
The Hallelujah Trail1965IMDb rating 6.4as Chief Five Barrels
Fate Is the Hunter1964IMDb rating 6.8as Stillman
The Gun Hawk1963IMDb rating 5.9as Johnny Flanders
The Magnificent Seven1960IMDb rating 7.7as Wallace
Man of the West1958IMDb rating 7.0as Ponch
Night Passage1957IMDb rating 6.6as Concho
The Tarnished Angels1957IMDb rating 7.1as Hank
Backlash1956IMDb rating 6.6as Jeff Welker
The Lone Ranger1956IMDb rating 6.5as Cassidy
Written on the Wind1956IMDb rating 7.3as Dan Willis
Shotgun1955IMDb rating 6.0as Bentley
Strange Lady in Town1955IMDb rating 6.1as Karg
Wichita1955IMDb rating 6.9as Ben Thompson
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea1954IMDb rating 7.2as First Mate of the Nautilus
The Far Country1954IMDb rating 7.1as Madden
Arrowhead1953IMDb rating 5.9as Sgt. Stone
War Paint1953IMDb rating 5.8as Trooper Grady(Robert Wilke)
High Noon1952IMDb rating 7.9as Jim Pierce
The Las Vegas Story1952IMDb rating 6.4as Clayton
Vengeance Valley1951IMDb rating 5.9as Cowhand

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Days of Heaven1978 Drama, Romanceas The Farm Foreman
IMDb rating 7.770K votes
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea1954 Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fias First Mate of the Nautilus
IMDb rating 7.240K votes
High Noon1952as Jim Pierce
IMDb rating 7.9117K votes
Written on the Wind1956as Dan Willis
IMDb rating 7.315K votes
Man of the West1958as Ponch
IMDb rating 7.011K votes
Tony Rome1967as Ralph Turpin
IMDb rating 6.53.7K votes
The Far Country1954as Madden
IMDb rating 7.19.7K votes
The Boy Who Cried Werewolf1973as The Sheriff
IMDb rating 5.1915 votes

Most often with

John Sturges directed three of these films, Anthony Mann two and Douglas Sirk two. Eight actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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James Stewart

Jack Elam

Harry Morgan

Jay C. Flippen

Frank DeKova

Robert Stack

John SturgesDirector, 3 films Anthony MannDirector, 2 films

Douglas SirkDirector, 2 films

Films together

James Stewart3 films together, 1954 to 1970
James Stewart's page
- The Cheyenne Social Club1970IMDb rating 6.8Wilke as Corey BannisterStewart as John O'Hanlan
- Night Passage1957IMDb rating 6.6Wilke as ConchoStewart as Grant McLaine
- The Far Country1954IMDb rating 7.1Wilke as MaddenStewart as Jeff Webster
Jack Elam3 films together, 1954 to 1957
Jack Elam's page
- Night Passage1957IMDb rating 6.6Wilke as ConchoElam as Shotgun
- Wichita1955IMDb rating 6.9Wilke as Ben ThompsonElam as Al
- The Far Country1954IMDb rating 7.1Wilke as MaddenElam as Frank Newberry
Harry Morgan3 films together, 1952 to 1956
Harry Morgan's page
- Backlash1956IMDb rating 6.6Wilke as Jeff WelkerMorgan as Tony Welker
- The Far Country1954IMDb rating 7.1Wilke as MaddenMorgan as Ketchum
- High Noon1952IMDb rating 7.9Wilke as Jim PierceMorgan as Sam Fuller
Jay C. Flippen3 films together, 1952 to 1957
Jay C. Flippen's page
- Night Passage1957IMDb rating 6.6Wilke as ConchoFlippen as Ben Kimball
- The Far Country1954IMDb rating 7.1Wilke as MaddenFlippen as Rube
- The Las Vegas Story1952IMDb rating 6.4Wilke as ClaytonFlippen as Capt. H.A. Harris
Frank DeKova3 films together, 1953 to 1956
Frank DeKova's page
- The Lone Ranger1956IMDb rating 6.5Wilke as CassidyDeKova as Chief Red Hawk
- Strange Lady in Town1955IMDb rating 6.1Wilke as KargDeKova as Anse Hatlo
- Arrowhead1953IMDb rating 5.9Wilke as Sgt. StoneDeKova as Chief Chattez
Robert Stack3 films together, 1953 to 1957
Robert Stack's page
- The Tarnished Angels1957IMDb rating 7.1Wilke as HankStack as Roger Shumann
- Written on the Wind1956IMDb rating 7.3Wilke as Dan WillisStack as Kyle Hadley
- War Paint1953IMDb rating 5.8Wilke as Trooper Grady(Robert Wilke)Stack as Lt. Billings
John SturgesDirector, 3 films, 1956 to 1965
All films by John Sturges
- The Hallelujah Trail1965IMDb rating 6.4Wilke as Chief Five Barrels
- The Magnificent Seven1960IMDb rating 7.7Wilke as Wallace
- Backlash1956IMDb rating 6.6Wilke as Jeff Welker
Anthony MannDirector, 2 films, 1954 to 1958
All films by Anthony Mann
- Man of the West1958IMDb rating 7.0Wilke as Ponch
- The Far Country1954IMDb rating 7.1Wilke as Madden
Douglas SirkDirector, 2 films, 1956 to 1957
All films by Douglas Sirk
- The Tarnished Angels1957IMDb rating 7.1Wilke as Hank
- Written on the Wind1956IMDb rating 7.3Wilke as Dan Willis
Also three films together2 more actors
- Gregg BartonThe Gun Hawk (1963), Backlash (1956) and The Far Country (1954)
- John PickardThe Lone Ranger (1956), Shotgun (1955) and Arrowhead (1953)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Robert J. Wilke's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$69.2 million

7 of the 29 films have a worldwide figure.

7Worldwide figure
5US gross only
2Never in cinemas
15Figure not found

Top grosser

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea1954First Mate of the Nautilus$28.2 million

Highest grossing

The seven biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea1954as First Mate of the Nautilus
$28M40.8% of the total
2
The Magnificent Seven1960as Wallace
$20M28.2% of the total
3
High Noon1952as Jim Pierce
$8.0M11.6% of the total
4
Written on the Wind1956as Dan Willis
$4.3M6.2% of the total
5
The Hallelujah Trail1965as Chief Five Barrels
$4.0M5.8% of the total
6
Days of Heaven1978as The Farm Foreman
$3.7M5.3% of the total
7
The Tarnished Angels1957as Hank
$1.5M2.2% of the total