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Dale Robertson

Dale Robertson

Actor · Died February 27, 2013, aged 89 · Harrah, Oklahoma USA

Dayle Lymoine Robertson was an American actor best known for his starring roles on television. He played the roving investigator Jim Hardie in the long-running NBC/ABC hit television series Tales of Wells Fargo, and Ben Calhoun, the owner of an incomplete railroad line in ABC's The Iron Horse. He was often presented as a deceptively thoughtful but modest Western hero. From 1968 to 1970, Robertson was the fourth and final host of the syndicated Death Valley Days anthology series. For most of his career, Robertson played in western films and television shows—well over sixty titles in all. His best-remembered series, Tales of Wells Fargo aired on NBC from 1957 to 1961, when it moved to ABC and expanded to an hour-long program for its final season in 1961-1962. The show was originally produced by Nat Holt whom Robertson felt he owed his career to for giving him his first leading roles.[10] Robertson also did the narration for Tales of Wells Fargo through which he often presented his own commentary on matters of law, morality, and common sense. He was unique among his television contemporaries, stating that he hated the gun he was forced to carry, but saw it as a necessary evil, a "tool of the trade", and kept practicing.[citation needed] In its March 30, 1959, cover story on television westerns, Time reported Robertson was 6 feet tall, weighed 180 pounds, and measured 42-34-34. He sometimes made use of his physique in "beefcake" scenes, such as one in 1952's Return of the Texan where he is seen bare-chested and sweaty, repairing a fence. In 1960, Robertson guest-starred as himself in NBC's The Ford Show, starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.[12] In 1962, he similarly appeared on a short-lived western comedy and variety series, ABC's The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show. In 1963, after Tales of Wells Fargo ended its five-year run, he played the lead role in the first of A.C. Lyles' second feature westerns, Law of the Lawless.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 14, 1923
Died
February 27, 2013 (aged 89)
From
Harrah, Oklahoma USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 56 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 1% in 30 days

What are Dale Robertson's films like?

Across their 20 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 20th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
47%
Bonds
22%
Society
9%
Survival
8%
Power
8%
Self
6%
Justice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 12 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 11 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 10 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

17 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 15 of 17 analyzed roles.

Hero
15 of 17
Mentor
1 of 17
Shadow
1 of 17
Show the 17 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Thrilling
8
Warm
3
Hopeful
4
Melancholic
4
Other
14

How their films linger

Rousing8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet9

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Dale Robertson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Dale Robertson's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

56 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 12 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story(2000)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Harts of the West(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Legends of the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Maj. Robert Parrish in 'Sitting Bull' (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • J.J. Starbuck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 18 episodes · as J.J. Starbuck

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lee Goddard (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Dynasty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 15 episodes · as Walter Lankershim

  • The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang(1979)

    as Judge Isaac Parker

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Dallas(1978)

    Show 5 episodes · as Frank Crutcher

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Mason Fleers

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • The Kansas City Massacre(1975)

    as Melvin Purvis

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Melvin Purvis G-MAN(1974)

    as Melvin Purvis

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • East Connection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • The Walking Major (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Major Clark J. Allen

  • The Iron Horse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 47 episodes · as Ben Calhoun

  • Scalplock(1966)

    as Benjamin Calhoun

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The One Eyed Soldiers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Richard Owen

  • The Man from Button Willow(1965)

    Presenter · as Justin Eagle (voice)

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Coast of Skeletons(1965)

    as A.J. Magnus

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Blood on the Arrow(1964)

    as Wade Cooper

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Law of the Lawless(1964)

    as Judge Clem Rogers

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Gunfight at Black Horse Canyon(1961)

    as Jim Hardie

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Fast and Sexy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Raffaele

  • Hell Canyon Outlaws (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Sheriff Caleb Wells

  • Tales of Wells Fargo(1957)

    Show 201 episodes · as Jim Hardie

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • The High Terrace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Bill Lang

  • Dakota Incident(1956)

    as John Banner

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • A Day of Fury(1956)

    as Jagade

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The 20th Century Fox Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Lt. Clay Tucker

  • Son of Sinbad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Sinbad

  • Top of the World(1955)

    as Lee Gannon

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Climax! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Nicky Jordan

  • Sitting Bull(1954)

    as Bob Parrish

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Studio 57 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Gambler from Natchez(1954)

    as Vance Colby

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • City of Bad Men(1953)

    as Brett Stanton

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Devil's Canyon(1953)

    as Billy Reynolds

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Farmer Takes a Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Dan Harrow

  • The Silver Whip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Race Crim

  • The Outcasts of Poker Flat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as John Oakhurst

  • The Ford Television Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Donny Weaver

  • O. Henry's Full House(1952)

    as Barney Woods (segment "The Clarion Call")

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Lure of the Wilderness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Opening off-screen Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

  • Lydia Bailey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Albion Hamlin

  • Return of the Texan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Sam Crockett

  • Golden Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Tom Richmond

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim Hardie

  • The Red Skelton Hour(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Robinson Crusoe

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • The Secret of Convict Lake(1951)

    as Narrator (Voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Take Care of My Little Girl(1951)

    as Joe Blake

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Call Me Mister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Capt. Johnny Comstock

  • Two Flags West(1950)

    as Lem

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Cariboo Trail(1950)

    as Will Gray

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Fighting Man of the Plains(1949)

    as Jesse James

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Flamingo Road(1949)

    as Tunis Simms (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Boy with Green Hair(1948)

    as Policeman (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Living Swamp (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Narrator

Career shape

Star power in the 86th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 56 titles, 55 of them dated from 1948 to 2000.

Highest rated

Tales of Wells Fargo (1957)

Midcredits 86th

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting56 of 56: 55 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score46thOther crew1 of 56: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1940s3 · acting1950s31 · acting1960s8 · 8 acting · 1 crew1970s7 · acting1980s3 · acting1990s2 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 17% of 6 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Dale Robertson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 42nd percentile, the median of all 25; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 40th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

31stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story (2000)

99th percentile spread · 34% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Tales of Wells Fargo (1957)

Midcredits 86th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 59/100 in their films, across 19 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Dale Robertson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Dale Robertson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Dan Curtis shares the most, 2.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers