Actor Dale Robertson Dies

Hollywood Western star Dale Robertson died February 27 at the Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego, California at the age of 89 die to complications of lung cancer and pneumonia.

He was born Dayle Lymoine Roberston in Harrah, Okalahoma on July 14, 1923. He was an accomplished horseman by the time he was 10 years old and was training ponies shortly threafter.

He began attending Oklahoma Military College at age 17 and started boxing for extra money. He joined the Army during World War II where he fought as a member of a tank crew and later combat engineers in Northern Africa and Europe. He was wounded twice and later earned the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Silver Star.

While he was best known for his roles in “Iron Horse” and “Tales of Wells Fargo” - a show he created -, Robertson appeared in nearly 500 roles of combined films and episodes including his 1948 debut an uncredited role in “The Boy with Green Hair”, his first credited role in 1949 as Jesse James in “Fighting Man of the Plains”, Sam Crockett in “Return of the Texan”, “Sitting Bull”, “Climax”, 200 episodes of “Tales of Wells Fargo”, 47 episodes of “Iron Horse”, “Death Valley Days”, “Fantasy Island”, “The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang”, “Love Boat”, 13 episodes of “Dynasty”, five episodes of the original “Dallas”, 16 episodes of “J J Starbuck”, “Murder: She Wrote”, and his final role as Zeke in “Harts of the West”.

As an actor Robertson performed his own stunts. He has earned a Golden Boot Award, is a member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Great Western Performers Hall of Fame.

After retiring from acting – Robertson called it being a personality with a distinctive style – he fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning a ranch in Oklahoma.

He is survived by his fourth wife Susan, children – Rochelle and Rebel Lee, a granddaughter, and neice Nancy Robertson.