Dale Robertson

Dayle Lymoine Robertson is an American actor best known for his starring roles on television. He played the role of Jim Hardie in the TV series, Tales of Wells Fargo, and the owner of an incomplete railroad line in ABC's The Iron Horse, often appearing as the deceptively thoughtful but modest western hero with a deliberately slow south-western drawl. After a long career that included 63 films, Robertson retired and now lives in Yukon, Oklahoma.

Born in Harrah, Oklahoma in 1923, Robertson worked as a professional boxer briefly before enrolling in Claremore Military Academy in Claremore, Oklahoma. He also served in the military before his professional acting career began. He served in a tank crew and in the combat engineers in North African during World War II and was wounded twice.

Robertson began his acting career by chance during World War II, when he was in the United States Army. Stationed at San Luis Obispo, California, Robertson decided to have a photograph taken for his mother; so he and several other soldiers went to Hollywood to find a photographer. A large copy of his photo was later displayed in the photographer's shop window.

Eventually serving in the South Pacific, Robertson found himself receiving letters from film agents who wished to represent him. After the war, Robertson stayed in California. Hollywood actor Will Rogers, Jr., gave him this advice: "Don't ever take a dramatic lesson. They will try to put your voice in a dinner jacket, and people like their hominy and grits in everyday clothes." Robertson thereafter avoided formal acting lessons.