Dayle Lymoine Robertson (July 14, 1923 – February 27, 2013) was an American actor best known for his starring roles on television. He played the roving investigator Jim Hardie in the television series Tales of Wells Fargo and railroad owner Ben Calhoun in Iron Horse. He often was presented as a deceptively thoughtful but modest Western hero. From 1968 to 1970, Robertson was the fourth and final host of the anthology series Death Valley Days. Described by Time magazine in 1959 as "probably the best horseman on television", for most of his career, Robertson played in Western films and television shows—well over 60 titles in all.
Early life
Born in 1923 to Melvin and Vervel Robertson in Harrah, Oklahoma, Robertson fought as a professional boxer while enrolled in the Oklahoma Military Academy in Claremore.
During this time Columbia Pictures offered to test Robertson for the lead in their film version of Golden Boy, but Robertson turned down the trip to Hollywood for a screen test. He did not want to leave the ponies he was training, nor his home, and the role went to William Holden.
World War II
During World War II, he was commissioned through Officer Candidate School, and served in the U.S. Army's 322nd Combat Engineer Battalion of the 97th Infantry Division in Europe. He was wounded twice and was awarded the Bronze and Silver Star medals.
Early roles
Robertson began his acting career by chance when he was in the army. When he was stationed at San Luis Obispo, California, Robertson's mother asked him to have a portrait taken for her because she did not have one; so he and several other soldiers went to Hollywood to find a photographer. A large copy of his photo was displayed in his mother's living room window. He found himself receiving letters from film agents who wished to represent him. After the war, Robertson's war wounds prevented him from resuming his boxing career. He stayed in California to try his hand at acting. 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.
Robertson made his film debut in an uncredited role as a policeman in The Boy with Green Hair (1948). Two other uncredited appearances led to featured roles in two Randolph Scott Westerns: Fighting Man of the Plains (1949), where he played Jesse James, and The Cariboo Trail (1950).
Popular acclaim to Robertson's brief roles led him to be signed to a seven-year contract to 20th Century Fox. Robertson's first role for Fox was a support part in a Western, Two Flags West (1951). He had a support part in the musical Call Me Mister (1951). He soon advanced to leading roles in films such as Take Care of My Little Girl (1951), where he played Jeanne Crain's love interest, and Golden Girl (1951), where he supported Mitzi Gaynor.
Stardom
Fox gave Robertson top billing in Return of the Texan (1952). He appeared opposite Anne Baxter in The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1952), and starred in the historical adventure Lydia Bailey (1952).
Robertson was never very cooperative with the press, even shunning the powerful columnist Louella Parsons. As a result, he won the press' Sour Apple Award for three years running. But then, commented Robertson, "that dang Sinatra had to hit some photographer in the nose and stop me from getting my fourth."
He was one of several Fox names in O. Henry's Full House (1952) and was Betty Grable's love interest in The Farmer Takes a Wife (1953).
RKO borrowed him for Devil's Canyon (1953) with Virginia Mayo and Son of Sinbad, filmed in 1953 but not released for two more years.
He returned to Fox for City of Bad Men (1953) with Crain; The Silver Whip (1954) with Rory Calhoun and Robert Wagner; and The Gambler from Natchez (1954) with Debra Paget.
Television
Tales of Wells Fargo, his best-remembered series, aired on NBC from 1957 to 1962. Weekly B & W episodes were 30 minutes in length from 1957-1961. The program expanded to an hour and switched to color for its final season in 1961-1962. The show originally was produced by Nat Holt whom Robertson felt he owed his career to for giving him his first leading roles. Robertson used his own horse, Jubilee, throughout the run of the series.
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.
In its cover story on television Westerns, published March 30, 1959, 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. In 1962, he similarly appeared and sang a perfect rendition of "High Noon" on the short-lived Western comedy and variety series The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show.
Death
In his later years, Robertson and his wife, Susan Robbins, who married in 1980, lived on his ranch in Yukon, Oklahoma, where it was reported he owned 235 horses at one time, with five mares foaling grand champions. Due to his declining health, he relocated to the San Diego area in what would be his final months, passing away at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California, on February 27, 2013, from lung cancer and pneumonia.
If you want to read more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Robertson
- SERVES
- 6
- COOK TIME
- 20 Min
Our Taco Potato Salad is a new take on an old-summer classic. It's got a Tex-Mex twist, with all your favorite taco tastes, like black olives and tortilla chips! The editors at the Test Kitchen loved this, and we bet your family will too! So the next time you're grillin' up burgers or hot dogs, change it up with our scrumptious potato salad recipe!
- 3 pounds white potatoes
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 (1.25-ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions
- 1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
- 2 cups coarsely crushed ranch-flavored tortilla chips
- Place potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise and taco seasoning; mix well.
- Cut potatoes into ½-inch chunks and place in a large bowl. Add mayonnaise mixture and remaining ingredients to potatoes and mix until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
And births this date include....
1928 – Roddy McDowall, English actor (d. 1998)
1931 – Anne Bancroft, American actress (d. 2005)
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on September 17th commemorates the adoption of the Constitution of the United States and those who have become United States citizens. On this day, members of the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787.
Constitutional Convention
While many contributed to crafting the document known today as the U.S. Constitution, James Madison wrote the draft forming the basis for the Constitution. Those who participated in its development gathered in Independence Hall in Philadelphia that sultry summer of 1787. George Washington presided over the Convention. But many “Founding Fathers” attended to other diplomatic duties, unable to participate. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, served overseas on behalf of his country. John Adams also served abroad. However, Patrick Henry refused to attend due to principle and preferring the Articles of Confederation. Others eventually swayed Henry when convention leaders added a Bill of Rights.
The convention lasted from May 25 to September 17, 1787. During that time, the 55 delegates debated the duties of the government, checks, and balances, and the rights and freedoms of the people. They divided the government into three branches: the legislative branch to make the laws; the executive to execute the laws, and the judicial to interpret the laws.
The delegates suffered through rough weather, heat, and illness. Despite the conditions, the formed a Bill of Rights enumerating the rights and freedoms of the people.
Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and George Washington all signed the Constitution.
On December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution. So the process began, obtaining each state’s approval. Rhode Island didn’t send any delegates to the Constitutional Convention. Their headstrong character did not appreciate a powerful government and held tight to their independence as long as they could. As a result, they were the last state to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790.
Citizenship
The 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution defines citizenship as “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” On July 28, 1868, Secretary of State William Seward proclaimed the amendment ratified.
While the 14th Amendment was the first step in a long line of amendments defining citizens and their rights, it took decades to enforce some of those rights.
For example, one of a citizen’s most valued powers is the power to vote. The 15th and 19th Amendments define those rights for blacks and women. However, it wasn’t until 1924 that all Native Americans were granted citizenship. Through the Indian Citizenship Act, many Native Americans were allowed to vote for the first time. Still, this legislation did not stop some states from preventing some from voting.
CONSTITUTION DAY HISTORY
This holiday dates all the way back to 1911 when schools in Iowa first recognized Constitution Day. Then in 1917, the society known as the Sons of the American Revolution formed a committee to promote Constitution Day. Members of that committee included Calvin Coolidge, John D. Rockefeller, and General John Pershing.
In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared “I am an American Day,” and Congress designated the third Sunday in May to celebrate it. By 1949, the governors of all 48 states had issued Constitution Day proclamations. On February 29, 1952, Congress changed the name from “I am an American Day” to “Citizenship Day” and moved its observation to September 17. In 2004, the day was renamed Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.
