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Cowboy actor Dale Robertson dies at the age of 89

Co-hosted 'Death Valley Days' with Ronald Reagan in the 1960s

A native of Oklahoma and with rugged, good looks, cowboy star Dale Robertson was discovered by a Hollywood talent scout when his picture was placed in photo shop's display window. Robertson was no stranger to horses, and so he was pushed to appear in westerns. Robertson has passed away at the age of 89.

Acting in several uncredited movie roles in 1948 after he left the Army, Dale Robertson landed the plum role of outlaw Jesse James in 'Fighting Man of the Plains' in 1949.

Acting in several uncredited movie roles in 1948 after he left the Army, Dale Robertson landed the plum role of outlaw Jesse James in 'Fighting Man of the Plains' in 1949.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Death came quickly to the star. Robertson was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer days ago while being treated for pneumonia at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California. "He always said he lived two or three lifetimes," his wife Susan Robertson said. "He was in Hollywood when it was great."
 
Stationed at an Army post in California, according to his official biography, the talent scout who first saw his photo encouraged him to try his hand at acting. He was warned away from formal acting training, based on advice that he should keep his own personality.
 
Acting in several uncredited movie roles in 1948 after he left the Army, Robertson landed the plum role of outlaw Jesse James in "Fighting Man of the Plains" in 1949.

Robertson also starred in the TV Western series "Tales of Wells Fargo" from 1957 through 1962, riding a horse named Jubilee. Robertson played a character who won a railway in a high-stakes poker game in the 1966 TV series "Iron Horse."

Robertson also co-hosted, along with Ronald Reagan, episodes of "Death Valley Days" during the 1960s.

Robertson acted chiefly in westerns, included "Devil's Canyon," "Sitting Bull," and "Dakota Incident."

In the 1980s, Robertson was a regular on the first season of "Dynasty," and acted in episodes of "The Love Boat," "Murder, She Wrote" and "Dallas." His last role came in two episodes of the TV series "Harts of the West" in 1993.

As Robertson lied dying in a hospital bed, his wife comforted him by whispering thoughts of what awaited him in the afterlife.

"I told him that Jubilee and Chief (his favorite dog) would be waiting to greet him," his wife told CNN.

The final 15 years of Robertson's life were spent in ill health, due to the wounds he suffered while serving in a tank crew in North Africa and Europe during World War II, his wife said.

Doctors were treating him for pneumonia when tests revealed he had lung cancer that had spread to his brain, bones, liver and lymph nodes, she said.

© 2013, Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Keywords: Dale robertson, westerns, TV series, Ronald Reagan, cancer death

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