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The 'brains' and 'action' heavies who had meaty roles and lots of dialog ... and the players who were fathers, ranch owners, lawman, mayors, judges, lawyers, storekeepers, newspaper editors, wardens, etc.


Following is a Rogues Gallery of a few baddies, lawmen, ranch owners, et al.  I'm still diggin' through the photos for some more faces we know and hate.  Enjoy the pictures, and I hope these bring back some great memories.



(Courtesy of Donn & Nancy Moyer)

Robert Joseph 'Bob' Wilke (1911 or 1914 - 1989) was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.  He was a frequent villain in Republic westerns of the 1940s and in many 1950s TV oaters.  Wilke was a big guy and used his size to advantage.  One of his nastiest roles was as the hot-headed henchie to boss Lyle Bettger in THE LONE RANGER (1956) movie with Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels. He also did villain work in many A features such as Gary Cooper's HIGH NOON, and in that film, he's shot by Grace Kelly in the ending gunfight. He appeared in 150+ films, which includes 95 westerns and 17 chapterplays.

  Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Bob Wilke: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0929057/



(From Old Corral image collection)

FIREBRANDS OF ARIZONA (Republic, 1944) was another of the early Sunset Carson series in which Smiley Burnette was given top billing. In this oater, Burnette has a dual role as his normal screen self, as well as bad guy "Beefsteak Discoe". Above from L-to-R are Bob Wilke, Sunset Carson, Rex Lease, Jess Cavin (in background), Earle Hodgins, and Pascale Perry (in background) in a lobby card from FIREBRANDS OF ARIZONA).



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Jess Cavin, Rex Lease, Pascale Perry, Earle Hodgins and Bob Wilke in a crop from a lobby card from the Sunset Carson FIREBRANDS OF ARIZONA (Republic, 1944).




(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above Hugh Prosser and Max Terhune in a scene from WESTERN RENEGADES (Monogram, 1949), one of the entries in the Johnny Mack Brown series.  Prosser was a frequent villain in the later Johnny Mack Brown Monogram oaters.  He was killed in an automobile accident near Gallup, New Mexico in 1952.  Prosser did 72 films, of which 27 are westerns and 16 are chapterplays.

  Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Hugh Prosser: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0698804/



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