Dale Robertson, famous to TV-viewers as "Jim Hardie" on Tales of Wells Fargo (1957 - 1962) was not only a successful actor and horse breeder, but also a wordsmith.
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| Dale on the set of Wells Fargo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons |
Mostly, the stories and poems he wrote have gone unpublished, but in 1975 Wells Fargo, the Legend was published by Celestial Arts, Millbrae, California. This fiction-based-on-fact book follows the adventures of lawman James B. Hume, from his days in the California gold fields, to his trailing Black Bart, with plenty of Wells Fargo history besides. Illustrations (about 18 of them), the finishing touch, are by Roy Purcell. (Hume was a real person whom Robertson's character in Wells Fargo might have been modeled after.)
Dale's voice comes out strongly in his writing, and as well it should. Dale was a master storyteller, passionate for creating quality pieces of work, whether on the page or on the screen. He realized that good writers (and actors) don't need to use the shock value of sex and violence to convey a good story.
Dale's recitation of his poem, "The Man With the Face," can be heard on his vinyl album This Is the Song of My Life ©1974. You can also read it online here. Although Dale must have written many poems, this one is the most commonly found.
In later years, he used a computer program to write his poems, stories and scripts. When he passed away in February 2013, he left a trail of good stories to follow . . . the kind of stories that require thought and talent to fabricate.
Sources:
Wells Fargo, the Legend by Robertson, Dale, Celestial Arts, Millbrae, California, 1975
Susan Robertson, email