Dale Robertson wasn't just another Hollywood actor playing dress-up in a Stetson. He was the real deal—a world-class horseman who looked more comfortable in a saddle than a studio chair. When news broke that he had passed away, it felt like the final curtain call for an era of Western "tough guys" who actually had the grit to back up the persona.
So, what exactly led to the end?
The Dale Robertson cause of death was officially attributed to complications from lung cancer and pneumonia. He died on February 26, 2013, at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California. He was 89 years old. While that’s a long, full life by any metric, his health had been on a bit of a downward slide in the months leading up to his passing. He had recently moved from his beloved ranch in Oklahoma to the San Diego area to be closer to medical facilities and family during his final days.
Honestly, it's a bit ironic. Here was a man who survived the horrors of World War II—earning Silver and Bronze Stars while being wounded in combat—only to be taken down by a respiratory battle in his eighties.
The Reality Behind the Illness
Most people remember him as the square-jawed investigator Jim Hardie from Tales of Wells Fargo. He looked indestructible. But by 2013, the years of rugged living and the natural progression of age had caught up.
Lung cancer is a aggressive beast, especially in the elderly. When you pair that with pneumonia, it’s a double-tap that most bodies just can’t fight off. Pneumonia is frequently the "final" cause listed for cancer patients because the immune system is so taxed from fighting the primary disease.
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His niece, Nancy Robertson, mentioned at the time that his death followed a "brief illness." This suggests that while he may have been battling cancer for a while, the final descent was relatively quick. That’s a small mercy, I suppose. Nobody wants to see a legend linger in pain.
A Life Defined by Horses and Heroism
To understand why his death hit fans so hard, you have to look at the man himself.
Dale wasn't "discovered" at an acting school. He was a professional boxer and a decorated war hero. He got into acting almost by accident when a photo he took for his mother caught the eye of a talent scout.
- World War II Service: He served in the 777th Tank Battalion in North Africa and Europe.
- The "Anti-Actor": He famously refused to take acting lessons because he didn't want to lose his Oklahoman drawl or his natural mannerisms.
- The Horseman: At one point, he owned over 200 horses on his ranch. He didn't just ride them for the camera; he bred and trained them.
Misconceptions About His Final Years
There’s often a lot of chatter when a Golden Age star passes away. Some people wondered if he died in Oklahoma, given his deep roots there.
He didn't.
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While he spent most of his retirement at his ranch in Yukon, Oklahoma, he spent those last few months in California. The Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla is where he took his last breath. He was surrounded by his wife, Susan Robbins, whom he had been married to since 1980.
Some fans also confuse him with other Western stars of the era who had more "scandalous" endings. Dale’s passing was quiet, dignified, and largely private. No drama. No tabloid frenzy. Just a cowboy heading home.
Why We Still Talk About Him
Even though he's been gone for over a decade now, Dale Robertson remains a fixture on sub-channels like MeTV and GRIT.
Why? Because he represented a specific type of American masculinity that feels extinct. He was the guy who drew his gun with his left hand despite being right-handed—a quirk he added to the Jim Hardie character just to make him stand out. He was the guy who did his own stunts and actually knew how to talk to a horse.
His death marked the thinning of the ranks of the "Greatest Generation" actors.
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Moving Forward: Remembering the Legend
If you're a fan looking to honor his memory, there are a few things you can do beyond just re-watching Death Valley Days or Iron Horse.
First, check out the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. He was inducted into their Hall of Great Western Performers, and the exhibits there give a much deeper look at the culture he helped preserve.
Second, if you’re interested in the history of the Western genre, look into the Golden Boot Awards. Robertson won one in 1985, and it’s a great rabbit hole for discovering other actors who lived the life they portrayed on screen.
Finally, keep the history alive. The "cause of death" is just a footnote. The real story is the 89 years that came before it.
You can find digital archives of his old interviews which show his surprisingly blunt views on Hollywood. He wasn't a fan of "adult Westerns" or the psychological dramas that took over the genre later on. He liked a hero to be a hero.
To keep exploring his legacy, you might look into the specific history of the 777th Tank Battalion to see the real-world grit that Dale brought to his fictional roles.