Before he became the silver-haired heartthrob of Hart to Hart, Robert Wagner was already lighting up the big screen with that signature charm and movie-star grin. Wagner effortlessly imparted coolness to whatever role he played, whether that of a cunning villain, a wounded soul, or a dashing hero. Beginning in the 1950s, he dated icons, collaborated with legends, and eventually became one himself. His film career is a goldmine of old Hollywood glamour, unexpected turns, and a whole lot of suave. This article delves into some of Robert Wagner’s most iconic film roles, ones that left viewers in awe, cheering, and at times shivering. Buckle up-these classic performances are pure screen magic.
White Feather (1955) – Josh Tanner
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White Feather is a standout role for Robert Wagner as he plays the role of a land surveyor called Josh Tanner. This is a classic Western about the relocation of Cheyenne Native Americans. It is all going quite peacefully until a Cheyenne woman falls in love with Tanner which leads to a bloody conflict with a warrior called American Horse. This is thrilling stuff and while there is some great action here, it is the chemistry between Wagner and Debra Paget that makes this movie.
The War Lover (1962) – Lt Ed Boland
One of his best movies has to be 1962’s The War Lover. This was one of three movies that Wagner would feature in this year. Playing the role of “Bo”, Robert Wagner has great chemistry with Steve McQueen’s crazy Buzz Rickson! This is a war movie, but it is more about Buzz’s reckless antics than the actual war. He is a fantastic pilot for sure, but Bo and the rest of the troop are starting to become more and more concerned with his kamikaze ways. This is a bit of an underrated gem that was not all that appreciated when it was first released, but it has certainly become a bit of a cult classic over time.
Between Heaven and Hell (1956) – Sam Gifford
Here we have another war movie for you in Between Heaven and Hell. This is truly a memorable performance by Robert Wagner! It takes place during World War II when Sam Gifford is serving in the Philippines and the movie takes us through his life as a rich guy who owns a cotton farm to his last mission in the South Pacific. This is a great, character driven movie, and a neat bit of trivia about this movie is that it was nominated for an Academy Award thanks to its score.
A Kiss Before Dying (1956) – Bud Corliss
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Here we have one of the most despicable characters that Wagner has had the pleasure to play, Bud Corliss! This top 10 list would never be complete without this exciting thriller. Bud is desperate to get his hands on the Kingship fortune and he is willing to go to great lengths to get it, fraud, betrayal, and cold bloody murder are at hand as he works his way into this rich family. It is exciting stuff as you watch him try to cover his tracks and be one step ahead of a man trying to find out his identity. If you love movie trivia, a great bit here is that this was one of the first roles for Joanne Woodward!
The Mountain (1956) – Christopher Teller
1956 was one heck of a year as we got three top Robert Wagner roles in this year alone! The Mountain sees Chris Teller convince his brother to climb up a mountain so that they can loot the bodies that are up there! Yes, this is another rather evil role for Wagner and the way that he is willing to use anyone and put people in danger just to loot these corpse popsicles is pretty brutal stuff!
Broken Lance (1954) – Joe Devereaux
Broken Lance sees Wagner play the role of Joe Deveraux, son to a self-made rancher who is American, but his mother is a Native American. The movie can be considered a character driven classic Western that features some amazing performances from an ensemble cast. Spencer Tracey in particular is amazing as Matt. Joe is Matt’s youngest son, but his three other boys resent the tough treatment they get from their father. There is sibling rivalry, a blood feud, and just a whole lot of drama that goes down in this movie!
Austin Powers Trilogy (1997-2002) – Number 2
Ok, we are cheating here as we are putting all three of his performances as Number 2, but we could not have a top 10 Robert Wagner list without Number 2 being on it. He is Dr. Evil’s right hand, one-eyed man and he is hilarious. The way he rolls his eyes and has a real disdain for his boss is just fantastic stuff, especially when Dr. Evil comes back. His facial expressions in this movie are awesome and he is a major highlight. A fun bit of trivia about this role is that the younger version of Number 2 is played by the also awesome Rob Lowe.
The Pink Panther (1963) – George Lytton
How can you not love the original 1963 Pink Panther movie? While this may be mostly remembered for Peter Sellers hilarious role as Inspector Clouseau, Robert Wagner is also hilarious as George Lytton, the lazy lothario nephew of Sir Charles Lytton who has his eyes on the famous Pink Pather jewel and the heart of the gorgeous Princess Dala. Two things George also has his eye on! This is a fun crime caper that is just as much fun today as it was all the way back then. Of course, you cannot talk about The Pink Panther without giving a mention to that iconic theme tune!
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Bill Krieger, (1993)
While most people remember the amazing performance by Jason Scott Lee as Bruce Lee, the fact that Wagner played the role of Bill Krieger, Lee’s manager is kind of forgotten. He is great in this role as the man who had a major part in making Bruce Lee become the household name that he is. This is truly one of the best biography movies of all time as it tells the amazing story of this incredible martial artist, but it has some fantasy and mystical elements as well. Even if you are not a huge fan of Bruce Lee, this is still a very entertaining movie.
Stars and Stripes Forever (1952) – Willie Little
Here we have another fantastic biopic and one of the earlier theatrical roles for Robert Wagner, Stars and Stripes Forever. This is a story about the incredible John Philip Sousa and the amazing and iconic band that he formed after he left the Marine Corp. Wagner plays a very important role in the movie as Willie Little, the first member of Sousa’s new band and the creator of the Sousaphone! While this is the story of John Philip Sousa, the love story between Willie and his wife Lily that earns this movie a spot on this list. Oh, the ending concert scene is just breathtaking and something that is sure to make you have a little tear in your eye!
The crazy thing about this list is that we’ve just looked at Wagner’s filmography roles! You could make the argument that he is just as well known for his work on the small screen too… Try and see if you can narrow down your own list, you can use Stream TV to help you on the way!
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