Returning to Hollywood after the war, Dave found that changes had occurred to the serial and B western offerings --- the post WWII boom was on and productions were no longer inexpensive; and people's cinema wants and values had undergone a change as evidenced by the popularity of MGM extravaganzas and new film noir melodramas and crime flicks.
With no starring series available, Dave played undercover agent 'Nevada', showed off his fancy sixgun twirling, and even fought with star Eddie Dean before they overcame the antagonists in PRC's Cinecolor adventure COLORADO SERENADE (1946). And he was silver smuggler Gus Uhlrich in the Roy Rogers epic BELLS OF SAN ANGELO (1947), supposedly Republic's most expensive Trucolor western. The fight scene between Sharpe and Rogers is a classic.
 Above, Sharpe and Eddie Dean mix it up in this 1946 Cinecolor oater from PRC (which is a pretty good little western).  Above, Roy Rogers and Dave Sharpe in the bloody and brutal fight scene from the TruColor BELLS OF SAN ANGELO (1947). |
With the decline of the B-western and cliffhanger in the post-World War II era, Sharpe migrated to stunting and second unit directing in major film productions and TV. In LUST FOR GOLD (Columbia, 1949), a tale of the fabled Lost Dutchman Mine, you can spot Sharpe doubling William Prince in the closing brawl against a dishonest lawman played by Will Geer. He doubled Guy Madison in TV's WILD BILL HICKOK, and worked in THE CISCO KID, ZORRO, THE FBI, THE HIGH CHAPARRAL, and others. He was Tony Curtis' double in several films, including THE GREAT RACE (1965) --- remember that great food fight and the fall into the cake? And if you look close, you can see Sharpe as a cavalry trooper who takes an arrow in the back and falls through a window in the Glenn Ford DAY OF THE EVIL GUN (MGM, 1968).
While acting in THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN (1972) with Paul Newman, Dave noticed the first signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), a deteriorating illness which impairs the nervous system and weakens the muscles.
(Many sources note that Sharpe passed away in 1980 from the effects of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). However, some sources note Parkinson's Disease. Parkinson's and ALS are both nervous system disorders, and you can learn more at: http://www.umm.edu/nervous/disorder.htm.)
His last work was in Warren Beatty's HEAVEN CAN WAIT (1978). Sharpe passed away in 1980.
 (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above, a smiling Dave Sharpe at one of the cowboy film conventions circa 1970s. |  (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above, a very ill Dave Sharpe in a 1979 photo. |
 (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Pondering some questions from the audience are, from L-to-R, Dave Sharpe, Billy Benedict and Penny Edwards at one of the 1970s film festivals. |
 (Courtesy of Minard Coons) |  | Dave Sharpe and Billy Benedict entertaining the film festival audience with an ol' soft shoe. |
You may want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral, and then to the California Death Records database. There you will find a record for: David Hardin Sharpe, born 2/2/1910 in Missouri, Mother's maiden name was Hardin, and he passed away on 3/30/1980. Checking the Social Security Death Index (SSDI), there is a record for: David Sharpe, born 2 Feb 1910, and he passed away in March 1980.
Better than many of the cowboy heroes that rode the cinema trails during the 1930s and 1940s, Dave Sharpe became too involved in second unit work to vigorously pursue starring roles in the pre-World War II days. He also found that stuntwork kept him busier and was more lucrative. Upon his return from WW2 military service, he discovered that the cowboy film and cliffhanger were fading into the sunset, and he concentrated on television and A grade film work.
During a career that spanned about 50 years --- from the silents through the late 1970s --- Dave Sharpe worked in thousands of films and TV programs. Sharpe's legacy is a significant quantity of amazing stunt work which elevated many low budget westerns and serials from mediocrity to memorable.