De Sales was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and procured his Social Security number in New York State, when he was performing on Broadway as part of the Dead End Kids.
De Sales' Broadway credits include In Bed We Cry (1944), Three's a Family (1942), Men in Shadow (1942), and The Man with Blond Hair (1941).
His first screen role was as Harold Faller of the Huntington Advertiser newspaper of Huntington, West Virginia, telecast on NBC's The Big Story, a monthly anthology series about courageous journalists. After The Big Story, De Sales was cast as the police contact in Mr. and Mrs, North, starring Richard Denning as Jerry North, a publisher, and Barbara Britton as his wife, Pamela North. The couple seemed to stumble on an unsolved murder each week. The program had originated on radio, based on stories of Richard and Frances Lockridge. Among the twenty-five episodes in which De Sales played a major role are entitled "Climax", "Mask of Hate", "The Girl in Cell 13", "The Placid Affair", and "Busy Signal".
On Two Faces West, De Sales starred as Sheriff Maddox with Charles Bateman, who played dual roles, as Marshal Ben January and twin brother, physician Rick January. The series was set about Gunnison, Colorado. Joyce Meadows also co-starred in the role of Stacy.:1120 Among the twenty-three episodes in with De Sales appeared are: "The Assassin", "The Dead Ringer", "The Decision", "The Crisis", and "The Accused".
De Sales portrayed Ralph Dobson in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In the 1955-1956 television season, De Sales appeared as naval officers in CBS's Navy Log in episodes entitled "Operation Three-In-One" and "Get Back Somehow".
His film roles, mostly uncredited, included Darby's Rangers (1958), Sunrise at Campobello (1960), and The Flight That Disappeared and When the Clock Strikes (both 1961).
Gray Ghost, based on the Confederate States of America fighter John Singleton Mosby, in the role of Bannersby in the episode "Charity" (Syndicated, 1957)
Sheriff of Cochise as Fred Billings in "Revenge" (Syndicated, 1957)
Cheyenne, as Lieutenant Quentin in "Land Beyond the Law" and as a sheriff in "The Brand" (ABC, 1957)
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, five episodes, concluding as Cy Bartok in "The Diamond Collar" (Syndicated, 1958)
Colt .45 in "Sign in the Sand" (ABC, 1958)
State Trooper as Lieutenant Jackford in "Jail Trail" (1957) and as Donald Perry in "Dangerous Honeymoon" (Syndicated, 1958)
Casey Jones as Hoskins in "Hard Luck Train" (Syndicated, 1958)
Tales of Wells Fargo in "Faster Gun" (NBC, 1958)
Frontier Doctor as Tom Lynch in "Double Boomerang" (Syndicated, 1958)
Jefferson Drum as Bass Williard in "$50 for a Dead Man" (NBC, 1958)
Wanted: Dead or Alive as Sam, a physician, in "Sheriff of Red Rock" (CBS, 1958)
Bronco as Lawrence Larson in "Hero of the Town" (ABC, 1959)
Sugarfoot as Major Sterling in both "The Hunted" (1958); also appeared as Officer Warren in "Outlaw Island" (ABC, 1959)
Riverboat as Ed Baker in "The Boy from Pittsburgh", with child actor Tom Nolan as Tommy Jones, a stowaway on the vessel, the Enterprise. In the story line, series character Grey Holden (Darren McGavin) transports a box of diamonds, unknowing that a pickpocket has taken the gems and switched the contents of the box. King Donovan is cast as Paddy Britt; Mona Freeman, as Louise Rutherford, a beautiful young widow, and Robert Emhardt, as Jeb Carter. (NBC, 1959)
Maverick as Mr. Gilling in "The Seventh Hand" (1958) and as Mayor Culpepper in "The People's Friend" (ABC, 1960)
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, "The Judas Goat", "Love and Shotgun Gibbs", and "The Scout" (ABC, 1959–1960)
The Man From Blackhawk as a sheriff in "Gold Is Where You Find It" (ABC, 1960)
The Deputy as Porter in "The Chain of Action" and as Mattson in "The Deady Breed" (NBC, 1960)
Wagon Train as Mark in "The Jim Bridger Story", with Karl Swenson as Jim Bridger (NBC, 1961)
The Virginian, three episodes, including as Dave McCoy in "A Distant Fury" (NBC, 1963)
The Wild, Wild West as Charlton in "The Night of the Skulls" (CBS, 1966)
Bonanza, "The Beginning" (1962) and, his last western role, "The Arrival of Eddie" (NBC, 1968)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents as a card player in "Crack of Doom" (CBS, 1956)
Crusader as Sheriff Smithers sin "The Visitors" (CBS, 1956)
Whirlybirds as John Osborn in "Lynch Mob" (Syndicated, 1957)
Richard Diamond, Private Detective as Philip Brinkley in "Pension Plan" and as Charles Courtney in "Lost Testament" (CBS, 1958)
Behind Closed Doors in "The Enemy on the Flank" (1958)
77 Sunset Strip as Sergeant Egan in "Not an Enemy in the World" (1958) and as Chief Johnson in "The Grandma Caper" (ABC, 1959)
M Squad as Dr. Myron Ross in "The Merits of the Case" (1958) and as Dr. Arthur May in "Ten Minutes to Doomesday" (NBC, 1959)
Peter Gunn as the District Attorney in "Hot Money" (NBC, 1960)
The Millionaire as Myron Bradford in "Millionaire Margaret Stoneham", played by Mona Freeman (CBS, 1960)
The Untouchables as Captain Troy in "Three Thousand Suspects" and as District Attorney Roger Hayden in "The Larry Fay Story" (ABC, 1960)
Shannon as Ray Petri in "Cold Trail" (Syndicated, 1961)
Checkmate as Sergeant Lawrence in "To the Best of My Recollection" (CBS, 1961)
Dr. Kildare as Dr. Whitner in "The Thing Speaks for Itself" (NBC, 1963)
Kraft Suspense Theatre, four episodes, including the two-part The Court-Martial of Paul Ryker" (NBC, 1963)
Arrest and Trial as a reporter in "A Shield Is for Hiding Behind" (ABC, 1963)
The Outer Limits as a prison warden in "The Mice (ABC, 1964)
The Twilight Zone as a doctor (uncredited) in "Sounds and Silences (CBS, 1964)
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour as Lieutenant Farrell in "Beyond the Sea of Death" (CBS, 1964)
The Felony Squad as Harmon in "The Broken Badge" (ABC, 1966)
The F.B.I. as Hewitt in "The Camel's Nose" (1966), Frank Murray in "A Sleeper Wakes" (1967), and Dr. Layton in "The Exchange" (ABC, 1973)
The Mod Squad as Alex Tate in "An Eye for an Eye" (ABC, 1969)
O'Hara, U.S. Treasury as William Teal in "Operation: Payoff" (CBS, 1971)
Days of Our Lives soap opera, as James Spencer (NBC, 1971)
Marcus Welby, M.D., as Ralph Martin in "The Outrage" (ABC, 1974)
The Rookies as Dr. Mauer in "A Matter of Justice" (1973) and as Professor Parmel in "Walk a Tightrope" (ABC, 1974)
Cannon in "Killer on the Hill" (CBS, 1975)
The Gale Storm Show, as Hartley E. Benson in "Bonnie Lassie" (CBS, 1956)
Leave It to Beaver, as Mr. Anderson (CBS, 1957)
Bachelor Father, three episodes (CBS, NBC, 1958–1961)
How to Marry a Millionaire, as George Nichols in "A Husband for Julia" (Syndicated, 1959)
Hazel as Osborn Bailey in "Hazel and the Playground" (NBC, 1961)
A Majority of One, as an American Embassy Representative (1961)
The Munsters as Mr. Foster in "Herman's Driving Test" (CBS, 1965)
Green Acres as Mr. Bliswell in "The Computer Age" (CBS, 1967)
The Flying Nun as the Bishop in "It's an Ill Windfall" (ABC, 1967)
The Governor and J.J. as Senator Loomis in "Charley's Back in Town" (CBS, 1970)
Among De Sales's last roles were as ministers on CBS's Barnaby Jones ("The Deady Conspiracy, Part II", 1975) and on ABC's Dynasty (1976).
De Sales died at the age of seventy-six in Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles.
