[3] Upon moving to California, Bartell became a favorite of producer/director Norman MacDonnell, performing frequently on Escape (notably as Ronald Dawson in The Second Class Passenger, Peyton Farquar in Ambrose Bierce's An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, and Alcine in "Operation Fleur De Lys"), and was a leading member of the Gunsmoke repertory company.

[4]: 121  Other recurring radio parts included a stint as one of several actors to play Archie Goodwin in The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe[4]: 254  starring Sydney Greenstreet, Tommy Brooks on the situation comedy The Charlotte Greenwood Show,[4] and Officer Ed Miller on Rogers of the Gazette.

His TV appearances included guest roles on Get Smart, Gunsmoke (as S2E27’s title character “Cain Vestal” in 1957 & S10E38’s “Honey Pot” as Sheriff James Riley in 1965), I Love Lucy, The Wild Wild West, The Untouchables, The Fugitive, and The Twilight Zone, in addition to the television versions of Gunsmoke and Dragnet (reprising his radio role of Father Rojas in Christmas episodes of the 1951, 1967, and 1970 series).

Bartell's films included Voice in the Mirror,[7] Johnny Concho,[8] the 1954 Dragnet movie and an unbilled part in Howard Hawks' Monkey Business.

In his last years, he was a frequent presence at old-time radio conventions and recreations, wrote online articles about the medium and his experiences, and even participated in radio-themed chat rooms.