Denver Pyle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 – December 25, 1997) was an American film and television actor. He was known for portraying Briscoe Darling Jr. in several episodes of The Andy Griffith Show, and playing Jesse Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard from 1979-85.
Pyle was born in Bethune, Colorado on May 11, 1920 to farmer Ben H. Pyle and his wife Maude; His brother, Willis, was an animator known for his work with Walt Disney Animation Studios and UPA. After graduating from high school, Pyle briefly attended Colorado State University, but dropped out to enter show business, moving to Los Angeles in 1940. He worked as a drummer and band member until the United States entered World War II, when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Pyle was wounded in action in the Battle of Guadalcanal and received a medical discharge in 1942. Near the end of the war, he served in the United States Merchant Marine.
In 1955, Pyle married Marilee Carpenter, a production assistant at 20th Century Fox. They had sons David and Tony. Marilee and Denver divorced in 1970. In 1983, Pyle married Tippie Johnston. That union lasted until his death.
Pyle died of lung cancer on Christmas 1997. Memorial services were held January 6, 1998, at First Baptist Church in Waxahachie, Texas. He is buried in an unmarked grave at the Forreston Cemetery in Forreston, Texas. His remains are interred beside those of his second wife's parents, J.T. Johnston and Erin Birch Johnston. CLR
Acted in
The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!
1997
as Uncle Jesse Duke
What a Cartoon
1995
as Podunk Possum (voice)
Cybill
1995
Father and Scout
1994
as George Rosebrock
Maverick
1994
as Old Gambler on Riverboat
John Wayne's 'The Alamo'
1992
as Self
Delta Fever
1987
as Walt
L.A. Law
1986
as Harold Nordoff
Return to Mayberry
1986
as Briscoe Darling
Murder, She Wrote
1984
as Eben Connors
The Dukes
1983
as Uncle Jesse (voice)
Mercur: The Town that Can't Stay Dead
1983
as Narrator
Legend of the Wild
1981
as Narrator (Voice)
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
1979
as Self
The Dukes of Hazzard
1979
as Jesse Duke
Once Upon a Starry Night
1978
as Mad Jack
How Bugs Bunny Won the West
1978
as Narrator
Dallas
1978
as Blackie Callahan
Return from Witch Mountain
1978
as Uncle Bene
Legend of the Northwest
1978
Grizzly Adams
1977
How the West Was Won
1977
as Sgt. Tripp
Guardian of the Wilderness
1976
as Galen Clark
Welcome to L.A.
1976
as Carl Barber
The Last of Mrs. Lincoln
1976
as Senator Austin
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson
1976
as The Indian Agent (McLaughlin)
Hawmps!
1976
as Col. Seymour Hawkins
The Adventures of Frontier Fremont
1976
as Old mountain man
Winterhawk
1975
as Arkansas
The Boy Who Talked to Badgers
1975
as Ben as an Adult
Escape to Witch Mountain
1975
as Uncle Bene
Karen
1975
Petrocelli
1974
The Manhunter
1974
Murder or Mercy
1974
as Amos Champion
The Legend of Hillbilly John
1974
as Grandpappy John
Hog Wild
1974
as Dr. Larson
Cahill: United States Marshal
1973
as Denver
Barnaby Jones
1973
as Stayley Kircher
Kung Fu
1972
The Streets of San Francisco
1972
The Waltons
1972
Something Big
1971
as Junior Frisbee
Cannon
1971
Hitched
1971
as Ben Barnstable
Mean Justice
1971
as Tom Rawling
The Doris Day Show
1968
as Buck Webb
5 Card Stud
1968
as Sig Evers
Bandolero!
1968
as Muncie Carter
The High Chaparral
1967
as General Warren
Hondo
1967
The Guns of Will Sonnett
1967
Cimarron Strip
1967
Bonnie and Clyde
1967
as Frank Hamer
Tammy and the Millionaire
1967
as Grandpa Mordecai Tarleton
Welcome to Hard Times
1967
as Alfie - Stage Driver
Incident at Phantom Hill
1966
as 1st Hunter
Gunpoint
1966
as Cap
Mara of the Wilderness
1965
as Kelly
Tammy
1965
The Great Race
1965
as Sheriff
Shenandoah
1965
as Pastor Bjoerling
The Rounders
1965
as Bull
Cheyenne Autumn
1964
as Sen. Henry (uncredited)
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
1964
Mail Order Bride
1964
as Preacher Pope
Black Like Me
1964
as Man in pick-up truck
The Great Adventure
1963
as Gen. Mills
Mr. Novak
1963
as Brill
Channing
1963
as Sam Riddle
The Lieutenant
1963
Terrified
1963
as Sheriff Dixon
Empire
1962
as Tom Rawling
The Virginian
1962
as Pico Brown
Geronimo
1962
as Senator Conrad
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962
as Amos Carruthers
The Dick Van Dyke Show
1961
as Uncle George
Ben Casey
1961
Dr. Kildare
1961
as R. E. Lenger
Cain's Hundred
1961
as Chief Amos Trask
The Alamo
1960
as Thimblerig (the Gambler)
Route 66
1960
Stagecoach West
1960
The Andy Griffith Show
1960
as Briscoe Darling
National Velvet
1960
The Aquanauts
1960
as Captain Leo Stohl
Thriller
1960
as Ortho Wheeler
The Tall Man
1960
as Marshal Dave Leggert
Home from the Hill
1960
as Mr. Bradley
The Detectives
1959
Bourbon Street Beat
1959
The Twilight Zone
1959
as Stu Tillman
Law of the Plainsman
1959
as Burke Carew
Men into Space
1959
Wichita Town
1959
Riverboat
1959
as Jim Bledsoe
Bonanza
1959
as Sheriff Ed
The Deputy
1959
as Akins
Bonanza
1959
as Price Buchanan
Bonanza
1959
as Claude Roman
Cast a Long Shadow
1959
as Preacher Harrison
The Horse Soldiers
1959
as Jackie Jo
King of the Wild Stallions
1959
as MacGuire's Henchman
Rawhide
1959
as John Wesley 'Daddy' Quade
Good Day for a Hanging
1959
as Deputy Ed Moore
Bat Masterson
1958
as Dan Morgan
Bat Masterson
1958
as Walsh (uncredited)
Lawman
1958
Behind Closed Doors
1958
as Roger Woodson
The Rifleman
1958
The Texan
1958
The Texan
1958
as Chip Andrews
The Texan
1958
as Sheriff
The Texan
1958
as Houston Blackston
Bronco
1958
The Party Crashers
1958
as Mr. Bickford
Bitter Heritage
1958
as Sam Wheeler
China Doll
1958
as Col. Wiley
Fort Massacre
1958
as Collins
The Left Handed Gun
1958
as Ollinger
Jefferson Drum
1958
as Bart Resdake
26 Men
1957
Jet Pilot
1957
as Mr. Simpson
Casey Jones
1957
as Frank Reeder
Domino Kid
1957
as Bill Dragger
Maverick
1957
Perry Mason
1957
as Robert Crane
Perry Mason
1957
as Jackson Sidemark
Perry Mason
1957
as Tom Quincy
Perry Mason
1957
as Tilden Stuart
Perry Mason
1957
as Emery Fillmore
Perry Mason
1957
as Frank Honer
Wagon Train
1957
as Bragg
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
as Pete Hollister
The Lonely Man
1957
as Brad, Red Bluff Sheriff
Destination 60,000
1957
as Mickey Hill
Gun Duel In Durango
1957
as Ranger Captain
7th Cavalry
1956
as Dixon
Yaqui Drums
1956
as Lefty Barr
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as John Baker
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Marshal Quimby
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Sheriff
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Sheriff Tom
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Seth Robson
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Marshal Joe Sully
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Nat Sledge
State Trooper
1956
as Mark Schmedler
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
1956
The Naked Hills
1956
as Bert Killian / Narrator
I Killed Wild Bill Hickok
1956
as Jim Bailey
Please Murder Me
1956
as Det. Lt. Bradley
Top Gun
1955
as Hank Spencer (uncredited)
Fury
1955
as Carter
The 20th Century Fox Hour
1955
My Friend Flicka
1955
as Alec
Frontier
1955
To Hell and Back
1955
as Thompson
Cheyenne
1955
Cheyenne
1955
as Cyrus Burton
Cheyenne
1955
as John Hanson
Gunsmoke
1955
as Willie Calhoun
Gunsmoke
1955
as Hank Shinn
Gunsmoke
1955
as Mike Blocker
Gunsmoke
1955
as Gus
Gunsmoke
1955
as Haggen
Gunsmoke
1955
as Aaron
Gunsmoke
1955
as Pa
Gunsmoke
1955
as Caleb
Gunsmoke
1955
as Claudius
Gunsmoke
1955
as Clab Chummer
Gunsmoke
1955
as Caleb Nash
Gunsmoke
1955
as Dr. Henry S. Rand
Gunsmoke
1955
as Judge Blent
Gunsmoke
1955
as Cyrus Himes
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
1955
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
1955
as Ben Thompson
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
1955
as Hoss Mackey
Run for Cover
1955
as Harvey (uncredited)
Rage at Dawn
1955
as Clint Reno
Buffalo Bill Jr.
1955
Ten Wanted Men
1955
The Millionaire
1955
as Arthur Darner
The Yellow Mountain
1954
as (uncredited)
Drum Beat
1954
as Fairchild (uncredited)
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954
as Mr. Royal (uncredited)
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954
as Dr. Larson
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954
as Amos Briggs (uncredited)
Lassie
1954
Johnny Guitar
1954
as Posseman (uncredited)
Public Defender
1954
as Tom Gayley
Public Defender
1954
as George Hansen
The Boy from Oklahoma
1954
as Bagley
The Command
1954
as Infantryman (uncredited)
Ride Clear of Diablo
1954
as Reverend Moorehead
Annie Oakley
1954
as Dr. Barnes
The Lone Wolf
1954
Texas Bad Man
1953
as Tench
Vigilante Terror
1953
as Henchman Sperry
Topeka
1953
as Jonas Bailey
Goldtown Ghost Riders
1953
as Bernie Malloy (uncredited)
Column South
1953
as Confederate Spy in Yankee Uniform (uncredited)
The Lone Hand
1953
as Regulator (uncredited)
Rebel City
1953
as Greeley
Gunsmoke
1953
as Greasy (uncredited)
A Perilous Journey
1953
as Bartender
Fort Vengeance
1953
as Rider Warning About Wagon Train (uncredited)
I'm the Law
1953
The Maverick
1952
as Bud Karnes
Canyon Ambush
1952
as Tom Carlton-Replaced (credit only)
Adventures of Superman
1952
Hopalong Cassidy
1952
Fargo
1952
as Carey
Desert Passage
1952
as Allen
Man from the Black Hills
1952
as Glenn Hartley
Oklahoma Annie
1952
as Skip
Mutiny
1952
as Gunner / Mutineer (uncredited)
The Roy Rogers Show
1951
Hills of Utah
1951
as Bowie French
Drums in the Deep South
1951
as Union Soldier Breaking Window (uncredited)
The Adventures of Kit Carson
1951
Million Dollar Pursuit
1951
as Nick Algren
Rough Riders of Durango
1951
as Henchman Lacey
The Gene Autry Show
1950
The Gene Autry Show
1950
as Frank Blake
The Gene Autry Show
1950
as Burr Ramsey
The Gene Autry Show
1950
as Dodge Hartman
The Old Frontier
1950
as Henchman George
Customs Agent
1950
as Al
Dynamite Pass
1950
as Henchman
Federal Agent at Large
1950
as 'Jumpy' Jordan
Singing Guns
1950
as Richards Henchman
Captain China
1950
as Steve
The Flying Saucer
1950
as Turner
The Big Wheel
1949
as Track Intern
Flame of Youth
1949
as Lytz
The Lone Ranger
1949
as Deputy French
The Lone Ranger
1949
as Colby
The Lone Ranger
1949
as Deputy Allen
The Lone Ranger
1949
as Stack
Too Late for Tears
1949
as Young Man at Union Station (uncredited)
Rim of the Canyon
1949
as Cash Collins (uncredited)
Hellfire
1949
as Rex
Red Canyon
1949
as Hutch
Streets of San Francisco
1949
as Ed Quinn
El Paso
1949
as Vigilante (uncredited)
The Man from Colorado
1948
as Easy Jarrett
Marshal of Amarillo
1948
as The Night Clerk
Train to Alcatraz
1948
as Hutch Hutchins
Where the North Begins
1947
as Jim Rockwell
Devil Ship
1947
as Carl
The Guilt of Janet Ames
1947
as Man in Opening Scene (uncredited)