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