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Photo of Denver Pyle

Denver Pyle

Acting 77 (deceased) years old Bethune, Colorado, USA ★ 2.0
Born: May 11, 1920
Died: December 25, 1997

Biography

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

Filmography

Acting Credits (265)

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

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