Denver Pyle
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1920-05-11
Day of Death
1997-12-25 (77 years old)
Place of Birth
Bethune, Colorado, USA
Denver Pyle
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
Known For
Acting
(1997)
The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!
as Uncle Jesse Duke
(1994)
Maverick
as Old Gambler on Riverboat
(1994)
Father and Scout
as George Rosebrock
(1992)
John Wayne's 'The Alamo'
as Self
(1987)
Delta Fever
as Walt
(1986)
Return to Mayberry
as Briscoe Darling
(1983)
Mercur: The Town that Can't Stay Dead
as Narrator
(1981)
Legend of the Wild
as Narrator (Voice)
(1979)
(1978)
Return from Witch Mountain
as Uncle Bene
(1978)
How Bugs Bunny Won the West
as Narrator
(1978)
(1978)
Once Upon a Starry Night
as Mad Jack
(1976)
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson
as The Indian Agent (McLaughlin)
(1976)
Welcome to L.A.
as Carl Barber
(1976)
Hawmps!
as Col. Seymour Hawkins
(1976)
The Last of Mrs. Lincoln
as Senator Austin
(1976)
Guardian of the Wilderness
as Galen Clark
(1976)
The Adventures of Frontier Fremont
as Old mountain man
(1975)
Escape to Witch Mountain
as Uncle Bene
(1975)
Winterhawk
as Arkansas
(1975)
The Boy Who Talked to Badgers
as Ben as an Adult
(1974)
Hog Wild
as Dr. Larson
(1974)
The Legend of Hillbilly John
as Grandpappy John
(1974)
Murder or Mercy
as Amos Champion
(1973)
Cahill: United States Marshal
as Denver
(1971)
Something Big
as Junior Frisbee
(1971)
Mean Justice
as Tom Rawling
(1971)
Hitched
as Ben Barnstable
(1968)
Bandolero!
as Muncie Carter
(1968)
5 Card Stud
as Sig Evers
(1967)
Bonnie and Clyde
as Frank Hamer
(1967)
Welcome to Hard Times
as Alfie - Stage Driver
(1967)
Tammy and the Millionaire
as Grandpa Mordecai Tarleton
(1966)
Gunpoint
as Cap
(1966)
Incident at Phantom Hill
as 1st Hunter
(1965)
The Great Race
as Sheriff
(1965)
Shenandoah
as Pastor Bjoerling
(1965)
The Rounders
as Bull
(1965)
Mara of the Wilderness
as Kelly
(1964)
Cheyenne Autumn
as Sen. Henry (uncredited)
(1964)
Mail Order Bride
as Preacher Pope
(1964)
Black Like Me
as Man in pick-up truck
(1963)
Terrified
as Sheriff Dixon
(1962)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
as Amos Carruthers
(1962)
Geronimo
as Senator Conrad
(1960)
The Alamo
as Thimblerig (the Gambler)
(1960)
Home from the Hill
as Mr. Bradley
(1959)
The Horse Soldiers
as Jackie Jo
(1959)
Good Day for a Hanging
as Deputy Ed Moore
(1959)
Cast a Long Shadow
as Preacher Harrison
(1959)
King of the Wild Stallions
as MacGuire's Henchman
(1958)
The Left Handed Gun
as Ollinger
(1958)
Fort Massacre
as Collins
(1958)
China Doll
as Col. Wiley
(1958)
The Party Crashers
as Mr. Bickford
(1958)
Bitter Heritage
as Sam Wheeler
(1957)
The Lonely Man
as Brad, Red Bluff Sheriff
(1957)
Jet Pilot
as Mr. Simpson
(1957)
Gun Duel In Durango
as Ranger Captain
(1957)
Domino Kid
as Bill Dragger
(1957)
Destination 60,000
as Mickey Hill
(1956)
7th Cavalry
as Dixon
(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
(1956)
Yaqui Drums
as Lefty Barr
(1955)
To Hell and Back
as Thompson
(1955)
(1955)
Run for Cover
as Harvey (uncredited)
(1955)
Rage at Dawn
as Clint Reno
(1955)
Top Gun
as Hank Spencer (uncredited)
(1954)
Johnny Guitar
as Posseman (uncredited)
(1954)
The Boy from Oklahoma
as Bagley
(1954)
Ride Clear of Diablo
as Reverend Moorehead
(1954)
Drum Beat
as Fairchild (uncredited)
(1954)
The Command
as Infantryman (uncredited)
(1954)
The Yellow Mountain
as (uncredited)
(1953)
Gunsmoke
as Greasy (uncredited)
(1953)
The Lone Hand
as Regulator (uncredited)
(1953)
Column South
as Confederate Spy in Yankee Uniform (uncredited)
(1953)
Fort Vengeance
as Rider Warning About Wagon Train (uncredited)
(1953)
Topeka
as Jonas Bailey
(1953)
A Perilous Journey
as Bartender
(1953)
Vigilante Terror
as Henchman Sperry
(1953)
Goldtown Ghost Riders
as Bernie Malloy (uncredited)
(1953)
Rebel City
as Greeley
(1953)
Texas Bad Man
as Tench
(1952)
Mutiny
as Gunner / Mutineer (uncredited)
(1952)
Oklahoma Annie
as Skip
(1952)
Fargo
as Carey
(1952)
Man from the Black Hills
as Glenn Hartley
(1952)
Desert Passage
as Allen
(1952)
Canyon Ambush
as Tom Carlton-Replaced (credit only)
(1952)
The Maverick
as Bud Karnes
(1951)
Hills of Utah
as Bowie French
(1951)
Drums in the Deep South
as Union Soldier Breaking Window (uncredited)
(1951)
Million Dollar Pursuit
as Nick Algren
(1951)
Rough Riders of Durango
as Henchman Lacey
(1950)
Singing Guns
as Richards Henchman
(1950)
Captain China
as Steve
(1950)
The Flying Saucer
as Turner
(1950)
Federal Agent at Large
as 'Jumpy' Jordan
(1950)
The Old Frontier
as Henchman George
(1950)
Customs Agent
as Al
(1950)
Dynamite Pass
as Henchman
(1949)
Too Late for Tears
as Young Man at Union Station (uncredited)
(1949)
The Big Wheel
as Track Intern
(1949)
Hellfire
as Rex
(1949)
El Paso
as Vigilante (uncredited)
(1949)
Rim of the Canyon
as Cash Collins (uncredited)
(1949)
Red Canyon
as Hutch
(1949)
Streets of San Francisco
as Ed Quinn
(1949)
Flame of Youth
as Lytz
(1948)
The Man from Colorado
as Easy Jarrett
(1948)
The Man from Colorado
as Easy Jarrett (uncredited)
(1948)
Train to Alcatraz
as Hutch Hutchins
(1948)
Marshal of Amarillo
as The Night Clerk
(1947)
The Guilt of Janet Ames
as Man in Opening Scene (uncredited)
(1947)
Where the North Begins
as Jim Rockwell
(1947)
Devil Ship
as Carl