Denver Pyle
Acting • Born 1920-05-11 – Died 1997-12-25
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
266 credits
Bonnie and Clyde
Movie • 1967
Frank Hamer
Mutiny
Movie • 1952
Gunner / Mutineer (uncredited)
Shenandoah
Movie • 1965
Pastor Bjoerling
5 Card Stud
Movie • 1968
Sig Evers
The Alamo
Movie • 1960
Thimblerig (the Gambler)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Movie • 1962
Amos Carruthers
The Great Race
Movie • 1965
Sheriff
Hawmps!
Movie • 1976
Col. Seymour Hawkins
The Rounders
Movie • 1965
Bull
Maverick
Movie • 1994
Old Gambler on Riverboat
Cheyenne Autumn
Movie • 1964
Sen. Henry (uncredited)
Flame of Youth
Movie • 1949
Lytz
The Left Handed Gun
Movie • 1958
Ollinger
The Lonely Man
Movie • 1957
Brad, Red Bluff Sheriff
7th Cavalry
Movie • 1956
Dixon
The Man from Colorado
Movie • 1948
Easy Jarrett
Good Day for a Hanging
Movie • 1959
Deputy Ed Moore
Geronimo
Movie • 1962
Senator Conrad
Million Dollar Pursuit
Movie • 1951
Nick Algren
To Hell and Back
Movie • 1955
Thompson
Once Upon a Starry Night
Movie • 1978
Mad Jack
Please Murder Me
Movie • 1956
Det. Lt. Bradley
The Horse Soldiers
Movie • 1959
Jackie Jo
Return from Witch Mountain
Movie • 1978
Uncle Bene
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
Movie • 1979
Self
Rim of the Canyon
Movie • 1949
Cash Collins (uncredited)
Drums in the Deep South
Movie • 1951
Union Soldier Breaking Window (uncredited)
Fort Massacre
Movie • 1958
Collins
Welcome to L.A.
Movie • 1976
Carl Barber
Fort Vengeance
Movie • 1953
Rider Warning About Wagon Train (uncredited)
Hog Wild
Movie • 1974
Dr. Larson
Legend of the Wild
Movie • 1981
Narrator (Voice)
The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!
Movie • 1997
Uncle Jesse Duke
Train to Alcatraz
Movie • 1948
Hutch Hutchins
Streets of San Francisco
Movie • 1949
Ed Quinn
Winterhawk
Movie • 1975
Arkansas
The Naked Hills
Movie • 1956
Bert Killian / Narrator
Federal Agent at Large
Movie • 1950
'Jumpy' Jordan
Customs Agent
Movie • 1950
Al
Terrified
Movie • 1963
Sheriff Dixon
Incident at Phantom Hill
Movie • 1966
1st Hunter
Red Canyon
Movie • 1949
Hutch
Gun Duel in Durango
Movie • 1957
Ranger Captain
Welcome to Hard Times
Movie • 1967
Alfie - Stage Driver
Hills of Utah
Movie • 1951
Bowie French
Marshal of Amarillo
Movie • 1948
The Night Clerk
The Legend of Hillbilly John
Movie • 1974
Grandpappy John
The Party Crashers
Movie • 1958
Mr. Bickford
Mara of the Wilderness
Movie • 1965
Kelly
Gunpoint
Movie • 1966
Cap
Mail Order Bride
Movie • 1964
Preacher Pope
Cast a Long Shadow
Movie • 1959
Preacher Harrison
Hitched
Movie • 1973
Ben Barnstable
Home from the Hill
Movie • 1960
Mr. Bradley
Dynamite Pass
Movie • 1950
Henchman
Oklahoma Annie
Movie • 1952
Skip
Bandolero!
Movie • 1968
Muncie Carter
Ten Wanted Men
Movie • 1955
King of the Wild Stallions
Movie • 1959
MacGuire's Henchman
Cahill: United States Marshal
Movie • 1973
Denver
Mercur: The Town that Can't Stay Dead
Movie • 1983
Narrator
The Last of Mrs. Lincoln
Movie • 1976
Senator Austin
Domino Kid
Movie • 1957
Bill Dragger
Top Gun
Movie • 1955
Hank Spencer (uncredited)
Drum Beat
Movie • 1954
Fairchild (uncredited)
The Command
Movie • 1954
Infantryman (uncredited)
Goldtown Ghost Riders
Movie • 1953
Bernie Malloy (uncredited)
Column South
Movie • 1953
Confederate Spy in Yankee Uniform (uncredited)
The Lone Hand
Movie • 1953
Regulator (uncredited)
Gunsmoke
Movie • 1953
Greasy (uncredited)
Desert Passage
Movie • 1952
Allen
Too Late for Tears
Movie • 1949
Young Man at Union Station (uncredited)
Devil Ship
Movie • 1947
Carl
The Guilt of Janet Ames
Movie • 1947
Man in Opening Scene (uncredited)
I Killed Wild Bill Hickok
Movie • 1956
Jim Bailey
Murder or Mercy
Movie • 1974
Amos Champion
Escape to Witch Mountain
Movie • 1975
Uncle Bene
Captain China
Movie • 1950
Steve
Rage at Dawn
Movie • 1955
Clint Reno
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson
Movie • 1976
The Indian Agent (McLaughlin)
Yaqui Drums
Movie • 1956
Lefty Barr
The Flying Saucer
Movie • 1950
Turner
Tammy and the Millionaire
Movie • 1967
Grandpa Mordecai Tarleton
Texas Bad Man
Movie • 1953
Tench
El Paso
Movie • 1949
Vigilante (uncredited)
Destination 60,000
Movie • 1957
Mickey Hill
Black Like Me
Movie • 1964
Man in pick-up truck
Something Big
Movie • 1971
Junior Frisbee
The Boy Who Talked to Badgers
Movie • 1975
Ben as an Adult
Run for Cover
Movie • 1955
Harvey (uncredited)
Mean Justice
Movie • 1971
Tom Rawling
The Big Wheel
Movie • 1949
Track Intern
The Boy from Oklahoma
Movie • 1954
Bagley
Johnny Guitar
Movie • 1954
Posseman (uncredited)
Father and Scout
Movie • 1994
George Rosebrock
Singing Guns
Movie • 1950
Richards Henchman
Jet Pilot
Movie • 1957
Mr. Simpson
Canyon Ambush
Movie • 1952
Tom Carlton-Replaced (credit only)
The Adventures of Frontier Fremont
Movie • 1976
Old mountain man
Rough Riders of Durango
Movie • 1951
Henchman Lacey
The Old Frontier
Movie • 1950
Henchman George
Fargo
Movie • 1952
Carey
Man from the Black Hills
Movie • 1952
Glenn Hartley
The Maverick
Movie • 1952
Bud Karnes
Guardian of the Wilderness
Movie • 1976
Galen Clark
Where the North Begins
Movie • 1947
Jim Rockwell
Hellfire
Movie • 1949
Rex
Rebel City
Movie • 1953
Greeley
Topeka
Movie • 1953
Jonas Bailey
Vigilante Terror
Movie • 1953
Henchman Sperry
Ride Clear of Diablo
Movie • 1954
Reverend Moorehead
Bitter Heritage
Movie • 1958
Sam Wheeler
How Bugs Bunny Won the West
Movie • 1978
Narrator
A Perilous Journey
Movie • 1953
Bartender
China Doll
Movie • 1958
Col. Wiley
Return to Mayberry
Movie • 1986
Briscoe Darling
John Wayne's 'The Alamo'
Movie • 1992
Self
The Yellow Mountain
Movie • 1954
(uncredited)
Delta Fever
Movie • 1987
Walt
Legend of the Northwest
Movie • 1978
The Man from Colorado
Movie • 1948
Easy Jarrett (uncredited)
Death Among Friends
Movie • 1975
Morgan
Podunk Possum in One Step Beyond
Movie • 1996
Podunk Possum (voice)
The Andy Griffith Show
TV • 1960
Briscoe Darling
L.A. Law
TV • 1986
Harold Nordoff
Murder, She Wrote
TV • 1984
Eben Connors
The Great Adventure
TV • 1963
Gen. Mills
Cheyenne
TV • 1955
Cain's Hundred
TV • 1961
Chief Amos Trask
Bourbon Street Beat
TV • 1959
Kung Fu
TV • 1972
Dr. Joseph Colton
The Dick Van Dyke Show
TV • 1961
Uncle George
Route 66
TV • 1960
The Streets of San Francisco
TV • 1972
Cybill
TV • 1995
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Willie Calhoun
Perry Mason
TV • 1957
Robert Crane
Lassie
TV • 1954
Cannon
TV • 1971
The Twilight Zone
TV • 1959
Stu Tillman
The Waltons
TV • 1972
Dallas
TV • 1978
Blackie Callahan
Rawhide
TV • 1959
John Wesley 'Daddy' Quade
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Cimarron Strip
TV • 1967
The Dukes
TV • 1983
Uncle Jesse (voice)
The Doris Day Show
TV • 1968
Buck Webb
The High Chaparral
TV • 1967
General Warren
The Millionaire
TV • 1955
Arthur Darner
Tammy
TV • 1965
Mordecai Tarleton
The Virginian
TV • 1962
Pico Brown
Thriller
TV • 1960
Ortho Wheeler
The Aquanauts
TV • 1960
Captain Leo Stohl
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
TV • 1955
The Gene Autry Show
TV • 1950
Men Into Space
TV • 1959
Petrocelli
TV • 1974
Adventures of Superman
TV • 1952
Emile Hatch
Karen
TV • 1975
Bronco
TV • 1958
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
TV • 1956
National Velvet
TV • 1960
The Rifleman
TV • 1958
Lawman
TV • 1958
Bat Masterson
TV • 1958
Dan Morgan
Ben Casey
TV • 1961
The Guns of Will Sonnett
TV • 1967
Mr. Novak
TV • 1963
Brill
Law of the Plainsman
TV • 1959
Burke Carew
Riverboat
TV • 1959
Jim Bledsoe
The Texan
TV • 1958
Wichita Town
TV • 1959
The Detectives
TV • 1959
Stagecoach West
TV • 1960
Buffalo Bill Jr.
TV • 1955
The Manhunter
TV • 1974
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
John Baker
The Lieutenant
TV • 1963
The Roy Rogers Show
TV • 1951
Grizzly Adams
TV • 1977
Mad Jack
Dr. Kildare
TV • 1961
R. E. Lenger
I'm the Law
TV • 1953
Frontier
TV • 1955
The Adventures of Kit Carson
TV • 1951
26 Men
TV • 1957
My Friend Flicka
TV • 1955
Alec
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
TV • 1955
Ben Thompson
Hopalong Cassidy
TV • 1952
Jefferson Drum
TV • 1958
Bart Resdake
The Deputy
TV • 1959
Akins
Behind Closed Doors
TV • 1958
Roger Woodson
Channing
TV • 1963
Sam Riddle
Maverick
TV • 1957
The Gene Autry Show
TV • 1950
Frank Blake
Casey Jones
TV • 1957
Frank Reeder
The Texan
TV • 1958
Sheriff
Public Defender
TV • 1954
Tom Gayley
The Texan
TV • 1958
Chip Andrews
Fury
TV • 1955
Carter
The Lone Ranger
TV • 1949
Deputy French
The Dukes of Hazzard
TV • 1979
Jesse Duke
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Price Buchanan
The Tall Man
TV • 1960
Marshal Dave Leggert
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Hank Shinn
Cheyenne
TV • 1955
Cyrus Burton
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Mike Blocker
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1954
Mr. Royal (uncredited)
The Lone Ranger
TV • 1949
Colby
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Gus
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Haggen
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Aaron
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Pa
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Caleb
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Claudius
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Clab Chummer
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Caleb Nash
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Dr. Henry S. Rand
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Judge Blent
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Cyrus Himes
Perry Mason
TV • 1957
Jackson Sidemark
Barnaby Jones
TV • 1973
Stayley Kircher
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
Marshal Quimby
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
Sheriff
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
Sheriff Tom
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
Seth Robson
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
Marshal Joe Sully
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
Nat Sledge
State Trooper
TV • 1956
Mark Schmedler
How the West Was Won
TV • 1977
Sgt. Tripp
Perry Mason
TV • 1957
Tom Quincy
Annie Oakley
TV • 1954
Dr. Barnes
Perry Mason
TV • 1957
Tilden Stuart
Perry Mason
TV • 1957
Emery Fillmore
Perry Mason
TV • 1957
Frank Honer
Bat Masterson
TV • 1958
Walsh (uncredited)
Cheyenne
TV • 1955
John Hanson
What a Cartoon!
TV • 1995
Podunk Possum (voice)
The Gene Autry Show
TV • 1950
Burr Ramsey
The Gene Autry Show
TV • 1950
Dodge Hartman
The Lone Ranger
TV • 1949
Deputy Allen
The Lone Ranger
TV • 1949
Stack
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Claude Roman
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1954
Dr. Larson
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Pete Hollister
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
TV • 1955
Hoss Mackey
Wagon Train
TV • 1957
Bragg
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Sheriff Ed
Public Defender
TV • 1954
George Hansen
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1954
Amos Briggs (uncredited)
Empire
TV • 1962
Tom Rawling
The Texan
TV • 1958
Houston Blackston
Annie Oakley
TV • 1954
Tom Malloy
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
TV • 1964
Titus Purcell
The 20th Century Fox Hour
TV • 1955
Lester
The 20th Century Fox Hour
TV • 1955
Charley
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1954
Ben as an Adult (voice)
The Lone Wolf
TV • 1954
Kargar
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
TV • 1958
Braddock
Broken Arrow
TV • 1956
Fred Graf
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Marcus Caldwell
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Clay Sommers
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
McKay
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Advent
Checkmate
TV • 1960
Terry Adams (
Hondo
TV • 1967
Judge Amos Blunt
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Eric Springer