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