Denver Pyle
Pyle in 1962
Born
Denver Dell Pyle

(1920-05-11)May 11, 1920
Bethune, Colorado, U.S.
DiedDecember 25, 1997(1997-12-25) (aged 77)
Burbank, California, U.S.
Resting placeForreston Cemetery, Forreston, Texas
Occupations
  • Actor
  • director
Years active1947–1997
Spouses
Marilee Carpenter
​
​
(m. 1955; div. 1970)​
    Tippie Johnston
    ​
    (m. 1983)​
    Children2

    Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 – December 25, 1997)[1][2] was an American film and television actor and director. He was well known for a number of TV roles from the 1960s through the 1980s, including his portrayal of Briscoe Darling in several episodes of The Andy Griffith Show, as Jesse Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard from 1979 to 1985, as Mad Jack in the NBC television series The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, and as the titular character's father, Buck Webb, in CBS's The Doris Day Show. In many of his roles, he portrayed either authority figures, or gruff, demanding father figures, often as comic relief. Perhaps his most memorable film role was that of Texas Ranger Frank Hamer in the movie Bonnie and Clyde (1967), as the lawman who relentlessly chased down and finally killed the notorious duo in an ambush.

    Early life

    Pyle was born in Bethune, Colorado on May 11, 1920, to farmer Ben H. Pyle and his wife Maude.[3] His brother, Willis, was an animator known for his work with Walt Disney Animation Studios and UPA.[4][5] After graduating from high school, Pyle briefly attended Colorado State University, but dropped out to enter show business, moving to Los Angeles in 1940.[6] He worked as a drummer and band member until the United States entered World War II. His military service is unclear, and he possibly enlisted in the U.S. Navy or Merchant Marines, or both.[6][7][8][9][10][11]

    Career

    After the war, Pyle embarked on his film and television career. He played many bit parts on television series and movies before starring in several movies and on television during the 1950s and '60s.

    Limited roles

    Pyle guest-starred 14 times between 1951 and 1953 on the syndicated television series The Range Rider with Jock Mahoney and Dick Jones, and appeared as an outlaw in a 1951 episode of the television series The Lone Ranger titled "Backtrail," then as a deputy in the episode "The Hooded Men" and returned in episode 71 "The Outcast", episode 166 "Woman in the White Mask" and episode 187 "Cross of Santo Domingo". He also appeared in "Frontier Range", a 1951 episode of The Gene Autry Show.

    In 1953, Pyle appeared on The Roy Rogers Show (season two, "Loaded Guns") as the wrongly accused killer, ranch hand Tom Larrabee. Also in 1953, Pyle played Emil Hatch in episode 46 of The Adventures of Superman entitled "Beware the Wrecker". He had a part in the 1955 Audie Murphy film To Hell and Back, and appeared twice on NBC's 1955–1956 Western anthology series Frontier (in "Mother of the Brave" and in "The Voyage of Captain Castle").

    Pyle was twice cast on CBS's The Public Defender in the role of George Hansen, and three times on the religious anthology series, Crossroads on ABC. He acted the part of a police detective in the 1956 film noir Please Murder Me, starring Raymond Burr.

    Pyle was cast as Carter in the 1955 episode "Joey's Father" on Fury. Three years later, he played an arsonist in the episode "The Fire Watchers" of the same series. In 1956, Pyle appeared as Vance Kiley in the episode called "Quicksand" in the TV Western series The Lone Ranger. That same year, he played "Willie Calhoun", a lovestruck, and soon-to-be murderer, in season 2’s "Poor Pearl" on Gunsmoke.

    He appeared as a professor in the syndicated Men into Space series' 1959 episode "Moonquake". In an episode of Ripcord, he played a suicidal parachutist. Also in 1959, he returned to Gunsmoke, playing the lead character Mike Blocker in the episode "The Bear".

    Pyle appeared twice each on the CBS Western series My Friend Flicka and NBC's The Restless Gun with John Payne. He guest-starred with Grant Withers in the 1959 episode "Tumbleweed Ranger" of Tris Coffin's syndicated Western series 26 Men, billed as true stories of the Arizona Rangers. He appeared seven times on Richard Boone's CBS Western Have Gun – Will Travel; his final appearance was on the show in 1960 as the character Croft in "The Puppeteer".

    He guest-starred in 1960 in several other Westerns, including Pony Express, The Man from Blackhawk, and Tombstone Territory. He was cast as Big Red in the 1959 episode "Woman in the River" of the detective series Bourbon Street Beat, starring Andrew Duggan and Richard Long. He made several appearances as Briscoe Darling, on The Andy Griffith Show.

    Pyle was cast in a number of Western movies by John Ford, including The Horse Soldiers with William Holden and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. He played a Tennessee soldier (called Thimblerig) in John Wayne's The Alamo (1960). He portrayed Sam Houston in several episodes of CBS's The Adventures of Jim Bowie. He guest-starred as a law-enforcement officer in Jim Davis' other syndicated series, Rescue 8, and also appeared in an episode of the ABC sitcom, The Real McCoys with Walter Brennan.

    Pyle was cast in the 1960 episode "Three Wise Men" of ABC's Stagecoach West as an outlaw who promises to turn himself into the authorities if he can spend Christmas with his family. About this time, Pyle appeared in the segment "Lawyer in Petticoats" of William Bendix's 1960 NBC Western series Overland Trail with Doug McClure, and thereafter in 1961 in "Hand of Vengeance" in the syndicated Western series Two Faces West. Pyle was cast as Jed Corrigan in the 1961 episode "The Tramp" of the NBC family drama series National Velvet.

    Pyle guest-starred twice on the CBS series Route 66 with Martin Milner and George Maharis, first in 1961 in the episode "The Newborn" and again in 1962 in "A Long Piece of Mischief". He appeared as the father of the doomed family in the dystopian episode "Black Leather Jackets" of The Twilight Zone.

    In 1963, Pyle guest-starred on The Dick Van Dyke Show as Uncle George in the episode "Uncle George".

    He appeared twice in Cheyenne, starring Clint Walker. He played Sergeant Tripp in the episode "The Enemy" of the James Arness ABC series How the West Was Won. Pyle also had guest-starring roles on The Rifleman.

    He also is known for portraying both the suspect and the murder victim on the last original Perry Mason TV episode, "The Case of the Final Fadeout", in 1966. He was one of 11 actors to hit the Perry Mason trifecta, portraying a victim, a defendant, and the actual murderer (in previous episodes) on the series, which he did in five appearances. Among his other appearances, he played defendant Robert Crane in "The Case of the Deadly Double" in 1958, Tom Quincy in "The Case of the Ominous Outcast" in 1960, Tilden Stuart in "The Case of the Jealous Journalist", Emery Fillmore in "The Case of the Renegade Refugee" (both in 1961), and Frank Honer in "The Case of the Shifty Shoebox" in 1963.

    Pyle portrayed Grandpa Tarleton in all 26 episodes of Tammy in the 1965–1966 season. Pyle portrayed the vengeful Texas Ranger Frank Hamer in the 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde. He also appeared in an episode of The High Chaparral as a general who had lost his son.

    In 1968, he appeared as Titus Purcell, patriarch of a family of homesteaders, in the episode "The Price of Tomatoes" in the sitcom Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Working for the first time with Jim Nabors playing Gomer Pyle, spun-off from The Andy Griffith Show, he used a screen persona similar to Briscoe Darling, Jr. In 1968, he also directed "The Great Diamond Mines" on Death Valley Days.

    Pyle had a guest-starring role in 1973 on The Streets of San Francisco. In 1975, Walt Disney Productions released a film based on the novel Escape to Witch Mountain. In this film, Tony and Tia were played by Ike Eisenmann and Kim Richards, Lucas Deranian by Donald Pleasence, and the children's Uncle Bené by Pyle. In 1976, he appeared on Barnaby Jones in an episode titled "Stalking Horse". He appeared as a mayor residing in the town of Purgatory in the first-season episode of Kung Fu, titled "Ancient Warrior". He also appeared in second-season episode "Crossties" as a doctor. In 1985 (season 9, episode 8), Pyle made a guest appearance on The Love Boat.

    Leading role

    Pyle played the titular role in a theatrical film entitled Guardian of the Wilderness (1976) about Galen Clark, the true story of an explorer who persuaded Abraham Lincoln to have the Yosemite area set aside from commercial development, the original forerunner of the American national parks system.[12] Clark was prompted by his decision to do all he could to preserve the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias from being destroyed by loggers, along with the surrounding land.[13] Pyle was the top-billed lead in this theatrical motion picture shot on location. John Dehner portrayed legendary naturalist John Muir and Ford Rainey played President Lincoln. The movie is also known by its alternate title Mountain Man.

    Continuing roles

    One of Pyle's more endearing roles was that of Briscoe Darling, Jr., on The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1966). Pyle played the patriarch of the Darling family, a group of sons (all portrayed by The Dillards), and one daughter, Charlene, portrayed by Maggie Peterson. He appeared in seven episodes, six written by the comedy-writing team of Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum.

    Pyle played the role of Mad Jack in 36 episodes of the NBC series The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (1977–1978). He played Buck Webb (Doris Day's television series father) during the first two seasons of CBS's The Doris Day Show (1968–1970). In real life, Pyle was only two years older than Day. Pyle said in 1968 that he based his acting in that role on his father's personality.[14]

    Pyle's best-known and longest-running television role was that of Uncle Jesse Duke in the CBS series The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985) (146 episodes).

    Later years

    In his later life, Pyle played mostly cameo television roles and retired from full-time acting. His last film role was in the 1994 film Maverick. His last known acting role was as Jesse Duke in the 1997 CBS made-for-television movie The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!.

    Charitable efforts

    Pyle sponsored Uncle Jesse's Fishing Tournament in Lamar County, Texas.[15] In 10 years of operation, the tournament raised more than $160,000 to support children's programs there.[16] First established in 1988, the tournament is still going strong and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2017. It continues to support the children's charities of Lamar County.[17]

    Recognition

    Pyle has a star in the Motion Pictures section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7083 Hollywood Boulevard. It was dedicated on December 12, 1997.[18]

    In 1991, the Texas Senate passed a resolution honoring Pyle and his wife for their work with Special Olympics and the Denver Pyle's Children's Charities.[19]

    Oil wealth

    Within a few years of his final episode on The Andy Griffith Show, "The Darling Fortune", Pyle began investing in oil, buying oil wells thought to be near the end of their working lifetimes cheaply at a time when the price of oil was $2.15 per barrel. By 1981, after new technologies allowed the remaining oil to be more economically recovered from the wells and the 1973 oil crisis triggered a rise in prices to over $46 a barrel, he was very wealthy, having made much more money from oil than his total earnings in over 30 years as an actor. He said that he continued to work as an actor because "I look at it this way, acting provides the cash flow I need for oil speculation, and besides that I like acting. It's fun."[20]

    Personal life

    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. On November 5, 1983, Pyle married Tippie X. Johnston in Los Angeles County, California. That union lasted until his death.[21]

    Death

    Pyle died of lung cancer on Christmas Day 1997. Memorial services were held January 6, 1998, at First Baptist Church in Waxahachie, Texas.[16] 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, James Thomas Johnston and Erin Maurine (nee Birch) Johnston.[22]

    Selected filmography

    Selected television

    Year Title Role Notes
    1953 Death Valley Days Art Crowley Season 1, episode 12, "Swamper Ike"
    1957 Have Gun – Will Travel Clay Sommers Episode "The Colonel and the Lady"

    References

    1. ↑ "Social Security Death Index". New England Historic Genealogical Society. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
    2. ↑ "Obituary: Denver Pyle". Independent.co.uk. October 22, 2011.
    3. ↑ Great Character Actors Archived December 29, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, dougmacaulay.com; accessed March 4, 2017.
    4. ↑ "Willis Pyle Obituary". The New York Times. June 8, 2016. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
    5. ↑ Barnes, Mike (June 8, 2016). "Willis Pyle, Famed Animator on 'Pinocchio' and 'Mr. Magoo,' Dies at 101". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
    6. 1 2 Denver Pyle, 77, Best Known For 'Dukes of Hazzard' Role The New York Times via Internet Archive. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
    7. ↑ Obituary: Denver Pyle The Independent. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
    8. ↑ DENVER PYLE, Actor Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
    9. ↑ Denver Pyle Hollywood Walk of Fame. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
    10. ↑ Wiester, Emery. "Everybody's Seen Ol' Denver Pyle", The Charlotte News, Charlotte, North Carolina, volume 82, number 22, February 1, 1969, Green Section, page 1C.
    11. ↑ Kyle, Clason. "A Coloradan from Bethune", The Sunday Ledger-Enquirer, Columbus, Georgia, volume 40, number 18, October 5, 1969, Magazine section, page 14.
    12. ↑ "Galen Clark - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service)".
    13. ↑ "Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias" (PDF). National Park Service.
    14. ↑ "Denver Pyle Chose Acting Over Law". The Times Record. New York, Troy. The Times-Record. September 7, 1968. p. 28. Retrieved January 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    15. ↑ "Editorial: A sad farewell to Uncle Jessee". The Paris News. Texas, Paris. The Paris News. January 1, 1998. p. 4. Retrieved January 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    16. 1 2 "Denver Pyle". The Paris News. Texas, Paris. The Paris News. December 31, 1997. p. 16. Retrieved January 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    17. ↑ "30th Annual Uncle Jesse's Memorial Big Bass Classic Fishing Tournament". Paris, Texas. eParis Extra. April 15, 2017.
    18. ↑ "Denver Pyle". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
    19. ↑ Johnson, Shawn R. (April 13, 1991). "300 athletes participate in area Olympics". The Paris News. Texas, Paris. The Paris News. p. 1. Retrieved January 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    20. ↑ United Press International archive: https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/05/09/Scotts-World-Uncle-Jesses-An-Oil-Man/9392358228800/
    21. ↑ Monica Otayza (December 3, 2021). "Denver Pyle's First Wife Was Close to Him Even after His Second Marriage until He Passed Away". news.amomama.com. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
    22. ↑ "Forreston Cemetery". cemeteries-of-tx.com. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
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