Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 – December 25, 1997) 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 Jr. Briscoe may refer to: Placenames * Briscoe, Missouri * Briscoe, Texas, USA * Briscoe, West Virginia, USA * Briscoe County, Texas * Briscoe, Cumbria, England Other * Briscoe (automotive company), defunct American automobile manufacturer * Brisc ...

in several episodes of ''

The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American situation comedy television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. The ...

,'' as Jesse Duke in ''

The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television serie ...

'' from 1979 to 1985, as Mad Jack in the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

television series ''

The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams ''The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams'' is a 1974 independent feature film produced by Charles E. Sellier Jr. and Raylan D. Jensen for Sun Classic Pictures. The film's popularity led to an NBC television series of the same name. The title cha ...

'', and as the titular character's father, Buck Webb, in

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

's ''

The Doris Day Show ''The Doris Day Show'' is an American sitcom which was originally broadcast on CBS from September 1968 until March 1973, remaining on the air for five seasons and 128 episodes. The series is remembered for its multiple format and cast chang ...

''. 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 Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The co ...

'' (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 The Town of Bethune is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory town, Statutory Town located in Kit Carson County, Colorado, Kit Carson County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 183 at the 2020 United States Census. Bethune ...

on May 11, 1920, to farmer Ben H. Pyle and his wife Maude; His brother, Willis, was an

animator An animator is an artist who creates multiple images, known as frames, which give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, and video gam ...

known for his work with

Walt Disney Animation Studios Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that creates animated features and short films for The Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a scene fro ...

and UPA. After graduating from high school, Pyle briefly attended

Colorado State University Colorado State University (Colorado State or CSU) is a public land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. Colorado State University is classified among "R1: ...

, but dropped out to enter show business, moving to Los Angeles in 1940.Denver Pyle, 77, Best Known For 'Dukes of Hazzard' Role
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' via

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

. Retrieved September 14, 2021. He worked as a drummer and band member until the United States entered

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. His military service is unclear, and he possibly enlisted in the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

or Merchant Marines, or both.Obituary: Denver Pyle
''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

''. Retrieved September 14, 2021.DENVER PYLE, Actor
''

Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasti ...

''. Retrieved September 14, 2021.Denver Pyle

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

. Retrieved September 14, 2021.

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 1960s.

Limited roles

Pyle guest-starred 14 times between 1951 and 1953 on the syndicated television series ''

The Range Rider ''The Range Rider'' is an American Western television series that was first broadcast in syndication from 1951 to 1953. A single lost episode surfaced and was broadcast in 1959. ''The Range Rider'' was also broadcast on British television durin ...

'' with

Jock Mahoney Jacques Joseph O'Mahoney (February 7, 1919 – December 14, 1989), known professionally as Jock Mahoney, was an American actor and stuntman. He starred in two Action/Adventure television series, ''The Range Rider'' and ''Yancy Derringer''. He ...

and Dick Jones, and appeared as an outlaw in a 1951 episode of the television series ''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in ...

'' titled "Backtrail", episode 71 "The Outcast", episode 166 "Woman in the White Mask", and episode 187 "Cross of Santo Domingo". In 1953, Pyle appeared on ''

The Roy Rogers Show ''The Roy Rogers Show'' is an American western television series starring Roy Rogers. 100 episodes were broadcast on NBC for six seasons between December 30, 1951 and June 9, 1957. The episodes were set in the prevailing times (1950s) in the st ...

'' (S2 E11, "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 Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor and songwriter. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. He received every military combat award for valor available from t ...

film '' To Hell and Back'', and appeared twice on

's 1955–1956 Western

anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...

'' Frontier'' (in "Mother of the Brave" and in "The Voyage of Captain Castle"). Pyle appeared twice as an unidentified bank robber in

Duncan Renaldo Renault Renaldo Duncan (April 23, 1904 – September 3, 1980), better known as Duncan Renaldo, was a Romanian-born American actor best remembered for his portrayal of The Cisco Kid in films and on the 1950–1956 American TV series ''The Cisco Ki ...

's syndicated Western series ''

The Cisco Kid The Cisco Kid is a fictional character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story "The Caballero's Way", published in '' Everybody's Magaz ...

''. In 1954, he was cast as a henchman of the outlaw Sam Bass in '' Stories of the Century''. Pyle was twice cast on

's ''

The Public Defender ''The Public Defender'' is a 1931 American pre-Code crime film directed by J. Walter Ruben, starring Richard Dix and featuring Boris Karloff. Rich playboy Pike Winslow dons the mantle of 'The Reckoner', a mysterious avenger, when he learns that ...

'' in the role of George Hansen, and three times on the religious anthology series, ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'' on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

. He acted the part of a police detective in the 1956 film noir ''

Please Murder Me ''Please Murder Me!'' is a 1956 American film noir directed by Peter Godfrey (director), Peter Godfrey and starring Angela Lansbury, Raymond Burr and Dick Foran. The film contains an incomplete copyright notice omitting mention of its claimant an ...

'', starring

Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor known for his lengthy Hollywood film career and his title roles in television dramas ''Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career included roles ...

. 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 S2E12's "Poor Pearl" on ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

''. In 1958, Pyle starred with

Judith Evelyn Judith Evelyn (born Evelyn Morris, March 20, 1909 – May 7, 1967) was an American-Canadian stage and film actress who appeared in around 50 films and television series. Early years Evelyn was born Evelyn Morrisdocudrama Docudrama (or documentary drama) is a genre of television and film, which features dramatized re-enactments of actual events. It is described as a hybrid of documentary and drama and "a fact-based representation of real event". Docudramas typic ...

about the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

'' Behind Closed Doors'', hosted by and occasionally starring Bruce Gordon. 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 ''

'' playing the lead character “Mike Blocker” in the episode “The Bear” (S4E25). Pyle appeared twice each on the CBS Western series ''

My Friend Flicka ''My Friend Flicka'' is a 1941 novel by Mary O'Hara, about Ken McLaughlin, the son of a Wyoming rancher, and his mustang horse Flicka. It was the first in a trilogy, followed by ''Thunderhead'' (1943) and ''Green Grass of Wyoming'' (1946). The p ...

'' and NBC's ''

The Restless Gun ''The Restless Gun'' is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is a ...

'' with John Payne. He guest-starred with

Grant Withers Granville Gustavus Withers (January 17, 1905 – March 27, 1959) was an American film actor who acted under the screen name Grant Withers. With early beginnings in the silent era, Withers moved into sound films, establishing himself with a lis ...

in the 1959 episode "Tumbleweed Ranger" of

Tris Coffin Tristram Chockley Coffin (August 13, 1909 – March 26, 1990) was a film and television actor from the latter 1930s through the 1970s, usually in westerns or other B-movie action- adventure productions. Early years Coffin's mother was act ...

's syndicated Western series '' 26 Men'', billed as true stories of the

Arizona Rangers The Arizona Rangers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, noncommissioned civilian auxiliary that supports law enforcement in the US, state of Arizona. In 2002, the modern-day Arizona Rangers were officially recognized by the State of Arizona when the Le ...

. He appeared seven times on

Richard Boone Richard Allen Boone (June 18, 1917 – January 10, 1981) was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns, including his starring role in the television series ''Have Gun – Will Travel''. Early lif ...

's CBS Western ''

Have Gun – Will Travel ''Have Gun – Will Travel'' is an American Western series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on both television and radio from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Richard Boone was rated number t ...

'', his final appearance 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 Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pik ...

'', ''

The Man from Blackhawk ''The Man From Blackhawk'' is a Western television series about an insurance investigator starring Robert Rockwell that aired on ABC from October 9, 1959 until September 9, 1960. The series was created by Frank Barron and produced by Herb Meadow ...

'', and ''

Tombstone Territory ''Tombstone Territory'' is an American Western series starring Pat Conway and Richard Eastham. The series' first two seasons aired on ABC from 1957 to 1959. The first season was sponsored by Bristol-Myers (consumer products) and the second s ...

''. He guest-starred in the episode "Trail of the Dead", the story of five missing prospectors, of Rod Cameron's modern Western syndicated series '' State Trooper''. He appeared with

Sammy Jackson Sammy Jackson (August 18, 1937 – April 26, 1995) was an American actor, known particularly for his roles reflecting rural life, and a country music disc jockey, although he also played pop-standards during 1983 at Los Angeles's KMPC. He als ...

in the episode "Resurrection" of the syndicated

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

drama, '' The Gray Ghost''. He was cast as Big Red in the 1959 episode "Woman in the River" of the ABC/

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

detective series '' Bourbon Street Beat'', starring

Andrew Duggan Andrew Duggan (December 28, 1923 – May 15, 1988) was an American character actor. His work includes 185 screen credits between 1949 and 1987 for roles in both film and television, as well a number more on stage. Background Duggan was born in ...

and Richard Long. He made several appearances as Briscoe Darling Jr. on ''

''. Pyle was cast in a number of

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

movies by

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

, including ''

The Horse Soldiers ''The Horse Soldiers'' is a 1959 American adventure war western film set during the American Civil War directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, William Holden and Constance Towers. The screenplay by John Lee Mahin and Martin Rackin was ...

'' with

William Holden William Holden (born William Franklin Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor, and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film ''Stalag 17'' (1953) ...

and ''

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance ''The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' () is a 1962 American Western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and James Stewart. The screenplay by James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck was adapted from a 1953 short story written by ...

''. He played a Tennessee soldier (called Thimblerig) in

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...

's '' The Alamo'' (1960). He portrayed

Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...

in several episodes of CBS's ''

The Adventures of Jim Bowie ''The Adventures of Jim Bowie'' is an American Western television series that aired on ABC from 1956 to 1958. Its setting was the 1830s-era Louisiana Territory. The series was an adaptation of the book ''Tempered Blade'', by Monte Barrett. Synop ...

''. He guest-starred as a law enforcement officer in Jim Davis' other syndicated series, ''

Rescue 8 ''Rescue 8'' is a syndicated American action adventure crime drama series about Los Angeles County Fire Department Rescue Squad 8. It premiered in 1958 and originally ran for two seasons with syndicated reruns continuing for almost a decade th ...

'', and appeared, as well, in an episode of the ABC sitcom, ''

The Real McCoys ''The Real McCoys'' is an American situation comedy starring Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan. Co-produced by Danny Thomas's Marterto Productions in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus's Westgate Company, ...

''. Pyle was cast in the 1960 episode "Three Wise Men" of ABC's ''

Stagecoach West Stagecoach West is the trading name of Cheltenham & Gloucester Omnibus Company Limited, a bus operator providing services in Gloucestershire, Bristol, Swindon, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, North Somerset and Herefordshire, in the West of England. ...

'' as an outlaw who promises to turn himself into the authorities if he can spend

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

with his family. About this time, Pyle appeared in the segment "Lawyer in Petticoats" of

William Bendix William Bendix (January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an American film, radio, and television actor, who typically played rough, blue-collar characters. He is best remembered for his role in ''Wake Island'', which earned him an Academy ...

's 1960 NBC Western series ''

Overland Trail The Overland Trail (also known as the Overland Stage Line) was a stagecoach and wagon trail in the American West during the 19th century. While portions of the route had been used by explorers and trappers since the 1820s, the Overland Trail w ...

'', and thereafter in 1961 in "Hand of Vengeance" of the syndicated Western series ''

Two Faces West ''Two Faces West'' is an American syndicated TV series set in the Wild West running from October 1960 to July 1961 for a total of 39 half-hour episodes (one per week on a continuous run). It was produced by Donald Gold and Jonas Seinfeld and M ...

''. Pyle was cast as Jed Corrigan in the 1961 episode "The Tramp" of the NBC family drama series ''

National Velvet ''National Velvet'' is a novel by Enid Bagnold (1889–1981), first published in 1935. It was illustrated by Laurian Jones, Bagnold's daughter, who was born in 1921. Plot summary ''National Velvet'' is the story of a 14-year-old girl named ...

''. Pyle guest-starred twice on the CBS series '' Route 66'' with

Martin Milner Martin Sam Milner (December 28, 1931 – September 6, 2015) was an American actor and radio host. He is best known for his performances on two television series: '' Route 66'', which aired on CBS from 1960 to 1964, and ''Adam-12'', which a ...

and

George Maharis George Maharis (born September 1, 1928) is an American actor who portrayed Buz Murdock in the first three seasons of the TV series ''Route 66''. Maharis also recorded numerous pop music albums at the height of his fame, and later starred in t ...

, 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 "Black Leather Jackets" is episode 138 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. In this episode, three aliens disguised as young men in leather jackets encounter a kink in their plan to exterminate humankind when one of th ...

" of ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...

''. In 1963, Pyle guest-starred on ''

The Dick Van Dyke Show ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Carl Reiner that initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961 to June 1, 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes spanning five seasons. It was produced by Calvada Product ...

'' as Uncle George in the episode "Uncle George". He appeared in the 1963–1964 season of ABC's

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

about college life '' Channing''. He portrayed the character Brill in the 1964 episode, "Johnny Ride the Pony: One, Two, Three", of the NBC education drama series, ''

Mr. Novak ''Mr. Novak'' is an American television dramatic series starring James Franciscus in the title role as a high school teacher. The series aired on NBC for two seasons, from 1963 to 1965. It won a Peabody Award in 1963. Synopsis The series follows ...

'', starring

James Franciscus James Grover Franciscus (January 31, 1934 – July 8, 1991) was an American actor, known for his roles in feature films and in six television series: '' Mr. Novak'', '' The Naked City'', '' The Investigators'', '' Longstreet'', '' Doc Elliot'', ...

. Pyle appeared 14 times on ''

'', seven times on ''

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' is an American Western anthology television series that was broadcast on CBS from October 5, 1956, until September 20, 1962. Format Many episodes were based on novels by Zane Grey, to all of which Four Star ...

'', and twice on ''

Frontier Justice Frontier justice is extrajudicial punishment that is motivated by the nonexistence of law and order or dissatisfaction with justice. The phrase can also be used to describe a prejudiced judge. Lynching, vigilantism and gunfighting are considered f ...

'', all on CBS. He appeared in seven episodes as Ben Thompson (and twice as other characters) on the ABC Western series ''

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' is the first Western television series written for adults, premiering four days before '' Gunsmoke'' on September 6, 1955. Two weeks later came the Clint Walker western ''Cheyenne''. The series is loosely ...

''. Pyle played the frontier character

Deadwood Dick Deadwood Dick is a fictional character who appears in a series of stories, or dime novels, published between 1877 and 1897 by Edward Lytton Wheeler (1854/5–1885). The name became so widely known in its time that it was used to advantage by s ...

in the 1966 episode "The Resurrection of Deadwood Dick" on the syndicated anthology series ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

''. He appeared twice in ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enroll ...

'', starring

Clint Walker Norman Eugene "Clint" Walker (May 30, 1927 – May 21, 2018) was an American actor. He played cowboy Cheyenne Bodie in the ABC/ Warner Bros. western series ''Cheyenne'' from 1955 to 1963. Early life Clint Walker was born Norman Eugene W ...

. He played Sergeant Tripp in the episode "The Enemy" of the

James Arness James Arness (born James King Aurness; May 26, 1923 – June 3, 2011) was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the CBS television series '' Gunsmoke''. Arness has the distinction of having played the ...

ABC series '' How the West Was Won''. Pyle also had guest starring roles on ''

The Rifleman ''The Rifleman'' is an American Western television program starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show ...

''. He also is known for portraying both the suspect and the murder victim on the last original ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'' 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, murderer Tilden Stuart in "The Case of the Jealous Journalist", and murderer Emery Fillmore in "The Case of the Renegade Refugee" (both in 1961), and murderer 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 Francis Augustus Hamer (March 17, 1884 – July 10, 1955) was an American lawman and Texas Ranger who led the 1934 posse that tracked down and killed criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Renowned for his toughness, marksmanship, and ...

in the 1967 movie ''

''. He also appeared in an episode of ''

The High Chaparral ''The High Chaparral'' television series, which was broadcast on NBC from 1967 to 1971, is an American Western action adventure drama set in the 1870s. It stars Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell. The series was made by Xanadu Productions in ...

'' 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. ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.''The show (and CBS) renders the title as ''Gomer Pyle – USMC''. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spin-off of ''The Andy Griffith Sho ...

'' Working for the first time with

Jim Nabors James Thurston Nabors (June 12, 1930 – November 30, 2017) was an American actor, singer, and comedian, widely known for his signature character, Gomer Pyle. Nabors was discovered by Andy Griffith while working at a Santa Monica nightclub, an ...

playing

Gomer Pyle Gomer Pyle is a fictional character played by Jim Nabors and introduced in the middle of the third season of ''The Andy Griffith Show''. A naïve and gentle auto mechanic, he became a character in the January 1963 episode, ''Man in a Hurry''. ...

, spun-off from ''

'', 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 ''The Streets of San Francisco'' is a television crime drama filmed on location in San Francisco and produced by Quinn Martin, Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros. Television (QM produced the ...

''. In 1975,

Walt Disney Productions The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October 1 ...

released a film based on the novel ''

Escape to Witch Mountain ''Escape to Witch Mountain'' is a science fiction novel written by Alexander Key in 1968. It was adapted for film by Disney as '' Escape to Witch Mountain'' in 1975 which spawned the ''Witch Mountain'' franchise. The novel was illustrated by ...

''. In this film, Tony and Tia were played by

Ike Eisenmann Ike Eisenmann (born July 21, 1962) is a former American actor, producer, and sound effects specialist who has been active in the entertainment industry since childhood. Early life and education Eisenmann was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Rut ...

and

Kim Richards Kim Erica Richards (born September 19, 1964) is an American actress, socialite, and television personality. She began her career as a child actress, and rose to prominence from her roles in '' Nanny and the Professor'', '' Escape to Witch Mount ...

, Lucas Deranian by

Donald Pleasence Donald Henry Pleasence (; 5 October 1919 – 2 February 1995) was an English actor. He began his career on stage in the West End before transitioning into a screen career, where he played numerous supporting and character roles including RAF ...

, and the children's Uncle Bené by Pyle. In 1976, he appeared on ''Barnaby Jones'' in an episode titled "Stalking Horse". He appeared as Mayor residing in the town of Purgatory in the first-season episode of ''

Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common ...

'', 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 ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...

''.

Continuing roles

One of Pyle's more endearing roles was that of Briscoe Darling on ''

'' (1960–1966). Pyle played the patriarch of the Darling family, a group of sons (all portrayed by ''

The Dillards The Dillards are an American bluegrass and country rock band from Salem, Missouri. The band is best known for introducing bluegrass music into the popular mainstream with their appearance as "The Darlings" on ''The Andy Griffith Show''. Band ...

''), 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 ''

'' (1977–1978). He played Buck Webb (

Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...

's television series father) during the first two seasons of CBS's ''

'' (1968–1970). He said in 1968 that he based his acting in that role on his father's personality. He did some writing and directing for the short-lived half-hour western ''

Dirty Sally ''Dirty Sally'' was a humorous western television series about a hard-drinking cantankerous old woman and a young former outlaw traveling to the California gold fields in a wagon pulled by a mule named Worthless. The series consisted of 14 half-h ...

'' starring

Jeanette Nolan Jeanette Nolan (December 30, 1911 – June 5, 1998) was an American actress. Nominated for four Emmy Awards, she had roles in the television series '' The Virginian'' (1962–1971) and ''Dirty Sally'' (1974), and in films such as ''Macbeth'' ...

, which ran on CBS in the first half of 1974. He also played a small role on ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. It was created by Earl Hamner Jr., based on his 1961 book ''Spencer's Mountain'' and the 1963 film ...

'' as a relative of the Baldwin sisters. Pyle's best-known and longest-running television role was that of Uncle Jesse Duke in the CBS series ''

'' (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 Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Burea ...

''. 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 Lamar County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas, in the Northeast Texas region. As of the 2020 census, its population was 50,088. Its county seat is Paris. The county was formed by the Congress of the Republic of Texas on Decembe ...

. In 10 years of operation, the tournament raised more than $160,000 to support children's programs there. 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.

Recognition

Pyle has a star in the Motion Pictures section of the

at 7083 Hollywood Boulevard. It was dedicated on December 12, 1997. 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.

Oil wealth

Within a few years of his final episode on ''

'', "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 The price of oil, or the oil price, generally refers to the spot price of a barrel () of benchmark crude oil—a reference price for buyers and sellers of crude oil such as West Texas Intermediate (WTI), Brent Crude, Dubai Crude, OPEC Ref ...

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 The 1973 oil crisis or first oil crisis began in October 1973 when the members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), led by Saudi Arabia, proclaimed an oil embargo. The embargo was targeted at nations that had supp ...

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."

Personal life

In 1955, Pyle married Marilee Carpenter, a production assistant at

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

. They had sons David and Tony. Marilee and Denver divorced in 1970. In 1983, Pyle married Tippie Johnston. That union lasted until his death.

Death

Pyle died of

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...

on Christmas Day 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.

Selected filmography

*''

The Guilt of Janet Ames ''The Guilt of Janet Ames'' is a 1947 American sentimental film noir directed by Henry Levin, based on a story by Lenore Coffee, and starring Rosalind Russell and Melvyn Douglas. Plot War widow Janet Ames (Rosalind Russell) is stricken unconsc ...

'' (1947) as Masher (uncredited) *''

Devil Ship Devil Ship is a 1947 American crime film directed by Lew Landers and starring Richard Lane, Louise Campbell and William Bishop. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures. Plot Cast *Richard Lane as Bill Brown *Louise Campbell ...

'' (1947) as Carl *''

Train to Alcatraz ''Train to Alcatraz'' is a 1948 American prison film directed by Philip Ford and starring Don Barry, Janet Martin, William Phipps, Roy Barcroft, and June Storey. Plot Criminals on a train bound for an infamous supermax prison plan to escape, an ...

'' (1948) as Hutch Hutchins *''

Marshal of Amarillo ''Marshal of Amarillo'' is a 1948 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Philip Ford (film director), Philip Ford and written by Robert Creighton Williams. The film stars Allan Lane, Eddy Waller, Mildred Coles (actress), Mildred Col ...

'' (1948) as The Night Clerk *''

The Man from Colorado ''The Man from Colorado'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Henry Levin, produced by Jules Schermer for Columbia Pictures, and starring Glenn Ford as a Union officer who becomes addicted to killing during the American Civil War, Willia ...

'' (1948) as Easy Jarrett (uncredited) *''

El Paso El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the s ...

'' (1949) as Vigilante (uncredited) *'' Streets of San Francisco'' (1949) as Ed Quinn *'' Red Canyon'' (1949) as Hutch *'' Hellfire'' (1949) as Rex *'' Rim of the Canyon'' (1949) as Cash Collins (uncredited) *''

Too Late for Tears ''Too Late for Tears'' is a 1949 film noir directed by Byron Haskin and starring Lizabeth Scott, Arthur Kennedy, Dan Duryea, and Don DeFore. It concerns a ruthless femme fatale's murderous attempt to hold on to a suitcase containing US$60,000 ($ ...

'' (1949) as Youth at Union Station (uncredited) *'' Flame of Youth'' (1949) as Lytz *'' The Big Wheel'' (1949) as Doctor *''

The Flying Saucer ''The Flying Saucer'' is a 1950 independently made American black-and-white science fiction spy film drama. It was written by Howard Irving Young, from an original story by Mikel Conrad, who also produced, directed, and stars with Pat Garrison ...

'' (1950) as Turner *''

Captain China ''Captain China'' is a 1950 American adventure film directed by Lewis R. Foster and written by Lewis R. Foster and Gwen Bagni. The film stars John Payne, Gail Russell, Jeffrey Lynn, Lon Chaney Jr., Edgar Bergen, Michael O'Shea and Ellen Corb ...

'' (1950) as Steve *''

Singing Guns ''Singing Guns'' is a 1950 American Trucolor Western film directed by R. G. Springsteen and starring Vaughn Monroe. The film features three songs by Monroe. " Mule Train", one of the songs featured in this 1950 Republic Western and sung by ...

'' (1950) as Richards Henchman *''

Federal Agent at Large ''Federal Agent at Large'' is a 1950 American crime film directed by George Blair, written by Albert DeMond and starring Dorothy Patrick, Robert Rockwell, Kent Taylor, Estelita Rodriguez, Thurston Hall and Frank Puglia. The film was released o ...

'' (1950) as 'Jumpy' Jordan *''

Dynamite Pass ''Dynamite Pass'' is a black and white 1950 Western film. It was described by the ''Los Angeles Times'' as being "very good of its type" and was released on a double bill with ''The Secret Fury''. Plot Near the Old West town of Clifton, New Mex ...

'' (1950) as Thurber Henchman *''

Customs Agent ''Customs Agent'' is a 1950 American thriller film directed by Seymour Friedman and starring William Eythe, Marjorie Reynolds and Griff Barnett.Blottner p.263 Synopsis In Shanghai an American customs agent tries to track down a drug-smuggling o ...

'' (1950) as Al *''

The Old Frontier ''The Old Frontier'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Philip Ford and written by Robert Creighton Williams. The film stars Monte Hale, Paul Hurst, Claudia Barrett, William "Bill" Henry, Tristram Coffin and William Haade. The film w ...

'' (1950) as Henchman George *''

Rough Riders of Durango ''Rough Riders of Durango'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Fred C. Brannon and written by M. Coates Webster. The film stars Allan Lane, Walter Baldwin, Aline Towne, Steve Darrell, Ross Ford, and Denver Pyle. The film was release ...

'' (1951) as Henchman Lacey *''

Million Dollar Pursuit ''Million Dollar Pursuit'' is a 1951 film noir crime film directed by R. G. Springsteen and starring Penny Edwards, Grant Withers and Norman Budd.Martin p.470 The film's art direction was by Frank Hotaling. Plot Cast * Penny Edwards as Ronnie ...

'' (1951) as Nick Algren *''

Drums in the Deep South ''Drums in the Deep South'' is an American Civil War war western film directed by William Cameron Menzies who was production designer of David O. Selznick's ''Gone With the Wind'' (1939) and also designed the cave sequences in Selznick's ''The A ...

'' (1951) as Union Soldier Breaking Window (uncredited) *''

The Hills of Utah ''The Hills of Utah'' is a 1951 American Western (genre), Western film directed by John English (director), John English and starring Gene Autry, Elaine Riley and Donna Martell.Pitts p.152 The film's sets were designed by the art director Charl ...

'' (1951) as Bowie French *''

Mutiny Mutiny is a revolt among a group of people (typically of a military, of a crew or of a crew of pirates) to oppose, change, or overthrow an organization to which they were previously loyal. The term is commonly used for a rebellion among member ...

'' (1952) as Gunner / Mutineer (uncredited) *''

Oklahoma Annie ''Oklahoma Annie'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Jack Townley and Charles E. Roberts. The film stars Judy Canova, John Russell, Grant Withers, Roy Barcroft, Emmett Lynn and Frank Ferguson. The film ...

'' (1952) as Skip *''

Man from the Black Hills ''Man from the Black Hills'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Thomas Carr and starring Johnny Mack Brown, James Ellison and Rand Brooks.Drew p.179 It was distributed by Monogram Pictures which focused on low-budget second features. ...

'' (1952) as Glenn Hartley *''

Desert Passage Miracle Mile Shops (formerly Desert Passage) is a 475,000 square foot (44,129 m²), long, enclosed shopping mall on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is home to more than 170 stores, 15 restaurants and live entertainment venues. Synony ...

'' (1952) as Allen *'' Fargo'' (1952) as Carey *'' Canyon Ambush'' (1952) as Tom Carlton-Replaced (credit only) *''

The Maverick ''The Maverick'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Thomas Carr and starring Wild Bill Elliott, Myron Healey and Phyllis Coates.Fitzgerald & Magers p.35 Plot Cast * Wild Bill Elliott as Lieutenant Pete Devlin * Myron Healey as S ...

'' (1952) as Bud Karnes *''

'' (1953) as Greasy (uncredited) *''

Fort Vengeance ''Fort Vengeance'' (aka ''Royal Mounted Police'') is a 1953 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and starring James Craig, Rita Moreno and Keith Larsen.A Perilous Journey ''A Perilous Journey'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Richard Wormser. The film stars Vera Ralston, David Brian, Scott Brady, Charles Winninger, Hope Emerson, Eileen Christy and Leif Erickson. Th ...

'' (1953) as Bartender (uncredited) *'' The Lone Hand'' (1953) as Regulator (uncredited) *'' Rebel City'' (1953) as Greeley *''

Column South ''Column South'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Frederick de Cordova and starring Audie Murphy and Joan Evans.' ...

'' (1953) as Confederate Spy in Yankee Uniform (uncredited) *''

Goldtown Ghost Riders ''Goldtown Ghost Riders'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Gene Autry and Gail Davis.Rowan p.33 Plot Cast * Gene Autry as Gene Autry * Champion as Champ, Gene's Horse * Gail Davis as Cathy Wheele ...

'' (1953) as Bernie Malloy (uncredited) *''

Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...

'' (1953) as Jonas Bailey *''

Vigilante Terror ''Vigilante Terror'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Lewis D. Collins and written by Sidney Theil. The film stars Wild Bill Elliott, Mary Ellen Kay, Robert Bray, I. Stanford Jolley, Henry Rowland and Myron Healey. The film was r ...

'' (1953) as Henchman Sperry *'' Texas Bad Man'' (1953) as Tench *'' The Command'' (1954) as Infantryman (uncredited) *''

Ride Clear of Diablo ''Ride Clear of Diablo'' is a 1954 American Technicolor Western film directed by Jesse Hibbs starring Audie Murphy, Dan Duryea, Susan Cabot and Abbe Lane. made for Universal Pictures. Cabot and Murphy had appeared in two films together previousl ...

'' (1954) as Reverend Moorehead *''

The Boy from Oklahoma ''The Boy from Oklahoma'' is a 1954 American western film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Will Rogers, Jr., Nancy Olson and Anthony Caruso. It was produced and distributed by the major studio Warner Bros. Plot Cast * Will Rogers, J ...

'' (1954) as Bagley (uncredited) *''

Johnny Guitar ''Johnny Guitar'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden, Mercedes McCambridge, Ernest Borgnine and Scott Brady. It was produced and distributed by Republic Pictures. The screen ...

'' (1954) as Posseman (uncredited) *''

Drum Beat A drum beat or drum pattern is a rhythmic pattern, or repeated rhythm establishing the meter and groove through the pulse and subdivision, played on drum kits and other percussion instruments. As such a "beat" consists of multiple drum strokes ...

'' (1954) as Fairchild (uncredited) *''

The Yellow Mountain ''The Yellow Mountain'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Jesse Hibbs and starring Lex Barker, Mala Powers and Howard Duff. Plot Two former partners ("Andy Martin" and "Pete Menlo") from a previous mining claim are working in the st ...

'' (1954) as George Yost (uncredited) *''

'' (1955) as Ben Thompson *'' Ten Wanted Men'' (1955) as Dave Weed (uncredited) *''

Rage at Dawn ''Rage at Dawn'' is a 1955 American Technicolor Western film directed by Tim Whelan, and starring Randolph Scott, Forrest Tucker, Mala Powers, and J. Carrol Naish. It purports to tell the true story of the Reno Brothers, an outlaw gang which ...

'' (1955) as Clint Reno *'' Run for Cover'' (1955) as Harvey (uncredited) *'' To Hell and Back'' (1955) as Thompson *'' Top Gun'' (1955) as Hank Spencer (uncredited) *'' The Millionaire'' (1956) as Arthur Darner *''

'' (1956) as Lieut. Bradley *''

I Killed Wild Bill Hickok ''I Killed Wild Bill Hickok'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Richard Talmadge. It is an entirely fictional account of Wild Bill Hickok ( Tom Brown) who is the villain of the film. The film was produced and written by Johnny Carpe ...

'' (1956) as Jim Bailey *''

The Naked Hills ''The Naked Hills'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Josef Shaftel, starring David Wayne, Keenan Wynn, and James Barton. Plot summary Tracy Powell, an Indiana farmer, gets the gold fever and heads for Stockton, California in 1849 ...

'' (1956) as Bert Killian / Narrator *'' Yaqui Drums'' (1956) as Lefty Barr *'' 7th Cavalry'' (1956) as Dixon *'' Gun Duel in Durango'' (1957) as Ranger Captain *'' Destination 60,000'' (1957) as Mickey Hill *''

The Lonely Man ''The Lonely Man'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Henry Levin and written by Harry Essex and Robert Smith. The film stars Jack Palance, Anthony Perkins, Elaine Aiken, Neville Brand, Robert Middleton, Elisha Cook, Jr., Claude Aki ...

'' (1957) as Brad, Red Bluff Sheriff *''

'' (1957) Episode "Rink" as Sheriff *'' Jet Pilot'' (1957) as Mr. Simpson (uncredited) *''

Domino Kid ''Domino Kid'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and written by Kenneth Gamet and Hal Biller. The film stars Rory Calhoun, Kristine Miller, Andrew Duggan, Yvette Dugay, Peter Whitney and Eugene Iglesias. The film was r ...

'' (1957) as Bill Dragger (uncredited) *'' Have Gun Will Travel'' (1957) as Clay Sommers (Episode: The Colonel and the Lady) *''

The Left Handed Gun ''The Left Handed Gun'' is a 1958 American Western film and the film directorial debut of Arthur Penn, starring Paul Newman as Billy the Kid and John Dehner as Pat Garrett. The screenplay was written by Leslie Stevens from a teleplay by Gore V ...

'' (1958) as Ollinger *''

Fort Massacre ''Fort Massacre'' is a 1958 Western directed by Joseph M. Newman, starring Joel McCrea, Forrest Tucker, John Russell and Susan Cabot. A possibly mad cavalry commander leads his troops through dangerous Indian territory. Plot An embittered ca ...

'' (1958) as Collins *'' China Doll'' (1958) as Col. Wiley *''

The Party Crashers ''The Party Crashers'' is a 1958 American drama film directed by Bernard Girard and written by Bernard Girard and Dan Lundberg. The film stars Mark Damon, Bobby Driscoll (in his last feature film role), Connie Stevens, Frances Farmer (in her las ...

'' (1958) as Ted Bickford *''

'' (1959) Episode "The Pawn" *''

Good Day for a Hanging ''Good Day for a Hanging'' is a 1959 American B Western film directed by Nathan H. Juran and starring Fred MacMurray and Margaret Hayes. Plot Eddie Campbell (Robert Vaughn) and two other members of an outlaw band watch a stagecoach as it t ...

'' (1959) as Deputy Ed Moore *''

King of the Wild Stallions ''King of the Wild Stallions'' is a 1959 American CinemaScope Western film directed by R. G. Springsteen and starring George Montgomery. Plot A wild stallion provides unexpected help to a widow and her young son in their efforts to keep their ...

'' (1959) as Doc Webber *''

'' (1959) as Jackie Jo *''

''(1959) as Mike Blocker *''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was born to ...

'' (1959) as Dan Morgan *''

Cast a Long Shadow ''Cast a Long Shadow'' is a 1959 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Thomas Carr (director), Thomas Carr and starring Audie Murphy and Terry Moore (actress), Terry Moore. The film was based on the 1957 novel of the same name by Wa ...

'' (1959) as Preacher Harrison *''

'' as The Hangman, Seth Mitchell, Henry Trumble, & George Tanner *"

Perry Mason (TV Series) Perry Mason is a fictional criminal defense attorney, in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason may also refer to: Adaptations of Erle Stanley Gardner works * ''Perry Mason'' (theatrical film series), a serie ...

, S3, Ep24: The Case of the Ominous Outcast May 21, 1960" *'' Home from the Hill'' (1960) as Mr. Bradley (uncredited) *'' The Tall Man'' (1960) Episode "Garrett and the Kid" *'' The Alamo'' (1960) as Thimblerig (the Gambler) *'' Have Gun Will Travel (Episode-Ransom)'' (1960) as Colonel Celine *''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...

'' (TV series, 1961–1972) as Theodore 'Ted' Hackett / Sheriff Tom Stedman / Marcus Caldwell / Claude Roman / Price Buchanan / Warden / Sheriff Ed (8 episodes) *''

'' (1962) as Amos Carruthers *''

Geronimo Geronimo ( apm, Goyaałé, , ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a prominent leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache ba ...

'' (1962) as Senator Conrad *''

'' (1963) as Uncle George *''Terrified'' (1963) as Sheriff Dixon *''

Mail Order Bride A mail-order bride is a woman who lists herself in catalogs and is selected by a man for marriage. In the twentieth century, the trend was primarily towards women living in developing countries seeking men in more developed nations. The majority ...

'' (1964) as Preacher Pope *''

Black Like Me ''Black Like Me'', first published in 1961, is a nonfiction book by journalist John Howard Griffin recounting his journey in the Deep South of the United States, at a time when African-Americans lived under racial segregation. Griffin was a nat ...

'' (1964) as Man in pick-up truck *'' Cheyenne Autumn'' (1964) as Sen. Henry (uncredited) *'' The Rounders'' (1965) as Bull *'' Mara of the Wilderness'' (1965) as Kelly *'' Shenandoah'' (1965) as Pastor Bjoerling *'' Tammy ''(1965–66) as Grandpa Mordecai Tarleton *''

''(1965) as Cousin Claudius *''

The Great Race ''The Great Race'' is a 1965 American Technicolor slapstick comedy film starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood, directed by Blake Edwards, written by Arthur A. Ross (from a story by Edwards and Ross), and with music by Henry Mancin ...

'' (1965) as Sheriff *''

Incident at Phantom Hill ''Incident at Phantom Hill'' is a 1966 American Techniscope Western film directed by Earl Bellamy and starring Robert Fuller, Jocelyn Lane, Dan Duryea and Tom Simcox. The story involves a Union gold shipment, which is stolen and buried in th ...

'' (1966) as 1st Hunter *'' Gunpoint'' (1966) as Cap *''

''(1966) as Caleb *''

''(1967) as Dr. Henry S. Rand *'' Tammy and the Millionaire'' (1967) as Grandpa Mordecai Tarleton *'' Welcome to Hard Times'' (1967) as Alfie — Stage Driver *''

'' (1967) as Frank Hamer *''

Bandolero! ''Bandolero!'' is a 1968 American Western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring James Stewart, Dean Martin, Raquel Welch and George Kennedy. The story centers on two brothers on the run from a posse, led by a local sheriff who want ...

'' (1968) as Muncie Carter *'' 5 Card Stud'' (1968) as Sig Evers *'' Something Big'' (1971) as Junior Frisbee *''The Legend of Hillbilly John'' (1972) as Grandpappy John *''

Cahill U.S. Marshal ''Cahill U.S. Marshal'' is a 1973 American Western film in Technicolor starring John Wayne as a driven lawman in a black hat. The film was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and filmed on location in Durango, Mexico. The supporting cast features G ...

'' (1973) as Denver *''

'' (1977–1978) TV Series, as Mad Jack *''

'' (1975) as Uncle Bené *''

The Boy Who Talked to Badgers ''The Boy Who Talked to Badgers'' is a 1975 American made-for-television adventure film directed by Gary Nelson, starring Christian Juttner and Carl Betz. It was produced by Walt Disney Productions and based on the novel '' Incident at Hawk's ...

'' (1975) as Ben as an Adult *'' The Adventures of Frontier Fremont'' (1976) as Big Bill Driggers *''

Hawmps! ''Hawmps!'' is a 1976 American Western slapstick film about a United States Cavalry experiment to introduce camels into the service in the western United States, specifically Texas. The cast included James Hampton, Christopher Connelly and Sl ...

'' (1976) as Col. Seymour Hawkins *''

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson ''Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson'' is a 1976 revisionist Western film directed by Robert Altman and based on the 1968 play '' Indians'' by Arthur Kopit. It stars Paul Newman as William F. Cody, alias Buffalo Bi ...

'' (1976) as The Indian Agent *''

Welcome to L.A. ''Welcome to L.A.'' is a 1976 American Drama (film and television), drama Musical film, musical romance film directed by Alan Rudolph and starring Keith Carradine and an ensemble cast. The film focuses on themes of romantic despair and shallownes ...

'' (1976) as Carl Barber *''Guardian of the Wilderness'' (1976) as Galen Clark *''

Return from Witch Mountain ''Return from Witch Mountain'' is a 1978 American science fiction–adventure film and a sequel to '' Escape to Witch Mountain'' (1975) and the second film in the ''Witch Mountain'' franchise. It was produced by Walt Disney Productions. It was w ...

'' (1978) as Uncle Bene *''Legend of the Northwest'' (1978) as Abner *''How Bugs Bunny Won The West'' (1978) as The Narrator *''

'' (1979–1985, TV Series) as Uncle Jesse Duke *''Legend of the Wild'' (1981) *''Delta Fever'' (1987) as Walt *''

Return to Mayberry ''Return to Mayberry'' is a 1986 American made-for-television romantic comedy film based on the 1960s sitcoms ''The Andy Griffith Show'' and '' Mayberry R.F.D.''. The film premiered on April 13, 1986, on NBC, and was the highest- rated televis ...

'' (1986, TV movie) as Briscoe Darling *''

'' (1994) as Old Gambler on Riverboat *'' The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!'' (1997) as Uncle Jesse Duke

Selected television

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pyle, Denver 1920 births 1997 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male television actors Burials in Texas Colorado State University alumni Deaths from lung cancer in California Male actors from Colorado Male actors from Los Angeles Military personnel from Colorado People from Kit Carson County, Colorado United States Merchant Mariners United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy sailors Western (genre) television actors