Dennis Clarke Fimple (November 11, 1940 – August 23, 2002) was an American actor.

Biography

Fimple was born in

Ventura, California Ventura, officially named San Buenaventura ( Spanish for " Saint Bonaventure"), is a city on the Southern Coast of California and the county seat of Ventura County. The population was 110,763 at the 2020 census. Ventura is a popular tourist ...

, the son of Dolly and Elmer Fimple. He graduated from

Taft Union High School Taft Union High School is located in Taft in Kern County, California, in the United States. Taft High was founded in 1912. Taft is a small city of fewer than 10,000, and the school also serves the surrounding rural area, which in the early 21st ...

in 1958 and received a teaching certificate from

San Jose State University San José State University (San Jose State or SJSU) is a public university in San Jose, California. Established in 1857, SJSU is the oldest public university on the West Coast and the founding campus of the California State University (CSU) ...

, where he majored in Drama. He appeared in a variety of TV shows including ''

Here Come the Brides ''Here Come the Brides'' is an American comedy Western series from Screen Gems that aired on the ABC television network from September 25, 1968 to April 3, 1970. It was loosely based on Asa Mercer's efforts in the 1860s to import marriageable wo ...

'', ''

Petticoat Junction ''Petticoat Junction'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 1963 to April 1970. The series takes place at the Shady Rest Hotel, which is run by Kate Bradley; her three daughters Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo, and ...

'', ''

Matt Houston ''Matt Houston'' was an American crime drama television series starring Lee Horsley as the title character, a wealthy oilman who decides to hold a side job as a private investigator. Created by Lawrence Gordon and produced by Aaron Spelling, ...

'', ''

M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker. T ...

'', ''

Centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at a ...

'', ''

Simon & Simon ''Simon & Simon'' is an American crime drama television series that originally ran from November 24, 1981, to September 16, 1989. The series was broadcast on CBS, and starred Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker as two disparate brothers who oper ...

'', ''

Highway to Heaven ''Highway to Heaven'' is an American fantasy drama television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 1984, to August 4, 1989. The series starred Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth in order to help people in need. Vi ...

'', '' Sledge Hammer!'', '' Knight Rider'', ''

Quantum Leap ''Quantum Leap'' is an American science fiction television series, created by Donald P. Bellisario, that premiered on NBC and aired for five seasons, from March 26, 1989, to May 5, 1993. The series stars Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett, a phys ...

'' and '' ER''. He also had roles in films such as ''

Truck Stop Women ''Truck Stop Women'' is a 1974 film, directed by Mark L. Lester and partly financed by Phil Gramm. Plot A mother (Lieux Dressler) runs a brothel for truckers on the New Mexico highways and her stable includes her daughter (Claudia Jennings) ...

'' (1974), '' The Apple Dumpling Gang'' (1975), '' Mackintosh and T.J.'' (1975), '' Stay Hungry'' (1976), ''

King Kong King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...

'' (1976), '' The Shadow of Chikara'' (1977), '' Goin' South'' (1978), ''

The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch ''The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch'' is a 1982 American made-for-television Western romantic comedy film directed by Philip Leacock and starring Priscilla Barnes, Lee Horsley, Joan Collins, Donny Osmond, Morgan Brittany, and Lisa Whelchel. E ...

'' (1982) and ''

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 Bure ...

'' (1994), and shared the lead in ''

Bootleggers Bootleg or bootlegging most often refers to: * Bootleg recording, an audio or video recording released unofficially * Rum-running, the illegal business of transporting and trading in alcoholic beverages, hence: ** Moonshine, or illicitly made an ...

'' (1974) and ''

Creature from Black Lake ''Creature from Black Lake'' is a 1976 American horror film written and directed by Joy N. Houck Jr. and starring Jack Elam, Dub Taylor, Dennis Fimple, John David Carson, and Bill Thurman. It follows two anthropology students from the Universit ...

'' (1976). His most popular role was that of the lovable but none-too-bright ''Devil's Hole Gang'' member, Kyle Murtry, on the ABC

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

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 ...

series, ''

Alias Smith and Jones ''Alias Smith and Jones'' is an American Western series that originally aired on ABC from January 1971 to January 1973. The show initially starred Pete Duel as Hannibal Heyes and Ben Murphy as Jedediah "Kid" Curry, outlaw cousins who are tryin ...

'', starring Pete Duel and

Ben Murphy Benjamin Edward Murphy (born Benjamin Edward Castleberry Jr., March 6, 1942) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Kid Curry in the ABC television series ''Alias Smith and Jones''. Early life Murphy was born in Jonesboro, Ar ...

. Fimple appeared in seven episodes and remains a favorite of fans of the series. In 1993-1994, he appeared as Garral in seven episodes of the

Beau Bridges Lloyd Vernet "Beau" Bridges III (born December 9, 1941) is an American actor and director. He is a three-time Emmy, two-time Golden Globe and one-time Grammy Award winner, as well as a two-time Screen Actors Guild Award nominee. Bridges was awar ...

Lloyd Bridges Lloyd Vernet Bridges Jr. (January 15, 1913 – March 10, 1998) was an American film, stage and television actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. He was the father of four children, includi ...

comedy/western series ''

Harts of the West Harts of the West is a humorous contemporary western about a Chicago family moving to a run-down Nevada ranch. The series consisted of 15 hour-long episodes that aired on CBS Saturdays, 9:00 to 10:00 p.m., from September 1993 until June 1994. ...

'' on CBS. His last role was in the 2003

Rob Zombie Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings; January 12, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and voice actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live shows have be ...

horror film ''

House of 1000 Corpses ''House of 1000 Corpses'' is a 2003 American black comedy horror film written, co-scored, and directed by Rob Zombie in his directorial debut, and the first film in the ''Firefly'' film series. It stars Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon, K ...

'', as the foul-mouthed Grandpa Hugo. Fimple died in his Frazier Park home on August 23, 2002, where he was recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident four days earlier."Dennis Clarke Fimple November 11, 1940 - August 23, 2002,"
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Partial filmography

*''

Summertree ''Summertree'' is a 1971 American drama film directed by Anthony Newley, about a young man who drops out of university, falls in love with an older married woman, and contemplates dodging the draft to avoid serving in the Vietnam War. The scree ...

'' (1971) - Shelly *''Cactus in the Snow'' (1971) - Mr. Murray *'' The Culpepper Cattle Co.'' (1972) - Wounded Man in Bar *''

'' (1974) - Curly *''The Spectre of Edgar Allan Poe'' (1974) - Farron *''

'' (1974) - Dewey Crenshaw *''You and Me'' (1974) *'' The Apple Dumpling Gang'' (1975) - Rudy Hooks *'' Winterhawk'' (1975) - Scoby *'' Mackintosh and T.J.'' (1975) - Schuster *''

White House Madness ''White House Madness'' is a 1975 film directed by Mark L. Lester and starring Steve Friedman. The film is a satire of the Watergate scandal. White House Madness enjoyed a relative upswing in public awareness in 1995 when it was revealed that Ph ...

'' (1975) - Bob Haldeman *''

'' (1976) - Pahoo *'' Stay Hungry'' (1976) - Bubba *''

'' (1976) - Sunfish *'' The Shadow of Chikara'' (1977) - Posey *'' Goin' South'' (1978) - Hangman *''Smokey and the Good Time Outlaws'' (1978) - The Salt Flat Kid *''

They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way ''They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way'' is a 1978 slapstick comedy film co-directed by Stuart E. McGowan and Edward Montagne and written by and starring Tim Conway. Premise Dewey and Wallace are small-town lawmen who are ordered by the governor t ...

'' (1978) - Lem *''

The Evictors ''The Evictors'' is a 1979 American crime-horror film written and directed by Charles B. Pierce, and starring Vic Morrow, Michael Parks, and Jessica Harper. A period piece set in 1942, it follows a couple who are terrorized by a mysterious man on ...

'' (1979) - Mr. Bumford *'' Swing Shift'' (1984) - Rupert George *''

A Summer to Remember ''A Summer to Remember'' is a 1985 American Family film, family television drama film written and directed by Robert Michael Lewis and starring James Farentino, Tess Harper and Louise Fletcher. Plot Two young children find an Orangutan living in ...

'' (1985) - Smitty (animal feeder) *'' Body Slam'' (1986) - Elmo Smithfield *''Hawken's Breed'' (1987) - Crowley *'' The Giant of Thunder Mountain'' (1991) - Henderson (Townsman) *'' My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys'' (1991) - Straw Hat *''Death Falls'' (1991) - Griff *''

'' (1994) - Stuttering *'' Down Periscope'' (1996) - Fisherman *''

Bug Buster ''Bug Buster'' is a 1998 American comedy horror film directed by Lorenzo Doumani. It is the only known film to be written by Malick Khoury. In the United Kingdom, this film was released under the title ''Some Things Never Die''. Plot After the m ...

'' (1998) - Judediah *''Escape to Grizzly Mountain'' (2000) - Farmer *''Fangs'' (2002) - Willy Kramer *''

'' (2003) - Grampa Hugo (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fimple, Dennis 1940 births 2002 deaths American male film actors American male television actors Male actors from California People from Taft, California 20th-century American male actors Road incident deaths in California