Denver Pyle

Denver Pyle

Date of Birth:

May 11, 1920

Place of Birth:

Bethune, Colorado, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 – December 25, 1997) was an American film and television actor. He was known for portraying Briscoe Darling Jr. in several episodes of The Andy Griffith Show, and playing Jesse Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard from 1979-85. Pyle was born in Bethune, Colorado on May 11, 1920 to farmer Ben H. Pyle and his wife Maude; His brother, Willis, was an animator known for his work with Walt Disney Animation Studios and UPA. After graduating from high school, Pyle briefly attended Colorado State University, but dropped out to enter show business, moving to Los Angeles in 1940. He worked as a drummer and band member until the United States entered World War II, when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Pyle was wounded in action in the Battle of Guadalcanal and received a medical discharge in 1942. Near the end of the war, he served in the United States Merchant Marine. In 1955, Pyle married Marilee Carpenter, a production assistant at 20th Century Fox. They had sons David and Tony. Marilee and Denver divorced in 1970. In 1983, Pyle married Tippie Johnston. That union lasted until his death. Pyle died of lung cancer on Christmas 1997. Memorial services were held January 6, 1998, at First Baptist Church in Waxahachie, Texas. He is buried in an unmarked grave at the Forreston Cemetery in Forreston, Texas. His remains are interred beside those of his second wife's parents, J.T. Johnston and Erin Birch Johnston. CLR

filmography:

El Paso El Paso

1949

Top Gun Top Gun

1955

Domino Kid Domino Kid

1957

Drum Beat Drum Beat

1954

Devil Ship Devil Ship

1947

Gunsmoke Gunsmoke

1953

Topeka Topeka

1953

China Doll China Doll

1958

Rebel City Rebel City

1953

Hellfire Hellfire

1949

Jet Pilot Jet Pilot

1957

Fargo Fargo

1952

Geronimo Geronimo

1962

The Alamo The Alamo

1960

Mutiny Mutiny

1952

Shenandoah Shenandoah

1965

Hawmps! Hawmps!

1976

Maverick Maverick

1994

Hog Wild Hog Wild

1974

Hitched Hitched

1971

Gunpoint Gunpoint

1966

Bandolero! Bandolero!

1968

Winterhawk Winterhawk

1975

Terrified Terrified

1963

Red Canyon Red Canyon

1949

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