Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 – December 25, 1997) was an American film and television actor.
Pyle was born in Bethune in Kit Carson County in eastern Colorado, to farmers Maude W. and Ben H. Pyle; he was the nephew of journalist Ernie Pyle and had one brother, Willis. After graduation from high school, Pyle briefly attended college before he decided to pursue a career in show business. He worked as a drummer and band member until the start of the Second World War, when he entered the Merchant Marine.
After the war ended, Pyle began his film career, having starred in several motion pictures throughout the 1950s and 1960s. He made several appearances as "Briscoe Darling", the gruff patriarch of a clan of musical hillbillies, on CBS's The Andy Griffith Show. He also appeared in a number of Westerns by John Ford, including The Horse Soldiers with William Holden and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. One of his early roles was a villain in an Adventures of Superman TV episode called "Beware the Wrecker".
His most known television role may have been that of Uncle Jesse Duke in the CBS series The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985). In addition, Pyle played the role of Mad Jack in the NBC series The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (1977–1978), the antagonist in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Buck Webb (Doris Day's father) during the first two seasons of CBS's The Doris Day Show (1968–1970), and Briscoe Darling on The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968).
In his later life, Pyle played mostly cameo television roles and retired from full time acting. His last cinematic movie role was alongside Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster and James Garner in the 1994 film Maverick. His last known acting role was a reprisal of Jesse Duke in the 1997 made-for-TV movie The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!. He frequently appeared on Gunsmoke and Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater, Frontier Justice, all on CBS.
Pyle would claim in later life that he was a U.S. Navy veteran who had been wounded in action at Guadalcanal. However the National Personnel Records Center stated in 1991 that there was no evidence that Denver Pyle had ever served on active duty in the Navy. Pyle’s statements were not resolved prior to his death. As a Merchant Mariner with veteran status, the exact extent of his military service remains unclear to this day.
Pyle died of lung cancer on Christmas Day 1997. His presents that year were auctioned on Ebay with all proceeds going to charity.
His son, David Pyle is a Master Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy. He resides in Newport Beach, California and is the owner of Los Angeles-area vocational medical career schools, American Career College and West Coast University. He (David) has four children: Henry, Mary Lynn, Annie and Willie.
