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Denver Pyle : Biography, Pictures, Photos, Trivia, Address, Filmography (The Dukes of Hazzard)

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Denver Pyle

Oncle Jesse (Uncle Jesse in US) in The Dukes of Hazzard

Photos Denver Pyle Birth name: Denver Dell Pyle
Birth date: 1920/05/11
Date of death : 1997/12/25 (77 years old)
Birth place : Bethune, Colorado (USA)

French Traduire

Biography for Denver Pyle

A rather wanderlust fellow before he latched onto acting, slow-drawling Southern character actor Denver Pyle was actually born in Colorado in 1920, the son of farmers. He attended a university for a time but dropped out to become a drummer. When that didn't pan out he drifted from job to job, working everywhere from the oil fields in Oklahoma to the shrimp boats in Texas. In 1940 he moseyed on off to Los Angeles and briefly found employment as a highly unlikely NBC page. WWII interrupted things after enlisting in the Navy, and he was given a medical discharge in 1942 after receiving wounds at Guadacanal. Working for an aircraft plant in Los Angeles as a riveter, the rangy actor happened upon the entertainment field after receiving a role in a amateur theatre production and getting spotted by a talent scout. Training with such renown teachers as Maria Ouspenskaya and Michael Chekhov, he made his film debut in The Guilt of Janet Ames (1947). Pyle went on to score in hundreds of film and TV parts providing Western authenticity to many of his roles. A minor villain or sidekick in the early 1950s, he often received no billing. Prematurely white-haired (a family trait), he became a familiar face on episodes of "Gunsmoke" and "Bonanza" and also developed a close association with actor John Wayne, appearing in many of his later films including The Horse Soldiers (1959), The Alamo (1960), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) and Cahill: U.S. Marshal (1973). Pyle's more important movie roles came late in his career. One of his most memorable was in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) as Sheriff Frank Haimer, the handcuffed hostage of the duo who spits in Faye Dunaway's face after she coyly poses with him for a camera shot. He settled easily into hillbilly/mountain men types in his later years and became a household face for his crotchety presence on "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams" and "The Dukes of Hazzard." He died of lung cancer at age 77.

Born in 1920, Denver Pyle participated in many television westerns like Bonanza, Maverick or Bronco.

His gruff face appeared in more than 75 films, the latest being Maverick with Mel Gibson and James Garner.

This former soldier, who had participated in the Second World War, became an actor by chance and Uncle Jesse will remain his most striking role. He died after cancer in 1997 just after filming a sheriff TV movie, scare me.

Denver Pyle was an American actor born May 11, 1920 in Bethune, South Carolina, and died on December 25, 1997 in Burbank, California. He was known to have played in many television and films series, notably in The Dukes of Hazzard and the investigations of Inspector Harry. Pyle began his acting career in 1949 and continued to play until his death in 1997. He played in dozens of films and television series, and was recognized for his acting talent. Pyle was also a talented musician and played several instruments, including guitar and banjo. Apart from his acting career, he was also an experienced pilot and was a member of the association of experimental aviation pilots. Pyle was married to actress Jeanette Nolan, with whom he had two children, and he was buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.

Photos

Photos Denver Pyle n_8 Photos Denver Pyle n_8 Photos Denver Pyle n_8 Photos Denver Pyle n_8 Photos Denver Pyle n_8 Photos Denver Pyle n_8 Photos Denver Pyle n_8 Photos Denver Pyle n_8

Filmography

Title Role
Podunk Possum (1997) Serie TV Podunk Possum
Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!, The (1997) (TV) Uncle Jesse Duke
Father and Scout (1994) (TV) George Rosebrock
Maverick (1994) Old Gambler on Riverboat
Wind in the Wire (1993) (TV)
Delta Fever (1987) Walt
Return to Mayberry (1986) (TV) Briscoe Darling
Dukes, The (1983) Serie TV (voice) Uncle Jesse Duke
Legend of the Wild (1981)
Dukes of Hazzard, The (1979) Serie TV Uncle Jesse Duke
Once Upon a Starry Night (1978) (TV) Mad Jack
How Bugs Bunny Won the West (1978) (TV)
Return from Witch Mountain (1978) Uncle Bene
Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, The (1977) Serie TV Mad Jack/Narrator (1977-78)
Guardian of the Wilderness (1977) Galen Clark
Welcome to L.A. (1976) Carl Barber, President of Barber Dairy Industries
Last of Mrs. Lincoln, The (1976) (TV) Senator Austin
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) McLaughlin, Delivered Sitting Bull
Hawmps! (1976) Col. Seymour Hawkins
Adventures of Frontier Fremont (1976) Old Mountain Man
Winterhawk (1975) Arkansas
Boy Who Talked to Badgers, The (1975) Ben as an Adult
Death Among Friends (1975) (TV) Morgan
Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) Uncle Bene
Karen (1975) Serie TV Dale Busch (I - 30 January 1975)
Murder or Mercy (1974) (TV) Amos Champion
Sidekicks (1974) (TV) Drunk
Hog Wild (1974) (TV) Dr. Larson
Legend of Hillbilly John, The (1973) Grandpappy John
Cahill U.S. Marshal (1973) Denver, Danny & Billy Joe's caretaker
Hitched (1973) (TV) Ben Barnstable
Something Big (1971) Junior Frisbee
Doris Day Show, The (1968) Serie TV Buck Webb (1968-1970)
5 Card Stud (1968) Sig Evers (rancher)
Bandolero! (1968) Muncie Carter
Tammy and the Millionaire (1967) Grandpa
Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Frank Hamer
Welcome to Hard Times (1967) Alfie the Stage Driver
Mara of the Wilderness (1966) Kelly
Incident at Phantom Hill (1966) 1st Hunter
Gunpoint (1965) Cap
Tammy (1965) Serie TV Grandpa (Mordecai) Tarleton
Great Race, The (1965) Sheriff
Shenandoah (1965) Pastor Bjoerling
Rounders, The (1965) Bull
Cheyenne Autumn (1964) Sen. Henry
Mail Order Bride (1964) Preacher Pope
Andy Griffith Show, The (1960) Serie TV Briscoe Darling (1963-1964, 1966-1967)
Terrified (1962) Sheriff
This Rugged Land (1962)
Geronimo (1962) Sen. Conrad
Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The (1962) Amos Carruthers
Alamo, The (1960) Thimblerig (the Gambler)
Home from the Hill (1960) Mr. Bradley
Cast a Long Shadow (1959) Harrison
Swamp Fox (1959) Serie TV Amos Briggs (first series)
Horse Soldiers, The (1959) Jackie Jo (rebel deserter)
King of the Wild Stallions (1959) Doc Webber
Good Day for a Hanging (1958) Moore
Party Crashers, The (1958) Mr. Bickford
Bitter Heritage (1958) (TV) Sam Wheeler
Fort Massacre (1958) Pvt. Collins
China Doll (1958) Col. Wiley
Left Handed Gun, The (1958) Ollinger
Domino Kid, The (1957) Dragger
Jet Pilot (1957) Mr. Simpson
Lonely Man, The (1957) Sheriff
Destination 60,000 (1957) Mickey Hill
Gun Duel in Durango (1957) Ranger Captain
7th Cavalry (1956) Dixon
Yaqui Drums (1956) Gang Leader Lefty
Naked Hills, The (1956) Bert Killian
I Killed Wild Bill Hickok (1956) Jim Bailey
Please Murder Me (1956) Detective Lieutenant Bradley
Top Gun (1955) Hank Spenser
Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, The (1955) Serie TV Ben Thompson
To Hell and Back (1955) Thompson
Run for Cover (1955) Harvey
Rage at Dawn (1955) Clint Reno
Ten Wanted Men (1955) Dave Weed
Johnny Guitar (1954) Posseman
Ride Clear of Diablo (1954) Rev. Moorehead
Boy from Oklahoma, The (1954) Bagley the Blacksmith
Texas Bad Man (1953) Tench
Vigilante Terror (1953) Sperry
Fighting Lawman, The (1953) George
Topeka (1953) Jonas Bailey
Goldtown Ghost Riders (1953) Bernie Malloy
Rebel City (1953) Greeley
Perilous Journey, A (1953) Bartender
Gunsmoke (1953)
Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe (1953) Serie TV [Ep.8]
Maverick, The (1952) Bud Karnes
Canyon Ambush (1952)
Fargo (1952) Carey
Desert Passage (1952) Allen
Man from the Black Hills (1952) Hartley
Oklahoma Annie (1952) Skip
Drums in the Deep South (1951) Union Soldier breaking Window
Hills of Utah, The (1951) Bowie French
Million Dollar Pursuit (1951) Nick Algren
Rough Riders of Durango (1951) Lacey
Old Frontier, The (1950) George
Customs Agent (1950) Al, thug
Dynamite Pass (1950) Whip, a thug
Federal Agent at Large (1950) 'Jumpy' Jordan
Singing Guns (1950) Richards' Henchman
Flying Saucer, The (1950) Turner
Captain China (1949) Steve
Big Wheel, The (1949) Doctor
Flame of Youth (1949) Lytz
Too Late for Tears (1949) Youth at Union Station
Rim of the Canyon (1949) Cash Collins
Hellfire (1949) Rex
Red Canyon (1949) Hutch
Streets of San Francisco (1949) Ed Quinn
Man from Colorado, The (1949) Easy Jarrett
Marshal of Amarillo (1948) NIght clerk
Train to Alcatraz (1948) Hutchins
Where the North Begins (1947) Jim 'Rocky' Rockwell, a thug
Devil Ship (1947) Carl
Guilt of Janet Ames, The (1947) Masher

Trivia

Was originally cast to play Matt Dillon on "Gunsmoke" (1955) when James Arness turned down the first request to audition for the role.

He received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame just two weeks before his death. Despite his weakened condition by cancer, he managed to attend the ceremony.

His middle name was "Dell" which was named for his parents' favorite city.

While working with John Wayne on "The Alamo," Wayne became impressed with Pyle's photography and made special arrangements with his public relations office to designate Pyle as the office set photographer for the picture.

Best known for his role as Uncle Jessie on the hit sitcom "The Dukes Of Hazzard".

Family

Spouse : Marilee ? (? - 1966) (divorced) 2 sons.

Brother of animator Willis Pyle.

Author of the card

  • Creation date: 01/07/2003 by stals
  • Last update: 01/05/2007 by abdest

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