Denver Pyle Movies
Had he been born a decade earlier, American actor Denver Pyle might well have joined the ranks of western-movie comedy sidekicks. Instead, Pyle, a Colorado farm boy, opted for studying law, working his way through school by playing drums in a dance band. Suddenly one day, Pyle became disenchanted with law and returned to his family farm, with nary an idea what he wanted to do with his life.... (read more) Working in the oil fields of Oklahoma, he moved on to the shrimp boats of Galveston, Texas. A short stint as a page at NBC radio studios in 1940 didn't immediately lead to a showbiz career, as it has for so many others; instead, Pyle was inspired to perform by a mute oilfield coworker who was able to convey his thought with body language. Studying under such masters as Michael Chekhov and Maria Ouspenskaya, Pyle was able to achieve small movie and TV roles. He worked frequently on the western series of Roy Rogers and Gene Autry; not yet bearded and grizzled, Pyle was often seen as deputies, farmers and cattle rustlers. When his hair turned prematurely grey in his early '30s, Pyle graduated to banker, sheriff and judge roles in theatrical westerns -- though never of the comic variety. He also was a regular on two TV series, Code 3 (1956) and Tammy (1966). But his real breakthrough role didn't happen until 1967, when Pyle was cast as the taciturn sheriff in Bonnie and Clyde who is kidnapped and humilated by the robbers -- and then shows up at the end of the film to supervise the bloody machine-gun deaths of B&C. This virtually nonspeaking role won worldwide fame for Pyle, as well as verbal and physical assalts from the LA hippie community who regarded Bonnie and Clyde as folk heroes! From this point forward, Denver Pyle's billing, roles and salary were vastly improved -- and his screen image was softened and humanized by a full, bushy beard. Returning to TV, Pyle played the star's father on The Doris Day Show (1968-73); was Mad Jack, the costar/narrator of Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (1978-80); and best of all, spent six years (1979-85) as Uncle Jesse Duke on The Dukes of Hazzard. Looking stockier but otherwise unchanged, Denver Pyle was briefly seen in the 1994 hit Maverick, playing an elegantly dishonest cardshark who jauntily doffs his hat as he's dumped off of a riverboat. Pyle died of lung cancer at Burbank's Providence St. Joseph Medical Center at age 77. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Maverick
PG 1994
A gunslinging con man develops a tricky scheme to make a killing at a major poker tournament in this comic Western inspired by the popular television show. Mel Gibson assumes...
Father and Scout
PG 1994
A father gets a crash-course in the outdoors in this made-for-television comedy for kids. Comedian Bob Saget stars as an urban-living dad who decides to take his son Michael...
Murder, She Wrote: Coal Miner's Slaughter
1988
A pre-Will and Grace Megan Mullally guest stars in this episode as Molly Connors, the feisty daughter of West Virginia coal miner Eben Connors (Denver Pyle). When Eben...
Delta Fever
1987
...
Return to Mayberry
1986
Inspired by the success of previous TV sitcom "reunion" films, Return to Mayberry debuted on April 13, 1986. Eleven of the original cast members of the classic Andy Griffith...
The Dukes of Hazzard: Season 07
1984
The seventh and final season of Dukes of Hazzard finds the familiar cast back in harness, with the exception of Don Pedro Colley in the recurring role of Chickasaw County...
The Dukes of Hazzard: Go West, Young Dukes
1984
Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) produces a document which "proves" that the Duke farm was deeded to his great-grandfather Thaddeus Hogg by Jesse's great-grandfather Jeremiah Duke way...
The Dukes of Hazzard: Season 06
1983
Season six of Dukes of Hazzard finds hot-rodding cousins Luke and Bo Duke returning to Hazzard County for good and all, cueing the exit of another set of Duke cousins,...
The Dukes of Hazzard: The Dukescam Scam
1982
As means of repaying an old debt of honor, Jesse (Denver Pyle) comes to the rescue of an incarcerated Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke). Thrown in the slammer by Sheriff Roscoe...
The Dukes of Hazzard: New Deputy in Town
1982
Tracy Scoggins guest stars as Linda Mae Barnes, a voluptuous female deputy who is escorting a male prisoner through Hazzard County. Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) is not only...
How Bugs Bunny Won the West
1982
This video presents its own unique version of the infamous wild west, and features Warner Brothers icons Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck as two of the most prominent figures in...
The Dukes of Hazzard: Season 05
1982
There are many Dukes of Hazzard fans who would just as soon pretend that the series' fifth season never existed. Although perennial co-stars Catherine Bach, Denver Pyle,...
The Dukes of Hazzard: Share and Share Alike
1982
After Bo (John Schneider) and Luke (Tom Wopat) stumble across a stash of stolen credit cards, Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) hatches a scheme to get his hands on the cards and...
The Dukes of Hazzard: Lawman of the Year
1982
In mid-escape from the authorities, Coy (Byron Cherry) and Vance (Christopher Mayer) take time to investigate some shady-looking characters hanging around a jewelry store....
The Dukes of Hazzard: The Great Insurance Fraud
1982
In an effort to collect a million bucks on Boss Hogg's (Sorrell Booke) phony insurance policies, con artists Lavinia (Melanie Vincz) and Ward (Brian Libby) stage an...
The Dukes of Hazzard: To Catch a Duke
1981
A gang of jewel thieves make their getaway in the "General Lee", convincing Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) that Bo (John Schneider) and Luke (Tom Wopat) are members of the...
The Dukes of Hazzard: Goodbye, General Lee
1981
The time has come for Hazzard County's annual "Drag 'N' Fly" car-jumping contest, and Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) is determined to win by removing the Dukes from the running....
The Dukes of Hazzard: Bye, Bye Boss
1981
Convict Digger Jackson (Charles Napier) has escaped from prison, swearing revenge on Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke). By and by, Jackson kidnaps Boss and holds him for ransom, but...
The Dukes of Hazzard: The Great Bank Robbery
1981
Just one day before he is eligible for his pension, longtime bank employee Clarence Stovall (Bill Erwin) is fired by Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke). In a brief fit of pique,...
The Dukes of Hazzard: Season 04
1981
The Dukes of Hazzard spends most of its fourth season entertainingly covering ground already traveled during the series' previous three seasons. Cousins Luke and Bo Duke...