Advanced search

Excellent and engaging character actor Dennis Fimple was born 11 November, 1940, in Ventura, California and raised in the nearby town of Taft. His father, Elmer was an electrician, and his mother, Dolly was a beautician. Dennis first became interested in acting after he portrayed Tom Sawyer in a junior high school play. After graduating Taft Union High School, Fimple attended San Jose College on a scholarship, and majored in both speech and drama. He also earned a teaching credential at San Jose College. Dennis worked in a Cheetos factory by day and acted in dinner theater at night in his early days. Fimple eventually moved to Hollywood, where he initially worked as a teacher by day and a delivery man at night, prior to getting his first break; a 2-episode guest appearance on Petticoat Junction (1963).

Best known as the lovably dim-witted Kyle Murty on the comedy Western television program, Alias Smith and Jones (1971), Dennis popped up in many TV series throughout the years including; Here Come the Brides (1968), M*A*S*H (1972), The Rockford Files (1974), Starsky and Hutch (1975), Battlestar Galactica (1978), The Dukes of Hazzard (1979), Matt Houston (1982), Highway to Heaven (1984), Knight Rider (1982), The A-Team (1983), The Incredible Hulk (1977),Simon & Simon (1981), Sledge Hammer! (1986), Quantum Leap (1989) Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996) and ER (1994). Fimple was frequently cast as scruffy rural types in both films and TV shows alike. Among his most memorable movie roles are the amiable Curly in the delightful Claudia Jennings' drive-in classic, Truck Stop Women (1974), easygoing moonshine runner Dewey Crenshaw in Bootleggers (1974), likable eager beaver college anthropology student Pahoo, in the terrific Sasquatch cinema outing Creature from Black Lake (1976), the goofy Sunfish in the much-maligned King Kong (1976) remake, and cloddish fur trapper, Posey in the superior horror-Western The Shadow of Chikara (1977). His last film part was as the madcap Grandpa Hugo Firefly in Rob Zombie's enjoyably trashy 70's horror exploitation pastiche, House of 1000 Corpses (2003).

Dennis was not only an avid reader, but also a lover of antiques and collectibles. He's the father of son Chris. Dennis Fimple died at age 61, of complications from a car accident at his home in Frazier Park, California on August 23, 2002

Shirley Slater was born on 30 January 1935 in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA. She was an actress, known for Great Performances (1971), The Candidate (1972) and Maxie (1973). She was married to Harry Basch. She died on 23 August 2002 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Sami Hazinses was born in 1925 in Diyarbakir, Turkey. He was an actor and composer, known for Atini Seven Kovboy: Red Kit Daltonlara Karsi (1974), Bitirim (1972) and Tövbekar (1977). He died on 23 August 2002 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Melbourne A. Arnold was born on 1 September 1919 in Tennessee, USA. Melbourne A. is known for Assassination (1987), V (1984) and The Protector (1985). Melbourne A. died on 23 August 2002 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Martin Slivka was born on 1 November 1929 in Spissky Stiavnik, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He was a director and writer, known for Voda a praca (1964), Ikony (1966) and Balada v dreve (1966). He died on 23 August 2002 in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Marnie Rose was born on 19 February 1974 in Texas, USA. She died on 23 August 2002 in Houston, Texas, USA.

Antonin Dauson was born on 17 August 1908. He was a director and writer, known for Puchina (1958), Kamennyy gost (1971) and Les (1953). He died on 23 August 2002.

Vladimír Svitácek was born on 17 February 1921 in Strelice (by Brno), Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]. He was a director and actor, known for Kinoautomat (1967), Kdyby tisíc klarinetu (1965) and Konec jasnovidce (1957). He died on 23 August 2002 in Prague, Czech Republic.

Hoyt Wilhelm was born on 26 July 1922 in Huntersville, North Carolina, USA. He died on 23 August 2002 in Sarasota, Florida, USA.

Wayne Simmons was born on 15 December 1969 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. He died on 23 August 2002 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.