What was the name of the Darling family patriarch?

The Darling family patriarch was Briscoe Darling, the gruff, widowed mountain father played by Denver Pyle.

Briscoe led the secluded Appalachian family that lived in the mountains near Mayberry. His children included his daughter Charlene and four mostly silent sons, who were portrayed musically by the bluegrass group The Dillards. The family frequently visited Mayberry when trouble, romance, or family business required Sheriff Andy Taylor's help.

The Darlings first appeared in the 1963 episode “The Darlings Are Coming.” Their visits nearly always included a musical performance, with Briscoe playing a jug while his sons supplied banjo, guitar, mandolin, and bass. Andy often joined them on guitar, creating one of the show's most memorable blends of comedy and bluegrass.

A common mix-up is confusing Briscoe with Charlene, his daughter, or Ernest T. Bass, the unruly mountain man who pursued her. Denver Pyle later became even more widely known as Uncle Jesse Duke on The Dukes of Hazzard.