Granny Annie

Synopsis:

According to Waylon, Granny Annie Coggins is “the Grandma Moses of Hazzard County.” When Bo and Luke do a good turn fixing her roof, little do they realize the trouble it will lead to (and not with Holly Mae).

When they try to spend the money that Granny Annie pays them with, the barman at the Boar’s Nest spots it as counterfeit. He tells Rosco, who tells Boss Hogg. Boss is impressed with the quality and immediately calls Big Jim Downey of Dixville County to sell him the engraving plates (that he doesn’t yet have).

Rosco has to ask Boss why a man with his smarts “would make a deal for something you ain’t got?” Boss has a one word answer: “greed!”

The Dukes assume that Granny Annie has been given the fake money by a conman, so Bo and Luke go to visit her again. She initially claims it was her late husband’s ‘shine money, but then admits that she’s the forger. When Rosco and Enos arrive, Bo and Luke manage to escape, but Enos arrests Granny Annie and takes her off to jail.

Meanwhile, Boss persuades Big Jim Downey to pay double the original asking price for the plates. Bo and Luke figure the plates are the only evidence against them, and so steal them from Big Jim. He assumes Boss has double-crossed him, so returns to the Boar’s Nest, ties up Rosco and kidnaps Boss. Rosco uses the CB to plead for help, before freeing himself and joining the Dukes in rescuing Boss. When they finally catch Big Jim Downey’s car, Boss has to give up the plates (which Luke planted on the front seat) as they’re the only evidence against Big Jim Downey and his associate.

Commentary:

In his autobiography, Redneck Boy in the Promised Land, Ben Jones is none too complimentary about the show’s producers and their lack of Southern knowledge.  He created the character of Cooter based on his own experiences, and didn’t appreciate the producers’ interference. Then someone only named in the book as Rod told him, “Cut your beard or you are off the show.” Ben told him where to go, and was off the show for five episodes. A compromise was reached, Cooter returned to the show, and Rod was fired the next season.

All of this hopefully explains Cooter’s absence from this episode, and the appearance of his cousin, B.B. Davenport (played by Mickey Jones).

If The Ghost of General Lee showed us how Rosco really feels about the Duke Boys, then this episode shows us his true feelings for Boss. When he thinks Big Jim Downey is going to kill Boss, he grabs the CB and says to the Dukes:

“Look, boys. The Boss, he ain’t always been the fairest. Ain’t none of us perfect. He’s not only my brother-in-law, he’s a human being and I like him. He’s my friend. If Big Jim Downey plants him under six feet of clover … I’m gonna miss him.”

Highlights:

The Oak Ridge Boys become the first musical act to get caught in Rosco’s celebrity speed trap. Unlike later victims, they get to do their song (Good Time Lovin’) near the start of the episode.

The stunt where the General Lee jumps a moving train was considered worthy of inclusion in the opening credits of later shows.

Rosco’s attempt didn’t go so well…

despite the fact that he’d cleanly jumped over Bo and Luke earlier in the episode.

Trivia:

Granny Annie’s house appears again in Baa, Baa White Sheep, redressed as Rosco’s house, complete with picket fence and mailbox.

The train jump was filmed in Oxnard, CA.

–synopsis and vidcaps by Hoss (with info from The Dukes of Hazzard Unofficial Companion).