Amarcord

[morgan]

I started to read an interesting book on Hazzard bought on Amazon; if you like the idea, I put here some curiousity when I find there.

Enos: Sonny was the 1st carachter casted for the series and the other seems to be tied with him

John and Tom: do you know the 1st time they met was in a bathroom? It was the day of Tom audition (he was almost the last one to be chosen) and they started to speak about music. That evening, after the audition, they spent the time together singing and playing guitar

John describe himself (when he was a child) as a "fat kid with asthma" and, about at 14 he was 50 pounds overweight to have a part in a production: can you imagine it?

Cathy: she was so nervous the day of the recording of the 1st episode that James Best thougt to give her an hat and, with an excuse, he made her watch into it; there was a James photo with only his hat and his boots on and no other!

[Bo's_Belle]

I would love to read this book, could you please post the title and where to get it?

[morgan]

The title is "The Dukes of Hazzard-The unofficial companion" by David Hofstede. You can buy it on Amazon and, if you look in the merchandise section of this site you can find it.

Other curiousity:

Initially, the General Lee had to be called "the Traveller" as the "real" General Lee horse; but they thought that noone knew about it so they change. The Traveller (this is my comment 'cause the book is of 1998) is the name of Collier's car.

The 1st Luke's slide upon the General hodd in "Daisy's song" was...an error; he had to jump just over the car and then went into the windows but, when they recorded the scene, Tom's boot hit the fender and slipped, so he slide on the fender and opening a four inches gash in his arm.

This is funny, i report it textually: "Schneider and Wopat had the dashing, rugged, all-American good looks that frequently graced the covers of Teen and Tiger Beat magazines. The fact that Bo and Luke were often busy digging post holes-the type of hard labor that is best done with shirts off-did not happen by accident".

The name of the 2nd James Best wife is Dorothy COLLIER Best.

[Bo's_Belle]

I already purchased it!

[morgan]

About the driving ability:

"John is a heck of a driver-he could have joined our stunt team" Baxley said (he was the responsible of the stuntmens) "Cathy could drive pretty good"

Cathy says: "John and I would test the turning circumference, and see how fast we could go. We'd go out on our lunch break and wax our cars together"

John and Tom used to sing between the takes, when they're both on the General Lee: some of this was recorded and showed in some episodes. In particular, they used to sing "Looking out my back door".

John says "I'm amazed that never ended up in one of the shows. We sang that in the General more than we spoke"

[morgan]

John and Tom did the most of fightin scene (and sometimes the one where they were hangin on a moving truck) by themselves: -I once told John, half in jest "You hit me and I'm gonna hit you back" [laughs]. I think he clipped a few more stuntmen then I did- Tom says.

About Tom and John's walkout in the 5th season; when Cathy asked if they wanted she joined them, they answered it was a man's work and John added: -I'm very chauvinist: I don't believe to pushing women into the line of fire-.

Maybe it was John that suggested Byron for the role of Coy; he says :-We have done commercial together. People thought we were brothers, 'cause we looked so much alike-. (I don't absolutely think so, ndr*).

In November 1982, while Coy and Vance were yet on the screen, John worked across the streets of Burbank Studios, selling and repairing sports car in his John Schneider's Celebrity machine dealership

*ndr means that this is my comment, not taken from the book

[morgan]

In 1979 Tom, Cathy, Denver, Sorrel and James played "All-star family feud" against 5 stars from The Waltons and won, raising money for Special Olimpics: anyone know which sport they played?

Some years after the end of Hazzard, John was in a ranch in Texas and met a cowboy:

-My son just gradueted at college, you taught him how to drive- said the cowboy

-Well...I'm sorry about that- answered John, prepared to hear a tirade about speeding tickets and auto repair bills

-He's a little crazy in that respect- the man continued -but you folks on that show taught him how to respect his mother and me, and how to be a good boy-. He took off his glove and reached out to shake John's hand -Thank you- he said

[morgan]

From the highlits of the episode "Deputy Dukes" (season 1):

"[...] it's the sight o Bo and Luke skinny-dipping in the pound that found its way into several future episodes. To satisfy the squealing young female readers of Tiger Beat Magazine, John and Tom wen shirtless so ofeten oncamera that The Dukes of Hazzard became the male equivalent of Charlie's Angels.

-We never thought it was explitation- said John -If that had been done today, with 2 guys on Beverly Hills 90210, it would all be shot to titillate the audience. But we never looked at it that way."

From the notes of the episode "Repo men" (season 1):

"Lulu's laugh in the scene was looped in post production by John"

That means that John did that laugh???

[morgan]

Sorry for the question but...someone read this topic? Do I have to continue to post?

Ok, in the meanwhile I go on.

From the episode "Route 7-11" (season 2)

When uncle Jesse demonstrate his skill at card tricks, the hands actually performing the tricks belong not do Denver Pyle, but to John Schneider

From "Double sting" (season 2)

Is really Cathy hanging on the roof of the crooks'Winnebago

From "The rustlers2 (season 2)

When Luke and Jesse sang "Amazing Grace" Denver's voice had to be dubbed for the duet

[Bo's_Belle]

Hi Morgan, i read your posts here, i love them! I can't wait to get this book!

[morgan]

In the episode "Treasure of Hazzard" (season 2), John fought with an alligator and he still carries a scar on his chest.

From "Carnival of Thrills" (season 3):

"Though it has been suggested before, this episode proves that Bo is the dumber of the Duke cousins or, at the very least, "naive". -Well, love sill do a lot to a fellow- says John in his character's defense.

Dumber?? I don't think he is! Maybe impulsive, ingenuous, but not dumb!

[morgan]

From "Good neighbors Duke" (season 3):

I was a decision fo John and Tom to sing "Where, oh where, are you tonight?" in the opening scene

From "Bye line, Daisy Duke" (season 3):

Daisy demonstrates her archery skill, which was not shared by Cathy

From "Bye bye, Boss" (season 3):

John, Cathy and Tom mount up and perform impressive equestrian feats, including a small jump, without the use of stunts (for who ask in another topic)

[i1976]

Very interesting this book.

[holly13]

i brought it recently, its great!

[morgan]

From "Dear diary" (Season 4):

From the "don't try this at home" file, Bo executes a flawless hood-slide in this episode, and ghen goes one better by attempting the rare and far more difficult "roof-slide" across the General Lee.

-I did that? Cool!- said John when reminded of the feat -I don't know how I got over the car like that. If I ever did it well, it's 'cause Tom could, and we both had a competitive spirit-

[morgan]

From "Welcome back Bo and Luke" (season 5):

-I don't remember anything about that show, except we had that one scene with the clones- said Tom -We walked in and they walked out. See ya!-

Do you belive that? ndr

From "Lulu's gone away" (season 6):

It's the 1st episode directed by Tom

-Paul Ricard said he thought I was a better director than an actor, and I'd have to agrre with him- Tom said.

Well, not actually agree ndr

From "Too many Roscoes" (season 6):

John demonstrates his dead-on impersonation of Roscoe

-I used to do it on the set, so they started writing it into the script- John remembers

From "Undercovers Dukes" (season 6):

The yellow Maserati and Ferrari parked outside the Carver mansion belonged to John

Wow!!

[Julieduke]

I didn't know the cars at the Carver Mansion belonged John Before. Here's another thing about John you didn't know is that recorded three Elvis Presley songs. I wonder if he was a fan of Elvis's music or just something to do.

[Bo's_Belle]

From "Welcome back Bo and Luke" (season 5):

-I don't remember anything about that show, except we had that one scene with the clones- said Tom -We walked in and they walked out. See ya!-

Do you belive that? ndr

Wow, it sounds pretty harsh to me and it might confirm the rumours that Tom didn't really like the "clones"...lol...nice way to put it...John, on the other side, seemed to be pretty ok with them. I wish we knew more about this!

[morgan]

@JulieDuke: I know about "it's now or never" that is of Elvis, I have it. I don't know his songs so I don't know which are the others

@Bo's Belle: John seems to haven't problems whit the clones; he said that it wasn't their guilt if the series hadn't success in that period. He says they hadn't the possibility to be themselves 'cause the production wanted them to be like Bo and Luke.

John says that he did see some of that episodes..."just to grin".

From "Opening night at the Boars Nest" (season 7):

about the exhibition of the Dukes

-That was awful...dreadful- said Tom of his performans

John agrees -When we sang on the show, it was always just for fun, if it was in the script we'd take it too seriously and mess it up, as we did with that one-.

Don't understand, excatly: I don't think the exhibition was awful and don't understand why they didn't do it again if they didn't like it!

[RogerDuke]

This is some interesting stuff but I am still concerned about the accuracy. In this book, how does the author claim to get his information? This stuff sounds believable but unless it was verified by someone on the set, I am going to have a slight degree of suspicion that the guy is just trying to make money. It is interesting though....I'm gone.

[morgan]

I don't think so: he made interviews from the actor, the producers and the writers, published photo provided from Cbs archive and the forewords are from Cathy.

If you go to merchandise section of this site, in the book, you'll find it.

[morgan]

About the 1st Reunion John said:

-Would I still be able to get the real excited look on my face about a race? But it happened right away-

During the serie, the cast did regular visit to the city Hazard in Kentucky; in 1982 there was a coal-mining disaster, then Tom and John did a concert to raise money for the city; they raised 47,000 usd and Tom added 25,000 of his

[RogerDuke]

Hey Morgan, lukefan07 is fron Hazard Kentucky....maybe we can get more info about that....got you ears on lukfan07?

[LoriDavenport]

About the 1st Reunion John said:

-Would I still be able to get the real excited look on my face about a race? But it happened right away-

During the serie, the cast did regular visit to the city Hazard in Kentucky; in 1982 there was a coal-mining disaster, then Tom and John did a concert to raise money for the city; they raised 47,000 usd and Tom added 25,000 of his

I asked my mom and this is what she told me...

I was 12 or 13 we had just moved to Hazard and it was our 1st black gold when they came for the parade it was-Boss Hogg,Enos,Daisy,and Rosco~at the time uncle Jesse was sick and couldn't make it. It was in the local paper that Denver Pyle wrote the mayor a letter (which was published) stating that if we wanted the Dukes back down here he would come with them. I don't have a clipping of it nor can one be found. After the parade at the booth that was set up for them they were very happy about the reception they got-estimated at over 1 million people from 6 counties came to see them. They said it was the best reception that they had ever gotten. i made it tup to them at the booth and Daisy patted me on the back and Boss Hogg smiled and waved at me (i couldn't get any closer to the rest now i did chase Rosco and Enos up the street trying to get to them~which earned me a beating from dad) Boss Hogg said he wouldn't have missed it for the world and even though he was sick at the time as well . the cast stayed at (at the time) the grandest hotel in hazard~the LaCitadale we could only go so far up the road then the national guard had the road blocked and the hotel surrounded.

as for Tom Wopat and John Schneider's concert at the old Hazard Memorial Gym~it happened but i wasn't allowed to go~i did get to see them arrive the concert was free but donations for the miners widows was taken~dad said i was too young. later when Tom Wopat came back to make a donation to the miners widows i was at the air port (as close as i could get) there is a bridge leading to the old airport i made it across the bridge and did see him get off the plane and into a car.

Although Hazzard County, Georgia was a fictional location (the early episodes of the show were filmed in Covington, Georgia and Conyers, Georgia), the real-life town of Hazard, Kentucky was a beneficiary of the show's popularity. thats why we have soo many tourists come to our town becaus ethey believe that this is Hazzard county. Now there are some old buildings down here that will remind you of some of the buildings in hazzard county. i dont have any pictures but there are still some here. they're tearing them down though to make way for new ones which is idiotic in my opinion.

** i do have pictures of it but i dont know how to post them so send me a message and ill send them to you via-email or someone can help me out and tell me how to post em' lol.

i do appreciate tom and john raising the money for us down here, as this was my first time of hearing about it. so thanks tom and john!!! but thank god we aint had no more accidents like that happen here recently.

i hope this helped ya'll out. sorry if it didn't this is alli could dig up lol. im still extremely jealous of my mom, i won't talk to her now lol.

[Boss Hogg 2]

no reason to be jealous of me-i can't help it i'm older than you . but those are great memories that i wouldn't have missed out on for the world. i have gotten a hold of the local paper and they said that a fire destroyed all their old copies (bummer) and the local T.V. station is supposed to have a 30 minute special on the event i am planning on calling them and seeing if i can get my hands on it if they have it. There was a lot of talk of daisy being drunk and on drugs during her stay here and that she came close to falling out of the car (her jeep was here but she never rode in it during the parade-her jeep and boss hogg's car was used just for photos with them) i found a couple pics. and plan on digging up some more lol.

one is of Boss Hogg in front of city hall at the end of the parade and the other is the memorial gym (taken years ago but looks the same) in which Tom Wopat and John Schneider gave their concert.