Hazzard County Archives

Hazzard Homecoming Brings “Dukes” to Life!

Just the good ol’ boys…and everybody else, appeared at Hazzard Homecoming on August 11 & 12 for Dukes of Hazzard fun! Taking place on a rolling green field under bright blue skies, fans from around the globe enjoyed this memorable visit to “Hazzard County.”

While there were many highlights of the event, the stunt show featuring “Bo and Luke” behind the wheel of the General Lee is the likely favorite. The low-profile jump spared the Charger from damage, while still giving fans a traditional Hazzard County chase! Here’s a YouTube video posted by “BradNMarty.”

Many fans couldn’t make the trip for this event, so if you have photos, videos or reports to share about your experience, please feel welcome to post it in our Forums! You can also post on our Facebook page!

Tom Wopat and John Schneider in Concert!

TomJohnCasino — Photo credit: Paul Harrington

Forever known as Bo and Luke Duke to fans of “The Dukes of Hazzard,” Tom Wopat and John Schneider have come a long way from Hazzard County. Their diverse careers include success in vocal recordings, Broadway performances, theatre productions, concerts, TV and movie roles, and more. They are, without doubt, consummate entertainers who know how to engage and delight an audience.

When peforming together, the audience is treated to a combined talent that is augmented by genuine camaraderie. Rare is the friendship that lasts over 30 years, rarer still a friendship that has survived the brutal pressures of Hollywood and the media.

In concert, Wopat and Schneider display an obvious ease around each other, clearly enjoying themselves and the music that unites them. They give audiences the same good time that they’re having! The only drawbacks to seeing them peform live together, is that the event is far too rare, and the evening seems to end too quickly.

So far for 2012, you have exactly two chances to catch Tom and John in concert: April 12 and April 13 at the Fallsview Casino & Resort in Niagra Falls, Ontario. Tickets will be going on sale in January 2012. Seating is limited to 1,500 in the intimate concert venue, meaning that tickets will go fast.

At this time, we do not know exactly when tickets will become available in January. We will make every effort to post an alert when tickets are on sale. With a total of only 3,000 tickets being available for the weekend, you’ll want to stay in the loop!

Adopt-A-Dipstick!

Despite appearing in 47 episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard, we’ve noticed that Rick Hurst doesn’t have his own website. At least not one that we can find! This seems an injustice, even for Hazzard County.

Now, we know that Deputy Cletus Hogg was the low man on the totem pole in the Hazzard County Sheriff’s Department. He was ranked somewhere below Rosco’s basset hound in terms of authority. We also know that as a relative of Boss Hogg, Cletus didn’t get any automatic sympathy. His I.Q. was pegged to be somewhere between dipstick and lug nut. Cletus also lacked the innocence of his predecessor, Deputy Enos Strate.

All in all, Cletus was clumsy, dense, easily distracted, and possessed questionable driving skills. Naturally, he fit right in with the Hazzard County Sheriff’s Department.

Rick Hurst’s talent for physical comedy and comedic timing made Cletus a memorable part of The Dukes of Hazzard. Cletus had his first appearance in the episode “Money to Burn” as an armored car driver. Cletus appeared in later episodes as a reserve Deputy, filling in for the temporary absence of Enos in “The Meeting” and “Road Pirates.”

BiteOuttaCrime — Cletus takes a bite out of crime in “The Meeting”

During the third season, Sonny Shroyer was offered his own show in the spin-off series Enos. The translation in Hazzard County was that Boss fired Enos, prompting Enos to accept a position with the L.A. police department. Cletus, already trained in the skills of automotive snorkeling and landscaping with cop cars, threw himself bodily into the position of full-time Deputy.

Rick Hurst’s reliable portrayal of Cletus would eventually earn him the spotlight in the fourth season episode, “Cletus Falls in Love.” Watching Cletus stumble his way through his newfound feelings while Daisy becomes more and more flustered is hilarious. When Daisy said, “We need to talk,” Cletus spoke for men everywhere when he responded with, “I’d rather smooch!”

Alas, the good times for Cletus wouldn’t last. During the fateful fifth season, when Coy and Vance temporarily replaced Bo and Luke, the Enos series was cancelled. Deputy Enos Strate subsequently returned to Hazzard County. Cletus would remain part of the Hazzard County law for only a few more episodes, sharing an awkward co-dipstick duty with Enos.

After receiving an offer in another series, Rick Hurst bowed out from the Dukes of Hazzard. In Hazzard County, Cletus’s abrupt absence was explained once as a “vacation” and then never mentioned again. Enos returned to prominence as Hazzard’s only honest lawman and dipstick extraordinaire.

Cletus did find his way back to Hazzard for the TV reunion movies. And while Rick Hurst has had other roles since his Dukes days, he remains fond of The Dukes of Hazzard and its fans. Rick has made many personal appearances at DukesFest and Cooter’s Place.

All this being said, it’s incredible that Cletus looks homeless out there on the internet. So we’re gonna keep a place for him here on HazzardNet! You can view Rick’s upcoming appearances in our Forums. We’ll also beef up (Hogg up?) our cast and character pages and give this wayward son of Hazzard County his share of attention.

Dukes of Hazzard Stunt Show in Ohio!

Want to see the General Lee and Hazzard County patrol cars in dirt-flying, chase-and-crash action? Then you’ll want to be at the Lake County Fair in Painesville, Ohio this Saturday!

The Northeast Ohio Dukes are once again presenting their famous Hazzard County Stunt Show on August 20th at 7:30 p.m.

This is a live action automotive spectacle that plays out like a Dukes of Hazzard episode, with the all the excitement of roaring engines and smashing metal. This show always draws a large crowd, so get to the grandstands early!

You don’t get to see vehicular mayhem like this every day! Unless you’re watching The Dukes of Hazzard. Still, you don’t want to miss seeing the General Lee “in person” as it takes to the air!

Visit the Lake County Fair website for directions and details. Enjoy the show!

Happy Birthday Rosco!

Yes, another birthday! July 26 marks the 85th birthday of James Best, known to Dukes of Hazzard fans the world over as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. In addition to delighting us as Rosco since 1979, Jimmie is also a reknown actor, director, screenwriter, painter, fisherman, animal lover, poet, military veteran, teacher, mentor, online gamer, and all-around cuss.

If you had told Jimmie in 1979, that in 2011, he’d still be dressing up as Rosco and going “khee khee khee” to amuse people, or be autographing yet another General Lee, or greeting fans by the thousands at Dukes of Hazzard events…he’d probably have said you were crazy. Out of your mind.

After all, James Best has nearly 300 film credits to his name through his roles in movies and television. He has co-starred with Hollywood legends like Paul Newman, Jimmy Stewart, Burt Reynolds, and Jerry Lewis. He has taught motion picture technique to scores of successful actors. He remains active in film making, starring in the sequel to the cult classic Killer Shrews.

Why then, would the role of Rosco P. Coltrane remain so prominent?

Because The Dukes of Hazzard itself would remain an international sensation, with a fan base that continues to grow with every syndicated re-run of the series. From airing on CBS, to TNN, to CMT, to home release on DVD’s, to references in pop culture, The Dukes of Hazzard is as popular today as it was over 30 years ago.

Rosco P. Coltrane, the inept, gleefully corrupt, yet dedicated Sheriff of Hazzard County would prove to be one of the most iconic characters of the show. This speaks to the talent and creativity of James Best, who breathed life into the role with trademark inflections, utterances and expressions that gave Rosco an unforgettable persona.

Rosco’s goofball style reminds us of the kid in all of us. Rosco never completely grew up, with every “hot pursuit” as exciting as the first. He made being Sheriff look like a helluva good time. And despite his human failings of greed and dishonesty, he remained loyal to his dog, his sister, and his brother-in-law. Underneath that badge of graft and cowardice, there was a heart.

Fans have a special affection for Rosco P. Coltrane, and they always will. That affection translates into an honest reverence and affection for James Best. We love ya, Jimmie. Happy Birthday, and God Bless.