The Rustlers

Title screen

Season 2, Episode 3
Original Air Date: 5 October 1979
Directed by: Dick Moder (as Richard Moder)
Written by: Stephen Kandel
Created by: Gy Waldron

Plot Summary

The Dukes' friends and neighbors, Burl and Sherry Tolliver, want to enter their horse Manassas in the upcoming Mrs. J.D. Hogg Stakes Race – the highlight of the annual Hazzard County Fair. The Tollivers are convinced that Manassas is fast enough to win the $10,000 first prize, so Bo and Luke decide to pace-check the horse against the General. Word of the horse's speed soon spreads after the time trial is witnessed by Rosco and Enos (who arrive sharing a patrol car for some unexplained reason). After Boss promises Lulu that she'll be the owner of the winning horse, Manassas gets kidnapped, first by Rosco, and then by some traveling horse thieves. The combination of straw in the back of Rosco's patrol car and Enos's loose lips help to put the Dukes on the kidnappers' trail. When they find Manassas, Luke gets the job of riding the horse back to the fair grounds [sic] in time for registration while Bo decoys the horse thieves.

Trivia

• Mel Tillis, who plays Burl Tolliver, is better known as a country singer. He took a few acting roles around this time, including Smokey and the Bandit II and the first two Cannonball Run movies. He returned to Hazzard as himself in The Hazzardgate Tape.
• Dorothy Collier, who plays Sherry Tolliver, became Dorothy Best after she married James Best (Rosco) in 1986. Along with Kevin Lang, they formed their own production company called Best Friend Films.
• In the opening scene, Luke and Jesse sing Amazing Grace in the General. Tom performed his own vocals, but Denver Pyle's vocals were dubbed.
• Also in this episode, we find out that Boss’s driver is called Alex.

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The Rustlers
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