Now anyone that tells me they don’t know who the Dukes of Hazzard are is obviously too young to remember or just hasn’t been brought up right since this ensemble cast was something of a legend back in the day. You might say that they were a benchmark of a lot of people’s youth that seems almost sinful to forget since they were constantly there whether it be new and upcoming shows or reruns that people could sit and enjoy. The Duke boys were always good for an adventure, a laugh, or just some good old mayhem when it came to foiling one of Boss Hogg’s schemes. A lot went on during the show that people never got to know about, such as Tom Wopat and John Schneider walking off due to various reasons that could have had to do with how much they were being paid. But once it was determined that their stand-ins, Coy and Vance, weren’t able to carry the show they came running back when they were called, and no doubt got a pay raise out of it.
This was the kind of show you looked forward to since it wasn’t all that challenging when it came to the subject matter and it was just a lot of fun to watch. The movie that came out with Sean William Scott and Johnny Knoxville might have had a lot of laughs but it didn’t do the name any justice really since there’s no replacing or even covering over the original. When this show went off the air it was a sad day for a few reasons, but thankfully reruns can still be seen and you can possibly buy every episode if you really wanted it that bad.
As far as the actors go, well, take a gander.
Sorrell Booke-Boss Hogg
Sorrell had a long and very successful career before the transition into Boss Hogg, but this is without a doubt the role he’s known for the most. He was absolutely terrible to the Dukes and there wasn’t ever a strong reason given for it. The hatred between Hogg and the Duke clan was pretty obvious however since even when they bailed him out a jam, which wasn’t too often, he was still unwilling to let go of his intense dislike for the family. Booke managed to do quite a bit after the Hazzard show but passed away in 1994 due to colorectal cancer. On his gravestone the title of Boss was chiseled in along with several other descriptive words to commemorate just who he was in life.
Sonny Shroyer-Deputy Enos Strate
Enos wasn’t the most respected guy on the force and was kind of walked on by just about everyone. During his run on the show he actually left to try and create a spinoff called Enos, but it ended up tanking and he went back to the main show. Since the show went off the air however he’s continued to act and still does to this day. As a surprise he played the part of coach Bear Bryant in Forrest Gump and even had a role in the biographical film Ray. Sonny is still acting and has even released a children’s book based on the show.
Denver Pyle-Jesse Duke
Good ol’ Uncle Jesse was a gruff fellow that had the unenviable job of putting up with Bo and Luke on a regular basis and trying to find ways around the probation that the two had been slapped with for the duration of the show. He and Boss Hogg were constantly at odds and it was all he could do to keep the boys in line. Denver however did a lot of his work well before the show came about, and stayed fairly active after. He passed away however in 1997 from lung cancer.
James Best-Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane
Much like Denver Pyle, James did most of his best work before the show even aired. Rosco was however one of the roles that he came to be known for. The sheriff was an ornery one that was always trying to get the Dukes in trouble and wouldn’t stop until he saw them in jail. On a more personal note though John Schneider said that James was one of the best teachers he ever had when it came to learning the craft. James passed away in 2015 due to complications from pneumonia.
Tom Wopat-Luke Duke
The show is where Wopat really got his start to be honest. He’s done a laundry list of appearances after that, including the reunion shows that have occurred throughout the years. He’s even been in some of the more noticeable movies of the past couple decades like Django Unchained and the show Longmire.
Catherine Bach-Daisy Duke
She’s the original lady Duke that made every man’s heart flutter when she walked by, and helped to coin the term for the short shorts she constantly wore. She got her start before the show began but has been acting ever since in TV and in film. Most of her parts are in shows and movies that might not be well known, but she’s been keeping busy at least.
John Schneider-Bo Duke
John got his start on the show just like Wopat did, but did a lot more when the show was over. His list of accomplishments is pretty long and includes a discography as well since he’s been in the music industry for a while now. Whether people know him or not might have more to do with nostalgia than anything but it’s still impressive that he’s been in the public eye all this time.
If you’ve never watched this show then it might be as good a time as any to catch up.
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