April 07, 2015
‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane Dies at 88
Fans of “Dukes of Hazzard” can't forget bumbling Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, who chased the Duke boys on a daily basis.
[Credit: Getty Images]
James Best, who portrayed the right-hand man of Hazzard county's corrupt commissioner Boss Hogg, died June 6 at the age of 88 in Hickory, North Carolina after a brief illness and complications from pneumonia, reports The Charlotte Observer.
"I acted the part as good as I could," Best told The Observer in 2009. "Rosco – let's face it – was a charmer. It was a fun thing."
Best appeared in numerous television shows and films over six decades, but fans know him best for “Dukes of Hazzard” as he appeared in all but five episodes of the hit '80s television show.
Best was born Jewel Franklin Guy in Powderly, Kentucky, on July 26, 1926, according to his website. After his mother's death in 1929, he was sent to an orphanage before being adopted by Essa and Armen Best. While serving in the US Army Air Corps, Best got interested in theater and later moved to New York, then Los Angeles to pursue acting.
In 1986, Best married actress Dorothy Collier, who survives him, along with their son Gary, daughter JoJami and daughter Janeen.
"Jimmie," as he was referred to on his website, was an animal lover. In lieu of flowers, fans are asked to make donations to any local humane society.
