HazzardNet, Author at HazzardNet

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.

Enos Attracts Pretty Girls!

Daisy Duke has competition! This pretty gal in the photo is Alyssa, the 2011 Rock Island County Fair Queen. Unable to resist a man in Hazzard County uniform, she’s seen here with Sonny Shroyer, otherwise known as Deputy Enos Strate, during his appearance in East Moline, Illinois on July 19. Sonny was accompanied by a General Lee and a Hazzard County patrol car. It was all part of “Dukes of Hazzard Night” at the Quad City Speedway.

Sonny’s a genuine good ol’ boy, and his charm lights up a room wherever he goes. If you didn’t get a chance to meet him yet, you’ll have another opportunity at Hazzard Homecoming on August 13 & 14 in Sperryville, Virgina. More on that soon!

Covington Car Show to Benefit Troops

Have a General Lee, a Hazzard County patrol car, or a classic car you’d like to show off? There’s an outfit in Georgia who would love to see you.

Operation Sandbox is a non-profit group that makes care packages for our troops serving overseas. This group benefits by an upcoming car show called “Hazzard County Supports Our Troops”, in Covington, GA, on July 30 from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

There is no registration fee. The event is free to the public. There is no advance registration for car owners, just come with your car and sign in before 4:00 p.m.

Here’s how the show benefits the troops. Instead of cash fees or admissions, donations of food and hygiene products are requested for care packages. Food suggestions include single-serving drink mixes, microwavable mac n’ cheese cups, microwave popcorn, trail mixes, dried fruit snacks, gum, beef jerky, and similar items. Hygiene product suggestions are travel-sized shampoos/conditioners and all the usual travel-sized stuff you’d need yourself on a trip.

It’s appropriate to have a Dukes of Hazzard themed car show in Covington. This area of Georgia is where The Dukes of Hazzard began; the first five episodes of the first season were filmed here. The Covington town square is recognizable to any long-time Dukes fan, and General Lees are a natural complement to the scenery.

If you can’t make the show, consider supporting Operation Sandbox with a donation, or even a card with kind words for a military service member. Visit their website for more information about what they do. Our gratitude goes out to all of those who are serving our country.

Will “Enos” Series Be Next for DVD?

You can’t say we haven’t been patient. The Enos series first aired on November 12, 1980. It lasted 18 episodes, ending on May 20, 1981. Despite guest appearances by several Dukes of Hazzard cast members, Enos didn’t place high enough in the ratings to please CBS. The short-lived spinoff was canceled and never seen again.

Many long-time Dukes of Hazzard fans have asked about the Enos series. When Warner Bros. released The Dukes of Hazzard on DVD, there was hope that Enos would follow. It didn’t. But in 2010, WB unexpectedly released The Dukes animated series via DVD-on-demand. Happy as we are to have The Dukes available, we’re still looking for Enos.

Recently, we reached out to Warner Bros. and asked them if Enos would be available in the future. WB would only say this: “While we can’t comment on release plans for specific titles, we can tell you that each month, more and more films and TV series will be made available.”

Possum on a gumbush! No promises, but there’s hope. We’d love to see WB offer a DVD-on-demand release for Enos that would include Sonny Shroyer’s autograph. The first 500 copies of The Dukes animated series featured an autograph by James Best, and this allotment sold out quickly. (You can still order The Dukes, without the autograph.) A similar marketing promotion for Enos would make sense.

We’ll keep our ears on for Enos news. Meanwhile, console yourself by meeting Sonny Shroyer in person at the Johnny Lightning Fest in Dyersville, Iowa! He’s scheduled to appear July 16 only from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free, but autographs usually run five or ten bucks depending on the item. Remember to watch our Forums and homepage for more cast news and upcoming events. You can also catch us sleeping on Facebook and one of these days we’ll make real use of Twitter, ya never know!

Dukes of Hazzard on CMT Update

CMT continues the late-night airings of the Dukes of Hazzard, but this week they’ve shook up the broadcast days. No Dukes Monday or Tuesday, but you’ll have Dukes Wednesday through Friday, with a double feature o’ Dukes on Thursday.

Set your TiVo, or pull an all-nighter, and watch the following episodes:

The Canterbury Crock
Wed, July 06, 1:00 a.m. Eastern

Mrs. Daisy Hogg, & Double Dukes
Thurs, July 07, 1:00 a.m + 2:00 a.m. Eastern

Diamonds in the Rough
Fri, July 08, 1:00 a.m. Eastern

Notable in this week’s episodes: “The Canterbury Crock” features one of the zaniest chase scenes in the Dukes of Hazzard series, where everyone switches cars and then the chase runs backwards. If you’ve never seen Rosco drive the General Lee, you won’t want to miss this episode. Does Rosco crash the General? Watch and find out!

The episode “Diamonds in the Rough” was directed by James Best, ol’ Rosco P. Coltrane himself. Does the episode itself crash? You’ll have to watch and decide on your own!

We should also mention that in the episode “Mrs. Daisy Hogg,” Daisy Duke has another romance go completely down the tubes. You’d think a girl this pretty would have better luck landing a man.

Meanwhile, we continue to hope that CMT will air The Dukes of Hazzard during a family viewing hour. So far, they’re airing the Dukes very randomly and the pleas of fans have fallen on deaf ears. We are making our own appeal to CMT concerning this and we’ll let you know if we get a response.