The ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Cast, 40 Years Later: Broadway Stardom, Legal Trouble — And a Loss That Shocked the Hazzard Family — Photos

James Best’s turn as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane made him one of the show’s most recognizable supporting stars. After “The Dukes of Hazzard,” he continued acting while also teaching at universities and running an acting workshop in Hollywood. | Source: Getty Images
James Best’s turn as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane made him one of the show’s most recognizable supporting stars. After “The Dukes of Hazzard,” he continued acting while also teaching at universities and running an acting workshop in Hollywood. | Source: Getty Images

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He died April 6, 2015, following complications from pneumonia. He was 88. Schneider credited his former co-star with helping shape his own work.

“I learned more about acting in front of a camera from Jimmie Best in an afternoon than from anyone else in a year,” he told The Charlotte Observer, as reported by the BBC.

Best’s wife, Dorothy, marked what would have been his birthday on July 26, 2026.

This 2013 appearance came during the final stretch of James Best’s screen career, the same year as his last role in “The Sweeter Side of Life.” By then, his work had expanded beyond acting to include years of teaching and mentoring other performers. | Source: Getty Images
This 2013 appearance came during the final stretch of James Best’s screen career, the same year as his last role in “The Sweeter Side of Life.” By then, his work had expanded beyond acting to include years of teaching and mentoring other performers. | Source: Getty Images

“Jimmie would have been 100 today,” she wrote on his official website, remembering him as an actor, father, husband, “BESTfriend” and fishing companion. “I loved you with all my heart. Thanks for the 38 years of laughter we shared,” she wrote.