Jewel Franklin Guy (July 26, 1926 – April 6, 2015), known professionally as James Best, was an American television, film, stage, and voice actor, as well as a writer, director, acting coach, artist, college professor, and musician. During a career that spanned more than 60 years, he performed not only in feature films but also in scores of television series, as well as appearing on various country music programs and talk shows. Television audiences, however, perhaps most closely associate Best with his role as the bumbling

Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane Rosco Purvis Coltrane is a fictional sheriff character who appeared in the 1975 film '' Moonrunners'', which inspired the creation of the American TV series '' The Dukes of Hazzard'' (and related spin-off films). In ''Moonrunners'', he was played b ...

in the action-comedy series ''

The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television series ...

'', which originally aired on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

between 1979 and 1985. He reprised the role in 1997 and 2000 for the made-for-television movies '' The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!'' and '' The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood'' (2000).

Early years

Best was born on July 26, 1926, in

Powderly, Kentucky Powderly is a home rule-class city in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 745 at the 2010 census. History The city developed around a coal mine opened by the Cooperative Coal Company in 1887. The community was n ...

, to Lark and Lena (née Everly) Guy. Lena Guy's brother was Ike Everly, the father of the pop duo

the Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...

. After his mother died of tuberculosis in 1929, then three-year-old James was sent to live in an orphanage. He was later adopted by Armen Best and his wife, Essa Myrtle ( Knowland) and went to live with them in

Corydon, Indiana Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana. Located north of the Ohio River in the extreme southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana, it is the seat of government for Harrison County. Corydon was founded in 1808 and served ...

. Best served in the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, training in 1944 in Biloxi, Mississippi, as a gunner on a B-17 bomber; but by the time he completed his training the war had almost ended, so he was assigned to the army's law enforcement section. In the military police, as an "MP", Best served in war-torn Germany immediately after the

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...

government's surrender in May 1945. While stationed in Germany, Best soon transferred from the military police to an army unit of actors, who traveled around Europe performing plays for troops. Those experiences formed the beginning of his acting career.

Film career

Best began his contract career in 1949 at

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

, where he met fellow actors

Julie Adams Julie Adams (born Betty May Adams; October 17, 1926 – February 3, 2019) was an American actress, billed as Julia Adams toward the beginning of her career, primarily known for her numerous television guest roles. She starred in a number of ...

Piper Laurie Piper Laurie (born Rosetta Jacobs; January 22, 1932) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the films ''The Hustler'' (1961), '' Carrie'' (1976), and '' Children of a Lesser God'' (1986), all of which brought her Academy Award no ...

Tony Curtis Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925September 29, 2010) was an American actor whose career spanned six decades, achieving the height of his popularity in the 1950s (Kansas Raiders, 1950) and early 1960s. He acted in more than 100 f ...

Mamie Van Doren Mamie Van Doren (born Joan Lucille Olander; February 6, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and sex symbol. She is perhaps best known for the rock 'n' roll, juvenile delinquency exploitation film ''Untamed Youth'' (1957). Early life Van Do ...

and

Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades. A prominent heartthrob in the Golde ...

. Initially, he performed in several uncredited roles for Universal, such as in the 1950 film ''

One Way Street ''One Way Street'' is a 1950 American film noir crime film directed by Hugo Fregonese and starring James Mason, Märta Torén and Dan Duryea. The crime film takes place mainly in Mexico. Plot Dr. Frank Matson, a physician, steals $200,000 from t ...

'', but credited performances soon followed that same year in the

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

s '' Comanche Territory'', ''

Winchester '73 ''Winchester '73'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea and Stephen McNally. Written by Borden Chase and Robert L. Richards, the film is about the journey of a prized ...

'', and ''

Kansas Raiders ''Kansas Raiders'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Ray Enright, and stars Audie Murphy, Brian Donlevy, Marguerite Chapman, and Scott Brady. It is set during the American Civil War and involves Jesse James coming under the influence ...

''. Work in that genre continued to be an important part of his ongoing film career, including roles in ''

The Cimarron Kid ''The Cimarron Kid'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Audie Murphy and Beverly Tyler. Plot Bill Doolin (Audie Murphy) is released from jail and is going home on the train when it is held up by his boyhoo ...

'' (1952), ''

Seven Angry Men ''Seven Angry Men'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by Charles Marquis Warren and starring Raymond Massey, Debra Paget and Jeffrey Hunter. It is about the abolitionist John Brown, particularly his involvement in Bleeding Kansas and hi ...

'' (1955) in which he portrays one of the sons of abolitionist

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

, ''Last of the Badmen'' (1957), ''Cole Younger Gunfighter'' (1958), ''

Ride Lonesome ''Ride Lonesome'' is a 1959 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Randolph Scott, Karen Steele, Pernell Roberts, Lee Van Cleef, and James Coburn in his film debut. This Eastmancolor film is one of Boetticher ...

'' (1959), ''

The Quick Gun ''The Quick Gun'' is a 1964 American Techniscope Western film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Audie Murphy. It was the second of four films produced by Grant Whytock and Edward Small's Admiral Pictures in the 1960s.Firecreek ''Firecreek'' is a 1968 American Western film directed by Vincent McEveety and starring James Stewart and Henry Fonda in his second role as an antagonist that year alongside Sergio Leone's '' Once Upon a Time in the West''. The film is similar ...

'' (1968). Yet Best's film roles were not limited to Westerns. He also starred in the 1959 science fiction cult movie ''

The Killer Shrews ''The Killer Shrews'' is a 1959 American independent science fiction film directed by Ray Kellogg, and produced by Ken Curtis and Gordon McLendon. The story follows a group of researchers who are trapped in their remote island compound overnight ...

'' and in its 2012 sequel ''

Return of the Killer Shrews ''The Killer Shrews'' is a 1959 American independent science fiction film directed by Ray Kellogg, and produced by Ken Curtis and Gordon McLendon. The story follows a group of researchers who are trapped in their remote island compound overnight ...

'', as army medic Rhidges in the 1958 film adaptation of

Norman Mailer Nachem Malech Mailer (January 31, 1923 – November 10, 2007), known by his pen name Norman Kingsley Mailer, was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, playwright, activist, filmmaker and actor. In a career spanning over six decades, Mailer ...

's ''

The Naked and the Dead ''The Naked and the Dead'' is a novel written by Norman Mailer. Published by Rinehart & Company in 1948, when he was 25, it was his debut novel. It depicts the experiences of a platoon during World War II, based partially on Mailer's experiences ...

'', as escaped POW Carter in the James Stewart classic '' Shenandoah'', as Dr. Ben Mizer in the 1966 comedy ''

Three on a Couch ''Three on a Couch'' is a 1966 American comedy film directed by Jerry Lewis and starring Jerry Lewis and Janet Leigh. Plot Christopher Pride wants to marry his girlfriend, Dr. Elizabeth Acord. However, she is too involved with her patients and s ...

'', and as the

cross-dressing Cross-dressing is the act of wearing clothes usually worn by a different gender. From as early as pre-modern history, cross-dressing has been practiced in order to disguise, comfort, entertain, and self-express oneself. Cross-dressing has play ...

Dewey Barksdale in the 1976 drama ''

Ode to Billy Joe "Ode to Billie Joe" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry released by Capitol Records in July 1967, and later used as the title-track of her debut album. Five weeks after its release, the song topped ''Billboard's'' Pop singl ...

''. He also played Burt Reynolds’s partner Cully in the 1978 movie “ Hooper”.

Television

James Best Andy Griffith Andy Griffith Show 1961

Best guest-starred more than 280 times in various television series. In 1954, he played outlaw Dave Ridley in an episode of ''

Stories of the Century ''Stories of the Century'' is a 39-episode Western historical fiction television series starring Jim Davis that ran in syndication through Republic Pictures between 1954 and 1955. Synopsis Jim Davis, who became famous decades later as the p ...

''. In 1954, Best appeared twice on the syndicated ''

Annie Oakley Annie Oakley (born Phoebe Ann Mosey; August 13, 1860 – November 3, 1926) was an American sharpshooter who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. Oakley developed hunting skills as a child to provide for her impoverished family in western ...

'' series. In 1955, he played Jim Blake on ''The Lone Ranger'', Season 4, Episode 47. He was cast in the religion

anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'', in its 1956 episode "The White Carnation." He was also cast on an episode of the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

sitcom '' The People's Choice'' and in the crime drama ''

Richard Diamond, Private Detective ''Richard Diamond, Private Detective'' is an American detective drama, created by Blake Edwards, which aired on radio from 1949 to 1953, and on television from 1957 to 1960. Radio Dick Powell starred in the ''Richard Diamond, Private Detec ...

''.

James Best Laura Devon Anne Francis Twilight Zone Jess Belle

Best made four appearances on the syndicated

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

''. His first role was as miner "Tiny" Stoker in the 1955 episode "Million Dollar Wedding". In 1960, Best appeared in the episode "Love on Credit" of CBS's anthology series ''

The DuPont Show with June Allyson ''The DuPont Show with June Allyson'' (also known as ''The June Allyson Show'') is an American anthology drama series which aired on CBS from September 21, 1959, to April 3, 1961, with rebroadcasts continuing until June 12, 1961. The series was ...

''. The same year, he guest-starred on ''

The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American situation comedy television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. The ...

'' as "The Guitar Player" (Season 1, Episode 3 and 31). He starred in three episodes of ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...

'' including "

The Grave The Grave may refer to: * ''The Grave'' (TV series), an Israeli science fiction TV show. * "The Grave" (''The Twilight Zone''), a 1961 episode of ''The Twilight Zone'' * ''The Grave'' (1996 film), a thriller film * ''The Grave'' (2020 film), a film ...

" (Season 3, Episode 7), "

The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" is episode 88 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It originally aired on February 23, 1962 on CBS. Opening narration Plot In the mid-1920s in a small rural town in the "souther ...

," (Season 3, Episode 23) and "

Jess-Belle "Jess-Belle" is an episode of the American television science fiction and fantasy anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. In this episode, a young woman, whose name sounds like "Jezebel", spurned by the man she loves, becomes a witch in order to m ...

" (Season 4, Episode 7). In 1961 he guest-starred in the ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' episode "Make My Death Bed". In 1963, he was cast as the courageous

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

game warden Ernie Swift in the episode "Open Season" of another CBS anthology series, ''

GE True ''GE True'' (also known as ''General Electric True'') is a 33-episode, American anthology series sponsored by General Electric. Telecast on CBS, the series presented stories previously published in ''True'' magazine. Articles from the magazine ...

'', hosted by

Jack Webb John Randolph Webb (April 2, 1920 – December 23, 1982) was an American actor, television producer, Television director, director, and screenwriter, who is most famous for his role as Joe Friday, Sgt. Joe Friday in the Dragnet (franchise) ...

. In the story line, Swift faces the reprisal of

organized crime Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...

after he tickets gangster Frank MacErlane ( David McLean) for illegal fishing. In 1962, he played the part of Art Fuller in the episode "Incident of El Toro" on CBS's '' Rawhide''; and in 1963, he returned to play Willie Cain in the episode "Incident at Spider Rock." Best made two guest appearances on ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

''. In 1963 he played title character Martin Potter in "The Case of the Surplus Suitor," and in 1966 he played defendant and oilman Allan Winford in "The Case of the Unwelcome Well." He appeared on a long list of other television series in the 1950s and 1960s, including ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings. It ...

'' (three times), '' Laramie'' (three times), ''

The Adventures of Kit Carson ''The Adventures of Kit Carson'' is an American Western that aired from 1951 to 1955. The show ran for four seasons and consisted of 104 episodes over four years. The original air date was Saturday, August 11, 1951. It concluded on January 22, 19 ...

'' (twice as Henry Jordan), the western anthology series ''

Frontier A frontier is the political and geographical area near or beyond a boundary. A frontier can also be referred to as a "front". The term came from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"—the region of a country that fronts o ...

'' (twice), '' The Rebel'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...

'', ''

Sheriff of Cochise ''The Sheriff of Cochise'' is an American police crime drama television series of 79 black-and-white episodes broadcast from 1956 to 1958. The show has two seasons of 39 episodes, and there is an additional standalone episode. Each episode runs ...

'', ''

Pony Express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pik ...

'', ''

Rescue 8 ''Rescue 8'' is a syndicated American action adventure crime drama series about Los Angeles County Fire Department Rescue Squad 8. It premiered in 1958 and originally ran for two seasons with syndicated reruns continuing for almost a decade th ...

'', '' The Texan'', ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

'', ''

Have Gun – Will Travel ''Have Gun – Will Travel'' is an American Western series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on both television and radio from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Richard Boone was rated number t ...

'', ''

The Barbara Stanwyck Show ''The Barbara Stanwyck Show'' is an American anthology drama television series which ran on NBC from September 1960 to September 1961. Barbara Stanwyck served as hostess, and starred in all but four of the half-hour productions. The four in which ...

'', ''

Tombstone Territory ''Tombstone Territory'' is an American Western series starring Pat Conway and Richard Eastham. The series' first two seasons aired on ABC from 1957 to 1959. The first season was sponsored by Bristol-Myers (consumer products) and the second seaso ...

'', ''

Whispering Smith ''Whispering Smith'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Leslie Fenton and starring Alan Ladd as a railroad detective assigned to stop a gang of train robbers. The supporting cast includes Robert Preston, Brenda Marshall and Donald C ...

'', '' Trackdown'', ''

The Rifleman ''The Rifleman'' is an American Western television program starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show wa ...

'', ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enroll ...

'', ''

Stagecoach West Stagecoach West is the trading name of Cheltenham & Gloucester Omnibus Company Limited, a bus operator providing services in Gloucestershire, Bristol, Swindon, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, North Somerset and Herefordshire, in the West of England. ...

'','' Wanted: Dead or Alive'',''

Overland Trail The Overland Trail (also known as the Overland Stage Line) was a stagecoach and wagon trail in the American West during the 19th century. While portions of the route had been used by explorers and trappers since the 1820s, the Overland Trail w ...

'',''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was born to ...

'',''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...

'', ''

Combat! ''Combat!'' is an American television drama series that originally aired on ABC from 1962 until 1967. The exclamation point in ''Combat!'' was depicted on-screen as a stylized bayonet. The show covered the grim lives of a squad of American sol ...

'', ''

The Green Hornet The Green Hornet is a superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell. Since his 1930s radio debut, the character has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of media ...

''("Deadline For Death"),''

The Mod Squad ''The Mod Squad'' is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, Clarence Williams III as ...

'',''

I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...

'', '' The Fugitive'' and '' Flipper''. He made a guest appearance on ''

Honey West Honey West is a fictional character created by the husband and wife writing team Gloria and Forest Fickling under the pseudonym "G.G. Fickling", and appearing in eleven mystery novels by the duo. The character is notable as being one of the firs ...

'' "A Matter of Wife and Death" (episode 4) in 1965.

''The Dukes of Hazzard''

Best's highest-profile role was as

on CBS's ''

''. He appeared during the entire run of the program, from 1979 until the end of the series in 1985. He later revealed that the caricature-like persona of Sheriff Coltrane was developed from a voice he used when playing with his young children. On set, Best was particularly close to

Sorrell Booke Sorrell Booke (January 4, 1930 – February 11, 1994) was an American actor who performed on stage, screen, and television. He acted in more than 100 plays and 150 television shows, and is best known for his role as corrupt politician Jefferson ...

, who played the character of

Boss Hogg Jefferson Davis "J.D." Hogg, known as Boss Hogg, is a fictional character featured in the American television series ''The Dukes of Hazzard''. He was the commissioner of Hazzard County, and the county's political boss. Boss Hogg almost always wo ...

, who was both the boss and the brother-in-law of Rosco. The two actors became close friends; and according to interviews by the series' creators, the two often improvised their scenes together, making up their own dialogue as they went along. Until his death, he also remained close to

Catherine Bach Catherine Bach (born Catherine Bachman; March 1, 1954) is an American actress. She is known for playing Daisy Duke in the television series ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' and Margo Dutton in ''African Skies''. In 2012, she joined the cast of the CBS ...

, who played the character of

Daisy Duke Daisy Duke is a fictional character, played by Catherine Bach, from the American television series ''The Dukes of Hazzard''. She is the cousin of Bo and Luke, the main protagonists of the show, and the three live on a farm on the outskirts of ...

; and long after the show's cancellation, she was a regular visitor to the website dedicated to Best's painting.

Later television career

In 1991, Best appeared in an episode of the NBC crime drama '' In the Heat of the Night''. He portrayed retired sheriff and repentant killer Nathan Bedford in the episode " Sweet, Sweet Blues." In August 2008, Best was presented the Florida Motion Picture and Television Association's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Artist, teacher, writer, and other activities

Best later moved to Florida and taught at the

University of Central Florida The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public research university whose main campus is in unincorporated Orange County, Florida. UCF also has nine smaller regional campuses throughout central Florida. It is part of the State University ...

(

Orlando Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...

). After semi-retiring, he administered a production company and accepted occasional acting roles. He also developed a reputation as an artist for his paintings of landscapes, scenes from ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' in collaboration with Scott Romine, and other subjects. Later, after residing for a while on Lake Murray near

Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city ...

, he moved once again, this time to

Hickory, North Carolina Hickory is a city located primarily in Catawba County, with formal boundaries extending into Burke and Caldwell counties. The city lies in the U.S. state of North Carolina. At the time of the 2020 census, Hickory's population was 43,490. Hickor ...

. An acting coach too, Best taught drama and acting techniques for more than 25 years in Los Angeles. He also served as artist-in-residence and taught drama at the

University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi (byname Ole Miss) is a public research university that is located adjacent to Oxford, Mississippi, and has a medical center in Jackson. It is Mississippi's oldest public university and its largest by enrollment. ...

(

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

) for two years prior to his stint on ''The Dukes of Hazzard''. On November 9, 2014, Best and fellow actor Robert Fuller (along with their wives) attended the 100th birthday celebration of lifelong friend and fellow actor

Norman Lloyd Norman Nathan Lloyd (' Perlmutter; November 8, 1914 – May 11, 2021) was an American actor, producer, director, and centenarian with a career in entertainment spanning nearly a century. He worked in every major facet of the industry, including ...

. Best said, "I had the honor to have been directed by Norman in a Hitchcock episode called 'The Jar.' Having worked with hundreds of directors in my career, I found very few that had Norman's qualities. He was most kind, gracious and patient with his actors. He is in all respects a complete gentleman in his personal life and I found it a genuine pleasure just to be in the presence of such a talented man. I am also doubly honored to consider him my friend. We are so blessed to have such a man among us for so long."

Personal life

Best had a son, Gary, with his first wife. In 1959, Best married his second wife, Jobee Ayers. The couple had two daughters, Janeen and JoJami, before divorcing in 1977. Janeen is an actress, screenwriter and producer, first as Janeen Best then as Janeen Damian, after her 1998 marriage to actor and producer

Michael Damian Michael Damian Weir (born April 26, 1962) is an American actor, recording artist, and producer, best known for his role as Danny Romalotti on the soap opera ''The Young and the Restless'', which he played from 1980 to 1998 and again in 2002-2004, ...

. Best married his third wife, Dorothy Collier, in 1986. He had three grandchildren. He enjoyed a wide range of hobbies and interests. He was an accomplished painter, a guitarist, and a black belt in

karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...

; enjoyed writing; and ran his own acting school. His students included

Lindsay Wagner Lindsay Jean Wagner (born June 22, 1949) is an American film and television actress, model, author, singer, and acting coach. Wagner is best known for her leading role in the American science-fiction television series '' The Bionic Woman'' (197 ...

Roger Miller Roger Dean Miller Sr. (January 2, 1936 – October 25, 1992) was an American singer-songwriter, widely known for his honky-tonk-influenced novelty songs and his chart-topping Country music, country and pop hits "King of the Road (song), Ki ...

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodt ...

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, Black comedy, dark humor, Nonlinear narrative, non-lin ...

, and

Regis Philbin Regis Francis Xavier Philbin (; August 25, 1931 – July 25, 2020)Archived aGhostarchiveand thWayback Machine was an American television presenter, talk show host, game show host, comedian, actor, and singer. Once called "the hardest working ma ...

. He was also an

animal rights Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...

advocate.

Death

Best died on April 6, 2015, at the age of 88, in

, from complications of pneumonia. Prior to his death, Best's former ''Dukes of Hazzard'' co-star and longtime friend John Schneider said: "I laughed and learned more from Jimmie in one hour than from anyone else in a whole year." He also added that, when asked to cry for the camera, "(Best) would say, 'sure thing, which eye?' I'm forever thankful to have cut my teeth in the company of such a fine man." Nearly one year after Best's death, Schneider said about his working relationship with Best:

Filmography

*''

'' (1950) as Driver (uncredited) *'' Comanche Territory'' (1950) as Sam *''

I Was a Shoplifter ''I Was a Shoplifter'' is a 1950 American film noir crime film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Scott Brady and Mona Freeman. Plot A shoplifter, Faye Burton, is being watched by Herb Klaxon, a security guard at a Los Angeles department sto ...

'' (1950) as Police Broadcaster in Surveillance Plane (uncredited) *''

'' (1950) as Crater *'' Peggy'' (1950) as Frank Addison *''

'' (1950) as Cole Younger *''

Target Unknown ''Target Unknown'' (also known as ''Prisoner of War'') is a 1951 American war film directed by George Sherman and starring Mark Stevens, Alex Nicol and Robert Douglas. An American bomber crew are forced to bail out over Occupied France in 1944 a ...

'' (1951) as Sgt. Ralph Phelps *'' Air Cadet'' (1951) as Jerry Connell *''

Apache Drums ''Apache Drums'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Hugo Fregonese and produced by Val Lewton. The drama features Stephen McNally, Coleen Gray, and Willard Parker. The film was based on an original story: ''Stand at Spanish Boot'', by ...

'' (1951) as Bert Keon *'' Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man'' (1951) as Tommy Nelson (Arthur Franz's stand-in) *''

'' (1952) as Bitter Creek Dalton *'' About Face'' (1952) as Joe – Hal's Roommate *'' Steel Town'' (1952) as Joe Rakich *''

The Battle at Apache Pass ''The Battle at Apache Pass'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by George Sherman. The stars are John Lund as United States Army Maj. Colton and Jeff Chandler (in brownface) repeating the role of Apache chief Cochise, whom he had playe ...

'' (1952) as Cpl. Hassett *''

Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair ''Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair'' is a 1952 American comedy film directed by Charles Barton. It is the fourth installment of Universal-International's ''Ma and Pa Kettle'' series starring Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride. Plot Ma and Pa Kettl ...

'' (1952) as Marvin Johnson *''

Francis Goes to West Point ''Francis Goes to West Point'' is a 1952 American black-and-white comedy film from Universal-International, produced by Leonard Goldstein, directed by Arthur Lubin, and starring Donald O'Connor, Lori Nelson, Alice Kelley, and Gregg Palmer. The dis ...

'' (1952) as Cpl. Ransom *'' Flat Top'' (1952) as Radio Operator (uncredited) *''

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...

'' (1953) as Corp. Gerard *''

Column South ''Column South'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Frederick de Cordova and starring Audie Murphy and Joan Evans.' ...

'' (1953) as Primrose *''

The President's Lady ''The President's Lady'' is a 1951 novel of the life of American president Andrew Jackson and his marriage to Rachel Donelson Robards, written by Irving Stone. A biographical film was made in 1953 by 20th Century Fox, directed by Henry Levin and ...

'' (1953) as Samuel Donelson (uncredited) *''

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms ''The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms'' is a 1953 American science fiction monster film directed by Eugène Lourié, with special effects by Ray Harryhausen. The film stars Paul Christian, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway, and Kenneth Tobey. The screen ...

'' (1953) as Charlie – Radar Man (uncredited) *''

City of Bad Men ''City of Bad Men'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Harmon Jones and starring Jeanne Crain and Dale Robertson. Plot A heavyweight championship fight between "Gentleman Jim" Corbett and Bob Fitzsimmons is coming to Carson City, Nev ...

'' (1953) as Deputy Gig (uncredited) *''

Riders to the Stars ''Riders to the Stars'' is a 1954 independently made American science fiction film produced by Ivan Tors Productions and released by United Artists. The film was directed by Richard Carlson (who also stars) and Herbert L. Strock (uncredited) a ...

'' (1954) as Sidney K. Fuller *''

The Yellow Tomahawk ''The Yellow Tomahawk'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and written by Richard Alan Simmons. The film stars Rory Calhoun, Peggie Castle, Noah Beery, Jr., Warner Anderson, Peter Graves, Lee Van Cleef and Rita Moreno. ...

'' (1954) as Private Bliss *''The Caine Mutiny (film), The Caine Mutiny'' (1954) as Lieutenant Jorgensen (uncredited) *''Return from the Sea'' (1954) as Barr *''The Raid (1954 film), The Raid'' (1954) as Lt. Robinson *''They Rode West'' (1954) as Lt. Finlay (uncredited) *''

'' (1955) as Jason Brown *''A Man Called Peter'' (1955) as Man with Jane at Youth Rally (uncredited) *''The Eternal Sea'' (1955) as Student *''

'' (TV Series, 4 episodes, 1955–1964) as Tiny Stoker / Ruel Gridley / Jimmy Burns / Jim Campbell *''Top of the World (1955 film), Top of the World'' (1955) as Col. French's Orderly (uncredited) *''Come Next Spring'' (1956) as Bill Jackson *''The Adventures of Champion (TV series), The Adventures of Champion'' (1955–1956, TV Series) as Mace Kincaid / Paul Kenyon *''When Gangland Strikes'' (1956) as Jerry Ames (uncredited) *''Forbidden Planet'' (1956) as Crewman (uncredited) *''Gaby (film), Gaby'' (1956) as Jim *''Calling Homicide'' (1956) as Arnie Arnholf *''The Rack (1956 film), The Rack'' (1956) as Millard Chilson Cassidy *''Last of the Badmen'' (1957) as Ted Hamilton *''Hot Summer Night (film), Hot Summer Night'' (1957) as Kermit *''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'' (1957) as Kid at party who gets slapped (uncredited) *''Man on the Prowl (film), Man on the Prowl'' (1957) as Doug Gerhardt *''

'' (1957–1961, TV Series) as Roy Smith / Andy Fisher, one of three parties in danger of being hanged, along with Richard Boone and guest star Richard Schallert *''Cole Younger, Gunfighter'' (1958) as Kit Caswell *''The Restless Gun'' (1958) in Episode "Jebediah Bonner" *''The Left Handed Gun'' (1958) as Tom Folliard *''

'' (1958) as Joe Best (murderer) *''

'' (1958) as Pvt. Rhidges *'' Trackdown'' (1957–1958, TV Series) as Joe Sunday / Bud Ehlers / Rand Marple *''

'' (1959) as Billy John *''Verboten!'' (1959) as Sgt. David Brent *''

'' (1959) as Thorne Sherman *''Cast a Long Shadow'' (1959) as Sam Mullen *''

'' (1959–1960, TV Series) as Art Bernard / Bowman Lewis / Garth English *''The Mountain Road'' (1960) as Niergaard *''

'' (1960–1961, TV Series) as Jim Lindsey *''

'' (1958–1961, TV Series) as Bish Darby / Hennessy / Norman Frayne *''

'' (1962, TV Series) as Bob Barrett *''Bronco (TV series), Bronco'' (1962, TV Series) as Frankie Banton *''Cheyenne (TV series), Cheyenne'' (1962, TV Series) as Ernie Riggins *''Black Gold (1962 film), Black Gold'' (1962) as Jericho Larkin *''

'' (1961–1963, TV Series) as Billy Ben Turner / Jeff Myrtlebank / Johnny Rob *''Shock Corridor'' (1963) as Stuart Couter *''The Fugitive (season 1), The Fugitive'' (1963, TV Series) as Dan Murray *''

'' (1964, TV Series) as Trenton * ''

The Quick Gun ''The Quick Gun'' is a 1964 American Techniscope Western film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Audie Murphy. It was the second of four films produced by Grant Whytock and Edward Small's Admiral Pictures in the 1960s.Flipper'' (1965, TV Series) as Dr. Peter Kellwin *''Black Spurs'' (1965) as Sheriff Ralph Elkins *'' Shenandoah'' (1965) as Carter *''The Virginian (TV series), The Virginian'' (1965, TV series) as Curt Westley *''Daniel Boone'' (1965) as Wyatt in S1/E21 "The Devil's Four" *''

'' (1966) as Dr. Ben Mizer *''

'' (1963–1966, TV Series) as Allan Winford / Martin Potter *''First to Fight (film), First to Fight'' (1967) as Gunnery Sgt. Ed Carnavan *''

Firecreek ''Firecreek'' is a 1968 American Western film directed by Vincent McEveety and starring James Stewart and Henry Fonda in his second role as an antagonist that year alongside Sergio Leone's '' Once Upon a Time in the West''. The film is similar ...

'' (1968) as Drew *''

'' (1961–1968, TV Series, three episodes) as Sheriff Vern Schaler / Page / Carl Reagan *''The Guns of Will Sonnett'' (1967–1969, TV Series) as Harley Bass / Rake Hanley *''

'' (1963–1969, TV Series) as Charlie Noon / Beal / Dal Creed *''Sounder (film), Sounder'' (1972) as Sheriff Charlie Young *''Hawkins (TV series), Hawkins'' (1973, TV Series) *''Savages (1974 film), Savages'' (1974, TV Movie) as Sheriff Bert Hamilton *''

'' (1976) as Dewey Barksdale *''Gator (film), Gator'' (1976) *''Nickelodeon (film), Nickelodeon'' (1976) as Jim *''Rolling Thunder (film), Rolling Thunder'' (1977) as Texan *''The Brain Machine'' (1977) as Rev. Emory Neill *''The End (1978 film), The End'' (1978) as Pacemaker Patient *'' Hooper'' (1978) as Cully *''Centennial (miniseries), Centennial'' (1978, TV Mini-Series) as Hank Garvey *''

'' (1979–1985, TV Series) as

*''Enos (TV series), Enos'' (1981, TV series) (Horse Cops) as

*''The Dukes (TV series), The Dukes'' (1983, TV Series) as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane *'' In the Heat of the Night'' (1991, TV Series) as retired Sheriff Nathan Bedford – Crystal Reel Award, ''Best Actor'' *'' The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!'' (1997, TV Movie) as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane *''Raney'' (1997) as Uncle Nate *''Death Mask'' (1998) as Wilbur Johnson *'' The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood'' (2000, TV Movie) as Rosco P. Coltrane *''Hot Tamale'' (2006) as Hank Larson *''Moondance Alexander'' (2007) as a friend and storekeeper of the Alexanders (based on the life of real-life daughter Janeen) *''The Killer Shrews, Return of the Killer Shrews'' (2012) as Thorne Sherman *''The Sweeter Side of Life'' (2013, TV Movie) as the father of the protagonist (final film role)

References

External links

* * *
James Best Bio at HazzardNet.com

James Best Crystal Reel Awards

Obituary – Legacy
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Best, James 1926 births 2015 deaths American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors 20th-century American male actors Male Western (genre) film actors Male actors from Kentucky United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II Universal Pictures contract players University of Central Florida faculty University of Mississippi faculty People from Muhlenberg County, Kentucky People from Corydon, Indiana Male actors from Orlando, Florida Military personnel from Kentucky Deaths from pneumonia in North Carolina Western (genre) television actors American military police officers

Early years

Film career

Television

''The Dukes of Hazzard''

Later television career

Artist, teacher, writer, and other activities

Personal life

Death

Filmography

Further reading

References

External links