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 by ...

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 serie ...

'', which originally aired on CBS 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, 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, 193 ...

. 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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, 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 Americ ...

, 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, Tony Curtis,

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 ...

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 Gold ...

. Initially, he performed in several uncredited roles for Universal, such as in the 1950 film '' One Way Street'', but credited performances soon followed that same year in the Westerns '' 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 pr ...

'', and '' Kansas Raiders''. Work in that genre continued to be an important part of his ongoing film career, including roles in '' The Cimarron Kid'' (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 h ...

'' (1955) in which he portrays one of the sons of abolitionist John Brown, ''Last of the Badmen'' (1957), ''Cole Younger Gunfighter'' (1958), '' Ride Lonesome'' (1959), '' The Quick Gun'' (1964), and ''

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'' and in its 2012 sequel '' Return of the Killer Shrews'', 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, Maile ...

's '' The Naked and the Dead'', as escaped POW Carter in the James Stewart classic '' Shenandoah'', as Dr. Ben Mizer in the 1966 comedy '' Three on a Couch'', 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''. 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''. In 1954, Best appeared twice on the syndicated '' Annie Oakley'' 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 dif ...

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 American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

sitcom '' The People's Choice'' and in the crime drama '' Richard Diamond, Private Detective''. James Best Laura Devon Anne Francis Twilight Zone Jess Belle

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 wa ...

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

The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American sitcom, 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 colo ...

'' 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, sup ...

'' including " The Grave" (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" (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'', hosted by

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

. 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''. 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 ...

'' (three times), '' Laramie'' (three times), '' The Adventures of Kit Carson'' (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 ...

'' (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 ...

'', '' Sheriff of Cochise'', ''

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 Pike ...

'', '' Rescue 8'', '' 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 chara ...

'', ''

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'', ''

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 s ...

'', '' Whispering Smith'', '' 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 sho ...

'', ''

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 enr ...

'', '' Stagecoach West'','' 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 was ...

'',''

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 r ...

'', '' Combat!'', ''

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 med ...

''("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 ...

'',''

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, who played the character of Boss Hogg, 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, who played the character of Daisy Duke; 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 "Sweet, Sweet Blues" is an episode of the NBC drama series '' In the Heat of the Night'', starring Carroll O'Connor as Chief Bill Gillespie and Howard Rollins as Detective Virgil Tibbs. ''In the Heat of the Night'' was based on the 1965 novel by ...

." 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 Universi ...

(

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 re ...

). 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 cit ...

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

; 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 and pop hits " King of the Road", " Dang Me", and "Eng ...

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 Good ...

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, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...

, 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 s ...

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

*'' One Way Street'' (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 st ...

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

'' (1950) as Crater *'' Peggy'' (1950) as Frank Addison *'' Kansas Raiders'' (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 ''Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man'' is a 1951 American science fiction comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring the team of Abbott and Costello alongside Nancy Guild. The film depicts the misadventures of Lou Francis and Bu ...

'' (1951) as Tommy Nelson (Arthur Franz's stand-in) *'' The Cimarron Kid'' (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 played ...

'' (1952) as Cpl. Hassett *'' Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair'' (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, ...

'' (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.''C ...

'' (1953) as Primrose *'' The President's Lady'' (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 scree ...

'' (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, Neva ...

'' (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'' (1954) as Private Bliss *'' The Caine Mutiny'' (1954) as Lieutenant Jorgensen (uncredited) *'' Return from the Sea'' (1954) as Barr *'' 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 ''The Eternal Sea'' (aka ''The Admiral Hoskins Story'') is a 1955 American war film directed by John H. Auer and starring Sterling Hayden, Alexis Smith and Ben Cooper. After an American naval officer loses his leg at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, he ...

'' (1955) as Student *''

'' (TV Series, 4 episodes, 1955–1964) as Tiny Stoker / Ruel Gridley / Jimmy Burns / Jim Campbell *'' Top of the World'' (1955) as Col. French's Orderly (uncredited) *'' Come Next Spring'' (1956) as Bill Jackson *''

The Adventures of Champion ''The Adventures of Champion'' is an American adventure serial radio drama directed by William Burch about screen cowboy Gene Autry's horse Champion. Each 15-minute episode was broadcast weekday afternoons on the Mutual Broadcasting System in 194 ...

'' (1955–1956, TV Series) as Mace Kincaid / Paul Kenyon *'' When Gangland Strikes'' (1956) as Jerry Ames (uncredited) *'' Forbidden Planet'' (1956) as Crewman (uncredited) *'' Gaby'' (1956) as Jim *''

Calling Homicide ''Calling Homicide'' is a 1956 American police drama film directed by Edward Bernds and starring Bill Elliott, Don Haggerty and Kathleen Case. The picture was the third of five films in the Lt. Andy Doyle series, all starring Elliott. Plot When ...

'' (1956) as Arnie Arnholf *''

The Rack The rack is a torture device consisting of a rectangular, usually wooden frame, slightly raised from the ground, with a roller at one or both ends. The victim's ankles are fastened to one roller and the wrists are chained to the other. As the in ...

'' (1956) as Millard Chilson Cassidy *''

Last of the Badmen ''Last of the Badmen'' is a 1957 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Paul Landres and starring George Montgomery. Plot Cast *George Montgomery as Dan Barton *James Best as Ted Hamilton *Douglas Kennedy as Hawkins *Keith Larsen as ...

'' (1957) as Ted Hamilton *'' Hot Summer Night'' (1957) as Kermit *'' I Was a Teenage Werewolf'' (1957) as Kid at party who gets slapped (uncredited) *'' 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) *'' The Naked and the Dead'' (1958) as Pvt. Rhidges *'' Trackdown'' (1957–1958, TV Series) as Joe Sunday / Bud Ehlers / Rand Marple *'' Ride Lonesome'' (1959) as Billy John *'' Verboten!'' (1959) as Sgt. David Brent *'' The Killer Shrews'' (1959) as Thorne Sherman *''

Cast a Long Shadow ''Cast a Long Shadow'' is a 1959 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Thomas Carr (director), Thomas Carr and starring Audie Murphy and Terry Moore (actress), Terry Moore. The film was based on the 1957 novel of the same name by Wa ...

'' (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 A bucking horse is any breed or either gender of horse with a propensity to buck. They have been, and still are, referred to by various names, including bronco, broncho, and roughstock. The harder they buck, the more desirable they are for rod ...

'' (1962, TV Series) as Frankie Banton *''

'' (1962, TV Series) as Ernie Riggins *'' Black Gold'' (1962) as Jericho Larkin *''

'' (1961–1963, TV Series) as Billy Ben Turner / Jeff Myrtlebank / Johnny Rob *''

Shock Corridor ''Shock Corridor'' is a 1963 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Samuel Fuller, and starring Peter Breck, Constance Towers, and Gene Evans. The film tells the story of a journalist who gets himself intentionally committed ...

'' (1963) as Stuart Couter *'' The Fugitive'' (1963, TV Series) as Dan Murray *'' Combat!'' (1964, TV Series) as Trenton * '' The Quick Gun'' (1964) as Sheriff Scotty Grant *'' Flipper'' (1965, TV Series) as Dr. Peter Kellwin *''

Black Spurs ''Black Spurs'' is a 1965 American Western film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Steve Fisher. The film stars Rory Calhoun, Linda Darnell (in her final film role), Terry Moore, Scott Brady, Lon Chaney Jr., Richard Arlen and Bruce ...

'' (1965) as Sheriff Ralph Elkins *'' Shenandoah'' (1965) as Carter *'' The Virginian'' (1965, TV series) as Curt Westley *''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

'' (1965) as Wyatt in S1/E21 "The Devil's Four" *'' Three on a Couch'' (1966) as Dr. Ben Mizer *'' Perry Mason'' (1963–1966, TV Series) as Allan Winford / Martin Potter *'' First to Fight'' (1967) as Gunnery Sgt. Ed Carnavan *''

'' (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'' (1972) as Sheriff Charlie Young *'' Hawkins'' (1973, TV Series) *'' Savages'' (1974, TV Movie) as Sheriff Bert Hamilton *'' Ode to Billy Joe'' (1976) as Dewey Barksdale *''

Gator Gator is a slang word for alligator. Gator may also refer to: People nicknamed Gator *Mike Greenwell (born 1963), American Major League Baseball player nicknamed "The Gator" *Ron Guidry (born 1950), former Major League Baseball pitcher * Gator ...

'' (1976) *''

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...

'' (1976) as Jim *'' Rolling Thunder'' (1977) as Texan *''The Brain Machine'' (1977) as Rev. Emory Neill *'' The End'' (1978) as Pacemaker Patient *'' Hooper'' (1978) as Cully *''

Centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at a ...

'' (1978, TV Mini-Series) as Hank Garvey *''

'' (1979–1985, TV Series) as

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

*'' 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 ''Hot Tamale'' is a 2006 American comedy-drama film directed by Michael Damian, co-written by Janeen Damian. It stars Randy Spelling, Diora Baird and Carmen Electra. The film opened on April 23, 2006, and the DVD was released on August 29, 2006 ...

'' (2006) as Hank Larson *'' Moondance Alexander'' (2007) as a friend and storekeeper of the Alexanders (based on the life of real-life daughter Janeen) *'' 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