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Ben Jones, Cooter From ‘The Dukes of Hazzard,’ Dies at 84
The actor later used his TV fame as a springboard to Congress
Actor Ben Jones, who became famous for playing a rural mechanic in TV's "The Dukes of Hazzard," has died. He was 84.
Warner Bros. Television/Courtesy Everett Collection
Actor Ben Jones, who played mechanic Cooter Davenport on the TV comedy The Dukes of Hazzard and later served two terms in Congress, has died. He was 84.
Jones’ wife, Alma Viator, confirmed the news in an emotional post on Facebook.
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“Ben had the most amazing rich full life,” she wrote. “He loved and was loved by so many. He will be missed. I loved him so so much.”
According to Viator’s post, Jones died from “a massive heart attack.”
Jones first entered the public eye playing gruff yet trustworthy mechanic Cooter Davenport on the hit CBS comedy The Dukes of Hazzard, which ran from 1979 to 1985. (He also appeared in the 1997 TV movie The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion! and again in 2000’s The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood.) His character was a fan favorite on the show, which followed the misadventures of cousins Bo and Luke Duke (John Schneider and Tom Wopat, respectively) in a fictional county in rural Georgia.
Wopat honored Jones’ memory in a post on Instagram.
“Ben Jones was a fine friend and a fierce advocate of all the best things we can offer in the entertainment business,” Wopat wrote. “He will be sorely missed.”
Jones also appeared in films such as Primary Colors and Smokey and the Bandit, and on TV shows including Dallas.
Jones was born on Aug. 30, 1941, in Tarboro, North Carolina, but he grew up in Portsmouth, Virginia. After studying at East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina, he took up acting and began working in regional theater productions.
His big break came when he was cast as Cooter in The Dukes of Hazzard. He would go on to appear in 141 episodes of the show, according to IMDb.
After The Dukes of Hazzard ended in 1985, Jones entered politics. In 1986, he ran for Congress as a Democrat in Georgia’s 4th District against Republican incumbent Pat Swindall. Jones lost a close election, but in a 1988 rematch, he won handily. Jones was reelected in 1990.
Jones was twice elected to Congress as a Democrat from Georgia.
Marianne Barcellona/Getty Images
In 1992, he lost his seat after redistricting, but in 1994 he ran again, challenging Newt Gingrich. He lost, but Jones filed an ethics complaint against Gingrich that played a role in Gingrich’s resignation as House Speaker in 1998, The Hollywood Reporter noted. In 2002, Jones ran for Congress in Virginia against Republican Eric Cantor, but was unsuccessful.
In 1998, Jones and his wife moved to Rappahannock County, Virginia, where he opened a Dukes of Hazzard–themed museum called Cooter’s. It was a success, and soon other locations opened in Pigeon Forge and Nashville, Tennessee.
In 2007, Jones published his memoir, Redneck Boy in the Promised Land. It detailed his life and career, with a focus on his recovery from alcoholism.
In addition to his wife, Jones is survived by his children, Rachel and Walker, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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