Entertainment Report
Ben Jones, ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Star, Dies at 84
Ben Jones, the actor best known for playing mechanic Cooter Davenport on “The Dukes of Hazzard,” has died at 84.
Jones’ wife of more than 30 years, Alma Viator, confirmed his death in a Facebook post. She said Jones died Sunday at home after suffering a massive heart attack while waiting to watch his favorite baseball team, the Atlanta Braves.
“I lost the love of my life today,” Viator wrote.
Jones rose to fame as Cooter Davenport, the mischievous mechanic and friend of cousins Bo and Luke Duke, on “The Dukes of Hazzard.” The CBS series ran from 1979 through 1985 and became one of television’s most popular shows.
Jones appeared in all seven seasons of the series and reprised his role in two television movies, “The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!” in 1997 and “The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood” in 2000.
His longtime friendships with his castmates continued well beyond the show. Tom Wopat, who played Luke Duke, paid tribute to Jones on Instagram following news of his death.
“The Dukes of Hazzard lost another integral part of their cast today,” Wopat wrote, calling Jones “a fine friend” who would be sorely missed.
Jones also reflected on the death of fellow cast member Rick Hurst, who played Deputy Cletus Hogg, in 2025.
Following his acting career, Jones entered politics. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1988 and represented Georgia’s 4th Congressional District as a Democrat from January 1989 through January 1993.
While in Congress, Jones served as a Democratic whip and sat on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation.
Jones remained connected to “The Dukes of Hazzard” through Cooter’s Place, a museum dedicated to the series and its characters. His legacy includes both his memorable television role and his later career in public service.
By: NBC Palm Springs
August 10, 2026
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