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James Best Dies: Remembered as Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane on 'Dukes of Hazzard,' He Was 88

By    |   Wednesday, 08 April 2015 06:01 AM EDT

James Best, whose career was defined by his portrayal of Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane in the 1980s television series "The Dukes of Hazzard," has died in hospice in Hickory, North Carolina. He was 88.

Best became ill with respiratory trouble on a recent cruise and never fully recovered. He died late Monday from complications from pneumonia, his friend and Hollywood colleague Steve Latshaw told the Charlotte Observer.

Best, whose entertainment career covered appearances in more than 80 movies and some 600 television shows, told North Carolina's Shelby Star last year that he started acting in the 1950s with the likes of Jimmy Stewart, Paul Newman and Jerry Lewis.

"I got into acting overseas after World War II while I was in the service," said Best. "I was in a play that the GIs did. When I got back I decided to take acting up permanently and hitchhiked to New York. I was put under contract in 1949 to Universal Studios and then I freelanced."

Best called Stewart his idol. Even though he was "good friends" with Newman, he said he didn't believe he was ever star struck by Hollywood.

"When I started acting in Hollywood, I was doing one show after another and you work with nearly every movie star that existed," said Best. "It's a job. It's different than most people's job, but it's a job. You work four to five days on one project and then move on to the next."

He played Coltrane on "The Dukes of Hazzard" from 1979 to 1985, noted the Observer.

"It's such a shame to hear of the loss of James Best," said actor Burt Reynolds. "Jimmie really was a great actor, but more than that he was a great teacher of acting."

Tom Wopat, who played Luke Duke on "Dukes of Hazzard" added, "The work he did with Sorrell Booke (Boss Hogg) probably defined our show as much as the car chases. He was a fine actor, director and mentor, and an even better friend. He will be greatly missed."

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TheWire
James Best, whose career was defined by his portrayal of Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane in the 1980s television series "The Dukes of Hazzard," has died in hospice in Hickory, North Carolina. He was 88.
james best, dies, sheriff, roscoe p coltrane, dukes of hazzard
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2015-01-08
Wednesday, 08 April 2015 06:01 AM
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