Ben Jones, an actor recognized for his role as Cooter Davenport in the television series "The Dukes of Hazzard" and a former U.S. congressman, died on Sunday, August 9. He was 84.
His wife, Alma Viator, announced his death on Facebook, stating that he passed away from a massive heart attack. "He was home resting in his favorite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees," Viator wrote. "Ben had the most amazing rich full life. He loved and was loved by so many. He will be missed. I loved him so so much."
Born on August 30, 1941, in North Carolina, Jones pursued acting after graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School and attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He began his acting career on stage in Atlanta before transitioning to screen roles in the late 1960s. His early film credits include an uncredited role in "Killers Three" (1968) and a starring role in "Together For Days" (1972), which also marked Samuel L. Jackson's film debut. He also appeared in "Moonrunners" (1975) and "Smokey And The Bandit" (1977).
Jones gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of Cooter Davenport in "The Dukes of Hazzard," which aired on CBS from 1979 to 1985. He appeared in 141 episodes of the series. "The Dukes was that kind of show where nobody really gets hurt. You can fall off a cliff and have a stagecoach land on you and just brush yourself off," Jones said of the show, according to Wide Open Country. "The good guys always won, and they won because they made the right moral choice. They did the right thing, and they were willing to sacrifice anything to help someone out."
He reprised his role in the TV movie "The Dukes Of Hazzard: Reunion!" in 1997 and "The Dukes Of Hazzard: Hazzard In Hollywood" in 2000. His final acting credit was the 2021 project "Unbreakable."
Beyond his acting career, Jones entered politics. He served four years in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Georgia's Fourth Congressional District. He was first elected in 1988, defeating incumbent Pat Swindell, and won re-election in 1990. "People ask me in Washington if I'm doing any acting any more. More than ever," Jones reportedly said in a past interview. "The skills I learned on stage and in film are invaluable in politics, because we're talking about communication and being comfortable around a camera, being in front of an audience, finding that bond, that chemistry. And being energized by it."
Former "Dukes of Hazzard" co-star Tom Wopat paid tribute to Jones, sharing a photo on Instagram. "The Dukes of Hazzard lost another integral part of their cast today. 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… Denver Pyle frequently said to Ben, 'I'm not your Uncle Jesse!' But I feel like we lost a Duke cousin today."
Jones had also publicly defended the Confederate flag, stating in the past that it is "not a hateful symbol."