Ben Jones, who played the beloved mechanic Cooter Davenport across all seven seasons of The Dukes of Hazzard, has died at 84.
His wife, Alma Viator, announced his death in a Facebook post on Sunday, saying he suffered a massive heart attack while resting at home, waiting for the Atlanta Braves to play the New York Yankees on TV.
“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.”
Jones appeared in 141 episodes of the CBSseries, which ran from 1979 to 1985, and later reprised the role in two TV movies, 1997’s Reunion!and 2000’s Hazzard in Hollywood.
Before breaking into television, he had smaller roles in films including Smokeyand the Bandit and Moonrunners, the film that inspired Dukes of Hazzard.
His Dukesco-star Tom Wopat paid tribute on Instagram, writing, “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. He will be sorely missed… I feel like we lost a Duke cousin today.”
Beyond acting, Jones built a notable second career in politics, winning election to represent Georgia’s Fourth Congressional District in 1988 and serving two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served as a Democratic whip.
He later ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Virginia in 2002, losing to future House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.
2026-08-10 08:31:00
