Entertainment – Ben Jones, Dukes of Hazzard actor and former congressman, dies at 84
Entertainment – Ben Jones, the actor best known for playing Cooter Davenport in the CBS series The Dukes of Hazzard and a former two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, has died at 84. His death was confirmed by his wife, Alma Viator, who said he suffered a massive heart attack at their home.
The actor and politician had a career that stretched from television entertainment to national politics, with his work on The Dukes of Hazzard making him a familiar face to American audiences.
Wife announces his death
Viator shared the news in a Facebook post, saying Jones was at home in his favorite chair while waiting to watch a baseball game. She described him as someone who had lived a full life and was deeply loved by family, friends and many others.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Viator said Jones had been preparing to watch the Atlanta Braves play the New York Yankees when he suffered the fatal heart attack. Her message also paid tribute to their relationship and the life they shared.
Cooter became his signature television role
Jones gained widespread recognition as Cooter Davenport, the owner of Cooter’s Garage in the fictional Hazzard County. His character’s garage was located on Hazzard County Square, directly across from the local sheriff’s office.
He appeared in 141 episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard, which aired on CBS for seven seasons from January 1979 through February 1985. The Georgia-set action-comedy became one of the network’s most popular programs during its run.
The show’s popularity was particularly strong during the 1979-80 television season, when it ranked second in the Nielsen ratings, behind only Dallas. The two programs occupied the same Friday-night CBS lineup, helping make Jones and his character recognizable to viewers across the country.
From television to Capitol Hill
Jones, a Democrat, entered electoral politics while his television career was still closely associated with The Dukes of Hazzard. In 1986, he ran for Congress in Georgia’s 4th Congressional District but narrowly lost to Republican incumbent Pat Swindall.
He returned to the race two years later and won decisively. His victory came after Swindall faced allegations that he had lied to a federal grand jury about dealings involving an undercover federal agent posing as a money launderer.
Jones served two terms in the House before congressional redistricting changed the political landscape. In 1994, he was defeated by Republican Newt Gingrich.
Political battles continued after Congress
Jones’ political career did not end with his departure from the House. An ethics complaint he filed against Gingrich later became part of the controversy surrounding the Republican leader and contributed to Gingrich’s resignation as House Speaker in 1998.
Jones made another attempt to return to Congress in 2002 after moving to Virginia. He challenged Eric Cantor but was unsuccessful. Cantor would later become House majority leader.
More than a decade later, Jones again found himself connected to Cantor’s political fortunes. In 2014, political observers pointed to a letter Jones had written to voters criticizing his former opponent as one factor that helped energize opposition to Cantor. Cantor subsequently suffered a surprise defeat in the Republican primary.
Jones leaves behind a legacy that crossed two very different worlds. To television audiences, he remained closely associated with Cooter and The Dukes of Hazzard, while his years in Congress and later political activism gave him a second career in American public life.