LOS ANGELES – OCTOBER 19: The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood, a made for TV movie, originally broadcast May 19, 2000. Pictured is cast member Ben Jones (as Cooter Davenport). Image dated October 19, 1999. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
ATLANTA – Ben Jones, an actor known for playing Cooter Davenport in “The Dukes of Hazzard” before serving as a U.S. representative for Georgia, has died at 84.
What we know:
Former actor and politician Ben Jones died at his home from a heart attack, according to a Facebook post by his wife, Alma Viator.
“I lost the love of my life today. Ben passed from a massive heart attack. He was home resting in his favorite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees. 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,” Viator wrote.
Dig deeper:
Jones gained widespread fame for depicting Cooter Davenport, a lovable mechanic who ran Cooter’s Garage, on the hit television series set in fictional Hazzard County, Georgia.
He later mirrored his real-life political career by playing a congressman in the television movie “The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!”
Following his television run, Jones entered politics and served two terms as a Democrat representing Georgia’s 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1989 to 1993.
He acted in theater and appeared in the North Carolina-set 1968 film “Killers Three,” starring Robert Walker Jr., Diane Varsi and Dick Clark. He relocated to Atlanta in 1969, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Jones also appeared in several films before landing his famous TV role, including “Together for Days” in 1972, “The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings” in 1976, “Smokey and the Bandit” in 1977, “The Lincoln Conspiracy” in 1977 and “They Went That-a-Way & That-a-Way” in 1978.
What we don’t know:
It is not known if any public memorial services or funeral arrangements have been planned for Jones at this time.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Alma Viator, who posted a statement on social media, as well as The Hollywood Reporter (linked above) and Congress.gov.
