James Best

He later revealed that the caricature-like persona of Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane was developed from a voice he used when he would play with his young children.

In the very early episodes, Sheriff Coltrane was a more serious, aggressive, and more competent police officer than he would be by the end of the first season, even shooting one person in an early show. After the show became a hit among children and moved production from Georgia to California, the role of Sheriff Coltrane was toned down and made into the more familiar bumbling and comical character that is best remembered today. On the set, Best was particularly close to Sorrell Booke, who played the character of Boss Hogg, who was both the boss and the brother-in-law of Rosco. The two actors became close friends and according to interviews by the series creators, the two would often improvise their scenes together, making up their own dialogue as they went along. Read Less

He won the Crystal Reel Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Nathan Bedford in the episode '"Sweet, Sweet Blues", directed by Vincent McEveety and written by William James Royce, Best plays a repentant killer who has to come to terms with his crime.

He later moved to Florida and taught at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Now semi-retired, Best runs a production company and takes occasional acting roles. He has also earned a name for himself as an artist and painter. Best currently resides in Hickory, North Carolina.

A highly respected acting coach, Best taught drama and acting techniques for more than twenty-five years in Los Angeles. His acting school listed some of the top names in Hollywood as pupils. He also served as artist-in-residence and taught drama at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi, for two years prior to his stint on The Dukes of Hazzard. Read Less