Ben Jones, good ol’ boy ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ actor and 2-term US House member, dies at 84

Ben Jones, the actor who brought Cooter Davenport to life in the iconic TV series "The Dukes of Hazzard," has passed away at the age of 84. Jones' life took a dramatic turn when he transitioned from the small screen to politics, serving two terms as a U.S. House member from a district near Atlanta. Born in North Carolina, Jones had a keen interest in acting and civil rights from his college days, as he detailed in his memoir "Redneck Boy in the Promised Land: The Confessions of ‘Crazy Cooter’."

Best known for his role in the beloved show, Jones portrayed the affable mechanic who aided the Duke brothers, Bo and Luke, in their valiant efforts to thwart the corrupt Boss Hogg and uphold Hazzard County's moral fabric. The series, which ran from 1979 to 1985, was a staple of television, featuring high-speed car chases involving the Duke boys' modified Dodge Charger, the General Lee, complete with a Confederate flag on its roof.

Cooter operated "Cooter's Garage" in the heart of the town square, serving as the show's hub of camaraderie and ingenuity.

Despite his sudden passing, Jones' legacy as the beloved "Crazy Cooter" endures, immortalized both on the small screen and in the annals of political history.