Who is Still Alive from ‘The Dukes of Hazzard?’ (Plus Who is in Trouble With the Secret Service?!)
If you watched television in the ’70s and ’80s, chances are you tuned in to The Dukes of Hazzard. The show premiered on January 26, 1979, and aired on CBS for seven seasons. It followed cousins Bo, Luke, and Daisy Duke in a classic Robin Hood-type tale, where they aimed to outsmart the corrupt county commissioner Boss Hogg and law officer Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. Their 1969 Dodge Charger became the icon of the show, with 300 cars built for the series.
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These days, a 2025 Dodge Charger that looks eerily similar to the 1969 version on the show is being teased. Artist Timothy Adry Emmanuel rendered the images of a modernized General Lee and it looks pretty stunning! In addition, the show is currently celebrating the 45th anniversary of its premiere and it may have you wondering where the stars are now! Sadly, many of the actors have passed away including Denver Pyle (Jesse Duke), James Best (Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane), Sorrell Booke (Boss Hog), and Waylon Jennings (The Balladeer). Let’s find out what is going on with the stars who are still alive and who recently got in trouble with the Secret Service.
Tom Wopat (72)
Luke Duke
Warner Bros. Television/Everett Collection
Wopat got his big break playing the local hero Luke Duke. He became so synonymous with the country lifestyle that he released several country music albums and singles. After Dukes of Hazzard, he continued to work on television and Broadway. He appeared in the sitcom Cybill and guest-starred on shows such as Home Improvement and Blue Bloods. On Broadway, he appeared in Annie Get Your Gun and Glengarry, Glen Ross. He returned to the Dukes of Hazzard franchise several times in The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion! (1997) and The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood (2000).
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One of his more notable roles besides Dukes of Hazzard was his role in Quentin Tarantino‘s 2013 film Django Unchained. More recently, he appeared in the 2022 film County Line: All In and doesn’t seem to be retiring anytime soon. In terms of his music, his latest album called Wopat was released in 2017. However, Wopat has had his run-ins with the law over the years. He was arrested in 2017 on indecent assault and battery (felony) and drug (misdemeanor) charges. They also found cocaine on him at the time.
John Schneider (63)
Bo Duke
CBS/Everett Collection
Schneider played Luke’s younger cousin Bo on Dukes of Hazzard and was just 19 years old when the show premiered. Much like Wopat he continued to act and pursued a singing career. Schneider appeared in the Dukes of Hazzard spin-offs and reunions and continued to act in series such as Smallville, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, 90210, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. He has also worked as a writer, producer, and director and appeared on reality television shows including Dancing With the Stars and The Masked Singer.
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Just days after he was unmasked on The Masked Singer and opened up about his music and his wife’s death, he was investigated by the Secret Service for remarks he made on social media about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. Previously, he was arrested for failing to pay alimony to his ex-wife Elvira Castle. While he’s had some trouble with the law, he’s also done some good in the world by co-founding the Children’s Miracle Network with Marie Osmond and her brothers.
Bonus fun fact: He lived with Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash for a while and became a born-again Christian after talking to Johnny about his experiences.
Catherine Bach (69)
Daisy Duke
Everett Collection
Ah, the woman behind the ever-popular Daisy Duke shorts. Bach played the female cousin to Bo and Luke and prior to Dukes of Hazzard, she was a star on the soap opera The Young and the Restless. She remained close to the cast over the years and has consistently teased a reboot (even after the 2005 reboot film that critics trashed). After Dukes of Hazzard ended, she appeared on a few shows including Monk and Hawaii Five-O.
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She hasn’t worked since before the pandemic so hopefully, we will see her in something soon! She recently reunited with Wopat and Schneider at the 2023 Gallatin Comic Con in Tennessee.
Ben Jones (82)
Cooter
Warner Bros./Everett Collection
Last but not least, Ben Jones played the beloved mechanic, Cooter. He appeared in the reunions like the rest of the stars on this list and acted a bit, but he mainly focused on politics when the show ended. He served as a Congressional representative for Georgia from 1989 to 1993.
Warner Bros. Television/Everett Collection
He proved that he was a huge Dukes of Hazzard fan like the rest of us when he opened up a museum dedicated to the series called Cooter’s Place. His most recent role was in the 2021 film Unbreakable.
Tell us, who is your favorite Dukes of Hazzard character? Don’t forget to share this with a friend who loves the show!
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