James Best

James Best

Acting
Born 1926-07-26 - Died 2015-04-06Powderly, Kentucky, USA

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia James Best (born Jewel Franklin Guy; July 26, 1926 – April 6, 2015) was an American television, film, character, voice, and stage actor, as well as a writer, director, acting coach, artist, college professor, and musician, whose career spanned seven decades of television. He appeared as a guest on various country music and talk shows. One of the busiest actors in Hollywood, who began his contract career with Universal Studios in 1949, where he met unfamiliar actors Julie Adams, Piper Laurie, Tony Curtis and Rock Hudson. Best's long career began in films in 1950. He appeared primarily in Westerns, playing opposite Audie Murphy in Kansas Raiders (1950), The Cimarron Kid (1952) and The Quick Gun (1964), Raymond Massey in Seven Angry Men (1955), George Montgomery in Last of the Badman (1957), Frank Lovejoy in Cole Younger Gunfighter (1958), and Randolph Scott in Ride Lonesome (1959). He also starred in the science fiction cult movie, The Killer Shrews (1959) and its sequel, Return of the Killer Shrews (2012). He is most known for playing bumbling Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in the action/comedy Dukes of Hazzard, a role that he revised in The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion! (1997) as his character was now "boss" of Hazzard County as well as sheriff, and again in The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood (2000).

Movies (73)

Forbidden Planet
7.3

Forbidden Planet

1956Movie7.3
Hot Tamale
4.9

Hot Tamale

2006Movie4.9
Winchester '73
7.3

Winchester '73

1950Movie7.3
Skip Taylor
9.0

Skip Taylor

1953Movie9.0
The Caine Mutiny
7.2

The Caine Mutiny

1954Movie7.2
Hooper
6.3

Hooper

1978Movie6.3
The Killer Shrews
4.5

The Killer Shrews

1959Movie4.5
The End
5.6

The End

1978Movie5.6
Shenandoah
6.9

Shenandoah

1965Movie6.9
Ride Lonesome
6.7

Ride Lonesome

1959Movie6.7
Verboten!
6.6

Verboten!

1959Movie6.6
The Left Handed Gun
6.0

The Left Handed Gun

1958Movie6.0
Sounder
7.5

Sounder

1972Movie7.5
Rolling Thunder
6.8

Rolling Thunder

1977Movie6.8
Firecreek
6.2

Firecreek

1968Movie6.2
Shock Corridor
7.0

Shock Corridor

1963Movie7.0
The Quick Gun
6.4

The Quick Gun

1964Movie6.4
Apache Drums
6.3

Apache Drums

1951Movie6.3
Seven Angry Men
6.0

Seven Angry Men

1955Movie6.0
The Sweeter Side of Life
5.8

The Sweeter Side of Life

2013Movie5.8
Nickelodeon
6.1

Nickelodeon

1976Movie6.1
The Savage Bees
5.5

The Savage Bees

1977Movie5.5
The Yellow Tomahawk
6.6

The Yellow Tomahawk

1954Movie6.6
City of Bad Men
6.2

City of Bad Men

1953Movie6.2
Black Spurs
6.3

Black Spurs

1965Movie6.3
The Raid
6.5

The Raid

1954Movie6.5
Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!
4.7

Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!

2021Movie4.7
The Naked and the Dead
5.7

The Naked and the Dead

1958Movie5.7
Top of the World
6.5

Top of the World

1955Movie6.5
Kansas Raiders
6.0

Kansas Raiders

1950Movie6.0
Death Mask
5.6

Death Mask

1995Movie5.6
The Rack
6.6

The Rack

1956Movie6.6
The Brain Machine
3.0

The Brain Machine

1972Movie3.0
Comanche Territory
5.0

Comanche Territory

1950Movie5.0
One Way Street
5.3

One Way Street

1950Movie5.3
The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!
5.4

The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!

1997Movie5.4
Gaby
7.3

Gaby

1956Movie7.3
Seminole
5.6

Seminole

1953Movie5.6
Column South
6.2

Column South

1953Movie6.2
Target Unknown
7.0

Target Unknown

1951Movie7.0
The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller
5.8

The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller

2002Movie5.8
The Battle at Apache Pass
6.6

The Battle at Apache Pass

1952Movie6.6
The Cimarron Kid
6.1

The Cimarron Kid

1952Movie6.1
Ode to Billy Joe
6.2

Ode to Billy Joe

1976Movie6.2
Francis Goes to West Point
5.7

Francis Goes to West Point

1952Movie5.7
The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood
6.0

The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood

2000Movie6.0
Moondance Alexander
6.0

Moondance Alexander

2007Movie6.0
The Mountain Road
6.6

The Mountain Road

1960Movie6.6
I Was a Shoplifter
5.8

I Was a Shoplifter

1950Movie5.8
Flat Top
4.6

Flat Top

1952Movie4.6
Return of the Killer Shrews
5.2

Return of the Killer Shrews

2012Movie5.2
Steel Town
7.0

Steel Town

1952Movie7.0
Three on a Couch
5.4

Three on a Couch

1966Movie5.4
Cast a Long Shadow
6.6

Cast a Long Shadow

1959Movie6.6
Hot Summer Night
5.7

Hot Summer Night

1957Movie5.7
The Runaway Barge

The Runaway Barge

1975Movie
Black Gold
4.5

Black Gold

1962Movie4.5
Peggy
6.0

Peggy

1950Movie6.0
First to Fight
7.9

First to Fight

1967Movie7.9
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
7.7

Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia

2013Movie7.7
Calling Homicide
6.1

Calling Homicide

1956Movie6.1
They Rode West
6.5

They Rode West

1954Movie6.5
Come Next Spring
5.9

Come Next Spring

1956Movie5.9
Savages
6.5

Savages

1974Movie6.5
Run, Simon, Run
5.4

Run, Simon, Run

1970Movie5.4
Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair
6.6

Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair

1952Movie6.6
Air Cadet
5.7

Air Cadet

1951Movie5.7
Riders to the Stars
5.9

Riders to the Stars

1954Movie5.9
Last of the Badmen
6.8

Last of the Badmen

1957Movie6.8
Cole Younger, Gunfighter
6.6

Cole Younger, Gunfighter

1958Movie6.6
Aftermath
8.0

Aftermath

1960Movie8.0
Return from the Sea
6.0

Return from the Sea

1954Movie6.0
Man on the Prowl
3.5

Man on the Prowl

1957Movie3.5

TV Shows (80)

Perry Mason
7.7

Perry Mason

1957Series7.7
The Andy Griffith Show
7.6

The Andy Griffith Show

1960Series7.6
Bonanza
7.5

Bonanza

1959Series7.5
The Rifleman
7.1

The Rifleman

1958Series7.1
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
7.9

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

1962Series7.9
The Fugitive
7.3

The Fugitive

1963Series7.3
The Twilight Zone
8.5

The Twilight Zone

1959Series8.5
The Virginian
6.5

The Virginian

1962Series6.5
Have Gun, Will Travel
7.3

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957Series7.3
Cheyenne
6.2

Cheyenne

1955Series6.2
Combat!
7.9

Combat!

1962Series7.9
Rawhide
7.2

Rawhide

1959Series7.2
Climax!
3.8

Climax!

1954Series3.8
Daniel Boone
7.0

Daniel Boone

1964Series7.0
Gunsmoke
6.7

Gunsmoke

1955Series6.7
The Dukes of Hazzard
7.4

The Dukes of Hazzard

1979Series7.4
Surfside 6
6.3

Surfside 6

1960Series6.3
Burke's Law
6.3

Burke's Law

1963Series6.3
Ben Casey
5.9

Ben Casey

1961Series5.9
In the Heat of the Night
7.5

In the Heat of the Night

1988Series7.5
The Millionaire
5.8

The Millionaire

1955Series5.8
Bat Masterson
6.4

Bat Masterson

1958Series6.4
Wanted: Dead or Alive
7.0

Wanted: Dead or Alive

1958Series7.0
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
6.8

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

1957Series6.8
The Rebel
5.1

The Rebel

1959Series5.1
Hawaiian Eye
5.6

Hawaiian Eye

1959Series5.6
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
7.8

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955Series7.8
77 Sunset Strip
7.2

77 Sunset Strip

1958Series7.2
Tombstone Territory
6.9

Tombstone Territory

1957Series6.9
Laramie
6.7

Laramie

1959Series6.7
The Texan
6.0

The Texan

1958Series6.0
The Green Hornet
7.4

The Green Hornet

1966Series7.4
Flipper
6.2

Flipper

1964Series6.2
Bronco
6.0

Bronco

1958Series6.0
The Guns of Will Sonnett
6.5

The Guns of Will Sonnett

1967Series6.5
Felony Squad
6.5

Felony Squad

1966Series6.5
Honey West
7.2

Honey West

1965Series7.2
The Mod Squad
6.1

The Mod Squad

1968Series6.1
Lancer
5.6

Lancer

1968Series5.6
The Gene Autry Show
4.7

The Gene Autry Show

1950Series4.7
Trackdown
6.9

Trackdown

1957Series6.9
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
6.4

The Barbara Stanwyck Show

1960Series6.4
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
6.8

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

1959Series6.8
The Adventures of Kit Carson
6.0

The Adventures of Kit Carson

1951Series6.0
Lock-Up
6.4

Lock-Up

1959Series6.4
Startime
6.8

Startime

1959Series6.8
Centennial
7.7

Centennial

1978Series7.7
Black Saddle
6.2

Black Saddle

1959Series6.2
Cavalcade of America
4.6

Cavalcade of America

1952Series4.6
Lux Video Theatre
6.7

Lux Video Theatre

1950Series6.7
West Point
7.5

West Point

1956Series7.5
Stagecoach West
6.7

Stagecoach West

1960Series6.7
The Manhunter
7.0

The Manhunter

1974Series7.0
B.L. Stryker
6.1

B.L. Stryker

1989Series6.1
Men Into Space
7.4

Men Into Space

1959Series7.4
Stories of the Century
7.2

Stories of the Century

1954Series7.2
Redigo
6.3

Redigo

1963Series6.3
Frontier
7.5

Frontier

1955Series7.5
General Electric True

General Electric True

1962Series
Temple Houston
6.0

Temple Houston

1963Series6.0
Enos
7.2

Enos

1980Series7.2
Buffalo Bill Jr.
6.0

Buffalo Bill Jr.

1955Series6.0
The Man and the Challenge
9.0

The Man and the Challenge

1959Series9.0
The Gallant Men
8.0

The Gallant Men

1962Series8.0
Hopalong Cassidy
5.3

Hopalong Cassidy

1952Series5.3
Behind Closed Doors
8.0

Behind Closed Doors

1958Series8.0
The Dukes
4.5

The Dukes

1983Series4.5
Hawkins
7.8

Hawkins

1973Series7.8
CMT: Inside Fame
7.0

CMT: Inside Fame

2005Series7.0
Hawk
8.0

Hawk

1966Series8.0
Michael Shayne
6.5

Michael Shayne

1960Series6.5
General Electric Theater
6.8

General Electric Theater

1953Series6.8
Overland Trail
6.3

Overland Trail

1960Series6.3
Pony Express
7.7

Pony Express

1960Series7.7
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
7.2

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

1951Series7.2
E! True Hollywood Story
8.1

E! True Hollywood Story

1996Series8.1
Whispering Smith
5.8

Whispering Smith

1961Series5.8
The Lineup
7.0

The Lineup

1954Series7.0
Hallmark Hall of Fame
8.8

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951Series8.8
The David Niven Show
8.0

The David Niven Show

1959Series8.0