Biography of James Best
James Best – Writer/Director/Producer/Actor
While he is probably most widely known for his role as Rosco P. Coltrane in the long running television hit, “The Dukes of Hazzard” James Best has built an impressive career on both stage and screen, and has taught and guided the careers of some of the Film Industry's biggest stars.
Born in Kentucky and reared in Indiana, Best's first professional stage experience came after WW II in a European tour of “My Sister Eileen” which was produced and directed by Arthur Penn. Penn would later go on to direct Best in “Left Handed Gun” with Paul Newman.
With the completion of the European tour, Best returned to New York, where he performed in both summer and winter stock productions. Additionally, he performed on stage throughout the Northeast, and toured nationally for almost 18 months in the Broadway touring company musical, “Marinka”.
Upon his return to New York, an executive for Universal Pictures noticed James, and he moved to California and was placed under contract to Universal Studios for two years. He then embarked on a freelance career that firmly established his credentials in the performance arena of Hollywood.
Since then, he has appeared in more than 600 television shows, including “The Twilight Zone”, “Gunsmoke”, “Andy Griffith Show”, “Rawhide”, “Wagon Train”, “The Rebel”, “Bonanza”, “Mod Squad”, “Perry Mason”, “The Fugitive”, to name a few.
During the years in Hollywood, he has also made 83 features, working with some of the screen's most prominent stars. His film credits include, five films with Jimmy Stewart; “The Cain Mutiny”, with Humphrey Bogart; five westerns with Audie Murphy; “Ride Lonesome” with Randolph Scott; “Firecreek” with Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart; and Norman Mailer's classic, “The Naked and the Dead”, “Three on a Couch” with Jerry Lewis; Sammy Fuller's classic “Shock Corridor” and “Verboten”, “Cimarron Kid”, “First to Fight”, “Seminole” with Rock Hudson and Anthony Quinn: multiple Academy Award nominee “Sounder” and three films with Burt Reynolds, including “Gator” on which he served as Associate Producer and script writer. “The End” which he also helped write and he directed while Reynolds was on camera, “Hooper” in which he co-stared and did the re-writes on the script.
Best's friendship with Reynold's led to appearances at the latter's renowned Dinner Theatre in Jupiter, Florida. He directed and starred in “Goodbye Charlie” with Luci Arnez: starred in the Reynold's directed “Bus Stop” with Sally Field and Robert Urich, and then directed “The Fantastick's”.
In the early 1970' Best decided to take a semi-retirement, and became an artist-in-residence at the University of Mississippi. During his two years there, he taught Motion Picture technique and Drama; directed four plays, established the Mississippi Film Commission and was elected to the University's Hall of Fame.
While the years in Mississippi were productive, Best returned to California. He signed with Warner Brothers to do his first regular TV series, an hour-long comedy/adventure series set in the rural America.
“The Dukes of Hazzard” of course went on to become one of the biggest hits in Television history. The CBS show, which ran for seven seasons was the top rated series on the air for three full years. The popularity remains to this day, and periodically returns to syndication.
Filmography
TV Road Trip (2002) (TV) .... Himself (The Dukes of Hazzard)
Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard In Hollywood, The (2000) (TV) .... Rosco P. Coltrane
Death Mask (1998) .... Wilbur Johnson
Finders Keepers (1998/II) .... John Massey
Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!, The (1997) (TV) .... Boss/Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane
"Dukes, The" (1983) TV Series(voice) .... Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane
"Dukes of Hazzard, The" (1979) TV Series .... Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane
"Centennial" (1978) (mini) TV Series .... Hank Garvey
Hooper (1978) .... Cully
End, The (1978) .... Pacemaker Patient
Brain Machine, The (1977)
... aka E-Box, The (1977)
... aka Gray Matter (1977) (USA: video title)
... aka Grey Matter (1977) (USA: video title)
... aka Mind Warp (1977)
... aka Time Warp (1977)
McLaren's Riders (1977) (TV) .... Lamarr Skinner
Rolling Thunder (1977) .... Texan
Nickelodeon (1976) .... Jim
Savage Bees, The (1976) (TV) .... Deputy Mayor Pelligrino
Gator (1976)(uncredited)
Ode to Billy Joe (1976) .... Dewey Barksdale
Runaway Barge, The (1975) (TV) .... Bingo Washington
... aka River Bandits (1975) (TV) (Europe: video box title English title)
Savages (1974) (TV) .... Sheriff Bert Hamilton
Sounder (1972) .... Sheriff Young
Run, Simon, Run (1970) (TV) .... Henry Burroughs
... aka Savage Run (1970) (TV)
... aka Tradition of Simon Zuniga, The (1970) (TV)
Firecreek (1968) .... Drew
First to Fight (1967) .... Sergeant Carnavan
Three on a Couch (1966) .... Dr. Ben Mizer
Shenandoah (1965) .... Carter, Rebel Soldier
Black Spurs (1965) .... Sheriff Elkins
Quick Gun, The (1964) .... Sheriff Scotty WAde
"Temple Houston" (1963) TV Series .... Gotch
Shock Corridor (1963) .... Stuart, Mental Patient/Confederate Wacko
Black Gold (1963) .... Jericho Larkin
Aftermath (1960) (TV) .... Hardy Couter
... aka Code of Jonathan West, The (1960) (TV)
Mountain Road, The (1960) .... Niergaard
Good Deed (1959) (TV) .... Frank Simms
... aka Gentry's People (1959) (TV)
Cast a Long Shadow (1959) .... Sam Mullen
Killer Shrews, The (1959) .... Thorne Sherman
... aka Attack of the Killer Shrews, The (1959)
Ride Lonesome (1959) .... Billy John
Verboten! (1959) .... Sergeant David Brent
Man on the Prowl (1958) .... Doug Gerhardt
Naked and the Dead, The (1958) .... Rhidges
Left Handed Gun, The (1958) .... Tom Folliard
Cole Younger, Gunfighter (1958) .... Kit Caswell
Hot Summer Night (1957) .... Kermit
Last of the Badmen (1957) .... Ted Hamilton, Gunman
Gaby (1956) .... Jim
Rack, The (1956) .... Millard Chilson Cassidy
Calling Homicide (1956) .... Detective Arnie Arnhoff
Forbidden Planet (1956)(uncredited) .... Crewman
When Gangland Strikes (1956) .... Jerry Ames
Come Next Spring (1956) .... Bill Jackson
Man Called Peter, A (1955)(uncredited) .... With Jane at Youth Rally
Eternal Sea, The (1955)
Seven Angry Men (1955) .... Jason Brown
... aka God's Angry Man (1955) (USA: alternative title)
They Rode West (1954) .... Lieutenant Friday
Raid, The (1954) .... Lt. Robinson
Return From the Sea (1954) .... Barr
Caine Mutiny, The (1954)(uncredited) .... Lieutenant (j.g.) Jorgensen
Riders to the Stars (1954) .... Sidney K. Fuller
City of Bad Men (1953) .... Mr. Davis
Column South (1953) .... Primrose
Skip Taylor (1953) (TV)
Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, The (1953) .... Radar Man
President's Lady, The (1953)(uncredited) .... Samuel Donaldson
Seminole (1953) .... Corp. Gerad
Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair (1952) .... Marvin Johnson
... aka Ma and Pa Kettle at the County Fair (1952) (USA)
Flat Top (1952) .... Radar Man
... aka Eagles of the Fleet (1952) (UK)
Steel Town (1952) .... Joe McNamara
Francis Goes to West Point (1952) .... Corporal Ransom
About Face (1952)(uncredited)
Battle at Apache Pass, The (1952) .... Corporal Hassett
Apache Drums (1951) .... Bert Keon
Cimarron Kid, The (1951) .... Bittercreek
Target Unknown (1951) .... Sergeant Ralph Phelps
Air Cadet (1951) .... Jerry Connell
... aka Jet Men of the Air (1951) (UK)
Kansas Raiders (1950) .... Cole Younger
Winchester '73 (1950) .... Crator
... aka Montana Winchester (1950)
Peggy (1950) .... Frank
I Was a Shoplifter (1950)(uncredited) .... Police Broadcaster, Surveillance Plane
Comanche Territory (1950) .... Sam
One Way Street (1950)(uncredited) .... Driver
Director - filmography
"Dukes of Hazzard, The" (1979) TV Series(episode "Cale Yarborough Comes to Hazzard") (episode "Dead and Alive") (episode "Diamonds in the Rough")
End, The (1978)(uncredited)
Gator (1976)(uncredited)
Writer - filmography
Death Mask (1998)
Producer - filmography
End, The (1978) (associate producer)
Miscellaneous Crew - filmography
Gator (1976) (assistant to producer)
Notable TV Guest Appearances
"In the Heat of the Night" (1988) playing "Nathan Bedford" in episode: "Sweet, Sweet Blues" (episode # 5.8) 26 November 1991
"B.L. Stryker" (1989) in episode: "Night Train" (episode # 2.7) 5 May 1990
"Dukes of Hazzard, The" (1979) playing "Woody" in episode: "Too Many Roscos" (episode # 6.3) 7 October 1983
"Enos" (1980) playing "Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane" in episode: "Grits and Greens Strike Again" (episode # 1.4) 17 December 1980
"How the West Was Won" (1979) playing "Sheriff Gruner" in episode: "Luke" (episode # 9) 2 April 1979
"Hawkins" (1973) in episode: "Blood Feud" (episode # 1.5) 4 December 1973
"Gunsmoke" (1955) playing "Charlie Noon" in episode: "Charlie Noon" (episode # 15.7) 3 November 1969
"Guns of Will Sonnett, The" (1967) in episode: "Robber's Roost" (episode # 2.15) 17 January 1969
"Felony Squad" (1966) playing "George 'Lucky' Collins" in episode: "The Distant Shore" (episode # 3.11) 2 December 1968
"Mod Squad, The" (1968) playing "Frank Lynch" in episode: "The Price of Terror" (episode # 1.8) 26 November 1968
"I Spy" (1965) in episode: "Suitable for Framing" (episode # 3.23) 15 March 1968
"Bonanza" (1959) playing "Vern" in episode: "The Price of Salt" (episode # 9.19) 4 February 1968
"Guns of Will Sonnett, The" (1967) in episode: "Meeting at Devil's Fork" (episode # 1.8) 27 October 1967
"I Spy" (1965) in episode: "Lisa" (episode # 2.13) 7 December 1966
"Felony Squad" (1966) playing "Arnold Wyatt" in episode: "Flame Out" (episode # 1.6) 17 October 1966
"Iron Horse, The" (1966) in episode: "High Devil" (episode # 1.3) 26 September 1966
"Perry Mason" (1957) playing "Allan Winford" in episode: "The Case of the Unwelcome Well" (episode # 9.25) 3 April 1966
"Virginian, The" (1962) playing "Curt Westley" in episode: "Letter of the Law" (episode # 4.14) 22 December 1965
"Honey West" (1965) in episode: "A Matter of Wife and Death" (episode # 1.4) 8 October 1965
"Burke's Law" (1963) in episode: "Steam Heat" (episode # 3.3) 29 September 1965
"Ben Casey" (1961) in episode: "A Little Fun to Match the Sorrow" (episode # 4.22) 8 March 1965
"Daniel Boone" (1964) playing "Jethroe Wyatt" in episode: "The Devil's Four" (episode # 1.21) 4 March 1965
"Death Valley Days" (1952) in episode: "Hero of Fort Halleck" (episode # 13.6) 9 October 1964
"Rawhide" (1959) in episode: "Incident at El Toro" (episode # 6.26) 9 April 1964
"Destry" (1964) in episode: "Go Away, Little Sheba" (episode # 1.7) 27 March 1964
"Alfred Hitchcock Hour, The" (1962) playing "Tom Carmody" in episode: "The Jar" (episode # 2.17) 14 February 1964
"Combat!" (1962) playing "Private Meredith Trenton" in episode: "Mail Call" (episode # 2.21) 4 February 1964
"Death Valley Days" (1952) in episode: "Sixty-Seven Miles of Gold" (episode # 12.14) 14 January 1964
"Gunsmoke" (1955) playing "Sam Beal" in episode: "The Glory and the Mud" (episode # 9.14) 4 January 1964
"Fugitive, The" (1963) playing "Dan" in episode: "Terror at High Point" (episode # 1.13) 17 December 1963
"Bonanza" (1959) playing "Page" in episode: "The Legacy" (episode # 5.11) 15 December 1963
"Rawhide" (1959) in episode: "Incident of the Rawhiders" (episode # 6.8) 14 November 1963
"Ben Casey" (1961) playing "Simon Waller" in episode: "Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast" (episode # 3.10) 13 November 1963
"Redigo" (1963) in episode: "Little Angel Blue Eyes" (episode # 1.6) 29 October 1963
"Gunsmoke" (1955) playing "Dal Creed" in episode: "With a Smile" (episode # 8.29) 30 March 1963
"Perry Mason" (1957) playing "Martin Potter" in episode: "The Case of the Surplus Suitor" (episode # 6.19) 28 February 1963
"Gallant Men, The" (1962) playing "Pvt. Hook" in episode: "The Warriors" (episode # 1.21) 23 February 1963
"Twilight Zone, The" (1959) playing "Billy-Ben" in episode: "Jess-Belle" (episode # 4.7) 14 February 1963
"Virginian, The" (1962) in episode: "Say Goodbye to All That" (episode # 1.18) 23 January 1963
"Rawhide" (1959) playing "Willy Cain" in episode: "Incident at Spider Rock" (episode # 5.16) 18 January 1963
"Cheyenne" (1955) in episode: "Sweet Sam" (episode # 7.3) 8 October 1962
"Hawaiian Eye" (1959) playing "Johnny Olin" in episode: "Day in the Sun" (episode # 4.1) 2 October 1962
"Cheyenne" (1955) in episode: "Satonka" (episode # 7.2) 1 October 1962
"Death Valley Days" (1952) in episode: "The $275,000 Sack of Flower" (episode # 11.2) 1 October 1962
"Bronco" (1958) playing "Banton" in episode: "Then the Mountains" (episode # 4.18) 30 April 1962
"Rifleman, The" (1958) playing "Bob Barrett" in episode: "The Day A Town Slept" (episode # 4.29) 16 April 1962
"Twilight Zone, The" (1959) playing "Jeff Myrtlebank" in episode: "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" (episode # 3.23) 23 February 1962
"Laramie" (1959) playing "Johnny Best" in episode: "The Runaway" (episode # 3.17) 23 January 1962
"Twilight Zone, The" (1959) playing "Johnny Rob" in episode: "The Grave" (episode # 3.7) 27 October 1961
"Whispering Smith" (1961) in episode: "The Hemp Reeger Case" (episode # 1.11) 17 July 1961
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955) playing "Bish Darby" in episode: "Make My Death Bed" (episode # 6.37) 27 June 1961
"Andy Griffith Show, The" (1960) playing "Jim Lindsey" in episode: "The Guitar Player Returns" (episode # 1.31) 15 May 1961
"Stagecoach West" (1960) in episode: "The Dead Don't Cry" (episode # 1.30) 2 May 1961
"Barbara Stanwyck Show, The" (1960) in episode: "The Choice" (episode # 1.33) 17 April 1961
"Stagecoach West" (1960) in episode: "The Arsonist" (episode # 1.19) 14 February 1961
"Bonanza" (1959) playing "Carl Reagan" in episode: "The Fugitive" (episode # 2.20) 4 February 1961
"Bat Masterson" (1958) in episode: "Dakota Showdown" (episode # 3.8) 17 November 1960
"Rebel, The" (1959) in episode: "Deathwatch" (episode # 2.6) 23 October 1960
"Andy Griffith Show, The" (1960) playing "Jim Lindsey" in episode: "The Guitar Player" (episode # 1.3) 17 October 1960
"Stagecoach West" (1960) in episode: "High Lonesome" (episode # 1.1) 4 October 1960
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955) playing "Hennessy" (as James K. Best) in episode: "Cell 227" (episode # 5.34) 5 June 1960
"Rebel, The" (1959) in episode: "Night on a Rainbow" (episode # 1.34) 29 May 1960
"Overland Trail" (1960) in episode: "Escort Detail" (episode # 1.15) 22 May 1960
"Pony Express" (1959) in episode: "The Story of Julesberg" (episode # 1.23) 9 March 1960
"Wagon Train" (1957) playing "Art Bernard" in episode: "The Clayton Tucker Story" (episode # 3.18) 10 February 1960
"Laramie" (1959) playing "Ben Leach" in episode: "Company Man" (episode # 1.20) 9 February 1960
"Wagon Train" (1957) playing "Bowman Lewis" in episode: "The Colonel Harris Story" (episode # 3.15) 13 January 1960
"Laramie" (1959) playing "Dallas" in episode: "The Lawbreakers" (episode # 1.6) 20 October 1959
"Wagon Train" (1957) playing "Garth English" in episode: "The Andrew Hale Story" (episode # 2.35) 3 June 1959
"Black Saddle" (1959) playing "Ben Travers" in episode: "Client: Nelson" (episode # 1.16) 2 May 1959
"Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958) in episode: "Six-Up to Bannack" (episode # 1.19) 10 January 1959
"Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958) in episode: "Sheriff of Red Rock" (episode # 1.13) 29 November 1958
"Trackdown" (1957) in episode: "Sunday's Child" (episode # 2.12) 21 November 1958
"Bat Masterson" (1958) playing "Joe Best" in episode: "Stampede at Tent City" (episode # 1.4) 29 October 1958
"Restless Gun, The" (1957) in episode: "Jebediah Bonner" (episode # 2.1) 22 September 1958
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955) playing "Norman Frayne" in episode: "Death Sentence" (episode # 3.30) 27 April 1958
"Trackdown" (1957) in episode: "The Mistake" (episode # 1.27) 18 April 1958
"Tombstone Territory" (1957) in episode: "Guilt of a Town" (episode # 1.23) 19 March 1958
"Have Gun Will Travel" (1957) playing "Andy Fisher" in episode: "The Long Night" (episode # 1.10) 16 November 1957
"Trackdown" (1957) in episode: "Marple Brothers" (episode # 1.1) 4 October 1957
"Richard Diamond, Private Detective" (1957) in episode: "Merry-Go-Round Case" (episode # 1.12) 23 September 1957
"Zane Grey Theater" (1956) playing "Pyke Dillon" in episode: "Three Graves" (episode # 1.14) 4 January 1957
"Frontier" (1955) in episode: "Out from Texas" (episode # 1.28) 24 June 1956
"Adventures of Champion, The" (1955) in episode: "Andrew and the Deadly Double" (episode # 1.21) 13 February 1956
"Frontier" (1955) in episode: "The Texicans" (episode # 1.12) 8 January 1956
"Adventures of Champion, The" (1955) in episode: "The Stone Heart" (episode # 1.13) 13 December 1955
"Lone Ranger, The" (1949) playing "Jim Blake" in episode: "Framed for Murder" (episode # 4.47) 28 July 1955
"Buffalo Bill Jr" (1955) in episode: "The Death of Johnny Ringo" (episode # 1.6) 22 March 1955
"Death Valley Days" (1952) in episode: "Million Dollar Wedding" (episode # 3.12) 1 March 1955
"Gene Autry Show, The" (1950) playing "Ray Saunders" in episode: "Hoodoo Canyon" (episode # 4.7) 17 August 1954
"Gene Autry Show, The" (1950) playing "Bank Teller" in episode: "The Hold-Up" (episode # 4.3) 20 July 1954
"Annie Oakley" (1954) in episode: "Annie and the Outlaw's Son" (episode # 1.26) 3 July 1954
"Annie Oakley" (1954) in episode: "Outlaw Mesa" (episode # 1.25) 26 June 1954
"Stories of the Century" (1954) in episode: "Little Britches" (episode # 1.22) 17 June 1954
