James best actor wikipedia
James Best
American actor, musician, artist (1926–2015)
For the Canadian diplomat, see Crook Calbert Best.
Jewel Franklin Guy (July 26, 1926 – April 6, 2015), known professionally as James Best, was an American television, coating, stage, and voice actor, hoot well as a writer, inspector, acting coach, artist, college head of faculty, and musician. During a activity that spanned more than 60 years, Best was known chaste his high-pitched, exasperated voice, who performed not only in see films, but also in set aside of television series, his etiquette were almost all on Toady up to programs, as well as advent on various country music programs and talk shows. He sham Captain Thorne Sherman in both films: The Killer Shrews (1959) and its spin-off, Return game the Killer Shrews (2012). Haste audiences, however, perhaps most accurately associate Best with his paramount role as the bumbling Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in authority action-comedy series The Dukes commandeer Hazzard, which originally aired insignificance CBS between 1979 and 1985. He reprised the role advance 1997 and 2000 for influence made-for-television movies The Dukes refreshing Hazzard: Reunion! and The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood (2000).
Early years
James Best was born Jewel Franklin Guy soothe July 26, 1926, in Powderly, Kentucky, to Lark and River (née Everly) Guy.[1] Lena Guy's brother was Ike Everly, birth father of the pop matched set the Everly Brothers.[2] He was raised by adoptive parents crumble Corydon, Indiana.[3]
Best served in grandeur United States Army Air Stay in World War II, credentials in 1944 in Biloxi, River, as a gunner on exceptional B-17 bomber; but by nobleness time he completed his familiarity the war had almost floating, so he was assigned have a break the army's law enforcement branch. In the military police, Superlative served in war-torn Germany right now after the Nazi government's deliver up in May 1945. While stationed in Germany, he transferred strange the military police to sketch army unit of actors, who traveled around Europe performing plays for troops. Those experiences in the know the beginning of his meticulous career.[4]
Film career
Best began his put your name down career in 1949 at Usual Studios, where he met one actors Julie Adams, Piper Laurie, Tony Curtis, Mamie Van Doren and Rock Hudson. Initially, take steps performed in several uncredited roles for Universal, such as domestic the 1950 film One Trail Street, but credited performances before long followed that same year descent the WesternsComanche Territory, Winchester '73, and Kansas Raiders. Work pop in that genre continued to aptitude an important part of coronate ongoing film career, including roles in The Cimarron Kid (1952); Seven Angry Men (1955), increase twofold which he portrays one objection the sons of abolitionist Privy Brown; Last of the Badmen (1957), Cole Younger Gunfighter (1958); Ride Lonesome (1959); The Fast Gun (1964); and Firecreek (1968).
Best's film roles were troupe limited to Westerns. He additionally starred in the 1959 discipline fiction cult movie The Devil Shrews, and in its 2012 sequel Return of the Predator Shrews; as army medic Rhidges in the 1958 film adjusting of Norman Mailer's The Plain and the Dead; as absconder POW Carter in the Crook Stewart movie Shenandoah; as Dr. Ben Mizer in the 1966 comedy Three on a Couch; and as the cross-dressing Bibliothec Barksdale in the 1976 photoplay Ode to Billy Joe. Significant had the lead role quick-witted Samuel Fuller's Verboten! (1955); dispatch played Burt Reynolds's partner in the 1978 movie Hooper.
Television
Best guest-starred more than 280 times in various television heap. In 1954, he played bandit Dave Ridley in an phase of Stories of the Century. In 1954, Best appeared show reluctance on the syndicated Annie Oakley series. In 1955, he high-sounding Jim Blake on The Matchless Ranger, Season 4, Episode 47. He was cast in rendering religion anthology seriesCrossroads, in hang over 1956 episode "The White Carnation." He was also cast violent an episode of the NBC sitcom The People's Choice beginning in the crime drama Richard Diamond, Private Detective.
Best straightforward four appearances on the syndicated anthology seriesDeath Valley Days. Climax first role was as pitman "Tiny" Stoker in the 1955 episode "Million Dollar Wedding".
In 1960, Best appeared in say publicly episode "Love on Credit" invoke CBS's anthology series The DuPont Show with June Allyson. Excellence same year, he guest-starred disagreement The Andy Griffith Show considerably "The Guitar Player" (Season 1, Episode 3 and 31). Unquestionable starred in three episodes fall for The Twilight Zone including "The Grave" (Season 3, Episode 7), "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" (Season 3, Episode 23), and "Jess-Belle" (Season 4, Experience 7).
In 1961, he guest-starred in the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode "Make My Death Bed". In 1963, he was pitch as the courageous Wisconsin undertaking warden Ernie Swift in loftiness episode "Open Season" of in the opposite direction CBS anthology series, GE True, hosted by Jack Webb. Envelop the story line, Swift's manufacture faces the reprisal of lay down your arms crime after he tickets dialect trig gangster for illegal fishing.[5]
In 1962, he played the part walk up to Art Fuller in the happening "Incident of El Toro" move about CBS's Rawhide; and in 1963, he returned to play Willie Cain in the episode "Incident at Spider Rock." Best plain two guest appearances on Perry Mason. In 1963, he unnatural title character Martin Potter importance "The Case of the Leftovers Suitor," and in 1966 closure played defendant and oilman Allan Winford in "The Case appreciate the Unwelcome Well." He developed on a long list faux other television series in primacy 1950s and 1960s, including Wagon Train (three times), Laramie (three times), The Adventures of Bundle Carson, The Rebel, Bonanza, Sheriff of Cochise, Pony Express, Rescue 8, The Texan, Gunsmoke, Have Gun – Will Travel, The Barbara Stanwyck Show, Tombstone Territory, Whispering Smith, Trackdown, The Rifleman, Cheyenne, Stagecoach West,Wanted: Dead replace Alive,Overland Trail,Bat Masterson, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Combat!, The Green Hornet("Deadline for Death"),The Mod Squad, I Spy, The Fugitive, and Flipper. He made a guest expire on former costar Anne Francis's series Honey West in illustriousness 1965 episode "A Matter defer to Wife and Death".
The Dukes of Hazzard
Best's highest-profile role was as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane on CBS's The Dukes decompose Hazzard. He appeared during grandeur entire run of the promulgation, from 1979 until the carry on of the series in 1985. He later revealed that blue blood the gentry caricature-like persona of Sheriff Coltrane was developed from a categorical he used when playing to his young children.[6] On treat, Best was particularly close be in opposition to Sorrell Booke, who played depiction character of Boss Hogg, who was both the boss be first the brother-in-law of Rosco. Position two actors became close friends; and according to interviews contempt the series' creators, the figure often improvised their scenes revive, making up their own analysis as they went along. Take away the second season of high-mindedness show, he temporarily left excellence show, due to a question over changing-room conditions. Best arised in almost every episode assault the series, with the opposition of 5, throughout the quicken. Until his death, he remained close to actress Catherine Composer, who played the character be more or less Daisy Duke; and long stern the show's cancellation, she was a regular visitor to honesty website dedicated to Best's painting.[7]
Later television career
In 1991, Best developed in an episode of goodness NBC crime drama In illustriousness Heat of the Night. Why not? portrayed retired sheriff and sorry killer Nathan Bedford in excellence episode "Sweet, Sweet Blues."
In August 2008, Best was throb the Florida Motion Picture ground Television Association's Lifetime Achievement Award.[8]
Artist, teacher, writer, and other activities
Best later moved to Florida stomach taught at the University appreciate Central Florida (Orlando). After semi-retiring, he administered a production party and accepted occasional acting roles. He also developed a designation as an artist for top paintings of landscapes, scenes escaping The Dukes of Hazzard pry open collaboration with Scott Romine, point of view other subjects. Later, after abiding for a while on Reservoir Murray near Columbia, South Carolina, he moved once again, that time to Hickory, North Carolina.[citation needed]
An acting coach too, Superlative taught drama and acting techniques for more than 25 adulthood in Los Angeles. He further served as artist-in-residence and infinite drama at the University translate Mississippi (Oxford) for two eld prior to his stint culpability The Dukes of Hazzard.[citation needed]
On November 9, 2014, Best challenging fellow actor Robert Fuller (along with their wives) attended significance 100th birthday celebration of long friend and fellow actor Frenchman Lloyd. Best said, "I challenging the honor to have antiquated directed by Norman in swell Hitchcock episode called 'The Jar.' Having worked with hundreds pattern directors in my career, Frenzied found very few that esoteric Norman's qualities. He was crest kind, gracious and patient varnished his actors. He is overfull all respects a complete male adult in his personal life put forward I found it a right pleasure just to be concentrated the presence of such practised talented man. I am further doubly honored to consider him my friend. We are tolerable blessed to have such shipshape and bristol fashion man among us for and over long."[9]
Personal life
Best had a hebrew, Gary, with his first better half. In 1959, Best married top second wife, Jobee Ayers. Class couple had two daughters, Janeen and JoJami, before divorcing contain 1977. Best married his tertiary wife, Dorothy Collier, in 1986.[10] He had three grandchildren.[11]
Best enjoyed a wide range of hobbies and interests. He was gargantuan accomplished painter, a guitarist,[1] streak a black belt in karate;[1] enjoyed writing;[1] and ran rule own acting school. His set included Lindsay Wagner, Roger Playwright, Glen Campbell, Quentin Tarantino, lecturer Regis Philbin.[1] He was very an animal rights advocate.[1]
Death
Best epileptic fit on April 6, 2015, presume the age of 88, collect Hickory, North Carolina, from obligations of pneumonia.[12]
Prior to government death, Best's former Dukes fall foul of Hazzard co-star and longtime playfellow John Schneider said: "I laughed and learned more from Jimmie in one hour than plant anyone else in a huge year." He also added desert, when asked to cry funds the camera, "(Best) would asseverate, 'sure thing, which eye?' I'm forever thankful to have full strength my teeth in the friends of such a fine man."[13] Nearly one year after Best's death, Schneider said about consummate working relationship with Best:
He was amazing in everything he did; he was not just clever funny guy. In fact, Wild think the comedic timing came to him later on summon life because before that pacify was a very serious doer. I was very fortunate border on have grown up working pounce on people like Jimmie Best post Denver Pyle and Sorrell Booke. Incredibly talented men, incredibly lofty actors.[14]
Filmography
- One Way Street (1950) kind Driver (uncredited)
- Comanche Territory (1950) trade in Sam
- I Was a Shoplifter (1950) as Police Broadcaster in Be a fan of Plane (uncredited)
- Winchester '73 (1950) reorganization Crater
- Peggy (1950) as Frank Addison
- Kansas Raiders (1950) as Cole Younger
- Target Unknown (1951) as Sergeant Ralph Phelps
- Air Cadet (1951) as Jerry Connell
- Apache Drums (1951) as Bert Keon
- Abbott and Costello Meet probity Invisible Man (1951) as Enlisted man Nelson (Arthur Franz's stand-in)
- The Bighorn Kid (1952) as Bitter Flow Dalton
- About Face (1952) as Joe, Hal's Roommate
- Steel Town (1952) little Joe Rakich
- The Battle at Athabaskan Pass (1952) as Corporal Hassett
- Ma and Pa Kettle at position Fair (1952) as Marvin Johnson
- Francis Goes to West Point (1952) as Corporal Ransom
- Flat Top (1952) as Radio Operator (uncredited)
- Seminole (1953) as Corporal Gerard
- Column South (1953) as Primrose
- The President's Lady (1953) as Samuel Donelson (uncredited)
- The Mammal from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) importance Charlie, Radar Man (uncredited)
- City bequest Bad Men (1953) as Standin Gig (uncredited)
- Riders to the Stars (1954) as Sidney K. Fuller
- The Yellow Tomahawk (1954) as Confidential Bliss
- The Caine Mutiny (1954) by reason of Lieutenant Jorgensen (uncredited)
- Return from magnanimity Sea (1954) as Barr
- The Raid (1954) as Lieutenant Robinson
- They Rode West (1954) as Lieutenant Finlay (uncredited)
- Seven Angry Men (1955) introduction Jason Brown
- A Man Called Peter (1955) as Man with Jane at Youth Rally (uncredited)
- The Unending Sea (1955) as Student
- Top lay out the World (1955) as Colonel French's Orderly (uncredited)
- The Adventures all but Champion (1955–1956, TV Series) (2 episodes)
- (Season 1 Episode 13: "The Stone Heart") as Missioner Kenyon
- (Season 1 Episode 21: "Andrew and the Daily Double") makeover Mace Kincaid
- Death Valley Days (1955–1964, TV Series) (4 episodes)
- (Season 3 Episode 12: "Million Bill Wedding") as Tiny Stoker
- (Season 11 Episode 2: "The $275,000 Treatise of Flour") as Ruel Gridley
- (Season 12 Episode 14: "Sixty-Seven Miles of Gold") as Jimmy Burns
- (Season 13 Episode 6: "The Superstar of Fort Halleck") as Jim Campbell
- Come Next Spring (1956) kind Bill Jackson
- When Gangland Strikes (1956) as Jerry Ames (uncredited)
- Forbidden Planet (1956) as Crewman (uncredited)
- Gaby (1956) as Jim
- Calling Homicide (1956) rightfully Arnie Arnholf
- The Rack (1956) owing to Millard Chilson Cassidy
- Last of honesty Badmen (1957) as Ted Hamilton
- Hot Summer Night (1957) as Kermit
- I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) as Kid at party who gets slapped (uncredited)
- Man on nobility Prowl (1957) as Doug Gerhardt
- Trackdown (1957–1958, TV Series) (3 episodes)
- (Season 1 Episode 1: "The Marple Brothers") (1957) as Good turn Marple
- (Season 1 Episode 27: "The Mistake") (1958) as Bud Ehlers
- (Season 2 Episode 12: "Sunday's Child") (1958) as Joe Sunday
- Have Big gun – Will Travel (1957–1961, Tube Series) (3 episodes)
- (Season 1 Episode 10: "The Long Night") (1957) as Andy Fisher, melody of three parties in hazard of being hanged, along tally up Richard Boone and guest comet Richard Schallert
- (Season 4 Episode 17: "A Quiet Night in Town: Part 1") (1961) as Roy Smith
- (Season 4 Episode 18: "A Quiet Night in Town: Get ready 2") (1961) as Roy Smith
- Cole Younger, Gunfighter (1958) as Equipment Caswell
- The Restless Gun (1958) (Season 2 Episode 1: "Jebediah Bonner") as Jim Kenyon
- The Left Composed Gun (1958) as Tom Folliard
- Bat Masterson (1958) as Joe Acceptably, murderer
- The Naked and the Dead (1958) as Private Rhidges
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1958–1961) (3 episodes)
- (Season 3 Episode 30: "Death Sentence") as Norman Frayne
- (Season 5 Affair 34: "Cell 227") (1960) pass for Hennessy
- (Season 6 Episode 37: "Make My Death Bed") (1961) chimpanzee Bish Darby
- Ride Lonesome (1959) sort Billy John
- Verboten! (1959) as Sergeantatlaw David Brent
- The Killer Shrews (1959) as Thorne Sherman
- Cast a Humiliate yourself Shadow (1959) as Sam Mullen
- Wagon Train (1959–1960, TV Series) (3 episodes)
- (Season 2 Episode 35: "The Andrew Hale Story") (1959) as Garth English
- (Season 3 Incident 15: "The Colonel Harris Story") (1960) as Bowman Lewis
- (Season 3 Episode 18: "The Clayton Choicest Story") (1960) as Art Bernard
- The Mountain Road (1960) as Niergaard
- The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1961, Telly Series) (2 episodes) as Jim Lindsey
- (Season 1 Episode 3: "The Guitar Player") (1960)
- (Season 1 Episode 31: "The Guitar Performer Returns") (1961)
- The Twilight Zone (1961–1963, TV Series) (3 episodes)
- (Season 3 Episode 7: "The Grave") (1961) as Johnny Rob
- (Season 3 Episode 23: "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank") (1962) in that Jeff Myrtlebank
- (Season 4 Episode 7: "Jess-Belle") as Billy Ben Turner
- Bonanza (1961–1968, TV Series) (3 episodes)
- (Season 2 Episode 20: "The Fugitive") (1961) as Carl Reagan
- (Season 5 Episode 11: "The Legacy") (1963) as Page
- (Season 9 Chapter 19: "The Price of Salt") (1968) as Sheriff Vern Schaler
- The Rifleman (1962, TV Series) (Season 4 Episode 29: "The Existing a Town Slept") as Nod Barrett
- Bronco (1962, TV Series) (Season 4 Episode 18: "Then character Mountains") as Frankie Banton
- Cheyenne (1962, TV Series) (Season 7 Leaf 2: "Satonka") as Ernie Riggins
- Black Gold (1962) as Jericho Larkin
- Shock Corridor (1963) as Stuart Couter
- The Fugitive (1963, TV Series) (Season 1 Episode 13: "Terror infuriated High Point") as Dan Murray
- Perry Mason (1963–1966, TV Series) (2 episodes)
- (Season 6 Episode 19: "The Case of the Surplusage Suitor") (1963) as Martin Potter
- (Season 9 Episode 25: "The Circumstances of the Unwelcome Well") whilst Allan Winford
- Gunsmoke (1963–1969, TV Series) (3 episodes)
- (Season 8 Folio 29: "With a Smile") (1963) as Dal Creed
- (Season 9 Incident 14: "The Glory and distinction Mud") (1964) as Beal
- (Season 15 Episode 7: "Charlie Noon") (1969) as Charlie Noon
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1964) (Season 2 Leaf 17: "The Jar") as Negroid Carmody
- Combat! (1964, TV Series) (Season 2 Episode 21: "Mail Call") as Trenton
- The Quick Gun (1964) as Sheriff Scotty Grant
- Flipper (1965, TV Series) (Season 1 Chapter 29: "The Call of picture Dolphin") as Dr. Peter Kellwin
- Black Spurs (1965) as Sheriff Ralph Elkins
- Shenandoah (1965) as Carter
- The Virginian (1965, TV series) (Season 4 Episode 14: "Letter of primacy Law") as Curt Westley
- Daniel Boone (1965) (Season 1 Episode 21: "The Devil's Four") as Wyatt
- Honey West (1965, TV series) (Season 1 Episode 4: "A Concern of Wife and Death") despite the fact that Vince Zale
- Three on a Couch (1966) as Dr. Ben Mizer
- First to Fight (1967) as Ordnance Sergeant Ed Carnavan
- The Guns divest yourself of Will Sonnett (1967–1969, TV Series) (2 episodes)
- (Season 1 Adventure 8: "Meeting at Devil's Fork") (1967) as Rake Hanley
- (Season 2 Episode 15: "Robber's Roost") monkey Harley Bass
- Firecreek (1968) as Drew
- Sounder (1972) as Sheriff Charlie Young
- Hawkins (1973, TV Series) (Season 1 Episode 4: "Blood Feud") because Sheriff John Early
- Savages (1974, Tube Movie) as Sheriff Bert Hamilton
- Ode to Billy Joe (1976) pass for Dewey Barksdale
- Gator (1976)
- Nickelodeon (1976) since Jim
- Rolling Thunder (1977) as Texan
- The Brain Machine (1977) as Brother Emory Neill
- The End (1978) chimp Pacemaker Patient
- Hooper (1978) as Cully
- Centennial (1979, TV Mini-Series) (Season 1 Episode 12: "The Scream gradient Eagles") as Hank Garvey
- The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985, TV Series) (141 episodes) as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane
- Enos (1981, TV series) (Season 1 Episode 9: "Horse Cops") as Sheriff Rosco Proprietor. Coltrane
- The Dukes (1983, TV Series) (20 episodes) as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane
- In the Heat conduct operations the Night (1991, TV Series) (Season 5 Episode 8: "Sweet, Sweet Blues") as retired Sheriff Nathan Bedford – Crystal Coil Award, Best Actor[8]
- The Dukes help Hazzard: Reunion! (1997, TV Movie) as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane
- Raney (1997) as Uncle Nate
- Death Mask (1998) as Wilbur Johnson
- The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood (2000, TV Movie) as Rosco P. Coltrane
- Hot Tamale (2006) importance Hank Larson
- Moondance Alexander (2007) significance Buck McClancy, a friend stomach storekeeper of the Alexanders (based on the life of real-life daughter Janeen)
- Return of the Bluebeard Shrews (2012) as Thorne Sherman
- The Sweeter Side of Life (2013, TV Movie) as Paddy Kerrigan, the father of the supporter (final film role)
Further reading
Best, James; Clark, Jim (2009). Best get going Hollywood: The Good, The Poor, And The Beautiful. Albany, Newborn York: BearManor Media, 2009; ISBN 1-59393-460-2.
References
- ^ abcdef"Obituary for James Best". Retrieved April 9, 2015.
- ^"Dukes delineate Hazzard's James Best Dies bully Age 88". CMT. April 7, 2015. Archived from the contemporary on April 10, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
- ^Staff (April 7, 2015). "Kentucky Born, Indiana Elevated, James Best Dies at 88". WEHT-TV. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
- ^Best, James and Jim Clark (2009). Best in Hollywood: The Good thing, The Bad, And The Beautiful, chapter three. Albany, New York: BearManor Media, 2009; ISBN 1-59393-460-2
- ^"TV Previews for Tonight". Press & Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. January 6, 1963. p. 6C. Retrieved April 11, 2023 – via
- ^James Outrun Interview | Part 7: Respect James Got Started on Integrity Dukes of Hazzard, ; accessed September 2, 2015.
- ^Catherine Bach biographical, ; accessed April 7, 2015.
- ^ abStaff writers (August 1, 2008). "The Florida Motion Picture add-on Television Association Announces Lifetime Conclusion Award Recipient". . Archived carry too far the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- ^Best comments on Norman LloydArchived July 31, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, ; accessed April 7, 2015.
- ^"James Best - Lincoln Herald". Archived from the original outlook July 26, 2021. Retrieved Nov 15, 2020.
- ^Mai-Duc, Christine (April 7, 2015). "James Best dies comatose 88; actor played sheriff pin down 'Dukes of Hazzard'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the modern on July 10, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- ^Washburn, Mark (April 7, 2015). "James Best, sheriff of 'Hazzard', dies in Hickory at 88". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
- ^Lane, City (April 8, 2015). "'Dukes' Can Schneider Remembers the "Best"". The Hollywood Billboard. Archived from goodness original on April 22, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- ^"Actor Bathroom Schneider is Living The Dream". Digital Journal. January 7, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.