Growing up with a TV in the late 70s or early 80s usually meant one thing on Friday nights: watching a bright orange Dodge Charger jump over a creek. You remember the General Lee, sure. You remember Daisy’s shorts and Boss Hogg’s white suit. But for many of us, the heart of Hazzard County wasn’t just the car or the cousins—it was the guys in the patrol cars who couldn't catch a cold, let alone a Duke.
Enter Rick Hurst.
Most people know him as Deputy Cletus Hogg, the bumbling, wide-eyed cousin of the corrupt Boss Hogg. He wasn't the original deputy—that was Enos Strate—but when Sonny Shroyer left for his own spin-off, Hurst stepped in and did something rare. He didn't just fill a seat; he became a staple. Sadly, the world lost this comedic giant on June 26, 2025, at the age of 79. His passing hit "Hazzard Nation" hard, especially since he was still scheduled to meet fans just days before he died.
The Man Behind the Badge: Rick Hurst and the Dukes of Hazzard
When Rick Hurst joined the cast in 1980, the show was already a massive hit. Replacing a fan favorite like Enos is a nightmare for most actors. Fans are picky. They don't like change. But Hurst had this "rubber-faced" comedic timing that was impossible to hate.
Basically, Cletus was the perfect foil. While Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane was all high-pitched giggles and "cuff 'em and stuff 'em" energy, Cletus was just... Cletus. He was slightly more competent than Rosco but just as likely to end up in a pond. Hurst played him with a sort of reluctant loyalty. He was Boss Hogg’s cousin, so he had to do what he was told, but he often seemed like he’d rather be doing literally anything else.
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He stayed on the show until 1983, appearing in 47 episodes. That's a huge chunk of the series' history. Even after the show ended in '85, Hurst never really left Hazzard. He came back for The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion! in 1997 and Hazzard in Hollywood in 2000. For him, it wasn't just a job from the eighties. It was a lifelong membership in a very specific kind of American folklore.
More Than Just a Bumbling Deputy
If you think Rick Hurst was just a one-hit wonder in a tan uniform, you've got it wrong. Honestly, the guy was a powerhouse character actor. Before he ever set foot in Hazzard, he was a classically trained actor with an MFA from Temple University.
Look at his resume and you'll see he was everywhere:
- MAS*H: He appeared as Captain Schaeffer in the late 70s.
- Steel Magnolias: He played Bark Boone in the 1989 classic.
- The Karate Kid Part III: Ever notice the announcer? That was Rick.
- On the Rocks: He played "Cleaver" in this mid-70s prison sitcom.
He also guest-starred on Sanford and Son, The Partridge Family, and Little House on the Prairie. He was the kind of actor who made every scene better just by being in it, even if he only had three lines.
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And then there's his son, Ryan Hurst. You probably know him as Opie Winston from Sons of Anarchy or Beta from The Walking Dead. More recently, news broke that Ryan is set to play Kratos in the God of War live-action series. It’s wild to think that the son of the goofiest deputy in Georgia is now playing one of the most brutal warriors in gaming history. Talent clearly runs deep in that family.
Why Cletus Hogg Worked So Well
What made Rick Hurst's portrayal of Cletus so special? It was the humanity.
In a show that was essentially a live-action cartoon, Hurst kept Cletus grounded. He wasn't a "bad guy." He was a guy caught between his family (Boss Hogg) and his neighbors (the Dukes). He often helped the Dukes out of a jam—grudgingly, of course—because he actually had a good heart. Ben Jones, who played Cooter, once said that Hurst had a "heart as big as Texas." That warmth came through the screen.
In 2026, looking back at the legacy of The Dukes of Hazzard, characters like Cletus represent a simpler era of television. There were no complex anti-heroes or gritty reboots back then. Just good guys, bad guys, and the lovable bumblers caught in the middle.
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The Lasting Legacy of Hazzard Nation
Rick Hurst spent his later years doing exactly what he loved: meeting the people who grew up watching him. He was a regular at "Cooter’s Place," the museums in Nashville and Gatlinburg. If you ever went to one of those events, you know he wasn't just there to sign an 8x10 and move on. He’d actually talk to you. He’d tell stories about James Best (Rosco) and Sorrell Booke (Boss Hogg).
When he passed away unexpectedly in Los Angeles, the tributes from John Schneider (Bo Duke) and Catherine Bach (Daisy Duke) weren't just "PR talk." They were devastated. They called him a "remarkable force for humanity."
How to Keep the Hazzard Spirit Alive
If you’re a fan or just someone discovering the show for the first time, here is how you can honor the legacy of Rick Hurst:
- Watch the Reunion Specials: If you’ve only seen the original series, go find the 1997 and 2000 TV movies. Seeing Hurst back in the tan uniform alongside the original cast is pure nostalgia.
- Check Out Ryan Hurst’s Work: Supporting his son's career is a great way to see the "Hurst legacy" continue in modern Hollywood.
- Visit Cooter’s Place: If you’re ever in Tennessee, stop by. It’s a shrine to the show, and the spirit of Rick Hurst is definitely still in the building.
Rick Hurst wasn't just "some actor" on an old show. He was the guy who made us laugh when the world felt a little too serious. He was the deputy who never quite got his man, but always won over the audience. Rest easy, Cletus. We’ll keep the race going for you.
To see more of Rick Hurst's impact on television history, you should explore the archived interviews available through the Paley Center for Media or browse the extensive collection of behind-the-scenes footage often shared by the official Dukes of Hazzard social media pages.