James Best

Known For	Acting
Birthday	Jul 26, 1926
Died	Apr 06, 2015 (88)
Birthplace	Powderly, Kentucky, USA
Popularity	1 (history)
Updated	Aug 08, 2025
Entry Date	Apr 13, 2024
Links	TMDb IMDb

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).

Known For

Headshots

Filmography

The Sweeter Side of Life

2013

as Paddy Kerrigan

Return of the Killer Shrews

2012

as Thorne Sherman

Moondance Alexander

2007

as McClancy

Hot Tamale

2006

as Hank Larson

The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made

2004

as Thorne Sherman (archive footage)

The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller

2002

as Sgt. David Brent (archive footage) (uncredited)

The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood

2000

as Rosco P. Coltrane

Death Mask

1998

as Wilbur Johnson

The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!

1997

as Boss / Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane

Hooper

1978

as Cully

The End

1978

as Pacemaker Patient

Rolling Thunder

1977

as Texan

Ode to Billy Joe

1976

as Dewey Barksdale

The Savage Bees

1976

as Pellegrino

Nickelodeon

1976

as Jim

The Runaway Barge

1975

as Bingo Washington

Savages

1974

as Sheriff Bert Hamilton

The Brain Machine

1972

as Rev. Emory Neill

Sounder

1972

as Sheriff Charlie Young

Run, Simon, Run

1970

as Henry Burroughs

Firecreek

1968

as Drew

First to Fight

1967

as Sergeant Carnavan

Three on a Couch

1966

as Dr. Ben Mizer

Black Spurs

1965

as Ralph Elkins

Shenandoah

1965

as Carter, Rebel Soldier

The Quick Gun

1964

as Scotty Wade

Shock Corridor

1963

as Stuart

Black Gold

1962

as Jericho Larkin

Aftermath

1960

as Hardy Coulter

The Mountain Road

1960

as Niergaard

The Killer Shrews

1959

as Thorne Sherman

Verboten!

1959

as Sgt. David Brent

Ride Lonesome

1959

as Billy John

Cast a Long Shadow

1959

as Sam Mullen

The Left Handed Gun

1958

as Tom Folliard

The Naked and the Dead

1958

as Rhidges

Man on the Prowl

1957

as Doug Gerhardt

Hot Summer Night

1957

as Kermit

Gaby

1956

as Jim

Calling Homicide

1956

as Det. Arnie Arnhoff

The Rack

1956

as Millard Chilson Cassidy

Come Next Spring

1956

as Bill Jackson

Forbidden Planet

1956

as Crewman (uncredited)

Seven Angry Men

1955

as Jason Brown

Top Of The World

1955

as Col. French's Orderly (uncredited)

Return from the Sea

1954

as Barr

The Raid

1954

as Lt. Robinson

Riders to the Stars

1954

as Dr. Sidney K. Fuller

The Yellow Tomahawk

1954

as Private Bliss

The Caine Mutiny

1954

as Lt. JG Jorgensen

City of Bad Men

1953

as Deputy Gig (uncredited)

Seminole

1953

as Corp. Gerad

Column South

1953

as Primrose

Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair

1952

as Marvin Johnson

The Cimarron Kid

1952

as Bitter Creek Dalton

Steel Town

1952

as Joe Rakich

Francis Goes to West Point

1952

as Cpl. Ransom

The Battle at Apache Pass

1952

as Cpl. Hassett

Air Cadet

1951

as Jerry Connell

Target Unknown

1951

as Sgt. Ralph Phelps

Apache Drums

1951

as Bert Keon

Kansas Raiders

1950

as Cole Younger

Comanche Territory

1950

as Sam

Peggy

1950

as Frank Addison

One Way Street

1950

as Driver

Winchester '73

1950

as Crater

Return of the Killer Shrews

2012

Writer

Death Mask

1998

Writer

Hooper

1978

Co-Writer

Gator

1976

Production Assistant

No data available

The End

1978

Associate Producer

Organization	Category	Movie

The Dukes of Hazzard

as Rosco P. Coltrane

Episodes: 147

First Aired: Jan 26, 1979

The Dukes

as Rosco Coltrane (voice)

Episodes: 20

First Aired: Feb 05, 1983

The Andy Griffith Show

as Jim Lindsey

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Oct 03, 1960

Burke's Law

as Tucson, 'The Cowboy'

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Sep 20, 1963

The Twilight Zone

as Billy-Ben Turner

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Oct 02, 1959

The Twilight Zone

as Jeff Myrtlebank

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1959

Hawkins

as Sheriff John Early

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 13, 1973

Gunsmoke

as Beal

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 10, 1955

Perry Mason

as Allan Winford

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 21, 1957

Combat!

as Trenton

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1962

General Electric Theater

as Hardy Coulter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 01, 1953

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as Norman Frayne

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1955

Rawhide

as Willie Cain

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 09, 1959

Daniel Boone

as Jethro Wyatt

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1964

The Fugitive

as Dan Murray

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 17, 1963

The Millionaire

as Fred Morgan

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 19, 1955

The Virginian

as Curt Westley

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 19, 1962

Lux Video Theatre

as Clem Wallace

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

as Jack Milhoan

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 01, 1957

Climax!

as Shag

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 07, 1954

Black Saddle

as Ben Travers

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 10, 1959

The Rebel

as Ted Evans

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 04, 1959

Wanted: Dead or Alive

as Stoner

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 06, 1958

Bat Masterson

as Joe Best

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 08, 1958

Honey West

as Vince Zale

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 17, 1965

The David Niven Show

as Boland

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 07, 1959

Pony Express

as Bart Gentry

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 09, 1960

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

as Jovan Wilanskov

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 21, 1959

Behind Closed Doors

as Webb

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1958

The Green Hornet

as Yale Barton

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 09, 1966

The Barbara Stanwyck Show

as Joe

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 19, 1960

Rawhide

as Brock Quade

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 09, 1959

Gunsmoke

as Charlie Noon

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 10, 1955

Cavalcade of America

as Harry

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1952

Cavalcade of America

as Slate Morley

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1952

Wanted: Dead or Alive

as Luke Perry

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 06, 1958

The Rebel

as Abel Waares

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 04, 1959

Perry Mason

as Martin Potter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 21, 1957

Bat Masterson

as Danny Dakota

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 08, 1958

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as Hennessy

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1955

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as Bish Darby

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1955

Bonanza

as Sheriff Vern Schaler

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 12, 1959

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

as Tom Carmody

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1962

Trackdown

Episodes: 3

First Aired: Oct 04, 1957

Have Gun, Will Travel

Episodes: 3

First Aired: Sep 14, 1957

Laramie

Episodes: 3

First Aired: Sep 15, 1959

Stagecoach West

Episodes: 3

First Aired: Oct 04, 1960

Cheyenne

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Sep 20, 1955

Felony Squad

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Sep 12, 1966

The Gene Autry Show

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Jul 23, 1950

Ben Casey

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Oct 02, 1961

The Guns of Will Sonnett

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Sep 08, 1967

Frontier

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Sep 25, 1955

The Adventures of Kit Carson

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Aug 11, 1951

In the Heat of the Night

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 06, 1988

The Gallant Men

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 05, 1962

77 Sunset Strip

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 10, 1958

E! True Hollywood Story

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Aug 21, 1996

Flipper

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 19, 1964

Surfside 6

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 06, 1960

The Mod Squad

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1968

Hawaiian Eye

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 07, 1959

Centennial

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1978

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 24, 1951

Redigo

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1963

The Man and the Challenge

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 12, 1959

Lancer

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1968

West Point

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 05, 1956

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 05, 1951

Men Into Space

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 30, 1959

Enos

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Nov 12, 1980

Bronco

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 23, 1958

The Lineup

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1954

Lock-Up

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 28, 1959

The Rifleman

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 30, 1958

The Texan

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 29, 1958

Buffalo Bill Jr.

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 01, 1955

Cavalcade of America

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1952

The Manhunter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 11, 1974

Tombstone Territory

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 16, 1957

General Electric True

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 30, 1962

Overland Trail

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 07, 1960

Stories of the Century

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 23, 1954

CMT: Inside Fame

Episodes: 1

First Aired: May 13, 2005

Whispering Smith

Episodes: 1

First Aired: May 08, 1961

Hopalong Cassidy

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 19, 1952

Startime

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 06, 1959

Michael Shayne

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 30, 1960

Hawk

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 08, 1966

B.L. Stryker

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 13, 1989

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History

Year	Month	Avg	Max	Min
2024	6	10	17	7
2024	7	26	49	11
2024	8	20	35	12
2024	9	17	32	6
2024	10	9	14	5
2024	11	9	21	3
2024	12	11	21	7
2025	1	15	37	6
2025	2	7	15	1
2025	3	4	14	0
2025	4	1	1	1
2025	5	2	3	1
2025	6	1	2	1
2025	7	1	2	0
2025	8	2	10	0
2025	9	0	1	0
2025	10	1	1	0

Trending Rank

Year	Month	Avg Rank	Max Rank
2024	6	273	95

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James Best

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Known For

Headshots

Filmography

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