Ben Jones, Beloved as Cooter on The Dukes of Hazzard, Dies at 84
The actor spent seven seasons in Hazzard County before representing Georgia for two terms in Congress
For seven seasons, Ben Jones played the man the Duke boys could count on when their car needed fixing or they found themselves in another jam. As Cooter Davenport on The Dukes of Hazzard, Jones brought humor and an easy familiarity to the mechanic’s garage. Years later, he took his career in a different direction, winning two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Jones died on August 9, 2026, at his home in Washington, Virginia. He was 84. His wife, Alma Viator, said he suffered a heart attack while waiting to watch the Atlanta Braves. Rappahannock County Sheriff Connie Compton confirmed his death to the Associated Press.
The mechanic the Duke boys could count on
The Dukes of Hazzard aired on CBS from 1979 to 1985, following cousins Bo and Luke Duke through car chases and run-ins with Boss Hogg in a fictional Georgia county. Cooter was a friend and ally who helped keep their Dodge Charger running. He was also one of the neighbors who made Hazzard feel like a place where everyone knew each other’s business.
Jones stayed with the series through all seven seasons. He later kept in touch with the show’s audience through Cooter’s Place, where fans could see memorabilia and attend cast gatherings. Before his death, cast members and fans had been planning to celebrate his 85th birthday at the Luray, Virginia, location.
From a fictional Georgia county to a seat in Congress
Three years after the series ended, Jones won election as a Democrat in Georgia’s 4th Congressional District. He served from January 1989 to January 1993, completing two terms. He lost his bid for a third term in 1992 and ran for Congress again in Virginia in 2002.
His work took him from a television garage to Capitol Hill and eventually back to meeting fans who had followed him since his days as Cooter. For many of those viewers, the memory of Jones still begins in that garage, with another repair waiting and the Duke boys needing a friend.