Rick Hurst, Cletus Hogg on 'The Dukes of Hazzard' and father of actor Ryan Hurst, dies at 79

Actor Rick Hurst, champion known arsenic dim-witted Deputy Cletus Hogg connected the TV amusement “The Dukes of Hazzard,” has died unexpectedly successful Los Angeles. He was 79.

“It doesn’t look close that Rick Hurst passed distant this afternoon. When thing truthful unexpected happens, it is ‘harder to process,’ arsenic the existent look goes,” histrion and person Ben Jones, who played Cooter Davenport connected “Hazzard,” wrote Thursday evening connected the Facebook leafage for Cooter’s Place, a concern themed to the show.

“I conscionable this infinitesimal heard astir the passing of beloved Rick Hurst, a.k.a. Cletus Hogg,” co-star John Schneider, who played Bo Duke connected “Hazzard,” wrote Thursday nighttime connected Facebook. “You were [a] singular unit for humanity, sanity and drama my friend. Heaven is simply a safer and much organized spot with you successful it. We’ll support the contention going and radical laughing until we conscionable again! Love you.”

Hurst had been scheduled for instrumentality meet-and-greet appearances July 3-7 astatine the Cooter’s successful Pigeon Forge, Tenn., according to the website for the store and restaurant, which has 3 locations. Cooter’s called disconnected the sojourn successful a Facebook station aboriginal Thursday, saying the sojourn would beryllium rescheduled owed to “unforeseen circumstances.”

Born Jan. 1, 1946, successful Houston and raised there, Hurst got started successful acting rather early. “When I was 5 oregon 6, acting benignant of tapped maine connected the enarthrosis — literally,” helium said connected a COVID-era podcast a fewer years backmost with popular civilization enthusiast Scott Romine. Hurst said helium was astatine a Houston Public Library determination with his ma erstwhile a antheral tapped him connected the enarthrosis and asked if helium wanted to beryllium successful a commercialized for the room system. He did the spot, helium said, “and my wage was a cocoa soda.”

After precocious schoolhouse successful Houston, Hurst studied theatre astatine Tulane University successful New Orleans, past got a master’s successful good arts from Temple University successful Philadelphia. All of his acquisition was connected signifier until helium moved to Los Angeles. His archetypal TV recognition was for “Sanford and Son” successful 1972 and his last recognition was for “B My Guest,” a 2016 TV short.

In summation to moving connected the archetypal 5 seasons of “The Dukes of Hazzard,” which ran from 1979 to 1985, Hurst appeared connected myriad shows including “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “Little House connected the Prairie,” “MASH,” “Baretta” and “227” and the miniseries “From Here to Eternity.”

Hurst said connected that podcast that helium “thanked God each the time” for the occurrence of “The Dukes of Hazzard” and its fandom.

“The stunt guys were the heroes of the show,” helium said, “and each of america successful the formed knew that the archetypal prima connected the amusement was the General Lee,” the orangish 1969 Dodge Charger with a Confederate conflict emblem emblazoned connected top, driven by characters Bo and Luke Duke, the second played by Tom Wopat.

Hurst was joined twice, archetypal to acting manager Candace Kaniecki, parent of histrion Ryan Hurst, and past to Shelly Weir, parent of Collin Hurst. Ryan Hurst is champion known for his roles arsenic Opie connected “Sons of Anarchy” and Beta connected “The Walking Dead.”