James Best (

1926

)

Actor / Director Profile

Jewel Franklin Guy

ID for James Best

Birth Name:
Jewel Franklin Guy

Date of Birth:
July 26, 1926,

Height:
6' 1" (1.85 m)

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James Best Biography

American character actor and teacher. Born Jules Guy in Powderly, Kentucky, on July 26, 1926, he was orphaned at three and adopted by Armen and Essa Best, who re-named him James K. Best and raised him in Corydon, Indiana. Following high school he worked briefly as a metalworker before joining the Army shortly after World War II, in December, 1945. According to Best, he first acted in a European tour of "My Sister Eileen" directed by Arthur Penn. Upon his return to the U.S., he toured in road and stock companies in plays and musicals, and was finally spotted by a scout from Universal Pictures, who put him under contract. A handsome young man, his rural inflections perhaps kept him from frequent leading man roles. During the 1950s and '60s, he was a familiar face in movies and television in a wide range of roles, from Western bad guys to craven cowards and country bumpkins. Physical ailments curtailed his work for a long period late in his career, and he established a well-respected acting workshop in Los Angeles. He also served as artist-in-residence at the University of Mississippi, teaching and directing. He worked in both acting and producing capacities for Burt Reynolds on several of the latter's films in the late 1970s, before taking on his greatest commercial success. Although the "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979) TV series was far beneath his talents, his role as Sheriff Roscoe Coltrane was the part that gave him his greatest fame. He continued teaching, both in Hollywood and later in Florida (at the University of Central Florida). Semi-retired, he makes personal appearances and exhibits his paintings.

James Best Photo Gallery

James Best filmography

browse filmography as: actor

1. Moondance Alexander (2007)
Buck McClancy

actor

2. Once Not Far from Home (2006)
(short) The Doctor

actor

3. Hot Tamale (2006)
Hank Larson

actor

4. House of Forever (2004)
(short) William Clancy

actor

5. The Dukes of Hazzard: Return of the General Lee (2004)
(Video Game) Sheriff Rosco. P. Coltrane (voice)

actor

6. The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood (2000)
(TV movie) Rosco P. Coltrane

actor

7. The Dukes of Hazzard: Racing for Home (1999)
(Video Game) Rosco (voice)

actor

8. Finders Keepers (1998)
(short) John Massey

actor

9. Death Mask (1998)
Wilbur Johnson

actor

10. Raney (1997)
Uncle Nate

actor

11. The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion! (1997)
(TV movie) Boss / Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane

actor

12. "B.L. Stryker" (1989)
(TV series) Mr.Parkinson

actor

13. "In the Heat of the Night" (1988)
(TV series) Nathan Bedford

actor

14. "The Dukes" (1983)
(TV series) Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane

actor

15. "Enos" (1980)
(TV series) Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane

actor

16. Hooper (1978)
Cully

actor

17. "How the West Was Won" (1978)
(TV mini-series) Sheriff Gruner

actor

18. "Centennial" (1978)
(TV mini-series) Hank Garvey

actor

19. McLaren's Riders (1977)
(TV movie) Lamarr Skinner

actor

20. Rolling Thunder (1977)
Texan

actor

21. The Brain Machine (1977)
Rev. Emory Neill

actor

22. Ode to Billy Joe (1976)
Dewey Barksdale

actor

23. The Savage Bees (1976)
TV Deputy Mayor Pelligrino

actor

24. Nickelodeon (1976)
Jim

actor

25. The Runaway Barge (1975)
TV Bingo Washington

actor

26. Run, Simon, Run (1970)
TV Henry Burroughs

actor

27. Firecreek (1968)
Drew

actor

28. First to Fight (1967)
Sgt. Carnavan

actor

29. Three on a Couch (1966)
Dr. Ben Mizer

actor

30. Black Spurs (1965)
Sheriff Elkins

actor

31. Shenandoah (1965)
Carter, Rebel Soldier

actor

32. "I Spy" (1965)
Sam / (2 episodes, 1966-1968)

actor

33. The Quick Gun (1964)
Sheriff Scotty Wade

actor

34. Shock Corridor (1963)
Stuart

actor

35. Black Gold (1962)
Jericho Larkin

actor

36. "The Gallant Men" (1962)
Pvt. Hook (1 episode, 1963)

actor

37. "The Virginian" (1962)
Curt Westley (1 episode, 1965)

actor

38. Aftermath (1960)
TV Hardy Couter

actor

39. The Mountain Road (1960)
Niergaard

actor

40. Good Deed (1959)
TV Frank Simms

actor

41. The Killer Shrews (1959)
Thorne Sherman

actor

42. Ride Lonesome (1959)
Billy John

actor

43. Cast a Long Shadow (1959)
Sam Mullen

actor

44. Verboten! (1959)
Sgt. David Brent

actor

45. Cole Younger, Gunfighter (1958)
Kit Caswell

actor

46. The Left Handed Gun (1958)
Tom Folliard

actor

47. Last of the Badmen (1957)
Ted Hamilton

actor

48. Hot Summer Night (1957)
Kermit

actor

49. Man on the Prowl (1957)
Doug Gerhardt

actor

50. "Wagon Train" (1957)
Art Bernard / (3 episodes, 1959-1960)

actor

51. "Perry Mason" (1957)
Allan Winford / (2 episodes, 1963-1966)

actor

52. When Gangland Strikes (1956)
uncredited Jerry Ames

actor

53. Come Next Spring (1956)
Bill Jackson

actor

54. Gaby (1956)
Jim

actor

55. The Rack (1956)
Millard Chilson Cassidy

actor

56. Calling Homicide (1956)
Det. Arnie Arnhoff

actor

57. Forbidden Planet (1956)
uncredited Crewman

actor

58. The Eternal Sea (1955)
unconfirmed Student

actor

59. A Man Called Peter (1955)
uncredited Man with Jane at Youth Rally

actor

60. Top of the World (1955)
uncredited Major French's Orderly

actor

61. Seven Angry Men (1955)
Jason Brown

actor

62. Return from the Sea (1954)
Barr

actor

63. Riders to the Stars (1954)
Sidney K. Fuller

actor

64. They Rode West (1954)
uncredited Lt. Finlay

actor

65. The Raid (1954)
Lt. Robinson

actor

66. The Yellow Tomahawk (1954)
Private Bliss

actor

67. Skip Taylor (1953)
TV

actor

68. Seminole (1953)
Cpl. Gerard

actor

69. The President's Lady (1953)
uncredited Samuel Donaldson

actor

70. City of Bad Men (1953)
uncredited Gig

actor

71. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
uncredited Charlie - Radar man

actor

72. Column South (1953)
Primrose

actor

73. The Battle at Apache Pass (1952)
Cpl. Hassett

actor

74. About Face (1952)
unconfirmed Hal's Roommate

actor

75. Steel Town (1952)
Joe Rakich

actor

76. The Cimarron Kid (1952)
Bitter Creek Dalton

actor

77. Flat Top (1952)
uncredited Radio Operator

actor

78. Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair (1952)
Marvin Johnson

actor

79. Francis Goes to West Point (1952)
Cpl. Ransom

actor

80. Air Cadet (1951)
Jerry Connell

actor

81. Target Unknown (1951)
Sgt. Ralph Phelps

actor

82. Apache Drums (1951)
Bert Keon

actor

83. One Way Street (1950)
uncredited Driver

actor

84. Peggy (1950)
Frank Addison

actor

85. Kansas Raiders (1950)
Cole Younger

actor

86. I Was a Shoplifter (1950)
uncredited Police Broadcaster in Surveillance Plane

actor

87. Comanche Territory (1950)
Sam

actor

88. "Red Ryder"
Perry Cochran (1 episode, 1956)

actor

89. "The David Niven Show"
Frank Simms / (2 episodes, 1959)

actor

90. "The Adventures of Champion"
Paul Kenyon (2 episodes, 1955-1956)

actor

91. "Whispering Smith"
Hemp Reeger (1 episode, 1961)

actor

92. "Destry"
Curly Beamer (1 episode, 1964)

actor

93. "Rescue 8"
Chad Kern (1 episode, 1959)

actor

94. "G.E. True"
Ernie Swift (1 episode, 1963)

actor

95. "The Man and the Challenge"
David Mallory (1 episode, 1959)

actor

96. "The DuPont Show with June Allyson"
Jovan Wilanskov (1 episode, 1960)

actor

97. "Hawaiian Eye"
Johnny Olin (1 episode, 1962)

actor

98. "Hopalong Cassidy"
Rick Alston (1 episode, 1954)

actor

99. "Stories of the Century"
Dave Ridley (1 episode, 1954)

actor

100. "Annie Oakley"
Scott Warren (2 episodes, 1954)

actor

101. "The Adventures of Kit Carson"
Henry Jordan (2 episodes, 1954-1955)

actor

102. "The Gene Autry Show"
Bank Teller / (2 episodes, 1954)

actor

103. "Frontier"
Ben Reed / (2 episodes, 1956)

actor

104. "Code 3"
Arkansas Trueblood (1 episode, 1957)

actor

105. "The Texan"
Clay Kirby (1 episode, 1960)

actor

106. "Pony Express"
(1 episode, 1960)

actor

107. "Frontier Justice"
Pyke Dillon (1 episode, 1959)

actor

108. "Temple Houston"
Gotch (unknown episodes)

actor

109. "Black Saddle"
Ben Travers (1 episode, 1959)

actor

110. "The Rebel"
Ted Evans / (2 episodes, 1960)

actor

111. "Redigo"
Les Fay (1 episode, 1963)

actor

112. "Bat Masterson"
Danny Dakota / (2 episodes, 1958-1960)

actor

113. "Michael Shayne"
Danny (1 episode, 1961)

actor

114. "Bronco"
Banton (1 episode, 1962)

actor

115. Confections of a Discarded Woman (2013)

116. Return of the Killer Shrews (2012)

117. "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979)
141 episodes, 1979-1985

118. The End (1978)

119. "Family Feud" (1976)
2 episodes

120. Savages (1974)

121. Sounder (1972)

122. "The Guns of Will Sonnett" (1967)
2 episodes, 1967-1969

123. "Felony Squad" (1966)
2 episodes, 1966-1968

124. "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960)
2 episodes, 1960-1961

125. "Stagecoach West" (1960)
3 episodes, 1960-1961

126. "Laramie" (1959)
3 episodes, 1959-1962

127. "Rawhide" (1959)
3 episodes, 1963-1964

128. "The Twilight Zone" (1959)
3 episodes, 1961-1963

129. "Bonanza" (1959)
3 episodes, 1961-1968

130. The Naked and the Dead (1958)

131. "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958)
2 episodes, 1958-1959

132. "Trackdown" (1957)
3 episodes, 1957-1958

133. "Have Gun - Will Travel" (1957)
3 episodes, 1957-1961

134. "Cheyenne" (1955)
2 episodes, 1962

135. "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955)
3 episodes, 1958-1961

136. "Gunsmoke" (1955)
3 episodes, 1963-1969

137. The Caine Mutiny (1954)
uncredited

138. "Death Valley Days" (1952)
4 episodes, 1955-1964

139. "Cavalcade of America" (1952)
3 episodes, 1953-1956

140. Winchester '73 (1950)

141. Gator (1976)
assistant to producer

miscellaneous crew

142. The 20th Anniversary Hazzard County BBQ (2004)
V Himself

self

143. TV Road Trip (2002)
TV Himself (The Dukes of Hazzard)

self

144. "Inside Fame"
Himself (1 episode, 2005)

self

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