On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane on The Dukes of Hazzard, James Best lived a remarkable American life. Orphaned at the age of three and raised in Kentucky and Indiana, he served with the U.S. Army in war-torn Germany, where an unexpected visit to a stage production inspired him to become an actor.

Best went on to appear in hundreds of television episodes and work alongside stars including Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, Burt Reynolds, and Clint Eastwood. He also became one of Hollywood’s most respected acting teachers before creating one of television’s most memorable comic characters. In his own words, James Best shares the story of his journey from a country boy with no knowledge of theater to the beloved sheriff of Hazzard County.

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