But it speaks to the lighthearted, family-friendly tone the show maintained. Sorrell’s perfect blend of humor and charm made Boss Hogg one of TV’s most iconic antagonists, and honestly, I think he deserved at least one Emmy nomination for his unforgettable performance.
To bring the character of the rotund “Boss” Jefferson Davis Hogg to life, Sorrell Booke actually wore padding under his suit to give the illusion of being even chubbier than he naturally was. It was all part of his commitment to making the iconic character as memorable as possible.
Truth about General Lee’s famous ”Dixie” horn
Did you know that General Lee’s iconic “Dixie” horn wasn’t originally part of the plan? While filming the early episodes in Atlanta, the producers were driving when they heard a car zoom by blasting the familiar tune. Intrigued, they chased down the driver, convinced him to sell the horn, and paid a pretty penny for it.
Turns out, they could’ve just picked it up at any auto parts store for a fraction of the price! And if that wasn’t funny enough, the horn was only used in the first five episodes. After that, it was added in during post-production once filming moved to the Warner Brothers lot. Talk about a classic case of “oops!”
John Schneider lied about his age
In several interviews, John Schneider revealed that he actually lied about his age to land the role of Bo Duke.
He told the producers he was 24, when in reality, he was only 18. To add to the deception, he showed up for the audition in a casual t-shirt and blue jeans, carrying a six-pack of beer, and even used a Southern accent—despite being from New York City.
Georgia School of High Performance Driving
When John Schneider auditioned for The Dukes of Hazzard, he also told producers he was a graduate of the Georgia School of High Performance Driving. The only problem? That school didn’t exist!
”But they bought it,” Schneider told Fox News.
However, John wasn’t just making things up — he actually had a natural talent behind the wheel. He could slide the General Lee around corners and burn rubber like a pro. Of course, he wasn’t allowed to perform the big stunt jumps or high-risk scenes, but if they had let him, there’s a good chance he could have pulled them off.
The iconic “Daisy Duke” shorts
How many TV characters inspire a sense of fashion that lasts decades after the show is gone? Catherine Bach, best known by the public for her role as Daisy Duke, has written herself into pop culture history forever.
In a 1996 interview on E! True Hollywood Story, Bach shared that her famous shorts almost didn’t make it onto The Dukes of Hazzard. When she first wore them, the network executives absolutely freaked out.
They insisted she couldn’t wear such revealing shorts, and after some back-and-forth, they reluctantly agreed — on one condition: Catherine had to wear pantyhose underneath to avoid any “accidental reveals.”
But instead of hiding anything, the pantyhose actually highlighted her long, shapely legs even more, and she quickly became a ’70s TV sex symbol. It’s funny to think that what was initially meant to cover up ended up making Catherine one of the most talked-about stars of the era.
Cut-off denim shorts are still referred to as “Daisy Dukes,” and I think there are girls still wearing the iconic hotpants today – referring to them by name without knowing anything about the TV show. That’s pretty remarkable.
Wanted a Dolly Parton look-a-like
As the naturally beautiful Daisy Duke, Catherine became one of the most famous faces on television. Her character was loved by many, and Daisy was the reason a lot of us watched the show. According to Catherine, the producers were looking for a Dolly Parton look-a-like to play the role of Daisy.
They wanted a girl with lots of blonde hair, big boobs, and an hourglass figure. Nevertheless, Catherine went in for the audition and nailed it. CBS hired her that same night.
However, the connection to Dolly Parton was actually there from the start of The Dukes of Hazzard. In the pilot episode, Daisy Duke is even described as knowing the lyrics to all of Dolly Parton’s songs, and early episodes hint that Daisy has dreams of starting a music career herself.
“The character is a conglomeration of many people I know. She is half the wildest girl I ever knew in high school. She is part of a couple of girls I was real close to in Georgia. She’s a lot of Dolly Parton and she’s a lot of me when I was a waitress. She is independent. She is physical. And she can do anything the guys can do,” Catherine explained in 1979.
Rosco’s slip-up: Daisy becomes Cathy
Here’s a fun little blooper from The Dukes of Hazzard that probably flew under the radar for most viewers!
In the episode State of the Country, right at the end, Rosco accidentally calls Daisy by the name Cathy just before she hands him the gun. It’s a tiny slip-up, hardly noticeable unless you’re paying super close attention – check it out below!
The moment that never reached TV
John Schneider, who was the biggest Dukes of Hazzard fan in the cast, took the show’s ending in 1985 especially hard.
While the final aired episode, Opening Night at the Boar’s Nest, wrapped up with the characters celebrating Boss Hogg’s unexpected stage comeback, the true last scene filmed never made it to TV—or even the DVD release.
In that unseen moment, Bo and Luke sat in the General Lee, sharing one last bit of banter in the Boar’s Nest parking lot. When the cameras stopped rolling, Schneider recalled the emotional weight of the moment: ”Unlike the televised ending where we all hugged at the Boar’s Nest, I remember saying, ‘Well, that’s a wrap.’ Then the rear projection screen went blank, and I cried like a baby behind the wheel of that engine-less General.”
It wasn’t just John who felt the loss — fans were heartbroken too. But 11 years later, when TNN brought back reruns, the love for The Dukes of Hazzard was reignited, leading to two TV movies and a whole new generation of fans.
Waylon Jennings’ mom kept waiting
Waylon Jennings not only narrated The Dukes of Hazzard, but he also gave the show its iconic theme song, Good Ol’ Boys — his first single to sell over a million copies! He once said it was one of the easiest records he’d ever cut, and it sure paid off. The song hit #1 on the country charts in 1980 and even went platinum as a ringtone in 2007.
But here’s the fun part — Waylon’s mom watched The Dukes of Hazzard every week, hoping to catch a glimpse of her son. The problem? The legendary country singer was only heard, not seen! In fact, the only part of him that made it into the opening credits was his hands strumming a guitar. That’s why in the full version of the theme song, Waylon added the cheeky lyric: “You know my mama loves me… but she don’t understand, they keep a-showing my hands, and not my face on TV!”
Luckily, Waylon finally got his on-screen moment in 1984 when he guest-starred as himself in Welcome, Waylon Jennings.
Waylon Jennings had his own General Lee
Did y’all know Waylon Jennings had his very own General Lee? As a thank-you for creating the show’s iconic theme song, the producers gifted him an orange Dodge Charger — complete with the rebel flag on the roof and the famous “01” on the doors.
Waylon absolutely loved the car. In his book Waylon, he wrote, “Even today when I look out on my driveway and see General Lee, the orange Dodge Charger they gave me with the rebel stars and bars painted on its roof and a big 01 bull’s-eyeing the door, it makes me laugh. Great car for eluding a sheriff.”
Years after Waylon’s passing, his beloved General Lee resurfaced in a 2016 eBay auction, complete with his personal letters and documentation. The starting price? Around $77,000 — proof that anything tied to The Dukes of Hazzard still has a special place in fans’ hearts.
Truth about the General Lee
Ready for some fun facts about the legendary General Lee? During the production of The Dukes of Hazzard, a lot of cars were totaled. Replacing the police cars was easy, but finding replacements for the General Lee was a challenge since Dodge had stopped making the Charger. Producers would even stop people on the street if they saw a Charger, offering to buy it on the spot. Over the course of the show, somewhere between 256 and 321 General Lee cars were made and mostly destroyed, according to IMDb.
The iconic orange car, with the Confederate battle flag on its roof, the “GENERAL LEE” logo on the doors, and the famous “01” number, was based on a 1969 Dodge Charger. Fun fact: in the first five Georgia-filmed episodes, there was an additional checkered flag behind the rear window, but it had to be removed because replicating it over and over was too tricky.
The name General Lee came from the Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and it was inspired by the real-life moonshine runners who drove a 1958 Chrysler called Traveler. That was almost the name of the Duke boys’ car too, but the producers figured General Lee had a bit more punch. Oh, and if you’re wondering, the third episode, called Mary Kaye’s Baby, is the only episode in the series in which the General Lee does not appear.
Oh, and if you’re wondering, the third episode, Mary Kaye’s Baby, is the only episode in the series where the General Lee doesn’t make an appearance.
The big plot hole
A major plot point in The Dukes of Hazzard was Bo and Luke’s probation, which kept them from leaving Hazzard County legally.
However, when Tom Wopat and John Schneider, the actors who played Bo and Luke, walked off set due to salary disputes at the start of Season 5, their characters were temporarily written off. They were replaced by cousins Coy Duke (Byron Cherry) and Vance Duke (Christopher Mayer). The show explained their absence by saying Bo and Luke had left to race professionally in NASCAR. But here’s the catch— how could Bo and Luke travel the country if they were still on probation?
How Flash earned her treats on set
Rosco’s beloved basset hound, Flash, made her first appearance in the Dukes of Hazzard episode Enos Strate to the Top and quickly became a fan favorite. Flash was adopted from a Los Angeles dog pound, as shared on the Dukes of Hazzard County Facebook page.
Throughout the series, Flash was a loyal companion to Rosco, always by his side during his many misadventures. On set, James Best, who played Rosco, would use pieces of hot dog to direct Flash’s attention toward the camera. After each scene, Flash got her well-earned treat.