Cooter Davenport

Cooter Davenport is a fictional character from the American TV show The Dukes of Hazzard. He was played by Ben Jones.

Cooter was the mechanic in the fictional Hazzard County, in Georgia. He owned The Hazzard County Garage in Hazzard County Square, directly across from the Police Department and the County Bank. his CB handle was "Crazy Cooter" and he often started his CB transmissions with "Breaker one, Breaker one, I might be crazy but I ain't dumb, Craaaazy Cooter comin' atcha, any y'all Dukes out there on the Hazzard net? Come on". he was a wild and scruffy-looking man, usually seen in sleeveless shirt, filthy blue jeans, and a well-worn ball cap. He maintained a steady business, mainly because the Duke boys were constantly damaging their car, The General Lee and ultimately eventuating the wreckage of the county patrol cars as well (as Cooter once pointed out, following the Dukes around is guaranteed to increase his business). Everything from a new door or bumper to a simple wash and wax cost $35.42. Cooter drove a variety of trucks. In the first season, he drove a brown 1969 Chevy C-10 tow truck; in the second season he drove a blue and white 1967 Ford F-350 Custom tow truck, and he also had a blue 1968 Chevy pickup; in the third season and first half of the fourth season, he drove a yellow 1978-79 Ford F-350 Custom tow truck; in the second half of the fourth season and rest of the series, he drove a blue and white 1968-72 GMC C-Series tow truck.

Cooter was also an "honorary Duke", as he was the best friend of the family and he regularly assisted them in foiling Boss Hogg and Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. During the episode, "Happy Birthday General Lee", it is explained that Cooter actually helped in restoring The General Lee from a wrecked black 1969 Dodge Charger. He was also the supplier of its unique orange paint (it was all that he had, in a quantity sufficient enough to paint a car with). It is also suggested that it was he who supplied the famous "Dixie" horn. Though Cooter also owns a small farm (only ever seen in one second season episode), he spends most of his time at his garage, and many episodes suggest he also lives there. It has also been implied that Cooter often lives out of his truck. Though Cooter would not start a fight without good reason, he does enjoy a good fight (being quite a good fighter, himself, Cooter rarely loses a fair fight).

During the second season (1979–1980), Ben Jones boycotted the show due to a dispute with the producers: they wanted the character to be clean shaven, whereas Jones had grown a full beard. As a result, Jones left the show for several episodes and it was explained in the series that Cooter was out of town. Filling in for Cooter at the garage during his absence were his cousins, B.B. Davenport (in only one appearance, played by Mickey Jones), and L.B. Davenport (played by Ernie W. Brown). Eventually, an agreement was reached - Jones would appear clean-shaven, and the character returned to the show with the episode "Treasure of Hazzard", (1980). (However, for continuity reasons, with the episodes being broadcast in a different order to that which they were produced, Cooter did not appear clean-shaven until the start of the third season.)

In the 1997 television movie The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!, it was revealed that Cooter had gone on to become a congressman (the same as actor Ben Jones had done in real life).

Cooter in film

Bill Gribble portrayed Cooter in the 1975 film Moonrunners (the precursor to The Dukes of Hazzard), although beyond the name, there is little similarity. Ben Jones was also in Moonrunners, but he played the revenue agent after Uncle Jesse and the cousins.

David Koechner portrayed Cooter in the 2005 film The Dukes of Hazzard.

Joel Moore portrayed Cooter in the TV film The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning.

Legacy

• Cooter Davenport inspired the name of Mississippi punk rock band The Cooters.