Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane (2024)

Sheriff Rosco Purvis^[1] Coltrane is a character on The Dukes of Hazzard. He was played by James Best.

About Rosco[]

Rosco was a serious and aggressive sheriff, and actually shot a criminal.^[2] He was a willing accomplice to Boss Hogg's schemes, fueled by a sense of bitterness and resentment along with greed. He seems to be the key organizer behind slot machines being illegally imported into the county.^[3] He would soon become a more bumbling accomplice

Rosco had served Hazzard County for twenty years as "a fairly honest lawman" but became embittered after watching his pension get wiped out following a failed bond referendum, and with just a few months left in office have to run for re-election instead of retiring.^[4] This notion was explored again when Deputy Enos asks him why he turned so corrupt.^[5]

Rosco frequently initiates car chases with Bo and Luke and later with Coy and Vance, but the Duke boys are often able to elude Rosco, who usually scuffs his vehicle.

Rosco bought a pet police dog from the newspaper's "The perfect policeman" announcement, which he mothered and loved dearly.^[6] He is a lazy basset hound he calls "Flash" and nicknames "Velvet Ears". Flash loved the Dukes but always barked at Boss Hogg. Early on, the dog's gender was male, but this would change later.

Boss Hogg and Rosco are brothers-in-law because Rosco's older sister, Lulu Coltrane, is married to Boss Hogg.

Rosco has just more than $43 in his savings account, and often tries to join Boss in indulging in high-calorie dishes. His patrol car (in the first season a 1974 Dodge Monaco or a 1970 Dodge Polara (first two episodes), 1974–5 AMC Matador, and 1976 Plymouth Fury. In later seasons a 1977 or 1978 Dodge Monaco or Plymouth Fury) which also serves as his daily driver except for a few episodes where he has other cars, such as a 1977 Pontiac Lemans in the 3rd season episode "To Catch a Duke" which he apparently saved his nickels and dimes for, as he claims. This car can routinely be seen parked outside the Police station in stock footage exterior shots for the rest of the series. His personal vehicle in the 5th season episode "The Revenge of Hughie Hogg" is a 1967–1968 Chevrolet Impala which he kicks apart. Rosco carries a pearl-handled Smith & Wesson Model 15 (a Smith & Wesson Model 10 in the pilot episode, and also the opening credits for the show), with which he is an expert shot, although when he has to use it in the line of duty, he gets too nervous to hit anything (the exception being the first season episode, "Mary Kaye's Baby" when he shot a criminal in a shoot out). His main deputies—whom he often calls "dipstick"—include Enos Strate and Cletus Hogg. Although he often henpecks and belittles his deputies, he is also shown to be very fond of them (particularly Enos) and shows great concern when they might be in real danger.

Rosco speaks often with a childish vernacular and repeats his favorite catchphrases constantly. One that has always been featured when Rosco arrests the Duke boys or anyone else for that matter is "Cuff 'em and stuff 'em!" He has a choppy and excited chuckle that was produced from the back of the throat, "Kew-kew-kew-kew!" He is easily excitable and genuinely enjoys law enforcement, especially chasing criminals, which he calls "hot pursuit".

Rosco was married briefly to a woman he purportedly met through a computer dating service, but the marriage was a sham; his "bride" robbed banks with her husband and his associate, and the union was quickly annulled.^[7]

Rosco is more of a caring man than he ordinarily lets on. This is particularly clear when the safety of his best friend Boss Hogg is threatened.

Following the death of Boss Hogg, Rosco inherited his money and documents of dirty schemes, and he also became Hazzard County's Commissioner as well as serving as Sheriff.^[8]

Trivia[]

• Creator Gy Waldron realized that he had found an audience with children and the character was toned down to the more comedic and more bumbling persona for which he is best known; something that James Best himself had large input on, insisting that, while Rosco technically was corrupt, he was driven mostly by playful childlike naivety. He never wanted children viewing to feel afraid to go up to a lawman in the street or when in need.
• As in the 1975 film Moonrunners from which The Dukes of Hazzard evolved, in the first season the character's name is given as "Rosco Coltrane". The initial P. was added from the start of the second season, after Best convinced show producers that it gave him more to play with vocally when pronouncing it.
• During the second season (1979–1980) of the series, James Best left over a dispute about the changing-room conditions. His gripe was that he didn’t mind getting soaked and / or covered in mud, etc., when filming Rosco crashing his car into rivers and suchlike, but was unhappy with the poor changing facilities afterwards. During his absence, Rosco was replaced by a number of stand-in sheriffs (played by such actors as James Hampton and Dick Sargent). Eventually the dispute was settled, and Best returned as Rosco, remaining for the rest of the show's run.

Casting History[]

• Bruce Atkins - Moonrunners
• James Best - The Dukes of Hazzard
• M.C. Gainey - 2005 film
• Harland Williams - The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning

References[]