Biography
James Best (born Jewel Franklin Guy) was an American film, television and stage actor whose career spanned more than six decades. He appeared in numerous Westerns and guest roles on series including The Twilight Zone, Bonanza and The Andy Griffith Show, as well as films such as Winchester '73 (1950), The Caine Mutiny (1954) and Forbidden Planet (1956).
Best is best known for playing the bumbling Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in the CBS series The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985) and its television films. He also played Sheriff Charlie Young in the 1972 drama Sounder. He worked as an acting coach, director, writer and college professor, and appeared in more than 600 television episodes and around 85 films.
