just edited another pic of the Shaughnessy clan into my previous post about Jean Lodge. That pic includes Bill Hayes & Susan Seaforth Hayes.

Edited August 7Aug 7 by janea4old

One of my favorite William Orbit-produced tracks:

@janea4old I had no idea about all those details with Jane Lodge. Thank you.

@I Am A Swede @JAS0N47

Benjamin Lewis Jones, the actor and politician best known for playing Cooter Davenport on ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ and for his four years representing Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives, died on August 9, 2026, from a massive heart attack, according to his wife. He was 84.

Best known for his role as Cooter Davenport in The Dukes of Hazzard. Jones also served for four years in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1989, to January 3, 1993. Jones also served as the International Chief of Heritage Operations for the Sons of Confederate Veterans from July 2014 to late 2018, but was a member for over 15 years.

In the mid-1970s, he had a supporting part in an independent film called The Moonrunners, written and directed by Atlantan Gy Waldron and featuring country star Waylon Jennings, composing the music and narration. It later served as the basis for "The Dukes of Hazzard", which began production in 1978 about two miles from Jones' then residence in Covington, Georgia. Jones was cast in the role of "Cooter" Davenport, the sidekick mechanic of cousins Bo and Luke Duke. The show immediately rose to the top of the Nielsen ratings. In the days before cable, satellite dishes, and the Internet, "The Dukes" commonly attracted 40 million viewers weekly on CBS-TV.

On 8/7/2026 at 4:04 PM, DRW50 said:

@janea4old I had no idea about all those details with Jane Lodge. Thank you.

@I Am A Swede @JAS0N47

Thanks. I never knew Charlie's parents were both in the industry, so that was nice to learn about them.

17 hours ago, Soapsuds said:

Benjamin Lewis Jones, the actor and politician best known for playing Cooter Davenport on ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’
<snip>
Jones also served as the International Chief of Heritage Operations for the Sons of Confederate Veterans from July 2014 to late 2018, but was a member for over 15 years.

In 2015, Jones announced his support of the Confederate battle flag, which can be seen on the exterior top of The Dukes of Hazzard signature car, the General Lee. His defense of the flag served as his response to Warner Bros.' decision to no longer manufacture any merchandise that features the flag, such as the General Lee, and the discontinuation of reruns of the show due to Dylann Roof's infamous reputation associated with the flag.

https://web.archive.org/web/20210414125444/dallasnews.com/news/politics/2015/03/23/cooter-from-dukes-of-hazzard-confederate-flag-not-hate-speech/

It went all the way to the Supreme Court to find out if the Confederate flag could be used on Texas license plates and he was there to support that flag on license plates, but the Supreme Court ruled against it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_v._Texas_Division,_Sons_of_Confederate_Veterans

He made a statement about it and also said he would continue to sell the Confederate battle flag in his dukes of hazzard museum store.
It's a long thing about why he thinks it's not racist . . . . . etc etc etc
I won't quote that nonsense but you can read it:
https://web.archive.org/web/20150819020853/http://www.people.com/article/dukes-hazzard-actor-defends-confederate-flag-ben-jones

Edited August 11Aug 11 by janea4old

https://deadline.com/2026/08/jon-cypher-dead-hill-street-blues-masters-of-the-universe-major-dad-1237030528/

I saw Jon Cypher on so many shows over the years (and he had a notable role on Knots). I never knew he was in Cinderella.

On 8/11/2026 at 11:14 AM, DRW50 said:

https://deadline.com/2026/08/jon-cypher-dead-hill-street-blues-masters-of-the-universe-major-dad-1237030528/

I saw Jon Cypher on so many shows over the years (and he had a notable role on Knots). I never knew he was in Cinderella.

He always reminded me of Sam Eagle from The Muppet Show.

Phyllida Law [Emma Thompson's mother] has died.

Phyllida Law: Actress who starred with daughters Emma and...

Law appeared in films alongside both of her daughters, Dame Emma and Sophie, including 1996's Emma.

8 hours ago, Xanthe said:

Phyllida Law [Emma Thompson's mother] has died.

Phyllida Law: Actress who starred with daughters Emma and...

Law appeared in films alongside both of her daughters, Dame Emma and Sophie, including 1996's Emma.

😢

Frank Beard drummer for ZZ Top dies at 77.

Ironically the only one in the original line-up who didn't have a beard....

I loved her on Coach.

https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/shelley-fabares-dead-coach-the-donna-reed-show-1236841162/

She was great on Coach. I'll always associate her with Nick at Nite and Donna Reed, my childhood.

Johnny Angel is one of the loveliest one-hit wonders.

Leslie Parrish, Batman and The Manchurian Candidate actress, dies at 90

She died in 2025 but her stepdaughter just confirmed it to Variety.

https://ew.com/leslie-parrish-dead-batman-and-perry-mason-actress-was-90-12066011

Her Star Trek appearance (Who Mourns For Adonais?, S02, E02) is most familiar to me.

Edited August 24Aug 24 by applcin