By Shawn Henry 
Actor Rick Hurst, best known for his role as the bumbling but lovable Deputy Cletus Hogg on The Dukes of Hazzard, has died at age 79, his former co-star confirmed Thursday.
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Hurst’s passing was announced by actor Ben Jones, who portrayed “Cooter” on the hit CBS series, in a heartfelt tribute posted to the Cooter’s Place museum’s Facebook page.
“It doesn’t seem right that Rick Hurst passed away this afternoon,” Jones wrote. “I have known Rick for over 45 years and there wasn’t a minute of that time that he didn’t leave me smiling or laughing.”
Born in Texas in 1945, Hurst built a career in television and film, gaining early recognition with roles in series like On the Rocks in the mid-1970s. But it was his portrayal of the kindhearted Cletus Hogg from 1979 to 1982 that made him a fan favorite. He appeared in 55 episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard, a show centered around the misadventures of the Duke cousins in the fictional Hazzard County and their high-octane chases in the iconic General Lee, a 1969 Dodge Charger.
Jones remembered Hurst as more than just a comedian: “He was a fine actor, a splendid comic, and a wonderfully supportive colleague. He fit right in and never stopped making people smile.”
Following Dukes, Hurst starred in Amanda’s, an American adaptation of Fawlty Towers, and continued working steadily in film and television into the 2000s. His final credited role was in the 2016 short B My Guest.
Reflecting on his friend’s passing, Jones added, “I can see Rick up there in Heaven with Jimmy Best and Sorrell Booke and Denver Pyle, putting on the funniest show inside those Pearly Gates.”
No cause of death was immediately released.
Steven Symes