Actor Rick Hurst, best known as Deputy Cletus Hogg on ‘The Dukes of Hazzard,’ passed away on Thursday.

He was 79.

“It doesn’t seem right that Rick Hurst passed away this afternoon. When something so unexpected
happens, it is ‘harder to process’, as the current expression goes,” Ben Jones, a co-star on the show, said on Facebook.

“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. Sure he was a professional comedian, but mostly he just had a heart as big as Texas. He was a fine actor, a splendid comic, and a wonderfully supportive colleague,” he added.

RIP: Actor Rick Hurst, known for his role as Deputy Cletus Hogg on The Dukes of Hazzard, has died at the age of 79. pic.twitter.com/0fsDiA9EJ9

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) June 27, 2025

From the New York Post:

His death was announced on the Cooter’s Pigeon Forge Facebook page, a “Dukes Of Hazzard” themed museum owned by his former co-star Ben Jones, who portrayed Cooter Davenport in over 140 episodes of the popular series.

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No cause of death has been revealed.

Hurst was scheduled to attend a meet-and-greet at Cooter’s Place, located outside Knoxville, Tenn., on July 3rd, but that appearance was delayed Thursday morning due to “unforeseen circumstances,” according to the museum’s page.

RIP 🕊️ Richard “Rick” Hurst, best known for his role as Deputy Cletus Hogg on “The Dukes of Hazzard,” has died at age 79. https://t.co/vZyd065rXz pic.twitter.com/0pKUZtwmRy

— News 4 San Antonio (@News4SA) June 27, 2025

“So Loved, Will Be Truly Missed!!” Cooter’s Pigeon Forge wrote on Facebook.

“Ben Jones ‘Cooter’ will be appearing this weekend at Cooter’s Luray, to honor Rick Hurst ‘Cletus Hogg.’ He will be in concert and speaking that will also be live streaming. Please join us in remembering an amazing actor and friend,” it said in another post.

CNN highlighted Hurst’s acting accolades:

Hurst had some success early in his acting career, including appearing in 24 episodes of TV series “On the Rocks” from 1975 to 1976, but it was “The Dukes of Hazzard,” which follows the fast-driving Duke brothers as they attempt to outrun the authorities in the fictional Hazzard County, that made him a household name.

Hurst appeared in 55 episodes of the CBS series from 1979 to 1982, before leaving to appear in “Amanda’s,” a US remake of the popular British TV series “Fawlty Towers.”

In the decades that followed, he appeared in various TV shows and movies, making his last appearance in a TV short called “B My Guest” in 2016.