Ben Jones, the American actor best known for playing mechanic Cutter Davenport in the television series “The Dukes of Hazzard,” has died at the age of 84.
The news was announced by his wife, Alma Viator, who said Jones had suffered a severe heart attack on Sunday.
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“I lost the love of my life today. Ben passed away from a heart attack,” Viator wrote on Facebook, where she also posted a photograph of the actor with his dog.
According to his wife, the actor was at home, sitting in his favorite armchair as he waited to watch the Atlanta Braves take on the New York Yankees.
“Ben had a wonderful, rich and full life. He loved and was loved by so many people. We will miss him. I loved him so much,” she said in her announcement.
Jones’s role as Cutter Davenport in “The Dukes of Hazzard” brought him to the attention of the American public. He appeared in all seven seasons of the series, which aired from 1979 to 1985.
The CBS production became one of the most popular American television series of its time and had a significant impact on popular culture.
During his career, Ben Jones also appeared in other film and television projects, including “Smokey and the Bandit,” “Moonrunners” and “As the World Turns.”
After ending his acting career, Jones became involved in politics.
In 1988, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Georgia’s 4th Congressional District and won. He was reelected in 1990, serving a total of two terms in Congress.
Jones later faced Republican Newt Gingrich in an election but failed to win.
Tom Wopat, who played Luke Duke in “The Dukes of Hazzard,” was among the first cast members to respond publicly to the news.
“‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ lost another important cast member today. Ben Jones was a wonderful friend and a staunch supporter of all the best that we offer in entertainment,” Wopat wrote on Facebook.
“We will miss him greatly,” he added, also mentioning Denver Pyle, the actor who played Uncle Jesse in the series.
Although “The Dukes of Hazzard” ended in 1985 after seven seasons, the series continued to play an important role in American pop culture.
In 2005, the story was adapted for the big screen, this time as an action comedy starring Jessica Simpson, Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott.
Ben Jones’s death is another blow to the cast of the series, which for decades ranked among the most beloved television productions in the United States.
