Rick Hurst has died ‘unexpectedly’ aged 79.
The Dukes of Hazzard actor, who is best known for his role as Deputy Cletus Hogg on the iconic TV show, passed away on Thursday in Los Angeles just days before he was scheduled for a public appearance.
As reported by TMZ, Hurst’s first wife Candance Kaniecki told the outlet he died unexpectedly on Thursday, while his cause of death is unclear.
Before his death, the actor was schedule to appear at the Dukes of Hazzard-themed museum and store at Cooter’s Place in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
On Thursday morning, the museum made a since-deleted post noting that the event needed to be rescheduled due to unforeseen circumstances.
Now, the Nashville-based Cooter’s Place branch has shared tributes on Facebook in honour of Hurst.
‘Our hearts are broken!!! You will be missed,’ a first post reads alongside a picture of the actor in character as Deputy Hogg.
Cooter’s Place owner Ben Jones – who played Cooter Davenport on the show and also runs the Dukes of Hazzard Museum, and founded annual fan event Dukesfest – shared his own lengthier post in memory of his late friend.
‘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,’ he 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.
‘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.’
Ben said Hurst will ‘continue to make us laugh’ when people watch back his shows and movies, and that he will missed be everyone at the venue.
‘We have always thought of our Cooter’s friends as “Hazzard Nation”,’ he continued.
‘Well, Hazzard Nation is sure going to miss Rick Hurst down here around “Cooters”, but his presence will always be near us. Rest in Peace, old friend!’
In 1979, Hurst originally started on Dukes of Hazzard in a recurring role, which his deputy character bumped up to main cast while Sonny Shroyer (Deputy Enos Strate) was focused on shortlived spinoff Enos.
He later appeared in the likes of Amanda’s – a US remake of Fawlty Towers – as well as Sanford And Son, The Doris Day Show, M*A*S*H and Kojak.
Other credits included iconic shows Little House On The Prairie, The Six Million Dollar Man and Murder, She Wrote.
On the big screen, he appeared in Burt Reynolds’ W.W. And The Dixie Dancekings in 1975, as well as The Cat From Outer Space, and 1984 classic The Karate Kid and its first two sequels.
He is survived by his wife Candance and son Ryan Hurst, who followed in his father’s footsteps with roles in Bates Motel, The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy and more.
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