Rosco Purvis Coltrane is a fictional sheriff character who first appeared in the 1975 film Moonrunners, which inspired the creation of the American TV series The Dukes of Hazzard (and related spin-off films).
In Moonrunners, he was played by Bruce Atkins. The role of Rosco in the television series was played by James Best in a much more developed character than the one in Moonrunners. On the television series, Rosco is the right-hand man of Hazzard County's corrupt county commissioner, Jefferson Davis "J.D." Hogg also known as "Boss Hogg"). Best appeared as Rosco in all but five episodes out of 147 over seven seasons. He was accompanied on the show by his character's pet/police dog (beginning in season 3), a basset hound named Flash.[1] Rosco's name is sometimes spelled with an E as Roscoe, which is incorrect; James Best corrected this popular misconception on his website.[2] As in Moonrunners from which The Dukes of Hazzard TV series evolved, in the first season the character's name is given as "Rosco Coltrane". The initial "P." was added from the start of the second season, after Best convinced show producers that it gave him more to play with vocally when pronouncing it. The "P." stands for Purvis.
- ^ "James Best, known as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane on Dukes of Hazzard, dies". 7 April 2015.
- ^ "The Official James Best Website!". Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2011-10-15.