Rick Hurst’s Final Ride: What Really Took Down the ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Legend at 79?
Added on June 27, 2025 inCelebrity News Cards, Entertainment News Cards
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Ever get the feeling the universe has a bit of a dark sense of humor? As the stars swirl through Cancer’s nurturing yet wistful vibes today, we’re reminded how fleeting life – and laughter – really is. Richard “Deputy Cletus Hogg” Hurst, whose grins lit up The Dukes of Hazzard for years, has unexpectedly slipped off the stage at 79. It’s one of those moments that makes you wonder: can Mercury in retrograde explain sudden goodbyes or is the cosmos just throwing us a curveball? Either way, the news from his first wife, Candace Kaniecki, hit like a plot twist no one saw coming. Fans and friends alike—like Dukes veteran Ben Jones—are still grappling with this surprise, mourning a man who wasn’t just a comic gem but a Texas-sized heart behind the scenes. Before you shuffle off to your daily to-dos, take a moment to remember the man behind the laugh and the legacy left behind. LEARN MORE
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We have sad news to report from the world of television today.
Richard Hurst — the actor who’s best known for playing Deputy Cletus Hogg on The Dukes of Hazzard — has passed away at the age of 79.
News of Hurst’s passing comes to us courtesy of his first wife, Candace Kaniecki.
Kaniecki tells TMZ that Hurst’s death came as a surprise. She also says that his cause of death has yet to be determined.
Hurst was scheduled to appear at Cooter’s Place, a Dukes of Hazzard-themed museum and entertainment complex, on July 3.
The owner of the museum, fellow Hazzard alum Ben Jones, paid tribute to Hurst 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,” Jones wrote.
“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,” the actor continued, adding:
“We have always thought of our Cooter’s friends as ‘Hazzard Nation,’ 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.”
Hurst accumulated dozens of credits over the course of his several decades in the industry, In addition to his work on Hazzard, he appeared on such series as M*A*S*H, The Wonder Years, Family Matters, and Melrose Place.
Hurst is survived by his sons, Collin Hurst and Remember the Titans actor Ryan Hurst.
Our thoughts go out to his loved ones during this enormously difficult time.
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