Ben Jones (American actor and politician)
A character actor who rode the role of a good-ol'-boy mechanic to cult fame, then successfully navigated a second act as a crusading Congressman.
Born 1941 (age 85)·American actor, politician, playwright and essayist·Birthday: August 30·The Silent Generation
Biography
Ben Jones has lived at least two full public lives, each distinctly American. First, as an actor, he became permanently etched in pop culture as Cooter Davenport, the lovable, grease-monkey cousin on the television phenomenon 'The Dukes of Hazzard.' The role made him a face recognized in every household, a symbol of rural wit and rebellion. But Jones, a man of strong political convictions shaped by his Southern roots and a stint as a civil rights worker, wasn't content to be just a TV personality. He parlayed his name recognition and genuine grassroots appeal into a successful run for the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia. Serving two terms, he was a vocal Democrat who fought for Appalachian economic development and veterans' affairs. His journey from the fictional Hazzard County to the halls of Congress is a testament to the unpredictable ways celebrity and civic duty can intersect.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Ben was born in 1941, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ben Was Born
The biggest hits of 1941
#1 Movie
Sergeant York
Best Picture
How Green Was My Valley
Ben's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1941Born
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1946Started school
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1954Became a teenager
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Could drive
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1959Could vote
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Turned 21
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Turned 30
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 40
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 50
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 60
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 70
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 80
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 85 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played the iconic role of mechanic Cooter Davenport on the hit television series 'The Dukes of Hazzard' from 1979 to 1985.
- Served two terms as a U.S. Representative for Georgia's 4th congressional district from 1989 to 1993.
- Founded 'Cooter's Place,' a series of museums and stores dedicated to 'The Dukes of Hazzard' memorabilia and culture.
- Authored the play 'The Raindrop Waltz' and has written numerous political and cultural essays.
Did You Know?
He was a civil rights worker in the 1960s and was arrested during a protest in Atlanta.
He lost his first congressional race in 1986 but won the same seat two years later.
He is a licensed pilot.
After his political career, he returned to acting, making guest appearances on shows like 'Designing Women' and 'In the Heat of the Night.'
“I'm a road dog, a working man, and I'm proud of that.”
