| Filming for the first season began in Covington GA in late 1978, that is where the first 5 episodes were filmed. The showed first aired on January 26, 1979 as a mid season replacement. John Schnieder was only 18 when he first appeared as Bo and he actully lied about his age and where he was from so he could addition for the show. The show wanted someone around 26 years old and from the south, John was 18 and from New York. He got the roll even after he told about his lie since he out read any of the other actors available by a long shot. The show got horrible reviews almost everyone of them were bad. This did not stop people from tuning in to watch the Dukes though. When Warner Bros. realized they had a hit they built the town of Hazzard in there back lots. By 1981 The Dukes of Hazzard was a top rated show and merchanise had been put into production. John Schnider and Top Wopat thought that they were not getting a fair share of the merchandise money. John and Tom said they would walk out, Warner Bros. thought that they were expendable since the real star of the show was the General Lee. In 1983 Christopher Mayer and Byron Cherry appeared on the show and Vance and Coy Duke to replace John and Tom while they were on strike. The shows ratings began to fall and the shows production people realized what they had done and got Tom and John to come back after a 7 month strike. The show would last another year and a half until the last episode would be aired in spring of 1985. Many of the shows stars would go on to persue other things. Both John Schnider and Tom Wopat persued music careers, and both had some hits. Cathrine Bach put an effort into saving the rainforests. In the mid 90's TNN started airing reruns of the Dukes and the show became popular yet again and was a top rated show for The Nashville Network. Due to shows refound popularity a reunion movie was made and aired in 1997, unfortunatly Sorrell Booke died before the reunion movie and Denver Pyle filmed the movie while sick with cancer, also Waylon Jennings was not heard as the balladeer. Since the show remained popular on TNN and the first reunion movie went over so well added to the fact that the new show merchanise was selling well, CBS and the cast of characters decided to put together another reunion movie. This one however would be made without Denver Pyle who had passed away after his battle with cancer. The second reunion as well was a success. unfortanatly after TNN decided to change its format to The National Network, The Dukes of Hazzard got canceled in 2001. For those who still want to see the Dukes Columbia House has a video collection of Dukes episodes, each tape contains two un cut episodes. Go to Columbia Houses web site to find out more the address is www.Columbiahouse.com. |
