Sorrell Booke



Sorrell Booke (January 4, 1930 – February 11, 1994) was an American actor best known for his role as the heavyset, corrupt politician "Boss" Jefferson Davis Hogg in the television show The Dukes of Hazzard.

Born in Buffalo, New York, and fluent in five languages, Sorrell (rhymes with "moral") Booke attended Columbia and Yale Universities and served in the Korean War as a counterintelligence officer. Booke had parts in noteworthy 1960s films such as Black Like Me, A Fine Madness and Fail-Safe before focusing primarily on television parts in the 1970s and voice acting in the 1980s and 1990s.

Booke earned himself an Emmy nomination for his appearance in the TV series, Dr. Kildare in the episode entitled, "What's God to Julius?" He also had a recurring role in Norman Lear's groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family as Mr. Sanders, personnel manager at Archie Bunker's workplace, Pendergast Tool and Die.

Most notable to his career was being cast in The Dukes of Hazzard as the humorously-wicked antagonist to Bo and Luke Duke, J.D. 'Boss' Hogg. The series ran from 1979-1985, and spawned an animated series, The Dukes (1983), two reunion TV specials, and a feature film.

He also once conducted the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Booke continued to work professionally until he succumbed to colorectal cancer in Sherman Oaks, California at age 64. He is interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.

Booke had two children Alexandra and Nicholas, and he also has a brother named Fred.

Filmography

 * Rock-A-Doodle (1991)
 * The Cat from Outer Space (1978)
 * Record City (1978)
 * The Other Side of Midnight (1977)
 * Freaky Friday (1976)
 * Special Delivery (1976)
 * Mastermind (1976)
 * The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery (1975)
 * Bank Shot (1974)
 * Devil Times Five (1974)
 * The Take (1974)
 * The Iceman Cometh (1973)
 * Slaughterhouse-Five (1972)
 * What's Up, Doc? (1972)
 * Bye Bye Braverman (1968)
 * Up the Down Staircase (1967)
 * A Fine Madness (1966)
 * Matchless (1966)
 * Les Félins (1964)
 * Fail-Safe (1964)
 * Black Like Me (1964)
 * Gone Are the Days! (1963)

TV work

 * Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (1992)
 * Gravedale High (1990)
 * Full House (1989)
 * Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers (1987)
 * The Dukes (1983)
 * The Smurfs (1981)
 * The Dukes of Hazzard (1979)
 * The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened (1977)
 * Columbo: The Bye-Bye Sky High I.Q. Murder Case (1977)
 * The Amazing Howard Hughes (1977)
 * Soap (1977)
 * Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II (1976)
 * Brenda Starr (1976)
 * Adventures of the Queen (1975)
 * The Last Angry Man (1974)
 * Dr. Max (1974)
 * Columbo: Swan Song (1974)
 * M*A*S*H (1972)
 * The Manhunter (1972)
 * Adventures of Nick Carter (1972)
 * Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law (1971)
 * The Guiding Light (1952)
 * The Borgia Stick (1967)
 * The Million Dollar Incident (1961)
 * The Iceman Cometh (1960)

Stage appearances

 * Morning, Noon and Night (1968)
 * Come Live With Me (1967)
 * The White House (1964)
 * Purlie Victorious (1961) - (1962)
 * Finian's Rainbow (1960)
 * Caligula (1960)
 * Fiorello!  (1959) - (1961) (Replacement)
 * Heartbreak House (1959)
 * Nature's Way (1957)
 * The Sleeping Prince (1956)