ATTEND HAZZARD-OUS
AUTOFAIR
Although it's 7 season run on TV ended14 years ago the Duke Clan has enjoyed non-stop popularity since the General made it's last leap. The Orange 01 Dodge Charger that could clear Roadblocks,overturned Big Rigs and the occasional Pond effortlessly.
The hour long action/slapstick format had a following that kept the show in the Top 10 from it's debut in January '79. Then during the '82-'83 season Bo and Luke Duke left Hazzard to take a shot at the NASCAR Circuit which left cousins Coy and Vance Duke obligated to lice with Uncle Jesse and Daisy and help with the Farm! At least that's how it was explained to the viewers at home.
In the real world stars John Schneider (Bo) and Tom Wopat (Luke) werw in a Legal dispute with Warner Television over money owed them from Dukes Merchandising. They also wanted more say in Production of the shows. So... faced with the possibility of a successful show on Hiatus, and losing advertisers income as well as viewers, Warner cast Byron Cherry as blonde Coy and Chris Mayer as Vance.
Cherry was not a 'Coy come lately' to the Dukes having been a strong candidate for the part of Bo when Warner originally sent out a call for a 'good ol' southern boy' actor to cast in the Premiere episode.
"John (Schneider) and I had thesame Agent in Atlanta" Georgia born Cherry recalls, "seven actors and myself had gotten the call for the first Audition". John was not one of the the actors called but he crashed the audition anyway and won the part. Meanwhile I had to fly to Miami for training at Eastern Airlines.
As Dukes became a runaway success, Cherry's easy going attitude about his career kept him from feeling bitter about his missed opportunity. Four years later his Agent told him Warner was calling and he had another shot at the show.
"When I got to the Audition it was just me and the camera. The cameramanplayed the part of Daisy which tended to throw me off a bit" said Cherry,"I was really suprised when I was told to fly out to Hollywood for a Screen Test. Another suprise was John picking me up at the Airport in his Lamborghini". Cherry says the meeting with John was kept a secretas was the 'good luck' buckle the star gave him.
At his screen test in Valencia he said 'Catherine Bach (Daisy) introduced herself, put her arm around me and said 'Don't worry COY you're going to get this part!"
Cherry of course won the part but the controversy surrounding the whole thing affected the shows ratings.
Then when the legal battle was resolved Bo and Luke returned to Hazzard but the Dukes never regained it's monentum. After 147 episodes the Hazzard sets were taken down.....................
These days Cherry is a physically fit 43, a condition he owes to his lifelong practice of Karate, Running and good nutrition. Cherry's General Lee Dodge Charger will be displayed at the Food Lion Autofair Manafacturer's Event and he will be availableduring times to be announced throughout the 4 day show.
GALLERY 1 AND 2....
BYRON BIO Pg.....