When The Dukes of Hazzard careened onto CBS’s broadcast schedule in 1979, the show’s distinctive blend of Southern flavor and non-stop action centered around two good ol’ boys never meanin’ no harm – charismatic cousins Bo and Luke Duke, played by Tom Wopat and John Schneider – made the series a runaway hit. Six seasons and 147 episodes later, The Dukes of Hazzard had amassed an immense and loyal fan base that has only grown with the show’s popularity in syndication.
More than two decades after the last original episode aired, The Dukes of Hazzard and its beloved cast of characters remain iconic fixtures in pop culture lore. Bo and Luke Dukes’ infamous 1969 orange Dodge Charger, “the General Lee,” has become one of the most recognizable American automobiles in the world, and the name Daisy Duke has become synonymous with the very shortest of short shorts.
Serving up a slice of Americana every Friday night, The Dukes of Hazzard gave audiences a chance to escape to Hazzard County for some down-home goodness, rip-roaring car chases and jaw-dropping jumps. It was those elements, coupled with the show’s light-hearted tone, that convinced producer Bill Gerber to take the Dukes to the big screen.
“I was searching for a project that really captured the American spirit,” says Gerber. “The heart of The Dukes of Hazzard is family and protecting what you love. Bo and Luke were such endearing characters and had a very playful attitude about the law – I liked the Robin Hood aspect of the show, and when you add the allure of Daisy Duke, it just felt like the timing was right to bring the concept to the big screen.”
After developing a script with screenwriter John O’Brien that captures the show’s mischievous attitude and breakneck comedic tone, Gerber tapped Jay Chandrasekhar, director of the comedies Super Troopers and Club Dread, to helm the film. Both Super Troopers and Club Dread were scripted by the comedy writing team Broken Lizard, of which Chandrasekhar is a member.
“Broken Lizard’s comedic tone is very similar in spirit to The Dukes of Hazzard in that it’s not highbrow – it’s meant to be accessible,” says Gerber. “We knew Jay could bring an edginess to the humor that would bring Hazzard County and the Dukes into 2005.”
For the thirty-seven-year-old Chandrasekhar, the chance to direct a film based on one of his favorite television shows was an opportunity he couldn’t refuse. “I grew up watching The Dukes of Hazzard and loved outlaw films like Smokey and the Bandit,” says the director. “I’ve always wanted to make a movie that had a Seventies feel to it, with a bunch of cars screeching around and an alternate view of law enforcement.
“I also had a poster of Daisy Duke on my wall when I was nine that was very inspiring,” he adds, “and when you combine the prospect of a new Daisy Duke with the opportunity to send the General Lee flying through the air again, it was impossible for me to say no.”
There are two things in Hazzard County that you can always count on: knock-you-on-your-ass moonshine and Bo Duke behind the wheel of his beloved orange charger. For Seann William Scott, playing the role of Bo took him back to his childhood days in Minnesota.
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