Latest news with #GeneralLee
International Business Times
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- International Business Times
How Did Rick Hurst Die? 'Dukes of Hazzard' Actor Dies Suddenly and Unexpectedly Aged 79 Days Before Planned Fan Event
Rick Hurst, best known for his role in the original "The Dukes of Hazzard" series during the late 1970s and early 1980s, has died at the age of 79. His wife, Candace Kaniecki, confirmed the news to TMZ on Thursday. She revealed that the beloved television actor died suddenly earlier on Thursday. No official cause of death has been given. Hurst shot to fame for his role as Deputy Cletus Hogg on "The Dukes of Hazzard", where he played the cousin of the show's main antagonist, Boss Hogg. His death comes just a few months after one of the show's stars, John Schneider, slammed Warner Bros. and so-called "woke" critics. Sudden and Unexpected Death Schneider voiced his frustration after the show was pulled from several television lineups and the production of merchandise featuring the series' famous car, the General Lee, was halted due to backlash over the show's frequent use of Confederate symbols and its ties to a pro-slavery legacy. Hurst died just a week before he was set to appear at a fan gathering hosted by Cooter's Place—a Dukes of Hazzard-themed museum and store located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee—on Thursday, July 3, according to the venue's website. However, on Thursday morning, the museum shared a message on its Facebook page saying the event would be postponed, citing Hurst's unexpected inability to attend, as reported by TMZ. That original post now appears to have been removed, and the Nashville branch of Cooter's Place has since posted a short tribute in Hurst's memory. Hurst joined "The Dukes of Hazzard" in its debut season in early 1979, initially appearing as a recurring character for the first two seasons. He played Deputy Cletus Hogg, a supporting role to Sonny Shroyer's Deputy Enos Strate. When Shroyer left the series to star in his own short-lived spinoff, Enos, his role was reduced to guest appearances in season three, and he was entirely absent in season four. From Supporting Role to Main Cast As a result, Hurst was promoted to the main cast during that time to fill the void left by Shroyer. In 1982, Shroyer returned as a main cast member for the show's fifth season, leading to Hurst being moved back to a guest role. He did not appear in the final two seasons of the series. However, both actors returned to reprise their roles in the 1997 TV film "The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!" and again in the 2000 follow-up, "The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood." In the first season of "The Dukes of Hazzard", Hurst's character was primarily as a sidekick to his cousin, Boss Hogg. It wasn't until the second season that Cletus was officially made a deputy. After his role was downgraded in The Dukes of Hazzard, Hurst moved on to the sitcom "Amanda's", which starred Bea Arthur. The show was an American adaptation of the British classic "Fawlty Towers", originally created by John Cleese and Connie Booth. "Amanda's" marked Arthur's return to television five years after the end of Maude, and it served as a transitional project before her time on The Golden Girls. The series was short-lived, canceled after just 10 episodes aired, although three additional episodes that had been filmed were later broadcast in reruns. Hurst portrayed the quirky chef, Earl Nash. Throughout his career, Hurst often played police officers or detectives on shows like "The Doris Day Show", "Sanford and Son", "The Partridge Family", "Get Christie Love!," and "The Blue Knight."
Eater
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Downtown LA's Era-Defining Third-Wave Coffee Shop Is Closing After a Decade
Verve Coffee Roasters is closing its Downtown LA location on June 1, marking the end of a decade in the neighborhood. The Santa Cruz-based coffee roaster opened its Spring Street cafe in January 2015, serving a signature lineup of coffee drinks made with its own beans, as well as pastries, and juices from Juice Served Here. The cafe's closure was announced in an Instagram post, which reads, 'While the evolving landscape of Downtown has made it no longer sustainable for us to continue operating at this location, we remain deeply committed to our LA community.' Verve's roastery and cafe, located just a few miles away in the Arts District, will remain open, as well as its other locations across Los Angeles on Melrose, West Third, and in Manhattan Beach. Mahjong and sushi at General Lee's Mahjong Underground is launching its first Mahjong and Chow night at the Arts District location of Kombu on June 8. The ticketed event will come with a shared tasting menu and a drink of choice, plus three hours of open play. Tickets are available through Mahjong Underground. Summer dinner series at the Benjamin Melrose restaurant the Benjamin is kicking off a guest chef dinner series on June 22. Evan Funke will cook at the inaugural event, followed by Michael Voltaggio in July, and Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo in September. Additional dinners and participating chefs are set to be announced. Tickets for the dinners will be priced at $99 and include a multi-course prix fixe menu and a limited-edition T-shirt. Tickets for the first event will be available on Resy starting at 9 a.m. PST on May 29. Gabby Windey's LA itinerary Former Bachelorette star and Traitors champion Gabby Windey shares her ideal Sunday with the Los Angeles Times . Mornings for Windey start at Silver Lake coffee shop Lamill, before heading to the farmers market with her wife, Robby Hoffman, for tamales. The rest of the day's ideal stops include snacks from Botanica, a movie at the Americana, and sushi from Kombu or Sugarfish. A new Beverly Hills matcha destination Cha Cha Matcha is opening a new flagship cafe in Beverly Hills on May 30, adding to its current lineup of cafes in Venice, Century City, and West Hollywood. The new cafe will introduce a few firsts for the brand, including an on-site matcha mill which guests can watch. A few drinks will also debut at the cafe, including the Coconut Cloud with coconut water and matcha cold foam, and a Japanese-style cold brew. At 10 a.m. on opening day, the first 50 guests in line will receive a free tote bag and beverage of choice. Sign up for our newsletter.
